Gersnet Podcast 307 – A Midseason Review

As the SPFL winter break takes affect, Craig is joined by Rob and Stewart to discuss the season so far for Rangers and what we might expect from the rest of our campaign. Referees, transfers, the SFA, fan moves – we have it all!

The pod is brought to you in association with our partners: Forrest Precision Engineering and Football Prizes.

The Gersnet Podcast: the independent Rangers FC podcast, by fans, for fans. LIVE and FREE every Sunday on YouTube at 9.30pm with match preview shows ahead of each game as well. All available from a range of other platforms on the following day (including iTunes and Spotify).

Good evening ladies and Gent and welcome to your latest installment of the jet weekly podcast hosted by myself Craig the independent Rangers podcast made for fans by fans and as always all of our content is free you can get us over at the website at jet. co.uk with the Forum

Articles and on Twitter at ja night online um as well um this is going to be our midseason review today and before we get into it just want to give a message from our sponsors that’s Forest Precision Engineering they’re a subcontract glasgo based engine in company and have been a big commercial

Supporter of Rangers for many years we’re absolutely delighted at the backinger Pod you can get them over at Forest precision.com and you can also visit the forest prision executive Lounge a stering new Hospitality area within the historic main stand for information how to bot this unique and

Intimate space you can email the club VI Hospitality rangers. co.uk um just before we go into um the N of the the midseason review um obvious a bit of breaking news ear about um D the former Rangers you player and very sadly been involved in a an accident over in

Belgium so and we heard ear the news that he’s had successful surgery which is obviously a real positive to hear and um we really do hope that he’s going to be all right obviously if the surgery’s been successful that’s really positive news from from you know w Really hearing

Anything so and everyone here at jaet certainly sends our best wishes to and hope that he can fully recover from that incident earlier um but um we can move on as well and we’ll um go right into the podcast so um need to introduce my guest as well um Rob faet how you

Doing Happy New Year sir how was the festive period for you it was good mate it was good um I just nice to get a break for work um relax with the family and drinking eat too much so yeah Fitness starts now as they say see how

It goes how as well good luck with that and Stuart Stuart we all good to be back on with you Stuart same question to you how was your Christmas period quiet as it always is um who knew that who knew that Stonehouse Bowling Club is the epicenter of the world’s New Year

Celebrations um but no thoroughly enjoyable time time off work um as we heard there from from Robert you know a time to eat drink and be marry and then standing the skills um and and worry you know I now find myself wasting away into a prop forward so but Happy New Year to

Everyone and everybody out there who Tunes in to Jaret no absolutely um now but obviously um we’ve had a a pretty big couple of weeks um since we’ been away obviously Alec Anderson’s been absolutely fantastic with his pods um before and after the the Celtic and the klock games

And and whatnot um but we need to dive right into the Celtic game and I don’t really want to go over the game too much because I think you know I’ve kind of been there and done it everybody knows what happened um it’s more about the

Sort of developing story um and you know and arguments between the SFA and Rangers obviously and we know um during the game that there was a clear hand ball from alist Johnson and Walsh M Vena had a back at it and um Willie colum obviously thought it wasn’t a penalty

And what I think’s happened from there is Nick Walsh has went in at halftime he’s had a look at it and he’s been absolutely raging by Will colum which according to reports is kind of what happened that’s what we’re told what happened it was probably aging with

Him and it seems as if V and will Callum with retrospectively then look back at it after realizing they made a Monumental error and mistake and went oh how can we find a way to make sure that this wasn’t a penalty without saying that I just thought it wasn’t a penalty

Um and luckily for them they found an offside um Rob see with this one right and a lot of people from the opposing side turn and say oh ior were saying that the SFA and Willie colmer cheats as a conspiracy against Rangers see at the

End of the day for me it’s nothing to do with that right it’s an AP offici and it’s an AP officials basically trying to cover up there ficia as well you know whether it’s a an offside or not and by the way to be actually know for 100% if it

Isn’t offside because if you look back at the angle that’s been given we don’t know but we’ll just say that it is offside right because that makes things a lot easier nobody’s bored from Rangers about the fact that a penalty wasn’t awarded it’s not about that for me and

For I think everyone involved with rers it’s about the process it’s about how can we make things better for referees and at the end of the day in your work if you make a mistake right and a big mistake at that because that is a massive mistake in a massive game then

You would receive some sort of sanction some sort of punishment um B on to that if you then tried to cover up that mistake which in my opinion is quite clear what tried to happen here you would 100% be sacked for your job right

So Rob why is it that it seems to be an any other Walk of Life you can you know do things make mistakes and all that you’ll be reprimanded bit of the SFA and Scottish referees it’s will stuck up for you you can get on WE job at the next

Game I think I think it’s about standards to be honest Craig and I think part of the problem up here is regardless of how good V is from from the gamees perspective or how good it could be it’s still used by the same officials and until we actually have a

Professional set of officials that are working in our game we’re always going to be left with things like this happening I think there’s two points that you made that that are still worth talking about I think the whole furor over this situation hasn’t been about the decision it’s been the process to

Get to that decision and as soon as that cast out over any form of transparency and honesty you’re going to have people pointing to the decision to say well actually is that is is there more to that decision than just being inep and and and and not capable of doing your

Job you know the fact that halfway into the second half we had the the offside image popping up as as a an explanation for the decision being given then after the game it wasn’t it was cleared up that it was because the the VAR decided that there was no clear and obvious

