Keith Wyness Questions Rangers’ CEO Choice: Will He Be A Good Choice For The Premiership Side? | OneFootball

Ex-Aberdeen and Everton chief executive Keith Wyness publicly questions why Rangers hired Jim Gillespie as their new CEO. Speaking on the Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness calls the move a strange appointment. The 48-year-old begins his tenure at Ibrox in March 2026.

Keith Wyness Questions Rangers’ CEO Choice

This transition follows Patrick Stewart’s departure last year. It shows a big change under the majority ownership of the US-based 49ers Enterprises. Wyness feels for St Mirren. They lost both their manager and a key vice-chairman to the Glasgow giants in a short window. The veteran consultant once turned down the Rangers job himself. He still believes the pressure at the Old Firm is uniquely intense for any newcomer.

Gillespie joined the club after five successful years in Paisley. He helped secure top-six finishes and a return to European competition there. The current Rangers hierarchy, led by chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chair Paraag Marathe, believes Gillespie has the skills to lead the club toward long-term success. However, Wyness suggests the jump from a mid-table side to a title challenger comes with huge pressure. These boardroom challenges might overwhelm a candidate without elite-level experience.

“I still think he’s a strange appointment, but anyway, he’s there and he’s got the job.

“I feel sorry for St Mirren, who’ve lost a manager, and now Mr Gillespie’s gone as well, which seems a bit unfair to a club like St Mirren who’ve tried their best.

“And so, look, it’s never been an easy job to come into the Old Firm. I remember I was offered the job once, but for many reasons I decided not to take the Rangers job and I think probably a lot of the Rangers fans are very happy as well that I didn’t.

“But still, he’s going to have his hands full, but I wish him the best.”

Will Jim Gillespie’s background in social care and mid-table football be enough for the high pressure of a title-chasing Rangers side in 2026?

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MARCH 21: James Tavernier of Rangers is congratulated by Bojan Miovski of Rangers after he scores his team’s fourth goal during the William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Aberdeen at Ibrox Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The current situation at Ibrox demands more than financial stability. It requires a ruthless winning-mentality. This must match the heavy investment from the 49ers Enterprises group. Gillespie earned praise for his work at the charity Kibble and his role at St Mirren. Still, the Rangers are just on a much higher level.

The club sit second in the Scottish Premiership. They face a critical period. Every off-pitch decision impacts the pursuit of silverware. Many fans worry about hiring a fan-favourite administrator over a battle-hardened European executive. This choice might limit the club’s international growth.

His appointment feels like a gamble on a leader who understands the local culture. Yet, it ignores the global expertise often seen at rival Celtic. If the club fail to overtake their rivals this season, people will really start to question this move. Success hinges on one thing. Can his history of building sustainable models work in the high-pressure world of the Champions League?