Latest news with #Charai
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
First Rangers departure of summer 'close' days after Russell Martin confirmed his internal Ibrox assessment
The Ibrox overhaul is already well underway after the 49ers took control of the Glasgow giants New boss Russell Martin could see Issame Charai depart his coaching staff amid reports of an offer in Belgium. It comes just days after Martin confirmed he would weigh up the backroom team as part of his internal Ibrox overhaul. The American revolution is well underway for Rangers following the mega-money US takeover - with the former Southampton boss keen to put his own stamp on the squad. Former Morocco Under-23 head coach Charai only arrived at Ibrox in January to work under Philippe Clement - and was the only member of the coaching team to remain from the Belgian's era to work under Barry Ferguson. He still remains on the staff following Martin's arrival but reports in Belgium claim he is the frontrunner to take over at KVC Westerlo. DH report that a change is "likely" for the Belgian Pro League side with boss Timmy Simons set to depart with Charai - who played in Belgium for Mechelen and St-Trond - the favourite to succeed the outgoing gaffer. It is said he is the club's leading candidate - and while Simons has still yet to be officially shown the door an agreement is "close" for a replacement. The report comes after Martin admitted he would examine the structure of the coaching set-up after bringing in Matt Gill as his assistant and physical performance coach Rhys Owen. He said: "Matt Gill's coming. He's been my assistant manager all the way through and he brings technical expertise as a coach. "Brilliant coach who had to play a huge role in developing a lot of players at Norwich since he had the 21s. We played together very briefly and then I worked with him when he had the 21s. "When I was on my way out as a player at Norwich and I realised then what an excellent coach he was and how much care he had for the players and how much they loved him. "Guys like Max Aarons, Todd Cantwell and the Murphy twins, some brilliant players under his tutelage. And we're very different personalities, so he's a bit more calm and introverted than I am, so it's good for me and it's a good balance. "He's coming and then Rhys Owen's coming as well, who's actually on holiday in Portugal just now. He's been texting us relentlessly because it feels like he's missing out today. "But he'll be up here next week and he's a physical performance coach first and foremost. "Really aligned with the way we want to play so he understands how the players need to be prepared and he'll work with the sports science and physical department up here, medical department and be a really good link from them to us to get to know each other very quickly and to understand what the physical requirements will be. "Also a really good technical coach as well so it's just those two at the moment and then we've got some brilliant people inside the building and we'll assess things over the next few weeks together and then see if we need to add and as and when we do and see in which areas." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Glasgow Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Belgians Beerschot 'enquire' about Rangers' Issame Charai
The Moroccan was brought in by Gers as an assistant towards the end of Philippe Clement's reign and then survived the cull when the boss was later sacked. Working under Barry Ferguson and alongside Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor during the interim spell towards the end of the season, he remains on the staff now that is over. With the Ibrox club close to appointing a manager, believed to be either Russell Martin or Davide Ancelotti, it remains to be seen what happens with Charai. Read more: Celtic and Rangers in talks with clubs as SFA bring in new co-operation system Who could make up Russell Martin's Rangers backroom team if appointment is made And he may have a decision to make, regardless. Belgian outlet GVA are reporting that the 42-year-old is the subject of an enquiry from Beerschot. They have put the feelers out about a number of coaches with Dirk Kuyt's future uncertain, a potential new assistant at former club Liverpool. Beerschot are now exploring their options and Zulte-Waregem assistant Mo Messoudi is the apparent frotnrunner, with Charai also in the frame.
