Football - Albion Rovers v Rangers - William Hill Scottish FA Cup Quarter Final Replay - New Douglas Park, Hamilton, Scotland - 17/3/14 Albion Rovers' Gary Phillips (L) in action with Rangers' Richard Foster (R) Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Graham Stuart 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.
Richard Foster has gone badly off message by criticising the return of Leon Balogun to Ibrox.
The former Ross County and St Johnstone defender played for both Ibrox clubs either side of spells with Aberdeen and Bristol City and now appears to be in with the bricks with BBC Scotland.
With the transfer war-chest virtually emptied Micky Beale signed up Balogun a year after he had been released from Ibrox.
Last season the Nigerian played 16 matches for Queens Park Rangers which is more than his replacement, John Souttar managed at Ibrox.
With Connor Goldson crocked and Ben Davies utterly underwhelming there are serious concerns over Beale’s central defensive options while he overloads his squad with attacking players.
Listening in to Radio Scotland this afternoon The Sun reports:
Former Rangers defender Richard Foster wasn’t a big fan of Balogun during his first spell at the club.
And the pundit – who had two spells at Ibrox – reckons bringing him back is a move that stinks of desperation.
Asked by Radio Scotland presenter Liam MacLeod if the move was a “no-brainer”, Foster wasn’t convinced and was happy to say so.
He said: “I’m going to upset a lot of people here – but I do that no matter what I say.
“I think it’s a bit desperate from them (Rangers). I was never fully convinced with Balogun when he was here. Initially I gave him an allowance because I thought he was younger. I didn’t realise he was in his thirties.
“I think he makes a lot of mistakes and he doesn’t look composed when you compare him to Connor Goldson who for me is a very good defender.
“He’s composed and has a presence about him – and I don’t think that Balogun brings that.
“He brings a nervousness to the Rangers defence when he plays, from the outside looking in.”
After BBC Scotland went the extra mile to get back inside the Ibrox media tent there is bound to be concerns that Foster has followed Michael Stewart in abandoning the group-think policy pushed by Kenny Macintyre, Alasdair Lamont, Jane Lewis, Tom English and Steven Thompson.
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He’s absolutely right there as Connor Goldson is an excellent defender with his hands !
He’d have been well at home today in The All Ireland Gaelic Football Semi Final between Kerry and Derry and Derry could’ve well done with his hand ball defending in the last five minutes of that excellent match !
A wriitten warning in the morning for him . The gardens in sevconia are forever rosy
It’s one thing for ANY club to sign a 35 year old in January – as emergency cover
through to season end. Fair enough.
However, to bring in a 35 year old,
– during the summer transfer window,
– AND when there are still over 6 weeks to go until the window slams shut,
IS transparent desperation,
…if not blind panic from the ‘genius’ Beale?
🙂
Ah BENNY MILLER all things good and rosy in the garden,but then we have Foster the imposter going off page by calling Balingon a dud and a failure,let the good times begin.
Kenny Macintyre, Alasdair Lamont, Jane Lewis, Tom English and Steven Thompson?
You’d think that after three hundred years of selective-breeding, there might be some better talent for the BBC to choose from!
“Must’ve been some great nights out, eh Ricky?”
Occasionally, signing a player in his mid 30s makes some sense: squad cover, positive influence, short-term solution to a problem position, etc.. signing a 35 year old you freed a year earlier, when he had hardly set the heather alight first time round just smacks of desperation, and being skint.
I’ll bet you Mr Amy Mac Donald got what’s for from his the Rangers daft Mrs when he got home . Do you think BBC Scotland will have equal amounts of Celtic and the Rangers linked commentators this coming season ? After all it has a fairness , equality and impartiality policy regarding employment . Well , it does in London anyways ! Has anyone ever questioned BBC Scotland Sport’s employment or editorial policy up here ? We do have a right to find out as the financial backer of the national broadcaster , where our money is being spent and on whom ! Don’t we ?
The Rangers fans must be concerned, freebies, loans & golden oldies arriving, raises a serious question.
Are they any better than the departing players who are leaving for nothing or a fraction of clubs value.
Jock Stein worked miracles with a team of misfits, that team became legendary.
Beale the speal is not Jock Stein.