admin‘Very happy’: Axed Rangers chief speaks out after landing new role with Champions League side
Copenhagen delighted to land former Ibrox man
Former Rangers technical director Nils Koppen is back in football after landing a role with Danish side FC Copenhagen.
Koppen, 40, left Rangers last summer as part of the restructure by the Ibrox club’s new American-based owners. He was replaced by Dan Purdy as the main recruitment chief in Govan – and five months on from his departure, the Dutchman now has a similar position with Copenhagen.
Koppen has been appointed head of scouting and recruitment and will work closely with the first team at FC Copenhagen, who are in the Champions League this season. He will report into sporting director Andreas Hintze Rocks and has been hailed for his “strong football skills”.
Speaking on his new role, Koppen commented: “I am very happy to become part of FC Copenhagen. The club is known for a clear level of ambition and a strong structure, and these things have been confirmed to me from the conversations I have had with both Andreas and Sune [Smith-Nielsen, sporting director].”
“I look forward to further developing the recruitment work and contributing to FC Copenhagen continuing to compete at the highest level – both in Denmark and in Europe.”
Hintze Rocks expressed his delight at Koppen, who also held a scouting and recruitment role with PSV in his homeland before joining Rangers, and believes he will fit seamlessly into Copenhagen’s football structure.
Koppen ‘is the right candidate’
“It has long been a strategic focus area for us to further develop our scouting department, and with the hiring of Nils, we are taking an important step in a larger strategic effort to strengthen this area,” said Hintze Rocks.
“After a thorough recruitment process, we are convinced that in Nils we have found the right candidate. He combines strong football skills with international experience and is used to working in winning clubs, all things that fit well with our performance environment.”
Koppen joined Rangers at the start of 2024 as head of scouting and is credited with bringing in players such as Jefte and Hamza Igamane to Ibrox, who were sold on last summer for large profits. He was then elevated to technical director back in November as part of a restructure.
However, under the consortium led by current Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, Koppen was swiftly moved on, with current recruitment chief Purdy brought in alongside new sporting director Kevin Thelwell, the duo having worked together previously at Everton.
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