Post by Macmoish on May 7, 2011 23:12:32 GMT
Scotland on Sunday
-
Craig Whyte eyes boardroom shuffle
ublished Date: 08 May 2011
By TOM ENGLISH
Craig Whyte stood chatting in the trophy room at Ibrox, some of his business associates wandering about for what could well have been their first look at the gleaming silverware, the pottery, the pennants and the pictures that capture the history of the club on four walls.
Smiling broadly, and with his father in the building with him, Whyte came across as very different to his predecessor. He had none of the Sir David Murray bravado. He was calculating and impressive in his own way and clearly delighted to have finally
come to the end of a tortuous road. "There were various points," said Whyte of the protracted negotiations to buy the club, "where both myself and David Murray could have said 'Forget this' and walked away. I persevered and I'm glad that I did."
First impressions of him: likeable and a little shy, possessing a clear plan but understandably reticent about giving away too much detail, save for his "disappointment" - surely a euphemism for fury - at the antics of the independent board committee who attempted to hijack his purchase on Friday with a statement that could cost some of them, if not all of them, their positions on the Rangers board.
Phil Betts, his business partner and since Friday a new director of the club, was in the trophy room with Whyte. There was, however, no sign of Andrew Ellis, the man who introduced Whyte to the Rangers deal in the first place. There is some speculation as to precisely what involvement Ellis is going to have moving forward, if any.
It was instructive to note the presence in the directors box of Ali Russell, the commercial and marketing executive who was for three years the commercial director at Hearts and before that was head of marketing at the Scottish Rugby Union. Russell isn't yet 40 years old.
From 2008 to January of this year, Russell was the deputy chief executive of Queens Park Rangers. Since January, he has been on a six-month contract as chief executive of Scottish Swimming. Nobody should jump to conclusions about Russell. There is no hard information that says he is about to be parachuted on to the Rangers board but it was interesting to hear what Whyte had to say when asked about the reasons why he was so keen to buy Rangers.
"It's a fantastic club," said Whyte. "And we can achieve a lot, we can expand the commercial activities, we can do a lot with the brand. But it all comes back to doing well on the field, that's what it all comes down to, we must do well on the field and win trophies.
-
Craig Whyte eyes boardroom shuffle
ublished Date: 08 May 2011
By TOM ENGLISH
Craig Whyte stood chatting in the trophy room at Ibrox, some of his business associates wandering about for what could well have been their first look at the gleaming silverware, the pottery, the pennants and the pictures that capture the history of the club on four walls.
Smiling broadly, and with his father in the building with him, Whyte came across as very different to his predecessor. He had none of the Sir David Murray bravado. He was calculating and impressive in his own way and clearly delighted to have finally
come to the end of a tortuous road. "There were various points," said Whyte of the protracted negotiations to buy the club, "where both myself and David Murray could have said 'Forget this' and walked away. I persevered and I'm glad that I did."
First impressions of him: likeable and a little shy, possessing a clear plan but understandably reticent about giving away too much detail, save for his "disappointment" - surely a euphemism for fury - at the antics of the independent board committee who attempted to hijack his purchase on Friday with a statement that could cost some of them, if not all of them, their positions on the Rangers board.
Phil Betts, his business partner and since Friday a new director of the club, was in the trophy room with Whyte. There was, however, no sign of Andrew Ellis, the man who introduced Whyte to the Rangers deal in the first place. There is some speculation as to precisely what involvement Ellis is going to have moving forward, if any.
It was instructive to note the presence in the directors box of Ali Russell, the commercial and marketing executive who was for three years the commercial director at Hearts and before that was head of marketing at the Scottish Rugby Union. Russell isn't yet 40 years old.
From 2008 to January of this year, Russell was the deputy chief executive of Queens Park Rangers. Since January, he has been on a six-month contract as chief executive of Scottish Swimming. Nobody should jump to conclusions about Russell. There is no hard information that says he is about to be parachuted on to the Rangers board but it was interesting to hear what Whyte had to say when asked about the reasons why he was so keen to buy Rangers.
"It's a fantastic club," said Whyte. "And we can achieve a lot, we can expand the commercial activities, we can do a lot with the brand. But it all comes back to doing well on the field, that's what it all comes down to, we must do well on the field and win trophies.