Rangers have appointed Stig Inge Bjornebye as their permanent performance director, while Thelo Aasgaard has revealed his unusual World Cup habit, and Bailey Rice has signed a new contract at Ibrox.
Bjornebye Made Permanent Performance Director
Stig Inge Bjornebye has been appointed as Rangers' performance director on a permanent basis. The former Norway international acted as a football advisor to club chiefs during the second half of last season. The Gers hierarchy saw enough in the ex-Liverpool defender to make it a full-time role, according to the Rangers Review. Bjornebye will oversee the performance and academy departments of the club, although his main focus will be on first team matters.
Aasgaard's Language Goal
Rangers star and fellow Norwegian Thelo Aasgaard has revealed his unusual World Cup habit: he practices his own country's language every night in hopes of earning a place in the team. The midfielder has been praised by Norway's team manager, ex-Fulham star Brede Hangeland, for his attitude at the camp. Hangeland said: "Thelo has put everything into it to be here. He has some very special qualities that can be very important in certain match situations. You can also clearly see that he has been in the UK for a long time in the way he plays."
The 24-year-old Ibrox star, born and brought up in England, is determined to be fluent in Norwegian. He explained: "I practice Norwegian every night before I go to bed. It's very important to me. I want to be able to speak more in the group and on the pitch. I speak English now, but I also want to be able to speak Norwegian while I play. That is my goal. My Norwegian isn't perfect, but I understand most of it. I try my best and am getting a little better all the time. I want to play as much as I can. Stale Solbakken is the one who picks the team, and I just have to do my best. I'm always ready to come in and create chances. That's what I try to do. At first it was difficult not to speak the language as fluently as the others, but luckily, several of the guys also speak very good English."
Bailey Rice Signs New Deal
Bailey Rice has signed a new two-year deal with Rangers. The midfielder was out of contract but has penned a deal that will keep him at Ibrox until the summer of 2028. The 19-year-old stalled over a new deal because he wanted first-team football. Rice had interest from West Ham United, Schalke, and Ajax, but he has decided to remain at Ibrox. The initial plan was to put him out on loan. Kilmarnock were keen to take him after the success of Findlay Curtis last season. Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann worked with him at Rangers. Former boss Danny Rohl had given the loan the go-ahead, but it has now been put on hold. New manager Derek McInnes wants to see Rice in pre-season before making a decision on his future.
