Big Rob, Danny and Eustace (1year deal) confirmed
Johnathon Bond being chased as at the very least competition to Cammy Bell.
I think he is at Watford currently.
Looking at the squad we are still nowhere near ready but I am glad to see signings being made quickly, it's important they have at least some time to gel and to get to know each other as let's be honest, it's a big year.
We know Warbuton is almost certain to play a 4 2 3 1
The back of potentially Bond/Bell
McGregor Keirnan Wilson Wallace
Wallace needs to up his game, I imagine warbuton is the type of manager who will not put up with anything other than 100% so Wallace will hopefully get the shock he needs. Mcgregor is not good enough in that position and although I appreciate his efforts over the last season I think at best he should be challenging for a place at centre back.
This formation relies heavily on full backs supporting and it is unfair to expect that from him. Wallace has this in his locker if he can be annoyed.
I have zero interest in Zauliskas as he has zero interest in my club.
Middle two
Euastace Murdoch/Law
Eustace signing has me slightly worried as although he may help young Andy's career he could also hinder him by keeping him out the team. Paul Le Guen proved that Rangers do not need two holding players in a defensive sense and that was at a higher level. We really struggled to break teams down. It may be the case that Eustace will be the mop up for a more attacking option next to him, or at least more attacking than Murdoch.
Law hasn't done enough for me and has a tendency to hide at times. It wouldn't surprise me if he was used more in the number 10 role as these positions will need courageous players.
I hope it is Eustace and Murdoch with Murdoch given more creative licence to really spray the ball around and Eustace being more of the water carrier and the one to win the ball back and quickly move it onto murdoch.
Supporting 3
??????? ???????? ???????
Headache time. Allen would be an excellent addition in the middle, although I would be lying if I didn't admit I'd love to see Mcleod there, with two players behind him allowing him to drive at defences as we witnessed so spectacularly for a short time. Law as mentioned prior can also play here, however I don't think Sheils can ever seriously threaten to make this position his unless there is a massive turnaround. Another who dissapears for large spells.
The Wide positions are terrifying me just now. I'm not sure if he will look for an inside forward to cut in or more of a winger. Either way we need plenty of pace and we have none.
Sheils/Crawford/Templeton/Aird/Gallagher/Walsh
In fairness... I don't know what a few are capable of... McCoist didn't really give them the best chance or training if all is to be believed so do we give them a chance next year with a proper pre season? Not convinced, would be a lot happier to see much more of Walsh, some of Gallagher (I would not play him up front on his own), potentially Templeton IF he was flying in training and straining to prove himself to the management. Aird seems an honest professional but I don't think he nor Crawford will be the answer over the next few years which makes me wonder if we should be giving them time just now.
Up top... We have been linked with Stevie May, a player we know can lead the line himself and has played in similar systems. Miller is past it but worth having for experience and has always been a clever player when it comes to unlocking defences. I have wanted to keep Nicky Clarke all along however I don't think he will work without a player next to him. Possibly if the wide players tuck in more or push up to support as his movement isn't awful but it is a worry.
Gallagher if impressing can be used in this role if we are comfortable.
I think the answer is we need a good, quick and preferably young striker to come in for this role, after that we have enough cover which is the only positive I have for up front. The other positions need beefed up for cover.
Is there anyone else that is a standout to help this squad that we could realistically get?*
*The guy suggesting Jelavic earlier need not apply.
I think this is my first football related Rangers article in a long time
Sorry Stevie and UTC, I don't do it often and I am excited about this new season. Was gutted we didn't get Cathro but this appointment is a long the same lines and is something that we should have done years ago.
Quietly excited... Nothing would surprise me at this club.
Signings
posted on 23/6/15
comment by BlueNose © -★★★★★ (U6456)
posted 17 seconds ago
"Got the link mate?"
A ton of history
EYES fixed, open-mouthed and in awe.
For Mark Warburton, it was the Ibrox marble STARE-case.
Now he wants to see that same look on the faces of the signings he brings to the club.
Warburton, 52, has revealed he stood GOBSMACKED in the Rangers reception a week ago.
He felt a sense of tradition and history like Arsenal had at their old Highbury ground.
And the Englishman insists it’s that which will attract top talent to the club as much as money and contracts.
Warburton said: “I came to Ibrox for the first time this time last week.
“I’m a football fan and I don’t want to sound corny, but to walk in here, I thought of Highbury straight away.
“I was a Spurs fan as a kid, but the hallway looks like the marble halls of Highbury.
“I was amazed at the similarity and the wow factor. I was gobsmacked when I walked around the stadium.
“Then I went to Murray Park and I had the impression in my mind, wrongly, that it was 15 years old and maybe needed a lick of paint.
“But it’s a world-class facility. It is magnificent and when players see all that they will know this is a great place to work.
“We have to face the fact that money down south is significant. The big clubs come down to the Championship with parachute payments of £24million each.
“So if I was back at my old club Brentford, that’s what I would be facing.
“Even top League One clubs can go out and pay serious money for players.
