26 Jun 2026 12:55:27
I'm going to put this out here early, see this Scottish first policy )which I've heard on here) regarding player signings - it's absolute nonsense!
The policy should be quality first, Rangers supporting British a bonus.
26 Jun 2026 13:15:58
It will be quality first. However, if a homegrown player is available and of equal or better standard to a foreign player, the homegrown player will be signed. Makes sense.
26 Jun 2026 13:21:01
For me, the Scottish first is guys that know the league and have proved themselves in this league with 'lower teams', and we believe have excelled and can step up. Why take the chance with a foreigner if you can tap into those as a core of the team? I'm sick of seeing failed foreigners who come with a high pedigree or Championship players thinking they'll breeze it up here.
26 Jun 2026 13:21:04
Pretty sure all the owner said was along the lines of, if two players are similar in quality, price, age etc, then they would prefer to give the nod to a Scot. It's not saying Scottish first, because there might not even be a Scot to pick from in certain positions. I think you're taking it out of context, unless I've got it wrong?
26 Jun 2026 13:32:44
Out of curiosity, out of all the POTY winners over the last 30 years, how many have been Scottish?
If anyone thinks that having a Scottish core will help the fans connect with the team, they obviously have never been to Ibrox! Fans don't care where players come from.
They only care about performances on the pitch.
I've said it before, give me a team of Gattuso's any day and I'm sure those over the other side of the city would take a team full of Maedas and Hearts fans a team full of Bragas.
26 Jun 2026 13:38:29
I'm sure I put the actual quote on from Cav before. It's more if they are of similar standard, we would favour Scottish/SPFL.
"We have a pro-Scottish bias in the club today. Meaning, if you have two players roughly equal and one is Scottish then we will take the Scottish player. When we look at what positions we are filling we don't start with people, we start with profiles. What positions is it, what type of person is it. An athletic centre-back or a ball-winning centre-back for example. How big, how fast? And we are always asking who is Scottish that fits that profile.
Every time, we are looking at that. That's not to say we can just go out and grab 11 Scots off the street and win the title. It is a bias towards Scottish players, but that doesn't mean that's the only criteria we look at to build a winning team. I would say we equally look at an SPFL bias. If we're looking at two players who are roughly similar, and one has extensive SPFL experience against one that does not, we would take the SPFL experienced player."
26 Jun 2026 13:41:31
I agree, Zikos, I don't care where they come from as long as they are good enough, but if we keep going the way we are we will at least make top 4 this season. ?
26 Jun 2026 13:56:45
I totally agree that prioritising Scottish players and staff is completely flawed.
If you need an explanation why, look at Ally McCoist's time in charge. Walter Smith suggested that clown as manager. The worst manager we have ever had. McDowell and Durrant, his two useless coaches. A team filled with useless players from Scotland: Law, Black, Shiel, all nominated for Scotland's POTY.
Sandaza, Kyle, Daly, Templeton, etc. Failure after failure. So much so, the fans wanted us to stop recruiting from the SPFL entirely. Now we've come full circle.
The number one priority when it comes to bringing a player or member of staff here is this - Ability.
26 Jun 2026 13:57:48
The Scottish first quote is being taken out of context a wee bit.
It was also said, where possible, and if good enough.
26 Jun 2026 14:05:35
I like the business we have done so far. Let's be honest, Shankland, McCrorie and Devlin all come in for a fee combined of just 900k. These 3 all have leadership qualities and know the league, yes, but they are also better than what we currently have. Shankland and Devlin finished on more points on us last season and also outplayed and out fought us on several occasions.
I would much rather the club sign players that are ready and available than expensive flops like Aarons, Propper, Skov Olsen. Business isn't over yet, it is only starting. Give the lads a chance to prove how worthy they are in a Rangers jersey before judging them.
26 Jun 2026 14:07:22
Zikos, there's been 13 Scottish player of the year last 30 year. 12 Scottish players player of the year. We've only signed 2 Scots and some people seem unhappy with that, I don't get it. Shankland has proven time and again he'll score goals, especially against Celtic. He's been amongst top goal scorers 3 seasons out the past 4. What's not to like about him? Mcrorie is a good solid signing. That will be a 7/8 pass marks every game. We aren't just signing Scottish players for the sake of being Scottish.
Nobody thinks having a Scottish core will help connect the fans. Only a winning team will do that. You say you would like 11 Gattusos, so your wingers and goal scorers and defenders would be snarling tough tacklers. How would that make sense? Far too often we've had players at our club who, for one reason or another, don't seem to care if we win or lose. We'll never need to worry about that with Shanks/Mcrorie; they have quality to go with it.
