Signing the “best-of-the-rest” is a tactic which has been employed by the Old Firm for years.
Ever since Rangers and Celtic exerted their stranglehold in Scottish football they’ve been poaching the best players in Scotland with the lure of big money and big crowds. And why not? It’s a tried and tested formula.
Some of the best Rangers’ players in history came from across Scotland and Scottish teams. We get use of the players, whilst they don’t. Celtic have done it continuously over the last decade. Now, is it a method Rangers must recreate at Ibrox to challenge effectively?
A quick glance at the national side shows just how uninfluential Rangers now are on that stage. Literally none of our (available) homegrown players are seen to be good enough for the Scottish National Side. This is not the mark of a side who are dominant domestically.
We need players who can compete and win at this level. And we need them quickly.
A different footballing landscape?
It’s not entirely reflective of poor quality. Players playing in England are more likely to make the top squad. Rangers are also more likely to sign internationals from elsewhere. But we are beginning to soak up internationals from around the league.
Finnish international Glen Kamara has signed on from Dundee and looks a tidy prospect at Ibrox. Jordan Jones, the Northern Ireland winger, will join in the summer. Rumours about Scotland international and Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie won’t go away. He’d be a useful addition to the side. The Scottish Sun also claimed Rangers had pipped Celtic to Motherwell’s Jake Hastie.
Prior to talk of these deals, there are only two active players in the squad we signed directly from a rival. Only two players with recent Scottish Premiership experience. Ryan Jack from Aberdeen, and Kyle Lafferty from Hearts.
We also have Lee Wallace, who will surely have played his last game for the club, and Greg Docherty, who’s on loan at Shrewsbury and was signed from Hamilton.
The current squad has proven time and again to lack the experience required to dominate matches in this league. Rangers clearly see signing the “best-of-the-rest” as a way to remedy this.