Scottish Sun
03-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
European club ‘inquire' about key Rangers figure as they begin search for new manager
IT'S the dawn of a new era at Rangers. But there's still one key figure from the previous regime remaining at Ibrox - at least for now. 3 Issame Charai is still on the coaching staff at Rangers Credit: Alamy 3 Charai stayed at the Light Blues under Barry Ferguson Credit: Willie Vass The American consortium led by entrepreneur Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises went through last week. New sporting director Kevin Thelwell began work on Monday and was swiftly joined by his new technical director Dan Purdy, a former colleague at Everton. Next, Rangers will install their new manager with SunSport revealing that Russell Martin is on the brink of becoming the new boss. Martin, 39, is in final negotiations over personal terms to take over at Ibrox. He will be a permanent successor to Philippe Clement, who was sacked in February, and the direct successor to interim boss Barry Ferguson, who left the role at the end of the season. Ferguson brought in an almost entirely new coaching team for his stint in charge, with the exception of one man. Issame Charai was the only member of Clement's staff to be retained when Ferguson took the reins. The 42-year old had only been appointed assistant manager on January 29, just three weeks before the axe fell on Clement. With incoming boss Martin likely to want to bring in his own trusted coaching team, Charai's future would appear to be uncertain. He might not be short of an opportunity, however. Inside Russell Martin's amazing journey from living at bookies with an abusive dad to Premier League manager That's because Belgian outlet GVA are reporting that Charai is one of the coaches who Beerschot have 'inquired about.' They've just been relegated out of the Belgian Pro League after finishing rock bottom. Beerschot's current manager Dirk Kuyt's future is uncertain. That's because several reports claim he's being lined up as Liverpool's new assistant manager. The former Netherlands international is a firm favourite at Anfield having played for the Reds between 2006 and 2012. Liverpool boss Arne Slot is looking for a new No2 after John Heitinga became Ajax head coach at the weekend. According to the Belgian reports, Beerschot are now exploring options for their next manager. Zulte-Waregem assistant Mo Messoudi appears to be the early frontrunner but Charai is also in the frame. 3 Dirk Kuyt could be on the way to Liverpool Credit: AFP Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Inside Hamza Igamane's rapid Rangers rise as 'nice story' tipped to have ultimate ending
The frontman has enjoyed a successful first campaign at Ibrox Hamza Igamane's Rangers journey started out on the sandy roads of Rabat. But his Ibrox mentor Issame Charai fully expects the streets he treads in future will be paved with gold. Igamane had already set off on his march to Glasgow when Charai first came across him. At that point, the Belgian-born coach was in charge of Morocco's Under-23s and it didn't take Charai long to spot his potential. There were rough edges, for sure. Tactical aspects to be tidied and critical decision-making moments that could with a sharpen. But having spent his formative years developing his skills on the patches of rough ground near his home in the neighbourhood of Temara on Morocco's Atlantic coast, Charai could see the inspired flashes of a striker who operated on pure instinct. We used to call them tanner-ba' players in this country. Those kids of entertainers are rarer than an a Trump apology these days but in PFA young player of the year nominee Igamane, Charai sees a special talent who is destined for the biggest stage. 'I actually first saw Hamza quite early because I was in Morocco as a national team coach of the under-23,' said Barry Ferguson's Ibrox assistant. 'At that time I had players born in 2001 but Hamza came from the 2002 age group. So his first national selection was with me. I went to see many games of his playing for FAR in Rabat, which is actually a big team in Morocco. 'He was only 19 or 20 at that point but his potential was immediately clear. 'At that time I had many good strikers. But when he came and he trained with us, I saw that his finishing quality was quite high. 'He needed to work a bit on his physicality but that was normal because he started actually quite late as a football player. "He used to play in the streets. And then I think he started only at the age of 16. It was only then that he began playing organised football. 'He was scouted when saw him playing as a 16-year-old. It's amazing to think that just four years later he was in the first team. 'So it's a nice story. When I brought him into the national team youth set-up, you could see that a lot of things were intuitive. He knows when he gets the ball, he makes a decision, a quick decision on what to do. 'So that was quite nice to see. Is he a throwback to the kind of players we used to see? Yes, for sure. 'And you can see that his ability is so instinctive. Sometimes he does things and you think, what did he just do? That's natural ability. That's something that obviously now in organised football, he made a lot of steps. 'Playing for FAR, playing in the African League. That was also a big experience, so was playing for national team age groups. 'And then obviously for Rangers, which is a big team in Europe. So he's been developing very well. But you see the steps he's made already. Hamza can go as far as he wants. I think he has all the potential.' Charai was handed a key role when hired by former Ibrox boss Philippe Clement last summer as he was tasked with helping the highly-rated youngster settle in Scotland. The move came earlier than Ibrox figures had initially planned. Another year in his homeland, they first thought, would be best for his development. But Clement admitted they were forced to fast track his signing after fearing he'd leap out of their price range if they waited any longer. It proved to be a wise move, with the youngster quickly establishing himself as one of the main men at Ibrox after a short transition period. There's been ups and downs, as to be expected with a player moving abroad for the first time. But his impact hasn't shocked Charai. He said: 'I remember Philippe calling me when I was still working for the national team and he asked me about Hamza. So I gave him a report. 'It was actually a very positive report about Hamza. So I'm not surprised by how he has developed. "I told Philippe it would take him a year to adapt to the level at Rangers. But in six months he was already scoring goals. So it was fantastic.' Igamane's ability to grasp the big moment has been evident ever since he announced himself with a dazzling Europa League double away to French outfit Nice. He's now on 15 goals from 28 starts this term - with the pick of the bunch his Old Firm winner at Celtic Park six weeks ago. And Charai was impressed by the hunger he showed at Parkhead as he shrugged off his energy-sapping fasting commitments during Ramadan to gobble up his big chance. 'Yeah, it was obviously a fantastic moment - especially because at that time it was still Ramadan,' explained the Ibrox coach. 'And I remember him struggling a bit with the fact that he was fasting during the game. But then when he came on, his impact was incredible. 'The timing also was key. To get Hamza into the game at that moment when Celtic were pressuring us. 'And then to get that goal, it was an incredible moment for him, for us. It was also just before he went to the national team for his first selection for the A-team. 'So it was a wonderful moment for him and for Rangers as a club. We were all proud of that.' Igamane wasn't the only man that day operating on restricted calories, with fellow Muslims Ridvan Yilmaz and Mohamed Diomande also fasting. Charai - a former striker who played for Mechelen and Sint-Truidense in Belgium - added: 'I coped with that as a player and I think it's a more mental part. "The nutritionists here did a very good job helping all the Muslim players to get enough calories intake, to have a good balance, rest and then get through to the feeding window. It's a balance. 'So I think it's more a mental thing because it gives you a lot of strength also. It takes a lot of self-discipline. I talked about it with a lot of players and obviously, if you don't feel good with it, you could just do the fasting another time. 'It has to be healthy, it doesn't have to be unhealthy. So many of the players cope with it well. 'I think also they've done a great job, the medical staff and the nutritionists, planning weeks before on how to deal with that. The preparation was very good.'
