In an interview with the Daily Record, former Rangers title-winner Gregory Vignal opens up about his coaching journey that has taken him from the roar of Ibrox to the quieter—but no less ambitious—footballing frontier of Latvia. Now part of the backroom staff at RFS, the reigning Latvian champions, Vignal shares bold views on the club’s potential, reflects on his enduring bond with Rangers, and lays out his ambitions to one day return to Glasgow—not as a player, but as the man in charge.
Gregory Vignal knows what it takes to lift silverware. A title-winner with Rangers during the iconic Helicopter Sunday of 2005, the Frenchman’s name is etched into Ibrox folklore. Two decades later, the former Liverpool and Gers full-back is forging a new path—not in France, nor back in Scotland, but in Latvia. And if you ask him, his current club RFS wouldn’t just hold their own in the Scottish Premiership—they’d thrive.
“Honestly,” he says with a quiet conviction, “RFS would finish top three in Scotland. I’m telling you—of course they would.”
It’s not the sort of claim you expect from someone coaching in the Baltic states. In UEFA rankings, Latvia are 36th, Lithuania 43rd and Estonia 46th, whereas Scotland is 17th. But Vignal, now 43 and armed with a UEFA Pro Licence, isn’t one for clichés or comfort zones. A fluent speaker of French, English, and Spanish, he’s immersed himself in a new challenge, joining Latvian champions RFS as part of Viktors Morozs’ backroom team. And he’s not just there for a line on his CV—he believes in the project.
Vignal’s journey has never followed a straight line. After retirement, he dabbled in punditry and youth development before stepping into the dugout. A brief stint managing Versailles in France’s third tier gave him a taste of the top job—complete with a £6 million budget and crowds of 12,000 for Paris derbies against Red Star FC. It was, as he says, “bigger than a lot of jobs in Scotland.”
Now at RFS, he’s experiencing another level. “We’ve beaten Ajax, drawn with Anderlecht. The standard is good. That’s why I came—to see it with my own eyes.”
RFS, three-time Latvian champions and something of regulars in European competitions in recent years, may not be a household name in British football. But Vignal insists the structure, professionalism, and player quality could rival many in the SPFL.
Despite his continental journey, Vignal remains tethered to the club that stole his heart. “Everyone knows I love Rangers,” he says without hesitation. “If I could manage a club like that one day, it would be amazing.”
He’s not just dreaming—he’s building. Frequent conversations with managerial heavyweights like Rafa Benitez, Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard, Gordon Strachan, and Alex McLeish keep him grounded and focused. “I spoke to Rafa recently in Liverpool,” he says. “We even talked about the Rangers job before Russell [Martin] got it.”
He jokes about Gerrard’s Glasgow return—“I asked if he had his apartment ready”—but beneath the humour is a man quietly positioning himself for the big time. “Gerard Houllier used to tell me: every top coach starts somewhere. I believe that.”
His goal? First, a major role in France. Then—Rangers or Liverpool. “I know I’m not the only coach with that dream,” he smiles. “But if you don’t dream big, you stand still.”
In that sense, Riga has proved more than a detour. It’s been a proving ground.
“People think if you’re not in the top five leagues, you’re not working properly in football. That’s wrong,” Vignal insists. “Clubs like RFS are well-run, professional, ambitious.”
It’s also a melting pot. The RFS dressing room includes players from Japan, Africa and elsewhere in Europe—an international crew that mirrors Vignal’s own outlook. His multilingual skills make him a natural fit. “That definitely adds to my profile,” he says. “I hope that’s one reason I was hired.”
What defines Gregory Vignal isn’t nostalgia—it’s hunger. He’s not resting on memories of Ibrox glory. He’s learning, pushing, sacrificing. “Even if it’s not the easy way, I’m not afraid to take it,” he says. “I’m willing to make the sacrifices to get where I want to go.”
That means late nights in Riga, long flights, and plenty of humility. But ask him whether it’s worth it, and he doesn’t hesitate. “I trust myself. I know what I have to do. Hopefully, my day will come.”
Gregory Vignal joined RFS coaching staff in March this year.
Source: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/im-rangers-title-winner-coaching-35374705