Error you know all those things just add to add to the confusion that we’ve got as fans you know the one thing that we talk about in a game up here is transparency you know and we’ve seen it happen to England they’ve released audio they’ve demoted officials there have

Been punishments for not doing your job well and not doing it to a standard that is of the level required in the Premier League in England so why is it any different here in Scotland you know we’re trying to build the game up we’re trying to make it a better product we

Can only do that if if if we’re holding everybody to account you know it’s the same it’s the same as us as as fans you know we hold our manager in our team to account and if they’re not getting results in the pitch we want to see

Change you know equally if a referee or a VAR a linesman are continually making mistakes which I think we can all point to probably a number of examples across the whole Scottish game that have been made recently um you know the Hearts game the same weekend as us was a terrible

Decision it it it does point to at what point do we want do we want better for the game and I think that’s the thing that really frustrates me at the moment yeah you know we can argue about the offside because because of the because of the images we can argue that around

Why it was and and I don’t know how people can say they wouldn’t have changed the game because of the hand Ball’s given Johnson’s given a second yellow and he’s off the pitch and and it’s a completely utterly different game at that point but I think it’s until we

Take the game seriously up here we’re always going to have this this issue and you can have part-time refs if you want to sell a premium product at some point we’re going to have to make the decision and and push them to become professionals and is going to be the

Only the only way that they’re going to improve and the only way they’re going to help add value to the game the nitude that Rob speaks about there is absolutely spot on I said as soon as V was introduced to Scottish Football it wasn’t the fact you know we had V and we

Were you know and amongst the big boys you then have to take into account that the same people who are making mistakes before V were in charge of V it’s you know it’s a bit like somebody who can’t parallel par Park and you give them a Formula One car believing that they will

No be parallel park in a Formula 1 car when they could park in a normal car they’ve taken you know the top of the range Tesla and turn it into a milk float and and that is that’s what they’ve done with with with v you you’re still looking at the same officials who

Could not get it right when they were on the pitch what makes you think they’re actually going to get it right watching it 27 times on a replay and the other point to that as well Stuart is you know I think the frustration is that we’ve now had the

Statement coming out from the referees Association about questioning questioning the Integrity of officials we’re not the only club that have raised concerns over decision making the SFA did it in the Spain game when there was a goal chopped off and not given so it it just it just seems like there’s

There’s one there’s always this one rule for one club in Scotland and one rule for everybody else and that doesn’t help the narrative either because it naturally feeds it naturally feeds the the cynicism that we’ve got the Scottish game as Rangers fans that you know everything’s everything’s okay until

It’s a problem with angels and then we just want to you know brush it under the carpet so it’s just it’s just frustrating I think the whole episode I mean in terms of um the sort of statement was there that you mentioned I think if we we came out and um put under

Fire the in the officials at AGM I don’t think the SFA would have said anything to us to be quite because it seems to be all right for some clubs to turn and their actual owners to make statements at their actual annual general meeting with shareholders as fine but um Rangers

Doing it um yeah and in a public domain isn’t fine the thing for me sure that got me chuckling as a lot of things have with this episode to be quite honest is like when the SFA turned and made the statement and like the first line was basically yeah Willie colum saying that

There was no clear and obvious error so it’s as if they’re kind of they’re sort of gotta or their rort to this is basically saying well Willie colum thought it wasn’t a penalty I mean if Willie colum is thinking that that is not a penalty when literally the whole

World 99.9% of people think that’s a penalty Neil lren thinks it’s a penalty James mcf thinks it’s a penalty everybody thinks it’s a penalty I don’t really think that’s the kind of the comeback that would make me confident as a supporter if a referee like Willie Colin you know is turn around saying

That that’s not a penalty because but no let’s be honest here the offside is irrelevant the fact that Willie colum for a start thinks that that isn’t a penalty if that doesn’t call you know your professionalism an equation for a start then what will uh listen I don’t think a couple

Years back when R col did a Champions League game in Spain and was considered the worst referee that Spanish football had ever seen I don’t think there’s any coincidence in in that sort of observation and what we now end up with in Scottish Football I mean he is he

Always believes he is a law or a god unto himself at times and you know you you look at the the the footage what part of that don’t you believe that to be hand ball and therefore a penalty it it it is basic you cannot have it any

Clearer and in fact you’re you’re getting the the best view possible of an incident yet you’re deciding in in your own head only that that is not a penalty so you know listen I I completely get the anger and upset um amongst Ranger fans I have to say one or two have

Sounded distinctly like those that have pointed the finger out over the years about paranoia and the lakes in the last the last week or so um which is never a good place to be but I again where Rangers um and where Rangers took this argument what were they expecting were

They expecting the SFA or the spfl to turn and say yeah it’s been a mistake let’s have a replay it’s never happened in the past and they expect they make an apology no because you’ve gone after them I mean I think the whole tactics of how Ranger have approached us been has

Been wrong from start to finish let’s understand these officials are not very good so highlight that highlight that to everyone highlight that to the broadcasters throughout the country highlight that to UEFA highlight that to FIFA make it that these people can’t go anywhere in referee anywhere else because they are completely anep

And let’s see if anybody sits up and takes notice then about the negativity that’s going around about Scottish uh Scottish officials I mean they don’t get to World Cup World Cups anyway but like the football team simply because they’re not very good but the fact of the matter

