Victory over arch rivals Celtic at Hampden Park certainly would have been quite the early Christmas present for those Rangers supporters.
Instead, Kasper Schmeichel’s denial of Ridvan Yilmaz, followed by a last-gasp defeat at St Mirren a fortnight later, ensures a rather unhappy festive period for those Glaswegians of a blue persuasion.
An upturn in form from Philippe Clement’s men appears likely to count for very little now. Silverware slipping through their fingers, while Rangers’ 2-1 loss at St Mirren leaving Clement ‘so angry’ as the gap between themselves and their Old Firm neighbours grows to 12 points at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
Some six and a half thousand miles to the East, Arif Aiman Hanapi ensured a far more joyous December for the Christmas-celebrating members of the Johor Darul Ta’zim fanbase.
Rangers were linked with Malaysia international Arif Aiman Hanapi a few weeks ago, reported via the New Strait Times in the winger’s South East Asian homeland.
Hanapi was already enjoying a pretty impressive campaign up till that point. But, whether a coincidence or otherwise, the emergence of those Rangers links appear to have lit a fire under the now free-scoring 22-year-old forward.
Arif Aiman Hanapi in stunning form amid Rangers links
Hanapi scored a stunning hat-trick as Kuala Lumpur were ripped apart by one of the finest individual performances the Malaysian top-flight has seen for some time.
How Kuala Lumpur must be wishing that was that last they would see of Hanapi. Because, as Johor Darul Ta’zim cruised into the semi-finals of the Piala Malaysia trophy, it was their Rangers-linked star man who fired home the final goal of an 8-2 aggregate victory this week.
Hanapi has already got his mitts on one trophy this season. He scored in the 6-1 trouncing of Selangor FC in the final of the Malaysian FA Cup. 11 points clear in the league too, Hanapi could yet arrive at Ibrox as a treble winner.
“Phenomenal, for his overall contribution both in attack and in defence,” Johor Darul Ta’zum head coach, and former Venezuela international, Hector Bidoglio said while watching Hanapi take his tally to 15 goals in addition to his eight assists.
“It’s excellent to witness him in such fine form. I know the effort he puts in day in and day out to improve his game. Clearly, he’s our standout player.”
Like with Iqraam Rayners – Rangers have been linked with the Mamelodi Sundowns striker over in South Africa – it remains to be seen how serious their interest is.
Or, even, if they really are interested in the first place.
Wolfsburg loanee Vaclav Cerny could be too expensive for Rangers
There may yet be place at Ibrox for another right-sided attacker, however. Rangers may struggle to stump up the sort of fee Wolfsburg want for the permanent signature of Vaclav Cerny, after all, while Ross McCausland’s development has been stunted of late by injury issues.
Speaking earlier in December, Clement admits that Cerny’s price-tag may be out of Rangers’ reach.
Could lightning strike twice, then, one year after a deal to keep Abdallah Sima at Ibrox failed to materialise?
“I had discussions with the board in June about the wages, which had to be lowered a lot. One of the points that we talked about is having players on loan. It’s something we need for the moment,” Clement said.
“We don’t have the money to buy Vaclav for the moment now, and we didn’t have the money to buy Abdallah at that moment.
“But we need to to try every year to have one player less on loan and one player more that’s an asset for the club because we’re going to have a similar situation at the end of the season in that way.
“Abdallah wanted to stay here, loved to stay here. But of course other teams are also interested and in one moment he chooses also for his career, for his wages, for everything.”
