The Spring & Summer 2019 Transfer Rumours Thread

[JFK-1 1,693]

Even if it were real if we want to win this league he has to stay as I just don't see it happening without him.  I suspect Gerrard will do everything in his power to keep him beyond January and I further suspect the influence of Gerrard on the board to be enormous.

There's every chance we wouldn't be in this position without Gerrad. Taking into account his pulling power alone just off the top of my head I can think of two key players in Defoe and Kent who most certainly wouldn't be with us if not for Gerrard.

If anyone can pull this off it's the man who pulled off the miracle of Istanbul and he has to be well aware that if he can do this it will enhance even further his legendary status. I doubt anyone thought when he came in last year and I mean even we doubted that less than 18 months later we would be looking so formidable.

Even down South where our league is derided as pub league standard heads are being turned by the Euro results. And if he pulls it off there may then be offers for his services never mind Morelos but I just don't see him leaving us for anywhere but England and it's hard to see him leading a team out against Liverpool.

There is a precedent for such a mentality in Alex Ferguson. Ferguson was once sounded out for the England job but said though he would have loved the challenge there was no way he could bring himself to lead out an England side against Scotland.   

[ian1964 10,721]

 

[Rousseau 10,602]

Dammit. 

 

I hope we get compensated sufficiently. 

[JFK-1 1,693]

I'm hoping there's a chance we can start holding on to these boys given our success in Europe. They don't need to go anywhere else to get the chance to compete at a higher level in Europe at least. And what are the chances of getting into the first team at the likes of Liverpool anytime soon. 

[JohnMc 2,750]

4 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

I'm hoping there's a chance we can start holding on to these boys given our success in Europe. They don't need to go anywhere else to get the chance to compete at a higher level in Europe at least. And what are the chances of getting into the first team at the likes of Liverpool anytime soon. 

I said the same thing about Billy Gilmour when he left us for Chelsea and he's on their bench today having featured in the Chelsea first team already this season. The biggest issue we'll have convincing this boy to stay is demonstrating the pathway into our first team. The unfortunate truth is there isn't one currently. McCrorie is struggling at Portsmouth, Rudden isn't even on the bench for Plymouth today, we've a couple of lads doing well at Ayr Utd but we've no clue if any of them will even make our first team squad next season far less the starting 11. 

Even if he's the biggest bluenose in the world the sad truth is the only other academy graduate who is in our first team currently is 37 year old Allan McGregor. So he might as well join Liverpool or Chelsea. Indeed he's probably got more chance of making the Rangers first team if he joins Liverpool.

Edited November 9, 2019 by JohnMc

[JFK-1 1,693]

3 hours ago, JohnMc said:

The biggest issue we'll have convincing this boy to stay is demonstrating the pathway into our first team. The unfortunate truth is there isn't one currently. McCrorie is struggling at Portsmouth, Rudden isn't even on the bench for Plymouth today, we've a couple of lads doing well at Ayr Utd but we've no clue if any of them will even make our first team squad next season far less the starting 11.

The thing is the names you're mentioning currently out on loan patently aren't good enough to force a way into the first 11 anytime soon. If this boy is good enough there is a path for him. If he isn't good enough he's not going to make it at Liverpool/Chelsea either.
 

If he has some real quality all things being equal there has to be a better chance of regularly making the first team at Rangers than at Liverpool/Chelsea since we can't afford to match the depth of top quality they can. Alfie went straight into the first team at just 20 because he was good enough and is now turning EPL heads as he terrorises Europe. 

And talking of Alfie there's a chance he can hit 30 goals before the end of the year to match his total for all of last year. Last player to do anything like that Was Marco Negri who hit 33 by the end of the year in 1997. 

[craig 5,199]

4 hours ago, JohnMc said:

I said the same thing about Billy Gilmour when he left us for Chelsea and he's on their bench today having featured in the Chelsea first team already this season. The biggest issue we'll have convincing this boy to stay is demonstrating the pathway into our first team. The unfortunate truth is there isn't one currently. McCrorie is struggling at Portsmouth, Rudden isn't even on the bench for Plymouth today, we've a couple of lads doing well at Ayr Utd but we've no clue if any of them will even make our first team squad next season far less the starting 11. 