Is that if you point it out to as many people as possible somebody somewhere on high might take notice of this and actually back you up rather than picking a fight that other people have lost in the past again I go back to what I said at

The start what did Rangers expect the SFA to basically say we’ve got it wrong let’s have let replay the match that is never going to happen so there way of playing this and I think Rangers played it wrong no I agree I think um that was the next

Point I was going to come on to it’s about that’s why well that’s good that somebody did anyway so I’ll take that as a positive but um I just think I said that in the group chat that we were in a few days ago I just felt that we were maybe being

A way bit too not so much too aggressive but like you’ve used the right words short picking a fight I think the bit that just annoys me is the requesting that will Disney ref Rangers games anymore can he that’s just like what what are you doing that’s it’s amateur

I’m afraid because at the end of the day Rangers saying that um in an earlier part of the statement that they want transparency and what’s best for the whole of Scottish football but then later or in that statement to and say I but we don’t want this referee to ref

Games it’s not going to work and no Football Association in the world is going to grant that never mind the bleeding SFA but for me if you’re Rangers the first thing people say is oh clubs aren’t interested in you know forming aan Rangers because nobody likes Rangers okay I get that but

At the end of the day Rangers can still do their best to try and do that if I was Rangers I would be looking at Hearts now I’d be having discussions with heart say look look at the decisions that have been going against you there’s an ally

Straight away and then look at other teams throughout the season where big Val decisions have went against them sympathies with them try and come to a consensus together about how we can can improve that how we can improve the referees how we can improve the officiating and then maybe you’ll get

Clubs that will start to support you for me ringers have being too aggressive in their approach in terms of and and selfish as well I think I think if they were going to request anything that will colum shouldn’t it do for me it should be for him to either be suspended or to

Not referee any team in Scotland because you can have it that it’s just no ref and Rangers games because like I say rob that just makes it look as if you’ll just want much for you rather than the rest of Scottish Football no absolutely

I do I do agree with that I think that was the one I think that was the bit where they can of lost it and by requesting that that colum didn’t take any more your games I think had it been the case of you know going through a

Process understanding if there was any fault in the decision- making process and then the consequence of that is that he that there is a demotion or a suspension from football at that point not singling out our games then you probably would have got more people important that um but you’re right you

Know I think if you you take that attack you see what’s coming out from Hearts around the fact that that yellow card’s been descended um you know I think there would have been maybe a supporter there because I think the other point that I just want to make on this I think before

We move on is that if there is nothing to hide from the SFA on their side by are they not releasing the audio like they do in England I think you know I saw something in Twitter and I know if this this is is something that can be

Verified but allegedly you know there are decisions that get sent out to the referees and and in the way of learning as they go every week and this is the only week that those recordings haven’t been sent out now if that is the case that points to a bigger problem that

There obviously is something to hide that they don’t want people to hear and that further FS the paranoia about what is it you know there’s one simple way they can clear it up let’s hear the decision- making process let’s understand how that was arrived at

Like they do down in England so that we can we as fans can get our heads around it as well yeah I I don’t think that’s going to happen but because it’s SFA but sure the thing is well with statement it was um when they mentioned the offside

As well and um they said in the recording no offside was mentioned but the referee would have been thinking about offside so it’s almost as if the SFA have read will they colums meant in the sense oh I he never actually said it offside but if was don’t worry guys

Listen historically the SFA have they’ve always closed ranks circle the wagons as soon as they come under any kind of pressure the SFA have seen and heard things and nobody else has ever seen her h i mean they’re run a part with Doris Stokes sometimes in you

Know in terms of what they perceive as um what’s been going on you know it was like the famous incident when sunus was seen in the tunnel from where the SFA official wasn’t that you couldn’t actually see him so therefore they had to go off television evidence a time

When they didn’t take television evidence so there’s always anomalies and and it’s it’s not the the mistakes that that are hard to take is the the downright you know from what a better description lies that are then told and excuses that are then made to almost justify the error first place if you

Come up and you held your hands up and said we made a mistake we’re really sorry we’ll try try to you know eradicate that from all the decision making process you might say yeah I okay but we start dreaming up offside decisions that you think will Callum

Would have noticed when to be honest he was probably sitting there watching the golf or something you know it’s it’s you’re you’re you’re then um you know you’re you’re then into the Realms of fantasy rather than reality I mean I think as well that the the you know the

Union condemning the question condemn the the the or question the referees Integrity yeah you know I I think you’re actually if you if you say that you are dubious about the Integrity of referees you are assuming they know what they’re doing in the first

Place and I you know and and and I think I think most of us actually know that half the time this he just one big guessing game with him and this incident above all else has has shown that and has proved that so you know I think

There was a time and a place for Rangers to say this isn’t right but you D yourself down and get on with the next game and you know hope that it doesn’t affect you or afflict you again um you know next time this running around wait looking for you know teams to support

You if if the the heart you know any other clubs out there had had a decision against them and Rangers had stepped forward and said actually we don’t think this is right then maybe yeah but all of a sudden if it’s you why does anybody why would anybody else join you in the

Fight if you couldn’t join them in the first place I think the the clubs have to have a you know a general consensus that the the standard of officiated isn’t isn’t good enough but if you then do that where do you then turn to did the referees go on strike again and say

