Rangers are still picking up the pieces after Ross Wilson’s stint as sporting director at Ibrox.
The former Falkirk and Southampton recruitment chief has a big reputation in football and might be turning it on with Nottingham Forest.
But at Rangers there’s a feeling the director overspent and doled out expensive contracts on players who have not delivered the success they’re being paid for.
Philippe Clement lamented the contract model that Wilson so defended when several high profile players left in the summer.
And only this January have Rangers finally managed to get Rabbi Matondo’s bumper pay packet off the club’s wage bill.
Now, Rangers legend Craig Moore has branded the Ibrox club’s approach to transfers ‘absolutely bonkers’ and claims one important Celtic star could’ve moved to Rangers.
Rangers missed out on Daizen Maeda
Energetic forward Daizen Maeda has proven a constant thorn in Rangers’ side ever since moving to Celtic Park in the January of 2022.
Former Yokohama F Marinos manager Ange Postecoglou heavily delved into the Asian market and brought Maeda to the club in a loan to buy deal.
It was a crucial transfer in the 21/22 season with the Japanese forward playing an important role in reasserting Celtic’s dominance with Rangers playing catch up ever since.
Speaking to GO Radio, Craig Moore claims that he tried to convince Ross Wilson to sign Daizen Maeda before that move to Parkhead.
This was after a glowing recommendation from former Rangers star Kevin Muscat.
“I tried to get Ross Wilson on the bait,” said Moore.
”I was like listen, ‘I know the player has been spoken about with regards to Celtic Ross, Kevin (Muscat) is one of my best mates, he’s given me an unbelievable run down on this player, I think he’d be a great fit for the football club’.
”He come back and said ‘look obviously we know of the player, I’m sure Ange will know all about him as well’.
”It probably wasn’t the answer I was wanting. I was wanting ‘OK well how do we do something and make that possible’.
”When I was listening to (Brendan Rodgers speaking about Maeda) it was like listening to Musky all that time ago.
”Because the explanation and the brief that was given was exactly the same.
”He could’ve been at Rangers. Come on Ross Wilson, what you doing?
”At the end of the day, sometimes as an agent or a pundit we think we’ve got all the best ideas in the world that you maybe take to a football club.
”End of the day I understand the process and I never take things personal. I did think it was a great option though.”
Craig Moore on ‘bonkers’ Rangers transfer strategy
Craig Moore has also taken aim at Rangers for their backwards approach to transfer dealings and a failure to properly explore emerging markets.
According to the former Australia captain, Rangers snubbed the chance to explore the Asian market because Celtic were doing so first.
Moore reckons that Rangers need a broader scouting network and has urged the club to consider what is a ‘relatively cheap market’ going forward.
”Sometimes you’ve got to be brave in terms of your decision making,” Moore said.
”Ange because of his experience in Asia, explored the Asian market, Celtic supported him and backed him.
”It’s a relatively cheap market and still it’s a relatively cheap market.
”Rangers didn’t want to explore that because of ‘if Celtic are doing it we don’t want to be seen to be doing the same’.
”I think that’s absolute bonkers. I really do. Just go and get good players, good value.
”Asia is not really known from this part of the world but there is some unbelievable talent, there really is.
”Rangers still to this day are just probably not set up to explore that.”
