Connor Goldson made a surprise comment in a RangersTV interview at Auchenhowie on Sunday, revealing that Rangers players labelled the 2020/21 season the ‘Last Dance’ before it began.
It’s a clear nod to the great Chicago Bulls basketball team led by Michael Jordan, who gave the same name to their 1997/98 campaign, as they aimed for a sixth NBA title in eight seasons.
The Bulls were ultimately successful in their quest and the Gers have been too.
55 has been secured and finally, celebrations have followed all the pain and disappointment that Goldson made reference to elsewhere in his interview.
The use of ‘Last Dance’ may concern supporters who are keen to see this group of players push on to more success in the years ahead, though.
‘Last Dance’ was appropriate for the Bulls as it was the final season many of their players would spend at the franchise, with a rebuilding phase set to follow, and the fact that the Rangers squad are also using the term suggests there’s an acceptance that several key players are set to move elsewhere at the end of the current campaign.
Recently-departed Gers chairman Dave King asserted in December that player trading this summer would be ‘essential’ if the club were to balance the books [STV], with the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Glen Kamara, Borna Barisic and Ianis Hagi all very valuable assets.
Goldson himself is only contracted until 2022 and he will surely have admirers following his outstanding showings this season.
James Tavernier is also a big asset, while the futures of both Allan McGregor and Steven Davis are uncertain, with their current deals soon set to expire.
January moves for Jack Simpson and Scott Wright as well as the pre-contract signing of Nnamdi Ofoborh, all show that Rangers are planning for the future and while there’s hope that the core of the squad will remain for next season, the ‘Last Dance’ comment is the latest hint that several key men will soon be on the move.
One of Rangers’ biggest assets recently stated that he is happy at Ibrox despite regular transfer speculation.