Well until you actually like us we not going to officiate and you start bringing in referees from jalta Cyprus Portugal Israel God knows where um it’s a it’s a dangerous road to go down I would say but I think you have to point the finger um and say listen this time

You got it wrong at least at least been man enough to admit it I will I can’t them doing that anytime soon but um well finish him up on that situation anyway so all the Celtic fans that just to hear us on that part that’s your C that you

Can now leave cuz we’re actually going to talk about Rangers now uh Rob this is obviously the meant to be the mid-season review um it’s been a weird season um you know I I put down first quarter second quarter so different you know for obvious reasons and I’ve got the new

Manager but I can’t help but see when I keep thinking back to how we were all feeling in the summer about Michael and the new signs and stuff like that my God I think we need to admit we all had a there we absolutely mate I mean I

Remember I think it was the it was the before we even started the season saying that I thought Lamers was going to be a great player for us by God how wrong did that how wrong did I call that one but no I think I think has it’s it has been

So weird you know I think and and ultimately I think it I think it demonstrates what to Club you know I think if you look at if you look at B you know he was a good coach but I think the whole the whole part of the the game

That he missed was that man management piece and you can quite clearly see that in clemont the way that he deals with the players even when he’s bringing them off there’s a word for him he he passes on instruction um and it’s hard to believe that the the records are so

Different under both managers when it’s actually the same of players that they’re both managing in fact I would say that clemont’s got less Choice with what he’s had to play and and he still managed to pull you know a much better record than than b did the the first

Half of the season um so I think it’s it’s it does just demonstrate what having a a kind of clear plan that the players can understand with simple instructions that are affective on the pitch can have can you know compare that to what we had under B which was no style I

Think players probably didn’t understand the instruction and and it showed in the performances and the pitch um so I think I think it will be I think it will be interesting moving forward especially as we begin to talk through some of the potential targets but I think we should

Be optimistic for the second half of the Season I’m going to I’m not going to use excited but I think quitly optimistic I think for the second half of the season because demonstrated what you can do with a threadbear squad you know and players like djan stering moving into

The middle of the pitch making a massive impact in there you know what other little nuggets can he pull from players in the second half especially with some of the quality that hopefully can bring in because that’s the one thing we’d be missing you know let’s face it none of the signings

That we really brought in aart for butland at the start of the year um and now do Jean steron a little bit have shown quality um and sea but you know des’s a lot of money spent on players who we thought were going to take us to the

Next level that probably actually set us back a little bit now because we’re not going to be able to get rid of them with the wages and fees that we paid oh well you never know Michael B might be watching in sundland oh well if the sun

The Thunderland owners a bil so I mean if Rangers can afford seven and a half million for Lam Anders I don’t see any reason as to I suland Cary St and Rob mentioned that point about being sort of quietly optimistic and I think that’s how most Rangers fans are and I think

You need to compare it to the last two appointments under G the B sort of positive attitude around the club obious just came offer in the league and he started off really well and then after the New Year it kind of went downhill obviously with Europe bill you know he

Took on a pretty long confidence group of players but he did get a good few decent results at the start it was just that the big games that like B down but under clont there is a difference where he has got tangible results in terms of

You know he’s he’s got rid of that hamon hudo me and Alec Anderson spoke about it before the Hearts game and I was kind of like hands in my mouth about the Hearts game think have done really well so far but we record at hen’s atrocious and we

Absolutely squished that game even the ab didn’t give the leag Cup Final was a let go but were pretty comfortable there’s only one team that was going to win that game so he’s managed to do that he’s managed to qualify from the European group in top place which we’ve

Never managed to do before um well sry we did do it a few years ago um but not done it in a couple years and but from the point of where we lost in cus against liol he’s went away to bet and one okay we lost old F game but with

Come on there’s actually tangible sort of results here that you can look and see right he’s actually making stuff happen whereas we bu was kind of like we just getting by against like your K St Johns and stuff stuff like that but I think surely this managers easily do in my

Opinion no I think uh anybody who watched the FA Cup TI between Sunderland and Newcastle would have um have seen that performance yes yeah before um it was almost like a you know Bill a bills side returning to type for that game giving away a own goal um

Giving away possession and conceding a goal then giving away a penalty I mean and I must admit I did have a a chuckle to myself and somebody actually on social media said to me you know we have to move on and forget um that you know

Forget Bill and move on yeah you do up until you look at the residue that he left behind namely some of his signings and it’s not as easy to move on when you think to yourself that was good money spent there on on players who have come

Nowhere near the standard that you would expect of a Rangers player of any generation let me say rather than than currently he was whoever recruited these players one old bosses used to shout for a service revolver because it meant he was going to basically blow somebody’s brains out because of something that had

Happened and I think on this occasion I would be doing the same um there are players there you will never get anywhere anything like the money you spent on them and get that back I think two things in terms of uh kont one you can bring in your own players

And believe that they will do a job for you you’ve identified them and they probably will play for you however if you you find yourself rather than recruiting players if you find yourself having to go with the players that are already there I think there’s a bit of a

Fear Factor because this guy doesn’t owe you anything nothing at all and therefore you’ve got to proove yourself and I think there’s one or two players maybe one or two more experienced players I would say probably lrom out of everybody has actually taken note that this new guy might need business and he

Might not be there unless he turns into some performances hence the reason why I think his performance level has gone up Sibly um not because Michael bu has gone but because somebody else who’s new is now pulling the strings and and try to get tune at these guys and you know I do

