24 Jul 2020 12:47:29
EXCLUSIVE: Rangers agree deal to sign Brighton defender Leo Balogun
Imo another poor signing.
24 Jul 2020 13:36:51
What are you basing that opinion on AS1974?
24 Jul 2020 13:37:22
Yes because signing another international player to be 4th choice when katic is back is poor eh? i'm willing to bet you've never even seen the lad play. Nice an optimistic. Ridiculous comment.
24 Jul 2020 13:38:12
Disagree, has played most of his career in the bundesliga
Also been capped 32 times for Nigeria give the man a chance.
24 Jul 2020 13:44:51
Hes 32 . What chance has some our young lads got eh?
24 Jul 2020 13:53:21
As what young lads are you referring to. Potentially fourth choice.
Talk Katic could be back January, sensible cover.
24 Jul 2020 13:56:41
AS1974 obviously SG doesn’t think the young guys are ready right now.
24 Jul 2020 13:56:57
Ok As1974, let’s have a think about the silly things you are saying. You ask what chance have our young lads got? Well I’m guessing you mean Mayo and McCrorie? Gerrard has already clearly stated that he could of kept Mayo this season as 4th/ 5th choice CB, maybe playing a couple of games. But would much rather be able to send him on loan and get him 30 or so games elsewhere to improve his development. And McCrorie ain’t a CB. So that puts that to rest.
And as for Balogun being a poor signing? Instead of reading the newspapers headlines ie ‘Rangers sign Wigan defender on a free’. How about this? ‘Rangers sign current Nigerian international defender with experience of playing in German Bundesliga and English premiership on free to be 4th choice back up CB’ Does that sound better?
24 Jul 2020 14:02:01
As1974, 32 is no age for a central defender. What have our youngsters got to do with your original post which says he is a poor signing? Isn't Edmundson young? Or Mayo? Or Katic? If they are good enough (Paterson, Maxwell etc) they will be given the chance to break through. They've only had two years of proper coaching with the current regime, for crying out loud, and most of them are still in the 16-18 bracket. Other, older players just weren't good enough so we had to start again at youth level. Now put your dummy back in.
24 Jul 2020 14:03:36
So you would bank on an 18 year old centre back and a defensive midfielder to cover centre half in the season they could win 10? Behave lad.
24 Jul 2020 14:09:30
I’m guessing 74 that when the opportunity comes along Gerard will choose the player who he thinks is most capable at the time - Bologun, Mayo or any other player.
24 Jul 2020 14:12:37
As1974 what's with the complaints of signing someone at 32? He’s free! Has clearly been signed due to Katic’s injury and will no doubt do us a big turn during that time with his experience. Heard enough about “give young lads a chance†- we are trying to win trophies, not create a team of 18 year olds with zero experience. If they’re good enough, they’ll get their chance when SG says it’s time.
24 Jul 2020 14:29:04
OK we sign a 32 year old.
Whats his sell on fee? When was the last time he played a competitive game? . We buy him just to warm the bench?
We have Mayo and Bassey who can fit in.
I'm a right in saying we have one, yes one fit striker, who befure lock down was rank rotten. Alarm bells no?
24 Jul 2020 14:30:49
So ScottyGer we've went with these "experienced" guys as you call it for the last 2 season. What did we win? There's my point.
24 Jul 2020 14:45:50
Guys, we needed cover and on paper the lad looks to tick some boxes. Whilst he might be a Nigerian international so was Efe Ambrose 😆😆. Let’s give him and our man agent team the benefit of the doubt though. I’m sure the lad wasn’t the only option they considered.
24 Jul 2020 14:57:21
I get you would prefer someone younger but as cover I'd rather have experience. Edmundson looks promising but open to mistakes. Helander has been 'nearly fit' for months so I won't rely on him playing so someone proven at a good level is the right call for now. Save our money for st and mid.
