The feeling around Rangers right now is that this is a club in transition, stuck between an old era and a new one and under pressure to get the big decisions right.
Do Rangers need another new manager or should Patrick Stewart and co – the Ibrox CEO has spoken out in support of Philippe Clement in recent times – twist the knife?
After bidding farewell to so many of the old guard in recent times, how much do James Tavernier, Tom Lawrence, Leon Balogun and Jack Butland realistically have left in the tank?
Are Jefte, Mohamed Diomande, Nedim Bajrami, Clinton Nsiala and Hamza Igamane the players capable of providing the foundation for future success?
One player who has done a huge amount to dispel any question marks over his own contribution to the Rangers cause, however, is Nico Raskin.
Probably the most improved member of the squad, Clement raved about Raskin’s dramatic ‘evolution’ into arguably the most effective ball-winner in Scotland, not to mention the Europa League.
Only two midfielders in the Europa League have averaged more successful tackles per game at this stage than his tally of 3.8.
Raskin made another nine ball recoveries against Hearts on Sunday. To think, this was far from the Belgian’s most-impressive performance either.
And as Raskin dreams of a first-ever call up to the Belgium side at international level, a stand-out display against last season’s Jupiler League runners-up on the European stage should have, at the very least, earned him a spot on Rudi Garcia’s ‘must-watch’ list.
Nico Raskin tipped for Belgium bow as he shines at Rangers
Former Lyon, Marseille and Roma coach Garcia will lead Belgium into battle for the first time next month in the latest round of the UEFA Nations League.
Whether Raskin has done enough to earn himself a spot remains to be seen – the man himself admits that the Scottish league tends to go under the radar back home – but he certainly belongs in the conversation.
“It’s true that the Belgian media coverage [of Scottish football] is not huge,” the former Standard Liege starlet beamed after his header helped Rangers secure a spot in the Europa League’s last-16 at Union Saint Gilloise’s expense.
“It was therefore a pleasure for me to put in a good performance [against USG], to score a goal, to win the match and to show that we are not that bad.
“I know there is a Belgian in the rival team [Arne Engels at Celtic] and he has been called up. So why not [me too]?
“I have to do my job as best I can. I had some good matches recently in the Europa League, against Tottenham and Nice, but also against Celtic in the Premiership. I think that works in my favour, but it’s not up to me to decide.
“I can just give my all, wait and hope.”
Raskin could be Axel Witsel’s long-term successor for Belgium
CIES Football Observatory, a renowned statistics website, have crunched the numbers and determined themselves that Raskin must be in contention as Rudi Garcia prepares to select his first Red Devils squad.
CIES provide a list of talented young players who could make their international bows in the coming weeks. Raskin is included alongside Nottingham Forest’s brilliant Brazilian Murillo, Dortmund’s English whizzkid Jamie Gittens and Eintracht Frankfurt’s French forward Hugo Ekitike.
But if Rangers are a side in transition, then Belgium definitely are.
Atletico Madrid veteran Axel Witsel, a nailed-on starter in the heart of that Red Devils midfield for well over a decade, is 36 years of age these days.
Raskin should also find himself ascending the pecking order if Sevilla’s Albert Sambi Lokonga is unavailable due to injury. Romeo Lavia is back on the sidelines at Chelsea, too, while Arthur Vermeeren has played only 20 minutes of Bundesliga football in RB Leipzig’s last three outings.
“We talk about [playing for Belgium] sometimes,” Thierry Raskin, Nico’s father, told reporters shortly after his son produced another typically tireless European performance away to Manchester United. “But we tell ourselves that he just has to do the maximum and that the rest is not in his hands.
“Some will say that the Scottish league is not enough but, when we see his matches against Manchester United, Tottenham or Lyon, we can say that he deserves a chance.
“Especially since others have received [Belgium call-ups] by playing less.”