Hope he manages to recruit one or two players that will do rangers a turn short term first and foremost but again I think it will take a week well before he stamps his his mark on this side about getting players that are his and solely His um again it could take a well

Given some of the players that are Flo about in decent contracts why would you ever want to leave but um I think quite the optimistic would be a good description I heard on there in terms of how Rangers go forward or progress on that point you made there Stuart about

LOM question back to you guys do you think that comes from the Simplicity of the message that he’s receiving now for the manager the reason he he understands his role probably on the pitch a bit better and and he’s got a clear he’s got a clear role within that team whereas I think

All of them probably struggled a little bit under B for that yeah I sorry sorry I would say I would say in two counts there you’re probably right one that lunr understands maybe the message he’s getting but he also understands he’s long enough in the tooth to know what

Happens when a new manager comes in and if a new manager needs to make space or has to get rid of players to come up with finances then they’re usually pretty ruthless so sorry got acoss there so in both points I you’re actually actually you know right I think lom’s

Old enough and Senor enough to identify this because he’s probably seen it before elsewhere I what I was going to see on LOM was okay we can talk about May the instructions are clearer for the manager but for me it would be what why is it

That’s now the third time that he’s done it where our new managers came in he’s up to his performance levels and under two of the three previous managers they dipped you know if you look at when jail came in um obviously was pivot on that run ceville and then the second SE under

G it completely dropped so you can tell me that Go’s instructions in 2122 were you know decisive strong and clear and in 22 23 the one because I don’t really think that that can happen to a manager and then when B comes in he has an upter

Form and he’s okay for a couple of months um and then it dips again so what was Michael be being clearing his instructions you know November December 2022 and then when it got to like February March when the big games are coming and no being clearing these instructions that’s what I don’t

Understand about lch that’s the thing that that worries me and I mentioned it in Twitter a few days ago where you know there is rumors about him say a new do and I think realistically winom probably will sign a new contract the manager seems to like him he talks about him

Being a leader but in terms of my opinion on it um I’m still unsur and for me that’s why I would wait because I think the the thing that worries me with is okay he’s been great for a couple months but you know what’s going to

Happen in the next for two when is he going to go back to what he was like under jail and B after those initial two months being G but he’s been good I would give him the benefit they do actually because you can remember under giovan van Broncos Rangers played played

Pretty well they reach a European F won the Scottish cup what happened when GI left um your thoughts are about his hor show can down know around one side R the back down the other side you look at bill bill yeah got a performance the the team he left with nobody understanding what

The system Rangers were playing absolutely not a clue so I would give LOM actually benefit to doubt where you know if if a manager can change or two managers can change as to then leaving the club and the fans questioning what were actually doing at a time what must

That like as a player if you’re in the dressing room first of all sure whether you’re going to be a starter and secondly once you do go on the pitch what you’re going to be asked to do yeah no it’s a fair point I I do hope

It works out for but because we know we know what he’s like when he’s on on top form but we’ll definitely see with the next few months for him Rob coming on the J transfer window um he’ll be tie it he would be absolutely loving this how

You doing a shout out for you mate um we been L with a few players we’re not yellow tie oh I know I know he loves the Yellow Ties um he’s ja Jim White what a guy um but we’ll mention a few targets that were linked with I think first of

All we need to talk about the areas where we need to improve I think pretty obvious we need a striker an Striker um SE Fab actually might start on that first Rob and he obviously came on against KY I’m not going to be one of these ones that said oh you came on

Against Kelly for the last 28 minutes so he looks like he’s a good player he’s get this and that next thing he played 20 minutes against Kelly he done whatever you know I’m not he can tell if he’s going to be good or bad based on

That it is a positive though that he did play because you know it gets him in playing with the team he gets to experience H BRS and stuff like that but from that 20 minute Cameo and his career up to date do you see that being a

Positive siging for the rest of the season I think it will be again for us it’s it’s it’s it’s one that makes sense you know we’re going to lose sea um you know so we need somebody that potentially is going to play on the that’s capable of filling in for him

When he goes and I think from from what I read about him um certainly the spell at PSV he was playing more on the left um when he when he did get appeares there um you know it’s far too to judge him you know I think the one thing that

I would say is that I trust a trust the manager and and ultimately I think it was both him um and the new um director football that that made the play for him um so they obviously identified him so that they could get him you know he had him at PSV so I

Think that they know what they’re getting um and they made a big player making sure that he was here well ahead of that to um Spain for the for the the warm weather training camp um it’s an interesting one you know you’re not going to you’re not going to pay 40 OD

Million Cod for a player 35 whatever it is um and and not have some Talent there I think it comes back back to it comes back to everything where you know these players have maybe lost lost way a little bit and it’s up to the manager to

Try and unlock that for him um it’s going to be an interesting one I think so I think that again is he going to score an absolute barel with the goals probably not but I think he’ll be there to to help create for other players

Hopefully a big uh a big stri the hearts that might s we’ll come on to that one later don’t worry um much later maybe maybe Wednesday St um one transfer that’s been a rumor that’s been down the in is about yma possibly on his way to H as perona

And it tell now weirdly um a certain Josh do plays for them as well and a lot of Rangers fans have put two and two together and said well would be pretty decent if you could just get a swap deal done Y’s for do I personally think that

