der Berliner

While they may not be ideal people, my understanding is that all current major stakeholder in our club are actually supporters, right? And one of the guidelines they set for our future is that no hazardous affairs shall taint our well-being?

Maybe, but I wouldn't put too much emphasis on this. What is super-obvious to us (as we deal with it 24/7) is not necessarily obvious to outsiders. What they do is just clever business ... and truth be told, we have done similar and would do similar as well.

Butland Sterling - Souttar - Pröpper Tavernier - Diomande - Barron - Jefte Cerny - Dessers - Matondo They will try to overrun us and will probably have much possession too. We need a solid defense, a cleaner in Barron, and a creative-cleaner in Diomande. Those three at the back give Tav and Jefte the opportunity to hit on the counter, when we have possession of the ball. Lawrence will most likely play, but he's that sort of Rolls Royce in midfield that can do neat things with the ball, but in the high-intensity of an Old Firm, I doubt he gets the time and space that he requires.

The problem with Hagi and Cantwell is that people know our stance and their stance. They can just sit out this week and make a last ditch super-low-key bid that we might be willing or simply have to accept. The whole transfer business has turned ugly over the last decade, and we have been on the receiving end of some of the worst scenarios of it.

He has said that he doesn't want to go to Romania.

I never even noticed that they played a tournament with men ... ... yet, as expected, we suddenly get a name mentioned and linked from outside of nowhere. As frustrating as the long wait in between is.

... like Sima!

I'd rather asked who wrote Jefte's birth certificate. This lad doesn't look like 20.

That is essentially also the line-up in terms of fitness ... we are one injury away to field the Brazilian who got knocked out twice last season, and two away from fielding a Moroccan who's apparently not fit enough for 5 mins. I would prefer some back up, before we end up playing Tavernier through the centre, or, dare I say it, Wright. So someone like Abu Kamara might still fit in.

Hannibal goes to mighty Burnley ... Big incomings for the Clarets today! Hannibal Mejbri, Jeremy Sarmiento and Jaiden Anthony are all at Turf today for medical tests in order to complete their move to the #SkyChampionship club. #mercato #twitterclarets — Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) August 26, 2024 So that project chap ain't coming.

"Interesting" week ahead. 9 new signings, yet some serious gut feeling that we are still lacking in certain areas. That said, sometimes it might be the order of the day to take a step back and look at things more calmly. Hysteria won't help anyone. What is becoming quite obvious is the amount of influence the headline makers - click baiters or "professionals" - have achieved, after descending into quite a pit of sensationalism. There seemingly is nothing between total euphoria and abject doom. And it is hard not to get infected. So, one would expect a few people leaving, namely Hagi and Cantwell, one way or another, but not much more. I can't see Dessers leaving (but thought the same about Colak), not least as he seemingly likes it here, and we have de facto no other striker ready to take his place. The one other price-asset might be Butland, yet I would assume that the money has to be significant. Same with Matondo, who did his shop-window presentation no harm at all on Saturday. We sure need a couple more attackers before anyone leaves, preferably those who are primarily strikers. ... and, of course, one may cast a glance beyond the Clyde to see how the English et al raid the Scumhut ahead of next Sunday's game.

... I want Sakala back.

That's how it should be done. And it all the more frustrating when you see this, and then we produce dire garbage the other week. Alas, maybe we saw a glimpse of the future and forget the past. This defensive trio worked well, and was fully enough against this lot. Barron looked quite comfortable, Diomande well in control of much of the build-up play. While the Stags weren't that great, the link-up play of our attackers looked good, you wonder whether a more mobile player than Lawrence would have supported the striker better (though Lawrence took his goals well, far too often, Dessers was alone up there and missing people running into empty slots near him). Let's see how all shapes up till next weekend, with an ounce of luck, the Scumhut's coffers will be full of gold, but their strikers are elsewhere.

