Jo Potter: Rangers have everything in place to be at the top

New Rangers Women’s manager Jo Potter says everything is set up for success at the club, and she’s determined to deliver an exciting team for fans.

The former England international player was named as successor to Malky Thompson last month after a lengthy recruitment process, one that saw Potter go through two interviews before final talks with managing director James Bisgrove and other senior figures at Ibrox.

Potter has now been tasked with delivering domestic success after the club missed out on the league title on a dramatic final day of the season, and finished as runners up in the Scottish Cup. The club are also keen to return to Europe and continue to develop the team.

Asked for her first impressions of the club, Potter said she had been impressed and found “a great environment to work in”.

The 38-year-old, who played for eight teams over her 19-year playing career, has been coaching for two decades but is stepping into a manager’s role for the first time.

She said she is ambitious for success and believes things are in place to achieve that in Glasgow.

“This club has all the facilities and everything that it needs to be at the top,” Potter said. “I want to make these players better and for them to believe that they’re the best in Scotland.

“I want this club to show a way of playing that is exciting to be involved in. We definitely want to get back into Europe and keep moving forward.”

Though her playing career took place in England, the manager says she has kept a keen watch on Scottish football and knows the standard of league she is coming into.

“I try to keep an eye on most leagues and see the levels that women’s football is going to,” she said. “I took a close interest in the Scottish league, I’ve worked with Scottish players before and I came up to the Scotland vs Republic of Ireland play-off game.

“I know some of the players, it’s a talented league and it develops good young players.”

With interest growing here after a thrilling league season, and with the Scotland national team continuing to grow in popularity, Potter believes it’s a great time to be involved.

“You’ve seen the huge jump in the game in England and it went through the roof in the last 12 to 18 months,” she said. “It’s rising just as quickly up here and you see that in the attendances and viewing figures.

“It’s really exciting and it’s a crucial time in Scottish football for women. It’s about making sure the game is out there and when you put women’s football on a pedestal, it will be watched – that’s been proven.

“It needs the right coverage, right people involved and clubs doing the right things. Rangers sit at the forefront of that and that’s what has really impressed me – the women’s team being at the heart of the club.”