26 Jun 2026 14:08:12
This is about getting our identity back first and foremost. Quality is non negotiable. Scottish first does not translate as Scottish only, or we would have serious problems just like Stevie Clarke has in a variety of key positions.
26 Jun 2026 14:21:23
In the last 20 years the player of the year has been won by-
11 non Scots
9 Scots
That's according to the countries they were born in or played for internationally.
I agree that it doesn't matter where you're from or if you're a Rangers minded man as long as you're good enough is all that counts. When Rogers took over at Celtic, and Gerrard at us, the first place they looked was England. When Postecoglu took over at Celtic he brought his Japanese players over as well as Canadian, Australian, Portuguese, English, Israeli, Greek and Croatian players with no knowledge or understanding of Scottish football, and they have blown us out the water for years.
In an ideal world we have 11 Scots we've brought through ourselves, but the reality is the opposite of that. McInnes will look at players in our league initially because he knows the league and seen some talent, and that's pretty much why most managers will look at the league they've just left. Just my two bobs worth on the debate.
26 Jun 2026 14:21:53
Zikos, 11 out of past 30 POTY have been Scots, so over 1/3. Not a bad success rate. Having a Scottish core and leaders hasn't exactly harmed Celtic either, has it?
26 Jun 2026 14:26:56
Think some people need to re-listen to what was said.
Example - Player A and Player B have similar attributes / qualities for the same position.
Player A is Scottish or knows the league, Player B is most likely from English Championship or League 1
Player A becomes the preference.
That is what was meant. If Player B has better attributes / qualities, then obviously they are the preferred player regardless of nationality or league they come from.
26 Jun 2026 14:30:51
Players coming are ok. Does not take much for an upgrade in Tav 2 legs and a set of balls.
Shankiln might be an upgrade on Danilo.
But not a regular starter.
Devlin very similar to Barron. Is Barron away?
Are we waiting to see who leaves and what money they generate at the moment, that is what it looks like.
26 Jun 2026 14:43:28
"When Postecoglu took over at Celtic, he brought his Japanese players over as well as Canadian, Australian, Portuguese, English, Israeli, Greek and Croatian players with no knowledge or understanding of Scottish football."
This is the key point. If Scottish people are required to be successful, how come Celtic enjoy so much success without them? Celtic rarely hire a Scottish manager, and the vast majority of their players are foreign.
Celtic buy from abroad with a view to developing and selling on for profit - It works!
Rangers policy is to ignore the obviously working model across the city. Get rid of a Champions League winning coach. Then start to sign old players that weren't good enough like McCrorie, or guys from Hearts, Kilmarnock or Aberdeen because that is what McInnes knows.
Player recruitment should have been left to someone else.
26 Jun 2026 14:16:37
That "clown" as you call him was 7 points clear in the league on a shoestring budget before administration. He's also our greatest ever goal scorer!
Those 2 useless coaches worked under Smith and were appointed by Smith who then went on to win 3 in a row with McCoist, Durrant and McDowall! Smith appointed clowns now! This fan base is bi polar at times! ?
26 Jun 2026 14:51:12
Boy Blue, if you check my posts, I've agreed that McCrorie is a sensible signing and I was probably in the minority 4 years ago saying we should have signed Shankland before Dessers because I thought he was a better all round striker.
So I'm not dissing them. What I am worried about though, is the rhetoric. Scottish, knows the league, knows the club - it's all nonsense!
I can't help but think back to Graham Dorrans.
Ticked every single box that's been mentioned and yet he's one of the worst signings I've ever seen, with a heart the size of a pea! Who lacked desire, determination.
Folk saying we're getting our identity back! OMG - well for a lot of folk on here our identity is Goram, Gough, Butcher, Gazza, Laudrup, Hately - all foreigners! Are they not included in our identity?
26 Jun 2026 14:55:02
RohlWC, can you give me an idea of the positives you see for our club?
Just asking.
26 Jun 2026 15:17:49
Have any of you been watching Rangers for the past 5 years? How many foreign players have come here and failed? It's about time we got a Scottish core, and every successful ex Rangers player says the same.
I know whose opinion I value more: Barry Ferguson and Brian Laudrup, multiple league winners with the club, or random Rangers fans online.
26 Jun 2026 14:57:04
RohlWithCheese describing Coisty as a clown says it all. Club legend and fans like you should give your head a wobble.
26 Jun 2026 15:21:31
Calside he's easily the most draining poster on this site
26 Jun 2026 15:29:18
I don't understand why people can't see the benefit of buying quality and players of Scottish/Rangers Identity. Take 93/94 squad. Look at defence. Stevens, Moore, Gough, Robertson. Negating the fact that Gough and Robertson are Scottish, we had to supplement this line up with Fraser Wishart, Steven Pressley, Dave McPherson and John Brown.
