Alious
Paraag Marathe has candidly admitted that life at Rangers has exposed him to a level of intensity he never truly experienced in American sport, confessing that the emotional and competitive demands of European football have pushed his stress levels far beyond anything he encountered in the NFL.
The 49ers Enterprises chief has been riding a turbulent wave at Ibrox since completing the summer takeover alongside Andrew Cavenagh, marking another major move for the San Francisco 49ers’ investment arm following their acquisition of Leeds United in 2023. What followed, however, was anything but smooth sailing for the Glasgow giants.
A disastrous start to the campaign saw Rangers unravel under the short-lived reign of Russell Martin, compounded by a problematic transfer window overseen by sporting director Kevin Thelwell. The fallout was swift and severe, with Martin, Thelwell and chief executive Patrick Stewart all exiting the club within months of the new ownership era beginning.
Since then, the picture has shifted dramatically. Under Danny Rohl, Rangers have steadied themselves and surged back into the title conversation, restoring belief among supporters and within the boardroom. For Marathe, the journey has been an eye-opening education in the stark contrasts between American and European sporting cultures.
Speaking on the Men In Blazers podcast, Marathe revealed that humility was essential when stepping into football’s unfamiliar landscape. He explained that he quickly learned to accept how much he didn’t know, asking endless questions and gradually building an understanding of a sport driven by forces far removed from the NFL model.
One difference, he admitted, caught him completely off guard: the sheer jeopardy of European football. Unlike American leagues, where failure can paradoxically be rewarded through draft systems, football offers no safety net. Relegation, promotion and continental qualification can transform a club’s fortunes overnight — and that reality, Marathe said, has taken stress to “a whole new level.”
He also acknowledged that the intensity of supporter scrutiny was a culture shock. In Scotland and England, fans don’t simply follow their clubs — they live them. Marathe stressed that supporters feel a genuine sense of ownership, seeing executives and chairmen not as rulers, but as temporary caretakers entrusted with protecting something deeply personal.
In his view, that emotional bond explains why football carries such raw passion and relentless pressure. Compared to American sports, where franchises operate within controlled systems, Rangers — and clubs like them — exist in an environment where every decision is magnified and every result carries lasting consequences.
For Marathe, the lesson has been clear: European football isn’t just different — it operates at an entirely different intensity.
Alious