Would be a pretty good move um yma he’s been one of the ones where he has looked good at times but other times he’s been pretty inconsistent he has been great the last couple of games un fairness to him but he’s probably do a couple of Bad

Games as well that’s just the type of player he is I think unfortunately with him it’s his height that probably lets him down in terms of playing in Scotland um you see him being targeted a few times that Big C Striker that we’ll talk about later peeled off him um last one

For I BRS as well he SC a c header so I think the El for me if we can get anywhere near a money back on him we’ve done pretty well but if we can somehow manage to get a deal where we’re swwa him for Josh do a guy who has done okay

In Italy but most importantly for me he’s been there done it in Scotland with hibs and he’s young as well you know he’s got a lot of potential he’s stronger he’s taller by all accounts more athletic as well and I just think and better player so is that a deal that

Maybe intrigues you a bit yeah I mean we’re at a stage just now we are a handful of days into January um I I would imagine that a lot of kind of Wheeling and dealing is well under way in terms of who Rangers might recruit it might be a case so it’s who

They might be able to recruit out of who’s left because I imagine that Rangers might be quite far down the food chain on one or two of these moves simp because of one where that um location wise you know Scotland isn’t the isn’t the draw it was 30 years

Ago when English clubs didn’t have European football Rangers were spending money hand over fist those days are long gone um so it might be that players will look at other options elsewhere before choosing Rangers I think this is a big test of two things one who who Rangers have

Identified and secondly how convincing the manager is if he gets a player put in front of him to actually talk to these guys just get back to H fabul Silva and you know 40 million quid and he hasn’t scored any goals and people are wondering what he’s doing and all

The rest of it uh I I’m I’m Lo to say it but before anybody sort of writes a guy off or thinks he’s just here to make the money I I will remember a certain player who was finding his feet with fantina again after a disasterous move to Bayern

Munich and within a handful of games fin even a handful of games some some of us were lucky enough to see a pre-season training out in Cho um and I will will remember a certain Ali McCoy saying if he doesn’t get 15 penalties for us this season I’ll be disappointed because

Basically right the way he ran with the ball his feet if he if you missed a tackle by half an inch he was getting a penalty and that guy was Brian lrop you know I I think there are you know historically there are so many players

Out there who have made a move for big big money and it just has not suited them it has just you know they could be the one of the greatest talents of their generation and they go to their wrong club and they just they just disappear

And you know we don’t have enough time for me to start ring off a whole bunch of names but I think people out there will probably know um themselves certain players so let’s see how it goes if a guy if if if a guy plays up to his 35

Million pound price tag then Rangers might have won a watch already just a quick one on the do stuff as well the other thing that that’s a good one is that um I think he satisfies the Homegrown Rule and the the the squad for the Europa League as well so it

Means that we can add them without having to take anybody out it would be sensible you know to have a gosh player join so that we don’t need to remove anybody from that Squad given how limited it was no definitely and you’re brilliant with the Segways by the way

Because you mentioned winning a watch but now we’re going to go into from one of our sponsors where you can win prizes and that’s football prizes they specializ football competitions in match draws and the latest Rangers prize as a sign match James T your shirt from the

Recent League Cup fin against ab handen and you can also wi some Zing at memor as well each ticket cost 3395 and there’s a maximum of 299 ENT for details on how to enter you can visit our Twitter over at jet online or you can visit football prizes. co.uk that’s

Football prizes. co.uk and you can enter those competitions there that when they that would be bad I actually enter a coup in myself to be honest right we touched on it earlier Rob that strike off the hearts that everybody’s talking about Kenneth vgas um is he somebody

That you would like to see at Rangers this January absolutely what name as well obviously obviously we’re talking about shankland I oh I know I thought it was Donald Ford oh jeez Al Forest maybe well PR is in the worst place in the world put it that way put it that way um

I Rob I mean I I’ll just be pretty upfront about this I think it’s the most obvious signing that Rangers could make and probably the last I don’t know 10 years or something like that if fits every you know metric that you want to have he’s you know coming into his prime

He’s a Rangers Fan he scores goals for f in the Scottish League he’s Scottish so you mentioned the Homegrown qu earlier um for me it’s obvious and I just be saying to the Rangers board just trying and get the deal done you know within reason obviously we shouldn’t have be

Over paying for him but for me it’s it’s just an on me so same here I mean I’ve gone backwards and forwards on this one for a while and I think for for the right price it is is an absolute no-brainer you know I think the fact he

He’ll get goals you know again watching him when Hearts played does and he peeled off to go and Target uh young man specifically because of the height difference and and he got his goal there that that demonstrates that he’s got a clever football mind as well you know

Because he’s looking he’s looking for the areas that he can exploit to to get that goal before before the start of the season I wouldn’t have had him on the radar but the more you see him I think this year he’s been he’s been brilliant for HS and you know I think having

Having somebody strong that can lead the line that can get you goals isn’t he scared to take a shot and would certainly add value to the squad and and and we need Strikers you know I think the only thing that it doesn’t satisfy for me is is the the whole kind of

Player trade model but ultimately we want to win the League this year and there sometimes you’ve got to sign a player that maybe is a bit older that isn’t going to offer much sell on value because of the because of the the the the attributes they they bring to the

Team and I think you know certainly goals in the second half of the season is going to be what we need because if you look at the job that cl’s done when he’s come in you know the amount of goals that we’ve ConEd in the games that

