26 Jun 2026 16:56:58
I feel compelled to write this post today because of this split in our apparent signing philosophy. Now I'm pretty sure we can all agree that we have been pretty poor since our 55 season.
Now so many on here seem to think that we need to sign "Rangers men" or "Scottish core" or "knows the league" so let me ask you a question, how many Scottish players or league players or Celtic men have them lot had over the past 15 years where they have won 14 titles?
Yes they had Brown and now McGregor but the rest of their squad has had the odd Scottish player and even those they have signed from the league have hardly had much impact and mainly late game subs etc, they don't really produce their own youngsters either. They rely on a good scouting network and usually make some pretty smart signings and sell for profit to allow them to continue repeating this cycle.
Yet so many on here are wanting us to align with our clubs apparent new philosophy and sign mainly Scots or league players. Now if it's a younger lad with potential eg Graham who has room to grow and improve over time then that's fine as he knows he isn't signing as a starter.
If we continue to sign older players from our league who have never won a thing then we will continue to go backwards and I for one am sick of it. What we need is our scouting network looking into countries that have untapped talent pools like Scandinavia, Balkans and other areas and having our eye on the best upcoming talent from within our league which shouldn't be hard since we play there.
We need to be proactive in identifying these talents early before any of the big boys get wind of them. Not only does this help us on the park but financially as we get to sell on and become a sustainable club who isn't relying on rich owners year in year out.
26 Jun 2026 17:33:58
Don't disagree, Bbj, but my question would be: how do we do that. How do we go about identifying these players before the "big boys" do? They have the spending power to have a large network of scouts. They have been doing it for years, and I cannot see us just turning up and beating them to the punch.
Many more people than me have a better understanding of these things, and I would love to hear their views on how to turn it around.
26 Jun 2026 17:37:57
I get that a player needs to understand what playing for Rangers really means and what the history and tradition of the club is, but surely that shouldn't mean that we ignore talent from outwith Scotland. We won't win anything with 50% of our team being Scottish and lucky to come 3rd.
In the last season 5 Scottish players played for Hearts and, apart from two, none had an allegiance to Hearts apart from them paying their wages.
26 Jun 2026 17:40:05
Good post BbJ.
Jfm, we pay people to find players they need to do their jobs properly or tell them to find a new job.
26 Jun 2026 17:44:10
There just needs to be a balance. It's not one or the other. We need a core of players who have maxed out at Rangers, Shankland, Mcorrie, Souttar, and perhaps guys like Penrice, for example. We need young, hungry for success players like Curtis, Rice, and perhaps Lawson.
We then need 4 or 5 players who are better than us, guys who are playing for a move.
If we have too many of any group we'll fail, which is in my opinion why we had done so poorly.
26 Jun 2026 17:44:50
Celtic put together a working model. They bought raw young talent from abroad. They developed that talent in Scotland. Then they sold their talented players on for tens of millions in profit. Celtic have done this for over a decade, and their silverware and money accumulated speak for itself.
Rangers have decided to do the opposite. Sign from Scotland and hope that Scottishness alone will win the league. We should've just stuck with McCoist since the lower leagues.
26 Jun 2026 17:49:22
We need to buy the best talent we can find and afford. But also those who display the right sort of mentality to be able to adapt quickly to the unique demands of the club, which applies to both sides of the OF really. So we either have to build a core of players who know what those demands are and can help new players; or we try to fastback it by buying a sprinkling of players such as Mccrorie and Shankalnd who can help new guys settle.
This experienced core is what Celtic have managed to do better than us for a long time.
McGregor at the core of it but even players like Maeda can help. They also involve ex players as coaches who can equally help; we have traditionally failed in that as well.
So for me it isn't about buying Scottish but if we do they need to be the right ones who know about the club. So buy quality with a good mental attitude we can develop with a little time. It works for Celtic so why don't we just not follow that model.
26 Jun 2026 17:53:13
I forgot to add that I want better quality than what we currently have and what we have finished 3rd. I have no issue signing players from within Scotland but for me they have to be younger with room to grow.
Jfm, it's simple, we find these players and do whatever needs to be done around finding out more about the player etc, and we move before the "big boys" even have a chance to register interest.
Take Kante for example. He played in the French League 2 but was signed by Leicester and the rest is history. That's the kind of thing we need to be doing.
26 Jun 2026 17:57:07
Big Blue, I totally agree.
I think this has maybe stemmed from a post I made earlier.
Let me say, firstly, I'm happy with the McCrorie and Shankland signings - I was probably in the minority as I thought we should have signed Shankland years ago.
I also thought we should have signed Mulligan on a Bosman. For me it was a no brainer. A young player, who was tried and tested at this level, who had good potential and wouldn't break the bank.
However, for me it's had nothing to do with his nationality.
I would be equally happy with those signings if they were Romanian, Bulgarian and Slovakian. Because for me being Scottish is irrelevant, and knowing the league and club is worth very little.
There are just far too many examples of players coming here, not being Scottish, and not knowing the league or club, who go on to dominate our league.
I just feel that when we fail to perform, and fans can see the players don't have desire or determination to get back into position etc., they say it's because they don't care, they're foreign etc.
It's not that at all - it's because it's not in their nature.
We have had plenty of Scottish players that have not met the standards of the fans. Just look at the stick Souttar currently gets.
26 Jun 2026 17:59:05
Easy to say, Storm. A bit harder to do to beat the bigger clubs who have been doing it for years. I'm pretty sure the best scouts are already working for the big clubs, so the question is, how do we change that? It's not as simple as your answer suggests, otherwise it would be in place already.