None of these later names were the "quality" you talk about but they were good enough to win the SPL. McCrorie is in that bracket at very least. If anyone says they would choose Wishart over McCrorie, they are kidding themselves.
26 Jun 2026 15:47:17
Wishy, I've been watching Rangers for a lot longer than the last 5 years, and I can say in that time most of the better players (probably more than 90%) have all been foreign.
The fact is, not many Scottish players enhance our starting 11.
We're about to sell a Belgian international, who most folk deem not good enough - saying he's only had 6 good months with us. We won't be able to replace him with a Scottish player without going backwards.
26 Jun 2026 15:49:46
Rohlwith, Celtic already had a decent amount of homegrown Celtic minded players when Ange came in, guys that had been there for years and had the mentality and knew what it meant to play for the club.
We have had nowhere near that for years. When Gerrard was manager, he brought Greegsy, Davis and Arfield, players who played or knew what it was like to play for a club like Rangers in Scotland.
imo you need that core of players, guys you're not necessarily looking to sell on or project type of players.
McCrorie, Shankland and if possible Ferguson would be a good core to build around. Bringing in the best available to complete the squad.
Would also like Watt, Penrice and Graham, as I believe those 3 would be great signings also.
26 Jun 2026 15:49:50
The 3 foreigner rule accounts for that period in time, with us having more Scots in the team, but without that rule we would have had more chance of winning the Champions League when we fell short in the 92/93 season. Our efforts were hindered because of having to play so many Scottish players and selling or leaving out foreigners.
Plus the fact that Marseille were cheating persons.
The proof is there if you want to see it. The team from the other side of the city only has McGregor and Tierney playing regularly and the rest came from out with our league. You don't need a Scottish spine, you need quality players in that spine, regardless of where they are from.
26 Jun 2026 15:52:13
Honestly, I don't care what team they support - As long as they want to give 100% to the team while they are here, that should be enough. Also, as has been said numerous times above, there is no way in this world that the Scottish first thing means a Scottish player over a better player from elsewhere!
I'm fairly sure that there will be many supporters of a certain age who remember a previous policy of signing from a certain criteria only.
That was chucked, why exactly would we go back to something which deprives us of players?
26 Jun 2026 15:59:11
Zikos, and what did every one of those successful teams have in common? A Scottish backbone of players who knew what it meant to be at Rangers, and they were supplemented with real quality from abroad.
Now, if we get to the end of the window and the only players we have signed are players from SPFL, then I'll agree with you that it's a problem.
We are only 2 weeks into the window, however, and we are likely getting the squad players signed first, as they are the ones who are always available first.
The better players tend to take longer to get done, as other teams are waiting on replacements or they're at the World Cup etc.
We need to be patient.
26 Jun 2026 15:59:43
Wishy, from the last 5 years though, I would say our best team was.
McGregor
Tav
Goldson
Helander
Bassey
Davis
Jack
Aribo
Cerny
Morelos
Tillman
2 Scots! In that same period could you give me a team of Scots that we could have signed better than that?
26 Jun 2026 16:03:22
Also Zikos, most of the quality foreign players you speak of over the years we just would not be able to afford anymore. Gone are the days of Laudrup, Gio, Numan, and many more. The ones we sign now are from bargain basement. We need to find the right balance between foreign lads and Scottish lads. It's been too top heavy with foreigners in recent years. We need a better mix.
Coisty is right. The last time we won the league we had a real core of Scottish boys: Jack, Arfield, Mcgreggor and Davis (not Scottish but played for the club). They were all standard setters, and they have been badly missed since they all moved on.
If we had these players around today, you can't tell me they're not going to make the Raskin's, Mannys and Chermiti's of the world even better.
26 Jun 2026 16:08:50
Celtic have got a lot of Scottish players in their squad, McCowan, McGregor, Forrest, Tierney, Ralston. Now, not all of them are starters, but they obviously drill into the foreign boys what it's all about, and it 100% rubs off on them.
Maeda hates us, you can tell when they play us; that's obviously come from the Scottish boys drilling it into him. We just don't have that in our squad and haven't for some time.
26 Jun 2026 16:09:48
Nobody's saying we have to sign Scottish only DTB but we do need a Scottish core, and the club obviously agree, hence why the first few signings are Scottish. We will sign other players, well, we are two weeks into the window.
26 Jun 2026 16:09:52
Wishy, you are actually wrong on this. You would need to go back to the early 90s to get a Rangers team with a Scottish backbone, and that was only due to the 3 foreigner rule.