He’s played has been phenomenal so he’s really got that backline drilled pretty well and that helps when you’ve got a good keeper like butland but you know for us it’s it’s now putting some of these teams to the sword that we maybe haven’t um because of the chances that

We’ve created you know we’ve created lots of chances in games we just need somebody to finish them and I think if you got a really Instinct for Striker like him then it could work my only concern is that there’s obviously not a lot of teams that there a low block

Against Hearts so there’s a lot more space for him to exploit is he going to be able to do that in an angel Jersey but I think it’s somebody we that we should be looking at definitely what your thoughts in shankland is he a different player from

He was when he was available two years ago um I’d say proven himself no he’s not if you actually watched the guy he was scoring goals all of a sudden scored a couple of goals for Scotland all of a sudden he scored goals for hars and supposed big games that they play and

Next thing is the flavor of the month Rangers have to sign them I mean it this goes back to the whole thing about recruitment it was you know I think there’s a great many Scottish players that were slushing around in the spfl who would have done Rangers a turn

If they added a an O to the or an A to the end of their name and by did po they might have saided more Continental therefore you know shanko or something like that might have it might have got a move a couple years back

So I I agree with what you’re saying he he does look a player who could do rangers a turn shortterm the whole thing about the this you know resale value and all the rest of it there comes a point in time where actually you may need to sign somebody

Who does a specific job for you for a short period of time to win you something that puts you in a position where you may actually have money to spend going forward on another player so listen you know I think if Rangers want them Now’s the Time to go and go and get

Them um if they’re the other thing is just going with a definitive bid never mind this we we’ll give you um we’ll take the player and we’ll pay up installments and at the end of it you’ll get two goldfish and a balloon as well

If you really want it put a m of intent there not just for Scottish football but for the Rangers fans as well saying that they mean business by going and getting this guy and get the deal done no I agree I mean Rob in terms of

Like Rangers putting in a bed for me like this is the priority position now babio S I think will do a ton but I don’t think he’s going to be the guy to get you maybe 15 20 goals between now and the end of the season for me we need

That striker in and we need him in now we want him in for that trading camp in Spain we want him in mostly for that first game in hand against hibs because you know we’ve been talking about or we’ve got two games in hand next so it’s

Not really eight points that could all change in our first game against HS at Easter road we know how tough that game is going to be I tell you something that would be quite ironic and quite something if laen shanklin’s first game for Rangers was against HS at Easter

Road did he done the damage against them um but for me it’s a casea trying to get in as soon as possible and right people have talking about between three and five million pound I I do genuinely think 3 million is a fair offer I think

If Rangers go in as St says with a concrete bid that’s reasonable enough um it poses a question not not so much to Hearts because we know Hearts will try and hold out but it poses a question to shankland and I don’t think he’s the

Type of guy that come and say oh I’m not going to play for you or anything like that because I I think he’s a pretty decent professional but at the end of the day if rers are putting a reasonable enough bed and you know that’s your Club

Team that You’ supported as a boy you want to move to happen he can push that through you know in a professional way abolutely I think the other thing that we’ve got to be mindful of as well is hearts are chasing Europe you know hearts are no rush to sell him so we’ve

Got to we’ve got to stump up enough cash that is going to make it is going to make it a difficult choice for them um and I think I think you know there are other things that we could do you know potentially players within our Squad

That could go over there and enhance the the team um but yeah I think Striker is an absolute must that that we need to get through the door because we can go the second half of the Season ring ders you know Dilo by the looks of it it’s

Going to be a slow comeback you know he posted some footage I think it was on Instagram earlier about his knee still being stretched and stuff so you know he’s going to be probably for the rest of the season I would be surprised to see him come back so we need

Goals but we need we need goals you know and we desperately need a c that’s going to that’s going to that’s going to take their chances B 3 million quid and then say you know we’ll throw in ders as well or throw in um and will probably want another four million

Then oh that’s the thing people have said to me all we should do a swap deal Des for shankland and I’m like I mean even if even if Hearts were that stupid and gullible I mean you do realize that Des was on about like 30 grand a week or

Something like that human organ human organ trading is is is is illegal that’s only way they get rid of some of these guys you know so I mean can you honestly see HS accepting any of these players in any kind of swap deal no can you see any of

These players even knowing where where hearts are no and this this goes back to my you know my earlier in the show Rangers are stuck with these guys you’re you’re going to you know you’re going to have to a jell night about the building or pay them a

Fortune to go somewhere else and and this all goes back to the previous Recruitment and previous manager yeah the the other one that’s been mentioned um for the C is um Emanuel Dennis the boy that used to be at Watford now initially I was actually quite excited to hear that and until um

I saw a story about when he transferred from Watford to notam Forest because seemly a number of the Watford players were celebrating that he was leaving and so I think from there could well be some some interesting uh dressing room Behavior there from from said players

I’m not sure I’m keen on that I don’t think clont would take a chance on a player like that unless he knew that he could get the best out of him and control that because he always talked about the squad hary and and having everybody playing as a team I just

Thought that was a really interesting article but you know I noticed that when he went from Watford to Forest there was a there was a fair few of the Watford boys that were um that were celebrating which is a shame because I always thought he looked fairly decent at

Watford hasn’t worked out for him at Forest but you know when I sees him playing off the left I think he got um 10 10 goals and 33 games for them so not bad return in the Premiership oh that’s an interesting one day Dennis I

