Simon Jordan has urged the doddering Rangers board to “wake up” and warned that interim chairman John Gilligan is no leader.
The temporary Ibrox chief issued an appeal for majority shareholder Dave King to act like a “proper shareholder” and keep his public comments private after the South African-based businessman issued a come and get me plea to the Govan club in a bid to engineer a return to the Ibrox board.
Jordan was left deeply unimpressed with Gilligan‘s performance in front the press pack this week, and defended King’s right to pipe up given his 15 per cent stake in the Light Blues. And he believes King has some merit in taking aim at the current custodians and setting the board “on fire” in a bid to bring about change at the top. “Well there sounds a leader, that was inspiring,” Jordan said sarcastically after hearing a clip of Gilligan’s response to King.
“Who’s Gilligan to define what a proper shareholder is? He’s (King) the biggest individual shareholder, he has 15 per cent of the business – he can operate how he feels.
“Do I think it’s wise for him to have done what he did? Well he must have his reasons for doing it. He’s set the board on fire, metaphorically speaking and I think there’s some merit behind it.
“He talked about off the field being poor. I’m assuming that as a shareholder, he’s privy to the financial information and is able to make that observation.
“On the field, the accusation is that Rangers are not in good shape. The structure of the club in terms of it’s acquisition policy for players and the main core product doesn’t look like a good outcome.
“Despite the fact that they were very hospitable, I wasn’t impressed with James Bisgrove as a leader. I wasn’t impressed with talking to Douglas Park. I wasn’t impressed with talking to his son. I think they’re small minded.
“So when I listen to this interim chairman, I don’t think there’s anything inspirational. I imagine Dave King’s sitting there – do I think it’s the wisest thing he did? Well he did it for a reason. They make the point that he’d been there before and when he left, other people stepped up. Anyone can step into a vacuum. Doesn’t mean you’ve stepped into the vacuum well, does it?
“Dave King, as a shareholder, has the right to operate how he sees fit. If he’s going to bring the board with him, if he wants the court of public opinion to be his judge or enabler to achieve outcomes, then that’s his gift. The fact that Rangers and his perception as a significant shareholder is not in good nick, then he can do as he bloody well pleases.
“Who is this fella (Gilligan)? Just because he’s sat in the situation. I watched the interview and I watched him shuffling down the stairs That to me, tells me all I need to know about the capability, quality, outlook, disposition, motivation and energy in that Rangers boardroom. I know what a leader looks like, and that doesn’t look like one, and if that’s representative of the board, then they do need a shake-up and a wake up.
“They do need a boot up the backside. Whether Dave King is the right person to do it or not is a different discussion.
“He went for the board and said they weren’t good enough. Of course they’re going to say ‘eh do you mind?’ At least they’ve got some backbone about them and aren’t the complete invertebrates I thought they might be.”