RANGERS and Celtic are both seeking January transfer deals in this last week of the transfer window.
But one man who has served BOTH sides of the Old Firm has linked up with an old accomplice from their time at Hibs to do just that.
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John Park left Ibrox after a stint with the Gers’ scouting and recruitment department.
With new transfer guru Nils Koppen arriving from PSV Eindhoven and the club eyeing a statistic and data-based shake-up behind the scenes, Park departed after 18 months in various roles around recruitment.
He has previously also worked for Motherwell, Hibs, Dundee United, Blackburn Rovers, Vancouver Whitecaps, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Legia Warsaw.
But his most significant spell came across Glasgow in a decade at Celtic where he is credited with discovering the likes of Victor Wanyama, Beram Kayal and Virgil van Dijk.
Prior he worked at Hibs where he helped bring through a crop of youth players like Kevin Thomson, Derek Riordan and Scott Brown who excelled under Tony Mowbray.
Park turned down the chance to link up with the old Hibs boss as director of football at Blackburn but the reunion has now been agreed at Birmingham, where Mowbray replaced Wayne Rooney last month.
According to Football Scotland Park will inherit the head of international scouting job in the Midlands.
Mowbray took over after his surprise sacking at Sunderland where he was replaced by ex-Rangers boss Michael Beale.
The ex-Hibs and Celtic boss said his new base at St Andrews had an element of Champions League quality in it – with the press conference CATERING.
After revealing Sir Alex Ferguson’s words of wisdom, he said: “
“It’s just a big club and I’m delighted to be here.
“Until you’re in to feel the inner workings of any club you don’t know.
“Look behind you [journalists] at the buffet they put on for you. The food is unbelievable at this club, amazing.
“I thought my previous club did amazing things in the kitchen, but WOW. This is A1 top Premier League, Champions League food and you’re all very fortunate!
“I’ve been at clubs when there are only two people come to press conferences and wee become mates and they ask me questions.
“Then I’ve been at Glasgow Celtic where there are six cameras across the back, all these people to ask questions – everything. It’s full every time you go.
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“I’ve done them all. I try to bring my personality. I don’t want to be guarded or play politics.
“I believe my footballers react to openness and honesty. Just a normal bloke talking to someone else and using the 40 years experience they’ve got in football.”
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