FACTFILE: New Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst profiled as social media reacts to his appointment

Full Name: Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst

Place of birth: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Date of birth: February 5, 1975 (46)

International Caps: 106

Playing Career:

1982 – Joined the Feyenoord youth academy

1990 – Offered first professional contract at the age of 15, winning the Dutch Youth League the following year

1993 – Loaned out to RKC Waalwijk for a season to gain first-team experience, before returning to Feyenoord as a fringe player

1995 – Breakthrough season as he started almost every match for the Dutch giants, establishing himself as a first-team regular alongside players such as Henrik Larsson. Helped club win the KNVB Cup

1996 – Earned first full international cap in August under Guus Hiddink during a friendly against Brazil at the Amsterdam Arena

1998 – Completed £5million move to Rangers in July under the guidance of compatriot Dick Advocaat (his former boss at Holland Under-16 and Under-18 level). Scored on his debut in a 5-3 win over League of Ireland side Shelbourne in a UEFA Cup tie

Helped the Light Blues clinch a domestic Treble in his first full season, before securing a double the following year

2001 – Left Ibrox to sign for Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal side in June for £8.5million, partnership captain Patrick Vieira in the middle of the park. Won the Premier League in his first season, despite being hampered by a cruciate knee ligament injury. Also part of the 2003 FA Cup-winning squad

2003 – Joined European giants Barcelona on a year-long loan deal in June, before making the move permanent the following summer. Adapted into a new left-back role and won two La Liga titles and the Champions League in 2006 during his three-year stay

2004 – Reached the semi-finals of the European Championships before falling to defeat against hosts Portugal

2007 – Returned to Feyenoord for a second spell in June on a free transfer where he was appointed club captain and played a leading role in helping an injury-hit squad life the KNVB Cup

2010 – Announced retirement from playing in May after earning 106^th international cap in the 2010 World Cup Final loss to Spain

Coaching/Managerial Career

2011 – Joined Feyenoord’s coaching staff in July, spending four seasons working alongside Ronald Koeman and Fred Rutten

2015 – Accepted first managerial role in July and won the KNVB Cup in his first year before winning the club’s first Eredivisie title in 18 years the following season. Also wins a second KNVB Cup

2019 – Spent a year developing his coaching skills with clubs owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, including Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City

2020 – Returned to management in January with Chinese Super League side Guangzhou City but left in December by mutual consent due to family reasons

November 2021 –Named as Rangers manager, replacing Steven Gerrard. Roy Makaay appointed as his No.2

Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan tells Sky Sports News not many people will be aware of Maakay but he is regarded as a household name in the Netherlands.

He admits: “The former Bayern Munich and Holland player will be one of his assistants and he will travel over with him when he comes over, and probably be with him in the stands to watch the first game against Hibs in the semi-final."

Several former players and team-mates have passed on their well-wishes to Van Bronckhorst via social media...