Rangers takeover crew handed ringing SFA endorsement as American dream can be good for Scottish football
Andrew Cavenah and the 49ers investors were given the green light to take charge at Ibrox and it wasn't a tough decision
Ian Maxwell has revealed the SFA gave the Rangers takeover the green light as he is convinced the American money men can be a positive force for Scottish football.
Hampden chiefs have the power to step in if potential new owners look dodgy with tightened up fit and proper person rules and there have also been questions raised across the globe amid the rise of multi-club ownership.
Gers have been backed by the San Francisco 49ers' investment fund – who also have control at Leeds United, while Hearts and Hibs have also received cash boosts from Tony Bloom and Billy Foley, who are involved with Brighton and Bournemouth.
Maxwell insisted it was an easy decision to rubber stamp the developments though – as the newcomers to Scottish football all have solid track records and are no fly-by-nights.
And the SFA chief executive is convinced Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers team will be good for Rangers and the wider game.
Maxwell, speaking before Rangers slammed his organisation over the John Brown notice complaint, said: 'It's not been particularly complicated. To be honest, we've definitely been more open. Multi-club ownership is here. It's part of football.
'When you look across Europe, the number of clubs that are involved in some multi-club structure is growing by the day. We need to be part of that or why would you limit that investment?
'Why would you want to block investment coming into the game if it's going to be good for our clubs?
'The trick is the club needs to then go and spend that money as wisely as possible.
'We don't get involved in that bit, but from a board perspective there's definitely a willingness to look at anything that generates more investment into Scotland.
'It was actually interesting when you start to think through the process and we had dual interest regulations which meant that if you're involved in a club, you can't get involved in a Scottish club unless we say yes.
'But someone like Tony Bloom for example, that's getting involved in Hearts, has a track record at Brighton, understands football, has Union St. Gilloise and those other clubs.
'We actually make it harder for him to come into Scottish football than we do for someone who's just sold a company for £10 million that's got no understanding of the Scottish game.
'When you actually get into it, that probably doesn't make a lot of sense.
'Our board, we're looking at it from two perspectives.
'Does it grow and develop the game? Will it generate financial investment into Scottish football?
'Does it give us an integrity issue? The integrity issue falls away because that would only happen if it was two Scottish teams playing under our jurisdiction, which it's not.'
The European issue is one that's got UEFA's attention, with several clubs now under the same umbrellas, such as the Red Bull and City Football Group.
English FA Cup winners Crystal Palace are facing protests over their spot in the Europa League with their owners also involved with Lyon, who have qualified for the same competition.
Maxwell is confident it won't become a problem for Scottish sides – and they would never be forced to step aside.
He said: "The jurisdictional matter becomes a UEFA point and we've been clear in all the dual interests, all the multi-club investment models that we've done, we've been very clear that if there was, similar to a Crystal Palace scenario at the moment, where there's a question mark about which one's going to play in Europe, it can be the Scottish club that's the unintended consequence or has to step aside from European competition.
'UEFA have shown in the past that they can find a way, they're both Red Bull teams so they've found a way to make it work, whether it's just a timing issue or whether it's not.
'The good thing is, because the vast majority of clubs that have came into Scotland have got other multi-club ownership models, they're used to that and you speak to the guys involved in Hearts and they're very aware of what UEFA need and what UEFA want and how that structure needs to look to make sure we don't get ourselves those problems.'
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