Philippe Clement made no bones about needing a helping hand at Rangers this summer.
The Belgian manager, a tad overwhelmed by the scale of injury disaster and lack of organisation at Ibrox, said as much come the end of the season.
We got the impression that Philippe Clement didn’t 100% realise the mess he had inherited when he walked into Rangers in October.
Claiming that his job requires greater ‘delegation’, Rangers have been tipped to bolster their backroom staff, medical department and – of course – playing squad under the Belgian.
And now, contrary to suggestions from the same journalist only a week previously, Rangers are set to offer Big Phil a Dutch helping hand ahead of next season.
Ulderink to join Rangers backroom
Dutch coach Andries Ulderink might not be a name that too many at Rangers are familiar with.
But a prominent coaching figure in the Netherlands, Ulderink has led a number of the nation’s clubs and most recently served as an assistant to the one and only Mark van Bommel at Royal Antwerp.
Reports in the Netherlands earlier in the summer had suggested that Rangers were interested in taking Andries Ulderink to the club ahead of next season.
And now leading Scottish football journalist Chris Jack has confirmed that Rangers are closing in on a deal.
Writing for the Rangers Review, Jack claims Ulderink is set to join Philippe Clement’s backroom staff as an assistant manager.
The 54-year-old will join Stephan van der Heyden in the background alongside Philippe Clement in the dugout, the move not expected to affect the Belgian assistant’s role at Ibrox.
Ibrox backroom confusion
Interestingly, the move comes just a week on from Chris Jack suggesting that Rangers had downplayed a move for Andries Ulderink.
When confirming that ex-Ibrox midfielder Alex Rae is to be kept on in the club’s backroom staff, Jack had claimed ‘it would be a surprise’ if Ulderink joins Rangers after the club ‘quickly dismissed’ the link earlier in the summer.
It suggests that it wasn’t always plain sailing when it come to convincing Ulderink and the club clearly wanted to keep the approach close to their chest.
Whatever the case, it appears the former Jong Ajax boss will become the latest Dutchman to join the ranks at Ibrox, with the Gers’ connection to the Netherlands well known.
Clement, Van der Heyden, Ulderink, and Rae are joined by Brian Gilmour – who joined the club following the sacking of Michael Beale – and goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart to make up the Ibrox side’s backroom staff.