26 Jun 2026 15:54:45
Is this Iron_Rangers guy actually trying to argue that McCoist, Durrant, and MCDowall were good coaches? HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
26 Jun 2026 16:13:04
I'm sorry, Wishy, but 3 players out of a huge squad is not a core!
26 Jun 2026 16:17:11
Wish, that's nonsense! So Maeda tries so hard because the Scottish lads drill it into him!
Gattuso only played like that because Ian Ferguson drilled it into him?
No, it's because that's in their own individual DNA - it's got nothing to do with their nationality or those around them.
26 Jun 2026 16:18:42
But genuinely Wishy, I'd like to see your team of Scots from the last 6 years that we could realistically have signed that beats my Rangers team?
26 Jun 2026 16:24:31
As this has digressed a bit, let me just set out again.
Scottish (first).
Knows the league.
Knows the club.
Personally, these are just 3 very small bonuses.
For me, it's:
Technically competitive (ability).
Physically robust (availability).
Winning mentality.
That's what I want to hear when we sign players. Players that improve the starting 11.
26 Jun 2026 16:28:44
I am not saying we need to be signing a team of Scots to start, mate. I am saying a backbone in the squad is required. It is, I don't care what you say, it just is.
Out of all the players linked that are Scottish, I'd say the only one I'd want as a starter would be Lewis Ferguson.
Other than that, the Scottish boys being signed will be squad players, but they will still bring positives to the dressing room.
Maeda does hate us, and you can see it every game he plays.
That's 100% drilled into him, it's not nonsense. Celtic players despise us, our players don't really have that same hatred towards them. And it's how they manage to win every trophy going. Martin Oneil didn't win the title this year because he had the best team; he won it cause his players ran thru brick walls for him, and constantly stole points in the last minute with a never say die attitude.
26 Jun 2026 16:31:28
"There is no way in this world that the Scottish first thing means a Scottish player over a better player from elsewhere!"
This has bothered me since the new guys said it. 'If there are two players of the same quality, the Scottish one will be prioritised' - Isn't that the case anyway? Why would this club prioritised a striker from Spain if there's one just as good at Kilmarnock? They wouldn't. It almost never happens, though, because it is very rare that two players of the exact same position and ability are available. They would probably need to be the same age, with the same resale value, commanding the same wage. It's never going to be the exact same buy, just different nationalities.
Either the club are specifically targeting Scottish players, or they are feeding us nonsense.
Based on the change in manager and signings so far, it seems like Scottish has been given priority. This is concerning because there is usually far more talented players abroad, and at better value.
Celtic have been bringing players here from foreign countries, winning things, and selling them on for tens of millions for over a decade now. They have a working player trade model. Rather than copy it, Rangers have decided to do the exact opposite. We are going to hire from Scotland, believing that this will give us some tangible advantage and we can win things again. Even though it brought no tangible advantage under McCoist.
26 Jun 2026 16:34:28
Zikos, Advocaat's team had - Neil McCann, Barry Ferguson, Ian Ferguson, Hendry and a few others who would have been squad players.
McLeish had less, but still had Barry who would have been worth 5.
Walter came back and who did he sign? Jig, Kevin Thomson, Davie Weir, Whittaker, Miller on top of having McGregor, Hutton, Barry, Boyd, Naismith.
Our last period of sustained success was mainly Scottish boys with a few quality foreigners like Jelavic.
It's 100% needed to be successful in Scottish football, and the last 5 years of winning hee haw proves it.
26 Jun 2026 16:36:21
It isn't required, Wishy. The Scottish title can be won by a foreign manager and foreign players. It most often is.
We have a first-team that just finished third, and you're talking about how we are singing "squad players". Are we singing backup to the team that's already not good enough?
The most important thing when signing anyone is quality.
How good they are at doing their job. Nationality is nowhere near it. It is something that has been manufactured in the minds of the fans as a reason for failure. They don't have Tavernier to blame anymore, so it's this now. It'll be something else next week. Meanwhile, foreign players will continue to be the best in the SPFL.
26 Jun 2026 16:42:06
Yes, Rohl, you need a squad to win the league. Maybe if our squad players last year wasn't full of guys like Aarons, Meghoma and Cornelius, we might not have finished 3rd.
I am not saying we don't need to sign players to improve the 11.
If you read my posts, you will see I completely want us to sign players from abroad for major starting positions in the team; however, I am not stupid. I know we need squad players too.
26 Jun 2026 16:44:07
Wishy, does the Maeda at the WC play differently for Japan?
