Steven Naismith is not the most popular man among Rangers fans after the way he left the club in 2012.
Amid the financial struggles, administration and demotion to the bottom tier, Naismith was one of the players who took the opportunity to cancel his contract and become a free agent before being snapped up by Everton ahead of a successful career down south.
Allan McGregor was able to build bridges when he returned to serve the club as well as in his first spell and is now back to help out in a time of need, but the sacked Hearts boss hasn’t been forgiven by some fans.
So, his recent comments about the club were never going to be well recieved.
Naismith said Rangers lacked identity and needed direction during the doomed final days of Philippe Clement’s reign.
He had also seemed to play down Gers’ impressive derby win over Celtic shortly before that.
More recently, Naismith identified a ‘red flag’ heading into the Europa League clash with Fenerbahce, which later proved to be unfounded.
But it was further comments last week which were a bit more controversial.
Hugh Keevins hits back at Naismith Rangers comments
Naismith had last week claimed the club had suffered because of “self-interest” from Rangers men who put themselves before the club.
As he discussed the 49ers Enterprises takeover, he claimed Gers are in the position they are because of key figures being out for themselves and making terrible decisions resulting in the club losing money.
Hugh Keevins has now pointed out the hypocrisy in those comments.
Writing in the Sunday Mail, he said: “Celtic have won 13 of the last 14 league titles and internal warfare has broken out amongst Rangers men who have turned on fellow Rangers men.
“Former Ibrox stalwart Steven Naismith went public last week to state that some Rangers men had looked after number one and got out of the club’s hierarchy when the going got tough.
“Some Rangers men, it should be pointed out in their defence, have lost personal fortunes trying to fortify the club over the last 14 years and personal health has, in certain regrettable cases, been affected along the way.
“Naismith, justifiably and without any trace of criticism from me, got out of Ibrox as a player when administration, then liquidation, took the club to the bottom tier of Scottish football in 2012 and threatened the progress of his career.
“He looked after No.1. All of that stuff will soon be over and done with, in any case, and the complexion of the club will change for good.
“Better to have cosmetic surgery than no club at all, I would suggest.”
What Steven Naismith said about ‘Rangers men’
“It’s sad they are so far back and so far behind Celtic, in terms of recruitment, style and the quality of the squad, to the trophies they have won,” Naismith said in the Scottish Sun.
“It’s a combination of years of terrible decisions on recruitment and people who are ‘Rangers men’ saying, ‘We are going to do this or that’.
“Looking back, they have not done the best for the club. They have done the best for the club, which suits themselves.
“And that’s been from managers to further up the food chain.
“That’s why Rangers is so far back, that’s why they have lost so much money over the years. That’s the problem.
“It needs to have real people who want the best for the club and not their self-interest.
“The proof is in the pudding. The squad is not where it needs to be, the recruitment’s not where it needs to be, and they are a bit away from their biggest rivals.”
