Rangers have confirmed Stig Inge Bjornebye as Performance Director on a permanent basis and added James Barrow to Derek McInnes’ first-team staff. The club announced the football department update on Tuesday, with Bjornebye moving out of the temporary consultancy role he first took up last December.
The former Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Norway defender will now oversee performance, medical and analysis departments, while also carrying strategic responsibility for the academy and contributing to transfer activity at executive level.
Rangers also confirmed Barrow has arrived from Wigan Athletic as First Team Performance Coach. He replaces Rhys Owen, who has left the club, and will work with McInnes, the coaching team and the players as pre-season planning gathers pace.
Rangers tighten football structure around McInnes
The appointments give McInnes a clearer support framework early in his Ibrox tenure. Dan Purdy remains Technical Director, with responsibility for recruitment, loans, development pathways and football data, while Bjornebye joins McInnes and Purdy in the football leadership group.
Chief executive Jim Gillespie said Bjornebye had quickly become a valued figure and described Barrow as another strong addition to the department in Rangers’ official announcement.
For supporters, the key point is practical rather than cosmetic: Rangers have now placed permanent names against performance, recruitment, data and first-team physical preparation before McInnes’ first full campaign begins.