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers star Hamza Igamane was ‘struggling' with fasting when he fired stunning Celtic Park winner reveals Ibrox insider
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT was Ramadan and Hamza Igamane was struggling with his lack of food. But the Rangers striker was just as hungry for goals. 4 Hamza Igamane blasted a stunning winner for Rangers at Celtic Park Credit: Willie Vass 4 Igamane was fasting for Ramadan at the time Credit: Getty 4 Issame Charai (left) has high hopes for Igamane Credit: Willie Vass Igamane's sensational Old Firm winner against Celtic in March was all the more extraordinary, given it came during the Muslim's strict period of fasting. Ibrox coach Issame Charai has revealed how difficult his young countryman was finding it during his religion's holy time. Igamane, 22, just didn't show it as he beat Brendan Rodgers' side with one of the best goals of his fledgling career. Charai said: 'It was a fantastic moment — especially because at that time it was still Ramadan. 'I remember Hamza struggling a bit with the fact that he was fasting during the game. But then when he came on, his impact was incredible. 'To get him into the game at that moment when Celtic were pressuring us, and then to get that goal, it was an amazing moment for him and for us. 'It was also just before Hamza went to Morocco's national team for his first selection for the senior side. 'So it was a wonderful moment for him and for Rangers as a club. We were all really proud of that.' Charai knows from his own playing days in Belgium with the likes of Mechelen and Sint-Truidense how tough it is to fast during Ramadan as an athlete. But he insists it's more a battle of the mind. What does Rangers takeover mean for the club - finance expert speaks out Charai added: 'It's more about mentality. I have to say, the nutritionists here did a very good job helping all the Muslim players get enough calorie intake. 'It helped them have a good balance and rest, and then get through to the feeding window. 'Fasting takes a lot of self-discipline. I talked about it with a lot of players and if you don't feel good with it, you could just do the fasting another time. It has to be healthy, and many players cope with it well. 'The medical staff and the nutritionists planned weeks ahead how to deal with that. The preparation was very good.' Charai was speaking on behalf of Igamane, after the striker was named on the shortlist for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award. He made a massive impression with an incredible 12-goal burst in 14 games spanning just seven weeks either side of Christmas. And the Gers coach has given an extraordinary insight into the background of the young Moroccan, who has gone from street footballer to international star almost overnight. Charai said: 'I was in Morocco as a national team coach of the Under-23s. 'At that time I had players born in 2001, but Hamza came from the 2002 age group. 'So his first national selection was with me. 'I went to see many games of his playing for FAR in Rabat, which is actually a big team in Morocco. He was only 19 or 20 at that point, but his potential was immediately very clear. 'At that time I had many good strikers. But when Hamza came and he trained with us, I saw that his finishing quality was quite high. 'He needed to work a bit on his physicality. But that was normal because he actually started quite late as a player. 'He used to play in the streets. And then at 16 he began playing organised football. 'Hamza was scouted when I saw him playing as a kid. It's amazing to think that just four years later he was in the first team. So it's a nice story. When I brought him into the Moroccan team youth set-up, you could see that a lot of things were intuitive. 'He knows when he gets the ball, he makes a decision, a quick decision on what to do.' 4 Charai reckons Igamane is the player he is because of his background and upbringing on the streets, rather than being the product of an academy like so many youngsters these days. He added: 'Yes, for sure. And you can see that his ability is so instinctive. 'Sometimes he does things and you think, 'What did he just do?'. That's natural ability. It's something that now he's in organised football, he has made a lot of big steps. 'Playing for FAR and playing in the African League — that was also a really big experience. 'And then playing for Rangers, which is a big team in Europe. So he's been developing very well. But you see the steps he's made already.' Charai is just delighted for Igamane that he's proving him right for urging Philippe Clement to sign him last year. The Moroccan coach — who stayed on as part of Barry Ferguson's staff — said: 'I remember Philippe calling me for him when I still worked for the national team and he asked me about Hamza. So I gave him a report on him. 'It was a very positive report about him, so I'm not surprised by how he has developed. 'I told Philippe it would take him a year to adapt to the level at Rangers, but in six months he was already scoring goals. So it was fantastic.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