“If a player is in it just for the money then they are going to choose that option.
“But I want players who want to be here.
“That may mean they are slightly worse off financially, but they have the honour of playing for Rangers in front of 45,000 fans and training at Murray Park every day.
“They will also be able to play their part in taking the club where we want it to go. That’s not a bad swap.”
Attracting players to sign for Brentford was easier for Warburton than it will be getting talent to Ibrox.
He added: “You only have to look at things like the location of Brentford.
“The foreign players like Brentford because Heathrow is 15 minutes away and the centre of London only 30 minutes.
“We had five airports, so I could have picked one of five flights to come here today.
“We were fortunate living in London for that respect so we could attract players for that reason. There is more money down south and we know that.
“But if you get a player here, you meet him at the airport and bring him in and show him Ibrox and Murray Park, then we have got a magnificent selling point.
“The greeting as you walk in the front door is vitally important. If we get that right, we’ll get some good players.”
It’s a policy which may well attract players who see Gers as a stepping stone to something bigger and better.
But Warburton insists: “I don’t have a problem with that.
“I don’t mean that in a negative way, that people would want to come to Rangers before going somewhere better. I don’t mean that at all.
“But the fact is the money is down in England and that’s not going to change at the moment.
“We know where we want this club to go to. And if we can give good young players the shop window of European football, then if he gets a club down south offering however many grand per week, then he has a choice to make.
“But I hope very much that playing here on big nights would make him want to stay.
“It is not just English guys. We are looking around leagues and doing our homework.
“If we can get the diamonds from Scotland, I would far rather do that and that is part of the plan. But we will look around Europe where we have some good connections.
“For a player from a European club to come here, what an experience. We have to assure that club we can look after their young talents.
“If they lend us an asset, we look after him, polish him a bit and then send him back, everyone benefits.
“That will be a big part of what we do as well.”
Warburton’s target is to win the Championship, but he admits he’s aiming to lift a major trophy too.
He added: “Any tournament David Weir and I go into, we want to win it.
“There is no point entering a competition if you don’t aim to win it.
“It has to be a target. If you set a lower target, you get lower ambitions.
“Our target is to be as good as we can possibly be, as quickly as we can be.
“But we can’t rush into this. Mistakes are made when you try to look for short-term fixes and they don’t work out.
“I’ve always said if we get sacked tomorrow, make sure we leave the club in a better position than we found it.
“Whether we’re here for six months or ten years, whenever we leave this club we have to ensure it’s in a stronger position than when we got here.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He talks well.
It's going to be an interesting summer.
cheers for posting it
posted on 23/6/15
Aye he does that.
Cautiously looking forward to our next moves in the transfer window
posted on 23/6/15
The more he speaks the more impressed I am with him.
I'd like to establish links with foreign clubs where they look to Rangers as a club they'd like to send talents to knowing they'll get to play and try improve a bit.
posted on 24/6/15
One thing I'd love to see over the next few years at Ibrox, is the loan of one or two of our best youngsters for young players at a similar level in Europe.
I think it would be great for them, the club and Scottish football in general.
At last I find it very refreshing, not say uplifting, that we Rangers fans are finally able to start really looking forward in a much more positive vein than was the case not so long ago.
posted on 24/6/15
It's just good to talk football for a change
posted on 24/6/15
CELTIC are now locked in a three-way German battle to land target Marcel Halstenberg.
And St Pauli boss Ewald Lienen last night insisted top-whack will have to be paid to land his talented left-back.
The St Pauli left-back is on the radar of the Scottish champions and his former club Hannover are also keen to capture him.
However, Record Sport understands ambitious Bundesliga II outfit Red Bull Leipzig are now also chasing the 23-year-old.
Are celtic finally signing a LB or is it another bit of daily record waffle?
posted on 24/6/15
Mitchell Dijks has went to Ajax so there might be some truth in celtic targeting this boy.
posted on 24/6/15
Yeah it looks like we've told St Pauli we are interested, the club do seem to have a good relationship with them so they might look to exploit that and get a player on loan from us or something.
posted on 24/6/15
I'm going to avoid the easy "fwiends" comment...
Don't know much about the guy... but how many transfer windows has seen JA full of posts from celtic fans asking for a new left back?
posted on 25/6/15
Stevie May looking increasingly unlikely
Sheff Wed currently only have 13 senior players - unlikely to sell
Sheff Wed currently without management team - have said they will not be doing business until they make an appiontment
Stevie May have failed to rediscover his goalscoring form - 7 goals last season, they did however lack creativity and he was often drifting onto the right
Fans have taken to him down there despite his lack of goals - due to high work rate even if little has came of it (sebo factor) fans may not want to see him leave
Contract - May still has 3 years left of his original 4 year contract, would not be cheap.
He looked great at st johnstone, heavily linked with Celtic and tipped to be a Scotland star, I remember several on here wanting him in Strachan's first team. Think he scored something like 77 goals in 120 games or so.
Think he could fine that player again?