Keith Jackson has described Micky Beale’s five signings as very bold because the Ibrox boss is ‘shopping in a niche market for players who once had the world at their feet’.
That is a reference to signing up three free agents, one loan deal and spending £3.5m on a striker that scored two goals in 34 matches out on loan at two clubs last season.
Beale’s Revolution has been something of a damp squib despite the big build up at the end of last season.
While a job lot of players have arrived five key players from last season have left the club without raising a penny. Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Malik Tillman and Allan McGregor played whenever they were available with Scott Arfield regularly used as an impact substitute.
Other than a token fee for Mateusz Zukowski no players have been sold which further limits Beale’s chances of strengthening the squad. Mirroring last season’s issues Borna Barisic, John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe are now in the final year of their contracts without any sign of a renewed deal or suggestions of a transfer.
In their Monday Morning Jury feature the Daily Record asks:
What do you make of Michael Beale’s Rangers recruitment so far?
KEITH: It’s been very bold. Beale appears to be shopping in a niche market for players who once had the world at their feet but who have subsequently hit a roadblock in their career paths. As Todd Cantwell has proved, it can be a smart strategy. It will be fascinating to see how he goes about getting the best out of them next season.
Kieran Dowell– Free agent from Norwich where he started 15 Championship matches and made nine substitute appearances
Dujon Sterling– Free agent from Chelsea after starting 24 Championship matches for Stoke City and coming off the bench in two matches
Jack Butland– back up at Crystal Palace and Manchester United last season, his last competitive match was in May 2022
Sam Lammers– was sent on loan to Sampdoria and Empoli last season from Atalanta where he scored twice in 33 Serie A appearances.
Abdallah Sima: Sent out on loan to Angers from Brighton, he scored five times in 34 appearances.
To be clear: Beale is bringing in players who are unwanted by their clubs/other clubs.
That in itself is not a bad thing,
but it is a bad thing when it’s pretty much your whole transfers-in strategy.
What happens if all these unwanted players turn out to be squad players
– at best?
WIth injuries and suspensions, Beale is going to be forced to field players he
simply does not rate – but he doesn’t have a choice.
Across the river we have quality first choice players – and decent quality back up for all
positions as well.
And that is before BR brings in his own players.
If Beale has to field players who are off-form, or just mince,
then the bears are just going to give him pelters.
Similar scenario to last season, with Morelos and Kent getting games,
when they shouldn’t have been anywhere near the first team?
Is this summers “smart strategy” the equivalent of last summers “imaginative signing policy”?
Asking for a friend…..
Watch out for if when Rodgers starts splashing the cash
Keith and co doing articles every two days telling everybody it’s not fair on other clubs
“Niche market” – that’s the best one since the survival myth era “engine room subsidiary” moniker that they created to pretend that the Sevco is still Rangers. By “niche market”, I take it they mean the kind that Arthur Daley and Del Trotter used to operate in – where dodgy/unwanted/substandard/reject gear is sold to gullible idiots at inflated prices.
What’s that old saying again … Oh yes , once a dud ,always a dud …. You can’t shine a turd and all that !
He knows it’s a Pish market, but to soothe his Sevco loving self he said Niche Market !
Looks like inferior players are brought in to replace moderate players.
Sometime a bunch of unwanted can blend together but the one’s Rangers are bringing in don’t seem to blend with any players.