24 Jul 2020 14:57:24
Oh dear oh dear AS1974, you really are making yourself look very silly now. Again if you’d been paying attention Gerrard clearly stated just a few days ago that he was looking to bring in BOTH a CB as cover (due to Katics injury) AND. wait for it. another striker. It just so happens we’ve managed to secure the CB first.
As for talk of sell on values? That wasn’t the point of bringing in Balugon. We needed someone who was available immediately, had experience at a decent level, wasn’t going to cost much/ anything (just in case you haven’t noticed, there’s a C.V. going on that’s hampering all clubs finances) and probably understands that he may not be first choice. I think we’ve done ok in getting in an international player that meets those criteria.
And I’ve already covered the point about our younger players.
24 Jul 2020 14:59:20
As1974 his last competitive game was yesterday mate so educate yourself otherwise you just embarrass yourself.
24 Jul 2020 15:06:33
Well there you go as74, when was last time he played a competitive game.
How about Wednesday night. Wigan v Fulham.
Before that Saturday, before that the previous Wednesday
It appears that Klopp knows the lad very well from Germany, and talks him up very well.
Only a guess but mb gerrard and Klopp have chatted about him.
Good thing for me it should not take him long to get up to speed.
24 Jul 2020 15:11:39
As1974 so because he has no sell on value we shouldn't sign him? May aswell just get rid of every player before they hit the age of 30 then, if that's your logic. We can get rid of McLaughlin and Greegsy and play with Firth in goals if you want?
His last competitive game was 2 days ago. If that's not good enough then his last competitive game before that was 4 days earlier. Is that enough or do you want me to keep going?
24 Jul 2020 15:22:05
I wouldn’t be surprised if the lad walked straight into our back fore he will be the most experienced CB at the club!
24 Jul 2020 15:29:32
OK fair enough he played against Fulham. He's not even first choice for a struggling Brighton team.
I'm not making myself look silly at all.
If i or some of the guys commenting on here were a young Def In the Rangers squad how would you feel?
Season after season we are buying so called experienced players but if that's to be the case bring some more young in man. Mix it up.
24 Jul 2020 15:31:53
So back to my point. Why did we need this guy? We will continue to dismiss some young guys in our squad.
Striker should be number 1 priority.
24 Jul 2020 15:37:30
"We've went with these experienced guys for the last 2 seasons". Nobody in our defense the last 2 seasons has been over 28. Some as low as 17. "Whats his sell on fee". Why do we automatically have to sell him? Let him see his contract out then mayo and king will be ready. "When was his last game? " 2 days ago with Wigan.
24 Jul 2020 15:38:42
Hope he gets minutes against Coventry in the 2nd half to see how he pairs with Goldson.
24 Jul 2020 15:55:43
It's very unlikely we're going to sign a regular first team player from any team in the English premier League as1974.
If the boy improves our squad I don't see any problems.
Am sure we'll sign a forward player before next Saturday as well.
24 Jul 2020 16:41:17
I agree MrGrumpy that would be ambitious but I'd have been hapoy with a back up player like Bassey.
We, ll have to sign a striker by then and I hope its not Cosgrove or Dykes.
24 Jul 2020 16:52:03
1974, Mayo is not ready to be first team regular just yet. That's surely not up for debate?
Helander isn't fit and katic is out.
That leaves you 2 first team CB's only.
However you are right a striker is the priority. So surely having the opportunity to sign experienced international cover ON A FREE makes sense as you leave the rest of your budget for said striker?
24 Jul 2020 17:03:38
As u r looking silly.
Good to see another under the radar signing. Wilson said the deal was agreed and signed before we went to France.
24 Jul 2020 17:13:47
5 clean sheets with Wigan after they brought him in to shore up the defence. A good solid back up with plenty of experience. I think we've been smart with this signing.
24 Jul 2020 17:33:28
According to Wigan fans he came in January for them and was really good for them. Good signing for free with plenty of experience. Don’t see the problem in signing him tbh he will cover for Katic but he will also provide competition to the other centre backs.
