Oniell was the steady head we needed — calm, experienced and willing to hand tactical reins to younger coaches. Souness wouldn’t bring that same stability or modern coaching humility.
Why steady heads matter
There’s a real difference between someone who comes in to steady the ship and someone who wants to be the loudest voice in the room. The point about Oniell leaving most tactical work to Maloney and Fotheringham is important. You can respect a manager for being the calming influence, for knowing how to manage personalities, contracts and the dressing-room heat, while letting fresh coaches get on with the day-to-day pattern of play.
That balance — level-headed player management backed by energetic, tactical coaches — is exactly what clubs need when things have been rocky. It isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t make headlines. But it builds a proper structure, and you can see why supporters respect a manager who delivers that sort of stability.
Souness: legend, but not the right fit
Look, Souness is a Rangers great and always will be. But being loved and being the best person to mentor a modern coaching set-up are different things. The idea that bringing him in as a mentor will automatically sort out coaching or tactical issues misunderstands what clubs need now. An ambassador role is symbolic; it isn’t the same as day-to-day management or quietly supervising the next generation of coaches.
If fans start treating his involvement as the cure-all, that’s a distraction. People mention ambassador Rohl and wonder about influence — fair enough — but the board must not mistake nostalgia for strategy. The job is to build a functioning football club, not chase the next sentimental idea.
Boardroom sense over fan fads
Truth is, the board should be thinking in terms of long-term structure. Stop tinkering because a section of the fanbase wants a headline. We need consistent decision-making, clarity on roles and managers who can work in a modern coaching ecosystem. Fans can roar for legends all they like, but the club’s leadership must look like a proper football business, not react to the loudest voices on social media or the terraces.
So yes, give respect where it’s due. But don’t let reverence become a replacement for sensible, long-term planning.
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Rangers News Views offers daily Glasgow Rangers coverage including match reaction, transfer analysis, SPFL context, tactical breakdowns and opinion-led articles written by supporters for supporters.