Do you seriously think if he had signed for Rangers he wouldn't try as hard because we don't have Scottish players to tell him how much to hate Celtic?
I'm sorry, but that's nonsense.
We have won plenty of titles without a Scottish core and the same can be said across the city. In fact, you could argue that they also don't have a Scottish core.
26 Jun 2026 16:44:30
Rohl title can be one with foreign manager with all foreign players. How come we never win it then? Cause that's all we have done for the past few years. We wasted millions doing it. Let's keep signing players who are clearly good players who cannot handle the pressure to play with Rangers, and they have no help in the dressing room to get them thru it cause we turn our nose up at guys like Shankland etc who could have 100% contributed and made a difference.
I for one am glad the club finally is over the snobbery to Scottish players that have clearly plagued us for years.
26 Jun 2026 16:55:44
They do have a good core of Scots though, Zikos. For like the 10th time, I am not saying we need a starting 11 full of Scots, but you do need a few in the squad. Every single ex player who's won titles with us says the same thing: the Scottish lads were vital to teach the foreign lads what was expected of them. Rangers and Glasgow are different to most of the teams they sign from, and loads of them just don't understand the pressure they're walking into.
Please read what I'm saying. I am
not saying I want a starting 11 full of Cammy Devlins and Ross Mcorries. I am saying a few of them will be useful in the squad. I still want us to go and sign quality from abroad, of course I do. I want us to sign the best players possible.
26 Jun 2026 16:56:45
Wishy, because you've answered your own question. Because, as a collective, they weren't good enough or didn't have the right mental strength or both.
It had nothing to do with nationality. I said years ago that Shankland was a better striker than Dessers.
That was because he held the ball up better, linked up play better, was better in the air and was a better finisher. His only negative vs Dessers is pace. It's got nothing to do with nationality or who he supports. As I've said those are small benefits.
26 Jun 2026 17:09:31
Calling a Rangers great a clown is different from a Rangers fan, Rohn.
26 Jun 2026 17:22:10
Zikos, I agree that we need players with technical ability and the right mentality. However, because most newcomers haven't experienced the unique demands of this club, they need time to learn them.
Having veterans who already understand these expectations can make it much easier for new arrivals to settle in.
Our problem hasn't been a lack of Scottish players though; it's been not having enough players who have been here long enough to handle the pressure. So new players don't have that experience to lean on, or enough of it anyway.
Maeda is a great example of a player who learned to deal with these demands from experienced teammates and will now be a player who new players will lean on to learn how to handle the demands.
Signing established players like McCrorie, Shankland, and Ferguson could give us a major head start in building that culture. Others in the league, I am not so sure of, because they might be talented and know the competition but they don't know the specific expectations of playing for Rangers, so that leadership wouldn't happen automatically. They would be new players who need to lean on the supporters we sign.
So we need that core but the rest need to have quality to get us to win; oh and be quick to learn how to deal with the demands.
26 Jun 2026 17:34:45
Well said, Angus.
26 Jun 2026 17:35:48
You're just ignoring half the things I'm saying to you, Zikos, let's agree to disagree. Feel like am talking to a brick wall. Enjoy your weekend.
26 Jun 2026 17:42:06
Good post, Angus. I was going to write something very similar, but you've explained it perfectly well. I'd probably screw my version up, nothing new lol.
26 Jun 2026 17:45:33
Angus, Maeda, Kyogo and Hatate all hit the ground running and set the standards for Celtic after being in the door for only a few days.
This is the perfect example of why nationality is irrelevant and ability and mentality are what is.
26 Jun 2026 17:49:50
Rohlwithcheese, you need to take that comment back, mate. Why do you mention/compare us with Celtic so much, in fact you praise them and now the McCoist comment. ? Deary me, mate, read the room. Stop with the Celtic praise at least and you should never talk about a club legend like that, especially on a page like this!!
26 Jun 2026 18:07:10
Wishy, yes, please let's agree to disagree.
You think Advocaat was successful in his early Rangers career because we had McCann, Ferguson (a boy) and Hendry.
I think he was successful because he had
Klos, Porrini, Amoruso, Moore, Numan, Kanchelskis, Reyna, Albertz, Tugay, Van Bronkhurst, Johansen, Lovenkrands, Mols, Amato Wallace etc.
Have a nice weekend.
26 Jun 2026 18:08:49
Wishy, believe me there are many instances in history that show competent players in Scotland who couldn't handle the pressure of playing for the Old Firm. It's nothing to do with nationality whatsoever.
Sure it helps a little if you have Rangers as your boyhood club, but you still need mentality, ability etc to win.
Give me those attributes over a Rangers supporting player with little ability any day of the week.