Should be 4 or 5, with Matondo especially wasteful. What was it, his 5th attempt? Lawrence after his assist anonymous again, he sure does not get paid for miles run and challenges made. Our theme for the last ... 5 to 8 season remains in full swing: we sign players, 90-100 kilos of muscle and sinew, yet breaking down with injury and problems once they touch the Scottish pitches. You just hope all-action Cerny doesn't pick up an injury before next weekend.

Referee - Ross Hardie Assistants - David McGeachie and Alastair Mather Video Assistant Referee - Alan Muir Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Graeme Leslie Missing - Zak Lovelace (muscle), Nicolas Raskin (ankle), Ridvan Yilmaz (hamstring), Hamza Igamane (built up), Todd Cantwell (not in squad), Ianis Hagi (not in squad), Óscar Cortés (knee), Robbin Pröpper (back, muscle), Scott Wright (muscle) Live on - Rangers TV ... that's up to 9 missing nominal first teamers in mid-August.

Says who? We played him there when Tavernier wasn't fit or injured. His stats are pretty conclusive. As for Nsiala, he's played tons of games at Serie A youth and CL youth level last season, is 20 years old, i.e. as old as Jefte and Cortes, but a year younger than Fraser, Devine, McCausland and Igamane. He didn't look phased ion pre-season and I expect a youth player from Milan stepping into our team in a similar manner like on from Bayern. Just MHO.

Rapid Bucharest want Ianis Hagi from Rangers to kickstart season as Neil Lennon sacked Rapid Bucharest want to sign Ianis Hagi from Rangers after selling Albion Rrahmani to Sparta Prague, according to Fanatik. The Romanian outlet reported via their website on 20 August that shareholder Dan Șucu wants to kickstart the season with a big move in the transfer market and is targeting the Gers winger. Hagi has been frozen out of proceedings at Ibrox and is playing for the B Team, with a clause in his contract believed to trigger a wage rise if he players more for the senior side [Daily Record, 13 August]. Rangers had been after Rrahmani themselves earlier this season and were at one point believed to be frontrunners to sign him [Football Scotland, 17 June] before his Czech exit over the weekend. Rapid have also just sacked former Celtic boss Neil Lennon as manager [PLZ Soccer, 20 August]. .... could it be that one of the last coups TLB did against us was stopping Rrahmani from joining us?

... for these two slots we still have 5 centre-halfs at the club, plus Sterling. There are other regions on the park that need to be addressed.

To be fair, he's played striker and winger and the stats are not a world apart.

My cynical self just said that we'll play Matondo, he'll get an injury and will stay with us this time around, no problem.

We just signed Nsiala from Milan four nothing, same age. Why would we spend that sort of loan and transfer money on a no-mark Brazilian DEFENDER? Lewis Travis ... 26-year old DM. Anyone seen any of him?

Someone that has just appeared on the radar is Abu Kamara ... Rangers want to seal Abu Kamara transfer, personal terms no issue Rangers want to sign Norwich City attacker Abu Kamara before the August 30 transfer deadline, according to Football Scotland. The online outlet has reported that the winger could be available for as little as £2million, but Philippe Clement would need to sell players first. It is said that personal terms would be no issue for the Norwich attacker, who has requested an exit after failing to break through at Carrow Road following a loan spell at Portsmouth last season. Statswise he looks okay, played 50+ games last season. Can play on either side and through the middle.

Not like they do it in ice-hockey for ages ... ... but imagine these hardcore Queens Park or Clyde fans who want to see their "own team develop" ahead of being "used" by the "money-grabbing" giants. Yeah, I can see how that will go ...

We will probably not lose him this window, so Clement should look at converting him to his beloved right-midfield role and put some defender behind him. As I suggested a few times, make that Sterling, Souttar and Pröpper in a 3-man defence, one DM and let the rest have fun.

Update to the OP ... nothing new, just a few facts and figures attacked. IN - Domagoj Bradaric (26) - LB, Croatia, Salernita - contract till 2026 - TM - TM stats - LINK IN - Tiago Gouveia (23) - RW, Portugal, Benfica - contract till 2028 - TM - TM stats - LINK