Craig Flannigan Joins Rangers

[chilledbear 16]

RANGERS are delighted to announce Craig Flannigan as the new Head of Performance and Preparation.

 

Preparation is vital to top class performance and that is where he will be invaluable to the club.

 

Rangers have to become one of the most modern and progressive clubs in the entire game and Craig’s arrival is another step towards positioning the club in becoming the best again.

 

He is renowned in his field and formerly worked as Hibernian’s Head of Sports Science and Fitness.

 

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/gers-appoint-craig-flannigan/'>http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/gers-appoint-craig-flannigan/

 

The 42-year-old started his career at Rangers and played for Scotland at all levels from under-16 to under-21 – including an under-16 World Youth Cup Final in 1989.

 

After Rangers he went on to play for Clydebank, Queen of the South and Partick Thistle.

 

In 2001 Craig retired from playing and went to study Sports Science, after which he worked for a number of Scottish Premiership clubs and as an education coordinator with PFA Scotland.

 

Football requires a huge team effort and that in turn calls for the highest calibre of individuals.

 

Players always want to improve but they need people around them with the skill set to help them become even better and that is where Craig’s appointment will be vital for the club.

 

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/gers-appoint-craig-flannigan/

Edited October 16, 2015 by chilledbear

[alexscottislegend 2,289]

Remember him from his youth days. Good to see that we seem to be moving into the modern age. Mentality is an important facet of modern football and I guess that would be his remit - to improve that aspect for us.

[Whosthedado 1,670]

Another positive step in the right direction. I'm getting used to this!

[Bearman 9]

Another positive step in the right direction. I'm getting used to this!

 

Bricks being put in place at a sensible pace for next season and beyond, the positive moves is more like a dream to me, I have to keep pinching myself to make sure it isn't.

[pete 2,499]

We announced years ago we had the best sport science guy around but it didn't help 1 iota.

[Bearman 9]

Flannigan Interview on rangers.co.uk http://rangers.co.uk/news/rangers-tv/video-flannigan-interview/?

 

What's being eaten in the kitchen

[BEARGER 1,830]

Craig Flannigan was inspired by Danny McGrain says the Sunday Mail

CRAIG FLANNIGAN wants to help create a new batch of Rangers legends. But the new Ibrox recruit has revealed it was the words of a CELTIC icon that inspired him.

 

The 42-year-old was appointed by Mark Warburton on Friday as head of performance and preparation at Ibrox.

 

He’s just the latest piece in the jigsaw at Murray Park that also includes new chief scout Frank McParland.

 

Through fitness and sports science, Flannigan believes he can make

Rangers’ squad better.

 

And, despite being at the club as a kid 25 years ago, he says it was listening toDanny McGrain at Clydebank that had a profound effect on him.

 

After being released from Ibrox Flannigan had spells at the Bankies, Clyde, Queen of the South and Partick.

 

He’s now an expert in his field and one of the most highly-regarded fitness gurus in the UK.

 

But his work ethic wasn’t honed at University. Instead, it stemmed from McGrain’s advice, a red ash pitch and a couple of worn-out footballs.

 

Flannigan said: “During my first year at Rangers, we trained on ash at the old Albion car park.

 

“A lot is made of facilities these days and Murray Park is a world-class facility. But, ultimately, it’s about hunger, desire, attitude and how you instil that.

 

“Facilities help, undoubtedly, but people need an intrinsic drive. There are technically good players who have come through playing on poor pitches.

 

“Socially, we’ve changed. Young players are different now – there’s an expectation that somewhere like Murray Park is the norm.

 

“Maybe they can’t handle it if they don’t have that.

 

“But I always remember going from Rangers to Clydebank. The facilities were really poor.

 

“At Rangers, I’d had Adidas Tango balls to train with. At Clydebank, there were only two balls which actually had leather on them.

 

“But every day, on a red ash pitch, I prospered as a player.

 

“Sport science, conditioning and fitness all matter but it’s more about what goes on between a player’s ears on a daily basis.

 

“Danny would tell us it was all about a hard work ethic – and that’s not changed. His words back then have stuck with me. He was an unbelievable player, a world-class full-back.

 

“He’d say, you can bang on about facilities and the food you don’t get. But it’s down to the hours you put in.

 

“With that attitude, I improved. I scored 25 goals in the old First Division and got international recognition.

 

“So it’s not about facilities. It’s about making the best out of what you’ve got.”

 

When Flannigan walked out of Ibrox in 1992, having failed to make a first-team breakthrough, he couldn’t have envisaged being back there now.

 

But after impressing in posts at the SFA, PFA Scotland and under Alan Stubbs at Hibs, Warburton has given him a key role at Murray Park.

 

 

 

Flannigan isn’t bitter about not making the grade as a player at Rangers. He accepts he was never going to dislodge the likes of Ally McCoist, Mark Hateley or Mo Johnston.

 

He said: “I didn’t think I’d be back, especially after over two decades. My spell here as a player is a lifetime ago.

 

“I played about 30-odd reserve games but wasn’t ready physically for the first team. When you’re in the company of guys like Johnston, Hateley and McCoist, it’s tough. Even John Spencer and Gary McSwegan were stifling me and they were just two years older.

 

“I was just 19 when I left to sign for Clydebank. It was a no-brainer. I knew I wasn’t good enough for Rangers.”

 

Now, he wants to play his part in getting Rangers’ squad back into the top flight of Scottish football.

 

And Flannigan insists it’s his job to find the tiny details that will make Warburton’s players better.

 

He said: “You can’t quantify what I can add to a player. I need to do analysis on every one but there are so many different components.

 

“If there’s a weakness, we correct it so they are maximising their capacity. Some players can make huge gains.”

 

Rangers manager Warburton is delighted to have Flannigan in.

 

He said: “Craig is highly regarded as one of the best in Scotland.

 

“We wanted to combine our medical and sports science units into one. Craig will front that up.”

Edited October 18, 2015 by BEARGER