Who is Stephan Van Der Heyden? Rangers new assistant manager profiled as backroom staff takes shape

Rangers manager Philippe Clement has joined forces with a familiar face in the Ibrox dugout after adding fellow Belgian Stephan Van Der Heyden to his coaching staff earlier this week.

The pair previously worked together at Club Brugge where they won two consecutive Jupiler Pro League titles and they have now linked up again in Govan.

Clement’s full backroom team will be confirmed in due course but the new Light Blues boss got his reign off to a dream start on Saturday, courtesy of a 4-0 thrashing against Hibernian with Abdallah Sima’s double and further goals from Nicolas Raskin and Cyriel Dessers ending the Edinburgh club’s five-match unbeaten run.

It is hugely important that Celemnt has got a trusted right-hand man in alongside him at Rangers, with Van Der Heyden having worked for the best part of the past decade as a No.2.

Who is Stephan Van Der Heyden? What former clubs has he worked at?

Born in Sint-Gillis-Waas, Belgium on July 3, 1969, Stephan Van Der Heyden’s playing career spanned 14 years between 1987 and 2001. An influential midfielder, the 54-year-old played for various clubs including Waasland-Beveren, Brugge, Eredivisie outfit Roda JC, Ligue 1 side Lille and Beerschot AC, while earning four international caps for his country. He was also named in Belgium’s 1994 FIFA World Cup squad.

After hanging up his boots in 2003, Van Der Heyden turned to coaching seven years later with Sporting Lokeren in his homeland before first working with Clement in 2011 at former side Club Brugge, initially joining the scouting team before later being serving as assistant coach - a position he filled for four years until 2017.

He was most recently assistant manager at Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters and has also coached in Macedonia with FK Vardar Skopje and the Jordan National Team.

What has Van Der Heyden said about his move to Ibrox?

Stephan Van Der Heyden admits he is looking forward to experiencing a new culture in Glasgow.

He told the club’s official website: “I am looking forward to this challenge, it will be a big one, but I think it is a great club. One of the most beautiful things about football is that you meet different people and different cultures, not only football culture, but cultures in general.

“One thing in common is the supporters, they all expect the best from the team. The first impressions are good, I’m sure we can do something here and we can achieve something together.”

What has Philippe Clement said?

He told Rangers TV: “I am really happy to have Stephan join me here. We have known each other a long time and he has a lot of experience. He is someone who wants to work really hard, he is somebody who is humble, he is really passionate about football, and he is really focused on making players better, so it is a good support.

“For me it is also important to work together with the local staff and with people who know the club, who know the history, who have the passion for the club. I don’t want to have this small Belgian island, I want to create one big family together.”