26 Jun 2026 18:01:28
Again with the Celtic praise, RWC! I get they're our biggest rivals, but it really needs to stop, mate.
26 Jun 2026 18:13:33
Any successful team needs a balance. No point having a team of all the best young talent if there's no one with experience in the squad to nurture them and to help them deal with the pressure and demands of the club.
We need a balance, most are saying that. I've not seen one poster say we should sign 11 Scots this year and no longer sign any young foreigners.
26 Jun 2026 18:17:02
Well said, Angus. Having a couple of players with sufficient quality like Shankland and McCrorie in the squad will benefit us, but will also help new players who come here, set standards in training, and hammer home the fact that winning at Rangers is what's expected.
I feel dirty now, though, as we keep agreeing too much and it's weirding me out. ??
26 Jun 2026 18:33:02
Rwn, fishy smell from that cheese today.
26 Jun 2026 18:37:08
Rwn, why does it need to stop, he is using them as an example not only because they're our biggest rivals but because they have been the most successful and have shown, time and time again, the way to win.
Just because they're rivals doesn't mean he can't say they have the right philosophy!
Wishy, nobody said 11 Scots anywhere, the whole point of my post was we need balance but also we need to become self sustainable.
26 Jun 2026 18:38:40
Bbj, it was only a matter of time for you to see I was right and for the brainwashing to take effect. ? Wait till the season starts and normal service will be resumed. ?
26 Jun 2026 18:53:26
Celtic have a player trading model that is established and works, Rwn. I'll praise it as much as I like. It's no secret that their model works, and I'm sure the admins who work on this site will even acknowledge that. If you're upset that Celtic have a working model, that's your problem.
If you think I'm a Celtic fan because I have praised the obvious merits of Celtic's player trading model, contact an admin, Star. They will confirm to you that Celtic do have a working player trading model.
26 Jun 2026 18:56:14
Well then we are in total agreement as I also think we need balance.
26 Jun 2026 19:05:27
I'm not agreeing or disagreeing but there are quite a few Scottish players that formed the core who were a success at Celtic, Forrest, Calumn Mac, Scott Brown, Mulgrew, Armstrong, Greg Stewart, Welsh, Tierny, Craig Gordon, Ryan Christie, Kris Commons, McGowan, Leigh Grifiths. That team would win the SPL without and foregn players and made up a bit of the international squad.
Simple for me, if it's on we take Scottish talent. I think the thing we miss, if these palyers don't try or step out of line, they will get it in the neck from family and friends, foregn players might get away with more, local laddys won't.
26 Jun 2026 19:15:30
Rwc, on that basis, are u saying we shouldn't have signed Shakland on a free?
26 Jun 2026 19:19:18
Haha Angus, I look forward to the season starting, so we can disagree some more and have good debates. That being said, we seem aligned on the players we should be signing, so it might be hard to disagree, but I'll try my best to be impatient.
Star embarrassing thing to say. How can you say fishy when he is clearly pointing out the obvious, and even the blue tinted glasses can see through them to know this.
Am I a Celtic fan now for saying they have had a great player trading model?
Yeah Wishy, as previously stated, I have nothing against signing Scottish players etc, but more importantly we need our scouting network actually starting to earn their money and find us some gems to sell on in a couple of years.
26 Jun 2026 19:39:16
"Hope that Scottishness alone wins the league."
What are you on about, Rwc? Last time I checked our squad was maybe around 80% foreign, so how can Scottishness alone win the league? The upset on here because we've signed two Scottish players is bizarre.
26 Jun 2026 19:39:37
RWC, I'm not saying they don't! But today isn't the only time you've praised them or used them as an example of what we need to be. It's getting boring, you've mentioned them on every post today and numerous other times on past posts, you undermine us(Rangers) every chance you get. I noticed this when you first started posting then today you criticised 'The Gaffer'! Questioned his role in McCoist getting the managers job. Then in the same breath called McCoist a clown! Sorry but that post has made actually quite angry.
Calling our greatest ever striker(a club legend btw )a clown?. I don't think there's ANYONE else on here who would even think about saying such crap, if there is btw then let me know please. I'm not saying I 100% think you're some mad Celtic fan who for the past year has infiltrated the sight but your constant ridiculing of our club and players past and present while singing Celtics praises is really beginning to make me wonder. Anyone who has a problem with me thinking this can fire in? I honestly don't know how you can't all see it.
26 Jun 2026 19:50:47
Bigbluejim, other stuff he's posted, I can normally tell over time, some are harder to work out, if I'm wrong, I'd apologise.
26 Jun 2026 20:03:16
I barely remember my own name half the time, Star, so no idea what he has posted before, but today, regardless, he is right. Celtic have shown the way it should work.
We need to replicate, but do it better.
26 Jun 2026 20:12:17
Your levels of boredom are not my concern, Rwn.
26 Jun 2026 20:31:58
MyStar, don't believe you are wrong. Just look at his post on the rumours page about Tav being a serial loser. Mentions Celtic again saying they're 'laughing at us'. I think HE'S at home laughing at us! Glad someone else can see it!
26 Jun 2026 21:32:28
Jesus wept, give your heads an absolute wobble, will yous. I have seen many fans on here refer to Tav as a serial loser and that's because he is. How many trophies did he win while here? All very good, having scoring stats etc, but where did it lead to, huh.
Get a grip and take the blue tinted specs off fgs, man.