According to Derek Ferguson, Rangers should have let the Dutchman go again and would have been better off holding onto Connor Goldson than replacing him with Robin Propper.
After Englishman Goldson left for Aris Limassol, the defender came to Ibrox in the summer for £1.5 million from FC Twente [The Herald, 2 August].
Ferguson believes the 31-year-old would be a greater value to Philippe Clement this season than the guy brought in to fill the void, whom he has predicted to leave already after suffering mightily thus far, even if he acknowledges the former vice captain was past his best at Ibrox.
The same scenario is already being conjectured for Propper ahead of the winter window, as Sam Lammers, a similarly lacklustre Dutch acquisition from the previous season, was shipped out on loan to the Eredivisie in January before completing a permanent move to Twente in the summer [David Edgar, 27 October].
He has been erratic since his debut on August 10 against Motherwell, where he scored an own goal. The manager has been progressively excluding him from crucial domestic games, which suggests the Belgian is already beginning to lose faith in his own acquisition.
The centre-back, who had already lost his spot alongside John Souttar to 36-year-old Leon Balogun, appeared dissatisfied to be benched against Stuart Kettlewell’s team in the League Cup semi-final on November 3rd when Neraysho Kasanwirjo was selected as an injury substitute.
Ferguson has supported the Feyenoord loanee to replace him more frequently and thinks Propper’s quick exit makes the greatest sense overall so that his earnings can be used to hire someone else.
Is it preferable for Rangers to keep Connor Goldson at Ibrox?
He told Ibrox News exclusively, “He didn’t appear to be very happy while sitting on the bench [against Motherwell].”
“There were a lot of questions because that was a crucial game at Aberdeen and the manager didn’t play him. The manager brought him in.”
Additionally, we were informed that he is a seasoned young man who is a true leader and a physical player. I fail to see it.
It’s obvious that he doesn’t fit in with Scottish football’s hurly burly and aggressiveness.
He has participated in a few games in Europe, but the recruitment is still ongoing. The man we’re bringing in is meant to be the difference.
“Goldson, whose legs are gone, was released. I believe that maintaining Goldson would have been preferable.
“The manager ought to be aware of the kind of centre-back the team needs in order to succeed in the Scottish Premiership, but you don’t want to sit here and just criticise boys for no other reason.”
“Yeah, aye, and then again what you’ve got is some wages to maybe bring in somebody else on loan towards the end of the season,” the former Ibrox midfielder said in response to the rumour that a speedy departure was planned for January.
“I simply believe that a man with that level of experience should be playing at his age. He believed that he was joining Rangers to play every single week.
Perhaps he has been caught off guard. The toughness and tempo of the Scottish game may have taken him by surprise.
Perhaps they’ve discussed the idea of “cutting our losses because it’s not working out.” He then goes and plays, which frees up a wage so we can hire someone else.
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