Thought For Today

[CammyF 7,988]

Hull paid Man City only �£500,000 more for Giovanni's services than we paid Burnley for Lafferty's.....

 

Now, Kyle may go and prove to be a decent player / buy, but it has to be said, investing such a large sum of money (and large % of our total transfer budget) on an uproven championship players was a gamble. I hope for the lads and Rangers' sake that the gamble pays off and reeps dividends.

 

Cammy F

[Frankie 8,552]

Aye, the combined �£6million+ on Lafferty/Edu represents a gamble for a manager who needed players he could rely on immediately to bring back the championship.

 

As an aside Lafferty wasn't playing well but after half-time he was a lot more direct and arguably our most dangerous player. Miller should have been taken off as he was having an off night; Lafferty moved further forward and Edu brought into the midfield to allow Mendes to play further forward.

[Super_Ally 0]

Lefferty and Miller were our two worst players in the first half. In fact I dont think KL managed to retain possession until his first touch of the second half. Miller was a disaster infront of goal.

 

Would probably have had them both off. First substitution should have came after 60mins at the latest as it was obvious it jsut wasn't working.

[gisabeer 409]

I have said in an other post that Lafferty is a dud. I hope im proved wrong but i doubt i will be. As for miller, he didnt play badly last night but should have had a hat trick with the chances he had.

[UCF2008 0]

I have said in an other post that Lafferty is a dud. I hope im proved wrong but i doubt i will be.

 

I don't think he's a dud. He's not playing his favored position though and it could be a while before he's given a proper chance to do so. IMO he was brought in as a long term solution and also, like Edu (and Aaron), as a more experienced option for the U-21 places. It's not a waste of money to invest in youth. It can be a gamble, but that's the same for every signing.

[gisabeer 409]

I don't think he's a dud. He's not playing his favored position though and it could be a while before he's given a proper chance to do so. IMO he was brought in as a long term solution and also, like Edu (and Aaron), as a more experienced option for the U-21 places. It's not a waste of money to invest in youth. It can be a gamble, but that's the same for every signing.

 

we have better players than lafferty in our youth ranks. Fleck for one who cant even get on the bench. We could have saved the four million and given him a chance instead.

 

Walter wouldnt know raw tallent if you slapped him across the face with it. Just ask barry ferguson. He had to to hand in a transfer request to get a game under him. even then it was Dick Advocaat who gave him his big chance.

 

Fleck doesnt have a hope in hell of being a first team regular under smith. I fully expect that boy to move on to another club.

[craig 5,199]

Fleck is out injured, although in saying that I doubt he would be getting a chance even if he werent.

[UCF2008 0]

I agree that Fleck is an outstanding talent, but he is a different style of player to Lafferty. He also has much less experience in that he hasn't played first team football at club level never mind international, like Lafferty & Edu have. That's why that pair cost as much as they did.

 

I think if Fleck had come through the youth ranks at any other club, he would have made that transition already and no doubt would also have a seven figure price tag attached. You've got to remember though that this is Rangers we're talking about. The job comes with a set of pressures and demands that you don't get at other clubs. I think WS is wary of this and understandably doesn't want to rush the players progress too much. I'd expect to see Fleck (when he's fit again) playing in a few of our less demanding games this season. I think it will be at least next season though before he's really pushing for a regular start.

[UCF2008 0]

Walter wouldnt know raw tallent if you slapped him across the face with it. Just ask barry ferguson. He had to to hand in a transfer request to get a game under him. even then it was Dick Advocaat who gave him his big chance.

 

If you ask me there's been a much better balance between youth and experience under WS over the past couple of seasons, than at any point with Advocaat.

 

Last time Walter left the job, he left behind an over-the-hill side with only a hand-full of players who had any sort of future at the club. This time round, with the squad he's putting together, I'm confident that won't be repeated.