24 Jul 2020 17:43:35
plenty of experience and ltd training required. can fit in euro ties as well without much coaching. smart signing really.
24 Jul 2020 18:17:57
Time will tell. I know he's free and I wish people would shut up and stop saying "you look silly" and "Put your dummy back in the pram" BS. The boy he will be on a hefty wage and with C.V. times are hard at present.
My point initially was get a striker in and stop mucking about.
Yes the dfence needs shored up but a striker is Number 1 priority.
24 Jul 2020 18:30:53
AS1974, if I was a young defender in the squad I'd think that I need to train much harder and learn more about how to be a better defender that can be trusted to play for Rangers.
Players need to earn the right to play for Rangers not just be handed it. We can't afford to see if a young defender is capable of playing. Every player needs to be ready this year.
24 Jul 2020 18:42:39
Yes I kind of agree but you need to give players a chance Blue. You can't keep buying all the time. We need to be a selling club also.
24 Jul 2020 19:19:48
Could be a clever move. The guy has a decent CV and he didn't cost us a transfer fee. We might just have landed ourself a good deal. Assuming we have the funds, (and I believe that we have), the bringing in a quality striker and ideally a second striker would be my priority, and possibly a holding midfield player although I am hoping that Barker and Aribo might just be the answer to our midfield needs.
24 Jul 2020 19:44:11
It's a signing that 100% makes sense for us. An experienced international on a free is a no brainer. And we will sign a striker, but this was set up before France, did before defoe got injured. So at the time the deal was done cb was the priority as we had 2 fit cbs. Not hard to understand.
24 Jul 2020 19:52:16
I love how people are saying he has come on free from brighton he moved away from brighton in Jan and was at wigan till his contract expired due to them being in admin, he is a solid defender who will fill a gap in the defence and also has experiance that the young players need.
24 Jul 2020 20:42:05
Not much point in trying to reason with as1974, is there? He says we can't keep buying all the time - about a free player. He's happy to go into a vital season with just 2 fit centre backs, both of limited experience (neither near international level and one just learning the game) . Goldson gets injured and he's content for us to go with Edmondson and Mayo against Aberdeen, the mhankies, European teams and all the rest. Aye right.
24 Jul 2020 23:46:53
@ The Covenanter. wind your neck on pal. So a 32 year old CB will bail us out aye? Brilliant. Who's to say he's even good? He's on a free so must be brill eh?
Is people not allowed to have an opinion no? The last 2 seasons we've bought more dross than good. Time for the youth to get run. If your saying thier isn't one young lad from your training camp and isn't ready to jump in to that team then your delusional.
Mayo, Patterson only to name a few.
25 Jul 2020 00:06:15
Your not allowed to have an opinion if you write "is people not allowed to have an opinion" ARE mate ARE.
25 Jul 2020 00:10:50
Talk sense muppet.
25 Jul 2020 07:45:03
An international CB who just turned 32 who has played in Bundesliga for a decade and a couple of years in Championship and BPL on a Bosman is great business.
Experienced CB is only on 1 year contract if he plays well we can extend it, but basically we have cover until Katic is recovered.
Not every signing has to be young with sell in value, the 3 older signings in Gerrard era Davis, Shagger and Defoe have all been great, new back up keeper has been impressive also.
Pointless paying £5m for a CB just so we can sell on in future 2 experienced in Goldson/ Helander and 2 with Katic/ Edmundson is perfect mix. Now we have added experience at minimal outlay freeing up funds for Striker, job done.
25 Jul 2020 10:27:52
I think he will be a good signing, hopefully he’s quite authoritative, help command from the back. Could help having a some strong leaders in the team. I hope we do sign a striker but who I don’t know. Personally would like to see us get some1 who is a big strong unit, like a giroud type player, that many of the teams we play against is backs to the wall so pace is a bit of a wasted attribute. Don’t get me wrong if they had pace as well that would be ideal.