Kevin Thelwell bringing key Everton figure to Rangers as pair 'set' to reunite at Ibrox through crucial role

Incoming Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell is set to reunite with a key Everton figure again as behind the scenes appointments take shape at Ibrox.

It will be a summer of change in Govan on and off the park. An overhaul of the playing squad after a poor season is nigh with the need for a new permanent manager, with Barry Ferguson currently the interim boss. Then there is the takeover talks with 49ers Enterprises currently bubbling away.

Another area needing to strengthen is the youth development system after Zurab Amirian left his post as head of academy football at Rangers in March. According to the Daily Record, key Everton figure Gareth Prosser is ‘set’ to follow Thelwell north of the border.

Key Everton figure heading for Rangers

Prosser works as the Toffees academy director and has been there since 2022. It is not the first club he has worked with Thelwell at, working alongside him while with Wolves. His bio on the Everton website reads: “Everton Academy Director Gareth Prosser was appointed by the Club in the summer of 2022. He works alongside Academy coaches, as well as Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, in overseeing all aspects of the Blues’ young sides, implementing a strategy across age groups, progressing talent, and creating a clear pathway into the Toffees’ Senior Team.

“He joined Everton with an extensive CV in coaching and youth development and notably held the position of Academy Manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers for six years between 2013-2019. During 11 years with the Midlands club, he worked alongside Thelwell, who was Wolves' Sporting Director. Prosser – who has also had key roles at Derby County and the Football Association of Wales – was most recently General Manager of the Professional Game Academy Audit Company, which quality assures the youth programmes of all professional football clubs in England.”

What incoming Rangers academy chief thinks of youth development

Now his attention looks likely to turn towards bringing Rangers prospects into the first team as Thelwell brings an ally with him. Prosser said previously of his youth philosophy: “The aim for us is to create better people and more players for the First Team. We want to identify the areas where we can evolve and improve, so we can create that best-in-class programme for staff and players.

“Everton has a terrific history of developing talent and to have alignment from top to bottom across the Club will be very important.“It will ensure people are on the same page and means the message to the players and the staff is a consistent one. That will hopefully make them feel more settled and able to give their best through training and coming to work.“We want to further improve the pathway of players within the Club to the First Team and, if not at Everton, then at another club or into another career outside of football. We’ve got a huge responsibility to develop the people first, as well as the players.

“I want to create a culture where people enjoy coming to work, where they feel empowered to make decisions and challenged to be the best they can be every day. That goes for the players and the staff. If we enjoy what we do, then we’ll give our best and, if we do that, we can really bring this programme forward.”