It’s often said that you can only truly evaluate how a team is shaping up once the window closes, but there’s no denying that there is still plenty of work to be done on this Rangers team. I know the players are doing everything in their power to win over the fans after a dismal summer, but it’s obvious as day that they need some serious assistance. I imagine Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen are wishing they had a lot more than eight days to play with before deadline day.
If I were making the big decisions, my top three picks would be three seasoned campaigners who have been around the block and can help mentor the younger guys in the team through the tough times that will undoubtedly arise over the next nine months. Clement and Koppen will be going through their list of targets in the hopes of adding some new faces late.
It’s been said, I believe, that the fans should recognize that this is a rebuilding year and that competing for prizes will be challenging. Not in my opinion. Rangers is a successful team, and I think we should at least try to give it our all.
I understand that the club’s upper management is aiming to introduce a new player-trading mechanism as part of a roster overhaul. That, in my opinion, is precisely what Rangers ought to strive for. That being said, this club has a winning tradition that we should never overlook. If Phil could just get his hands on some wise old heads to advise the younger boys in there, that would be a huge benefit. With the additions of Connor Barron, Jefte, Clinton Nsiala, and Hamza Igamane this summer, it is clear that the club has given priority on signing younger players. However, it’s time to focus on the present, and maybe Clement and Koppen can identify some ready-made additions who can help this club succeed. And I am aware of how crucial that can be.
I recall feeling as though there had been a funeral in the family after losing to Celtic 6-2 at Parkhead. We had signed Ronald de Boer and Tore Andre Flo by the time we got them back to our place a few months later, and the boost they provided us motivated us to go on a 5-1 revenge quest. Although nobody is obviously expecting the team to spend millions of dollars on those two players as we did at the time, new players may undoubtedly improve the mood in the locker room.
However, we already know that Clement’s plans to sign fresh faces are on hold until the likes of Todd Cantwell and Ianis Hagi go. The manager said as much at his press conference last week. I can imagine that will frustrate him. But he must obviously have known this was a possibility when he signed his contract. The club might have to be creative over the next week, like they were back in January signing Mohamed Diomande on loan with an obligation to buy. However, there’s only so much you can do when you’ve got thousands of pounds tied up in a player like Cantwell.
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