The strange signing of Alves
Football - Rangers v Hibernian - Scottish Premiership Play-Off Semi Final First Leg - Ibrox Stadium - 20/5/15 Rangers prospective owner Dave King (R) in the stands Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee Smith Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
For a club knee deep in crisis it was the perfect in-house production.
Pedro Mendes, the agent of Pedro Caixinha, agreed a deal with Bruno Alves, who he also represents, to join Sevco on a two year contract. Alves will be 36 in November.
Rather than call a media conference to parade the new signing an interview was arranged with Rangers TV for Alves to explain how wonderful everything was.
At most clubs a new signing would be put in front of the broadcast and written media to provide maximum publicity both for the club and their various sponsors.
What Puma think of the new saviour being interviewed wearing a Nike t-shirt is probably something that we’ll discover in court.
Shirt sponsor Red 32 also missed out on the stunning transfer scoop.
As he was interviewed in the club dressing room there was no backing board to remind fans of the support that the company receives from Puma, Red 32, Sports Direct or others.
Again we are likely to find out in court the reasons why.
And with that Alves was gone. No one knows when he will next surface with international commitments into July.
On Monday when pre-season training begins Caixinha can get on with working to get David Bates and Rob Kiernan into shape for the opening Europa League qualifier on June 29.
Alves is apparently a winner and wants to be a champion again. Sounds like a similar script to Joey Barton.