Mean I think but if you if you’re kind of comparing him and chatland it’s like Dennis seems to be like that guy who you know he’s had Premier League experience he’s went for big money before he’s lost his way but he’ll be on a fortune by the

Way and he’s on at took out I don’t think he scored this season but you’ll be on a fortunate Forest you’re talking about 60 70 grand a week probably easy so to ask him to take a you know at least 50% pay cut probably more they

Come to Rangers and then you know you’re maybe dealing with those issues and stuff like that as well I just think it’s too big a risk at the end of the day if you know you’re going to spend I don’t know between three and five million on shankland I think you’re as

Well doing it on him a guy who’s been proving to score in Scotland um a guy that can do it in this league versus spending that amount of money on a guy who okay we know he’s got talent and maybe if it does pay off it can pay off

Big time because you might be able to sell them for a fortune but again the R is there and the thing with shank as well I mean before people start thinking him even more crazy than already I think I good comparison I’m not comparing the players I’m just comparing the situation

As Robin van per going in man united in 20 was that 2012 2013 and that was kind of like Alec Ferguson sort of part and gu for the for the man united board because Fergie identified van pers who was about 28 at the time he was by far the best striker

In the Premier League he said go and get me that guy they got van Perce and Van Perce won man united the Premiership title last year the last that you’re the last one that they won so I think in terms of the situation not the players Talent obviously and there is

Comparisons there but not just like we need to we need to strengthen a few areas another area um is the right wing Rob been linked with um manh I think his name is he’s a young Dutch um right winger you know I’m not going to I don’t

Know much about them and you see the YouTube videos and this an the next thing but for me I think that is a position that we need to strengthin um I look at Ross mcin to I think it’s been absolutely fantastic for us um recently I’d like someone to come in and

Basically be the first team right winger right midfielder and Ross mcin can really challenge them but I think for me that’s another position that we need and really need to strengthen in this window if we can definitely I mean I think because has done brilliant um since he’s

Come in and I think you’re always going to get criticized as a young player when you drop off um but that’s what young players do you know they’re still learning the game they’re going to make mistakes and I think as a fan base we need to be a little bit more um

Receptive of that and not actually get on his back when he doesn’t you know play a 10 out of 10 a n out of 10 every single game he is going to have ups and downs because that’s the nature of a young guy trying to make it in football

Um and and the thing that I always say is that as long as he learns for those mistakes that’s good if he keeps making the same mistakes then we’re going to have an issue um you’re right I don’t really know a lot about manof but I I

Listened to um I think it was a um Rangers review earlier um who did an interview with a vessi fan um and and actually he sounds like quite a promising player um you know from from their point of view I think they would be guty to lose him I think they their

Owners come out or the managers Who come out today to say there’s no way they’re going to sell him in this window because if they get rid of him then it’s you the test think they’ll be relegated without him um I think the thing that that got

Me excited was obviously he’s a Dutch under 21 so he playing at a good level you know he’s had 70 plus games for the test in the Dutch League he scored a few goals only 14 um you know I think from what the from what that vest fan was

Saying earlier he started off as a left back and then moved up to right wing but they think his best positions left mid so there is a I think there’s a flexibility there with him where you know he could could play in a number of a number of different positions but the

One thing um that came across was that you know his big big assets speed and so you know having space to play into um is the thing that’s going to be that’s going to be useful for him so again comes back to in Scotland how useful is

That going to be um you know because ultimately you’ve not got much you’ve not got much room to run into um certainly certainly with some of the Low Blocks that play against us so it could be an interesting one but based on what I’ve what I’ve seen coming for the vest

Camp I think that might be more a summer move now if we were still interested so I think we’re going to need to get somebody in that right wi position um it’s a it’s an area that we’ve been crying out for the last three four five windows that we’ve needed somebody in so

If we can identify somebody be great to get them in you’ve also got to realize as well well wi not any Wier young old or whatever it is is that you’re you’ve got to provide an end product that somebody can latch on to and and I think

You know given who Ranger have had to aim for and in the box if they were to land shankland he’s a guy that plays within the wood of the post almost so you know where he’s going to be because he likes scoring goals he’s not going to be one of these guys

That suddenly you know going to end up you got put a crossing and you’re going to find your Striker actually is playing wider on the other side of the pitch and you are as a Winger um you know I think that that part would be they’d make it easy or

Easier if they had a a certain style of play and a certain way of playing and I think all in all that part of it would be um it’ be easier for any kind of Winger coming in if they actually had somebody to aim for in the middle of the pitch it was

Looking to score goals no definitely I don’t know what’s happened with my my camera there I seem to have so I’ve decided to to shut it off so I was going to say no Edmond suddenly popped up the Rangers TI oh well we won’t be getting into the

Chat about TV licenses and all that we know we know he gets up to that but I think that’s probably the best way to finish up just at the end I make sure I time I time everything correctly don’t I but um guys we’ll be back on the 19th of

January to preview the Darton game and we don’t know who’s going to be on yet we’ll have um the schedule up and we’ll be able to tell you about that in advance but and before we pop off all it’s left to do now is thank my guest

Rob thanks very much for coming on mate I appreciate it good to see you and good to see you again Stuart absolutely and Stuart thanks for coming on again yeah good to see you one animated and one not so animated now but enjoy your know no certainly and thanks very much

To the viewers at home have a good one guys byebye