Even if he's the biggest bluenose in the world the sad truth is the only other academy graduate who is in our first team currently is 37 year old Allan McGregor. So he might as well join Liverpool or Chelsea. Indeed he's probably got more chance of making the Rangers first team if he joins Liverpool.

Disagree.  The biggest issue we will have in keeping him is money.

 

Billy Gilmour for a move at 16 and was rumored to be on £17k a week the moment he signed for Chelsea and rising to £22k a week on his 17th birthday.

 

I’ve personally seen Leon play since he was 8, though obviously fleetingly.  My son played against him 7 years ago and even then he looked a player.  Saw him the following year as a full back (prior to 11 a side) and his engine was terrific by also. Very good football player.

 

He played in a tournament a couple of gears ago down south and some of the scouts that were there questioned Rangers’ sanity in letting him play and be seen.

 

Some at HTC believe he has a brighter future than even Billy Gilmour.

 

Leon’s also a very well liked kid.

[buster. 5,185]

On 09/11/2019 at 10:28, ian1964 said:

 

The hoovering up of elite level schoolboys by the rich and powerful should be discourged by governing bodies #HeavyDutyTariff

 

What is the point of youth development if you are going to lose the very players that might be good enough to develop relatively quickly and produce both on the pitch and in eventual transfer fee revenue.

 

It's fair enough to talk about providing pathways but realistically, you need your best prospects, so as it makes sense for the first team manager. 

 

Under the present rules / rich club strategy...Barry Ferguson might not of ever played a first team game for Rangers.

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2019 by buster.

[JohnMc 2,750]

On 09/11/2019 at 18:30, JFK-1 said:

The thing is the names you're mentioning currently out on loan patently aren't good enough to force a way into the first 11 anytime soon. If this boy is good enough there is a path for him. If he isn't good enough he's not going to make it at Liverpool/Chelsea either.
 

If he has some real quality all things being equal there has to be a better chance of regularly making the first team at Rangers than at Liverpool/Chelsea since we can't afford to match the depth of top quality they can. Alfie went straight into the first team at just 20 because he was good enough and is now turning EPL heads as he terrorises Europe. 

And talking of Alfie there's a chance he can hit 30 goals before the end of the year to match his total for all of last year. Last player to do anything like that Was Marco Negri who hit 33 by the end of the year in 1997. 

Yeah, but at 15 everyone involved thought those lads all had an excellent chance of making the Rangers first team, otherwise why bother offering them contracts and signing them? Some still might, but without a clear pathway to the first team and examples of players who've made that transition, it's much harder to convince young players their career is better served at Rangers. 

Alfie cost £1 Million to sign and we were his third senior club, I don't think the two are comparable. 

[JohnMc 2,750]

On 09/11/2019 at 19:23, craig said:

Disagree.  The biggest issue we will have in keeping him is money.

 

Billy Gilmour for a move at 16 and was rumored to be on £17k a week the moment he signed for Chelsea and rising to £22k a week on his 17th birthday.

 

I’ve personally seen Leon play since he was 8, though obviously fleetingly.  My son played against him 7 years ago and even then he looked a player.  Saw him the following year as a full back (prior to 11 a side) and his engine was terrific by also. Very good football player.

 

He played in a tournament a couple of gears ago down south and some of the scouts that were there questioned Rangers’ sanity in letting him play and be seen.

 

Some at HTC believe he has a brighter future than even Billy Gilmour.

 

Leon’s also a very well liked kid.

Craig, it's patently obvious we can't compete on money, that doesn't need stated, which is why our strongest card should always be the opportunity to get first team football earlier, play in cup finals, Old Firm matches, Europe and International football before moving south as an established first team player. Any aspiring young player should look at Rangers and see a clear path to first team football and then look at big English sides and see various loan spells before being released at 21 having made the bench in the League Cup a couple of times while their peers have 200 first team games under their belts. If money is what motivates them (and I'm not criticising them for that) then it won't matter what we say they'll go with who offers the most. If the family are looking at a bigger longer term picture we should be able to convince them to sign, however, currently it saddens me to say that Chelsea and Liverpool are better at training and promoting youth players to their first team than we are.