Gheorghe Hagi salutes his Rangers reception as he makes passionate defence of Ianis' Ibrox move

BlueMeanie

Well-Known Member

The legendary father of the Ibrox club's Romanian star remains convinced his son is at the right club.





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Gheorghe Hagi has rallied to the defence of his son Ianis and hailed Rangers as the right place for his development.
The legendary Barcelona playmaker also singled out Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard for praise and saluted the club for making him feel welcome on his visit to take in the Europa League game against Braga earlier in the year.
And while Ianis has been in and out of the team since his stunning showing that night, his Dad reckons he made the right choice in heading to Glasgow.
The 22-year old was moved down to the Romania under-21 squad in the last international window and has been criticised in his homeland.
But his famous father is adamant that doesn't mean he's moving backwards in his career.
Hagi said: "I believe in Ianis totally and I am very proud of him.


"I keep hearing he doesn't play very much at Rangers - well he's played in 13 out of 20 matches this season.

"It's true, he hasn't maybe scored as many goals as he would have wanted for Rangers, but the No.10 position he plays means he is not necessarily a goalscorer.
"He is the only Romanian player at a big club from the West. He's playing for a club who are in first place in the league and he's also playing in the only league in Europe that plays three matches a week all year round.
"Ianis is very well appreciated at Rangers. He will only get better playing for them.

"When I went to watch him last season, I was delighted to be greeted by a player as great as Steven Gerrard.
"Of all the clubs I have visited, Rangers were the club who received me the best. They even gave me a shirt with my name on it.
"It was a great reception and I left happy that Ianis had made the right choice.
"Ianis just loves football. He's never caused me any problems ever. He represents Romania very well in Europe and we should be proud of him."
 
It'll just take a wee bit of time. Same as it did with Kent, same as it did with Aribo, same as it did with Kamara, same as it did with Barisic, and so on.

He's got all the tools – just needs a bit of guidance from our coaching staff that you have no doubts he'll get.

He was outstanding against Livingston and showed exactly what he's capable of when it clicks for him.
 
He scored the winner against Hibs then had that Braga performance and everyone expected him to do it every week. It feels like he's trying too hard but I absolutely love watching him. Aribo's goal against Livi a few weeks ago when he sets up Defoe for the initial shot, the quick feet from him is amazing.
 
6 assists from a 22 yr old with 13 appearances if the number above is correct.
Some would have you believe he’s been an empty shirt?

Some would have had Hodson, Ball, Cummings and Alnick in our team ahead of what we've ended up with.

It's great publicity for someone of Hagi Snr's stature to be talking about us in positive terms. It does make a difference in helping attract other names here.

It's great for Ianis that we can ease him in to our team and style of play as we've done with the likes of Aribo too and not just be playing them 40 times a year and expecting them to be like Laudrup every week.
 
It'll just take a wee bit of time. Same as it did with Kent, same as it did with Aribo, same as it did with Kamara, same as it did with Barisic, and so on.

He's got all the tools – just needs a bit of guidance from our coaching staff that you have no doubts he'll get.

He was outstanding against Livingston and showed exactly what he's capable of when it clicks for him.

Too much sense there mate.

Never mind giving a player time, the bangers have singled him out and will be on his back until he is consistently delivering 8/10 performances.
 
When I went to watch him last season, I was delighted to be greeted by a player as great as Steven Gerrard.
"Of all the clubs I have visited, Rangers were the club who received me the best. They even gave me a shirt with my name on it.
"It was a great reception and I left happy that Ianis had made the right choice.
Great to read this too, well done to those at the club who arranged this.
 
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Too much sense there mate.

Never mind giving a player time, the bangers have singled him out and will be on his back until he is consistently delivering 8/10 performances.

Agree PB, but he needs to show that desire to develop like these others Sebo quoted have.

Im not saying he hasn’t shown that desire, but that he has all of the tools in his box, and if the desire is there to learn to use them, and when, he will become a great footballer.
 
He is a young lad playing for the greatest club on the planet. he needs to be patient. he will get his chance and when he does he needs to take it. There is no denying he is very talented the boy. Also his 8 assists so far this season is more than handy :)
There’s a lad in here who took the huff with me when i pointed that out after he’d said he should not be seen in the jersey.

He was quite polite deep in his response back: “youve got your opinion, ive got mine” :)
 
I don’t get why people are so critical of him. When the team doesn’t play well he always seems to get it, when in reality it could be a number of players.

For me the signs are there he will develop into a class player. We have to accept his inconsistency at the moment. Just wish he had a burst of pace, he’s a bit like Arfield in that way, if you added pace to his game he would be a special player.

Gerard has managed Aribo, Barasic and Kent well and brought them on to a consistent game. I have no doubt the likes of Hagi and Itten will follow the same path.
 
He's doing fine for a lad that's 6 months younger than Ross McCrorie and at the age Ryan Kent was when he first arrived here. Hagi has a terrific football brain and a lovely touch, the rest of his game will follow, as it does with most players who are still technically, under-21 level.
 
This is why a season without the fans at Ibrox can be a benefit for the likes of him, he has potential but I can just imagine the groans at anything that doesnt come of for him at Ibrox and what it would do for his confidence.
 
The fact the media keep trying to make out their is a problem with him tells its own story.

The young guy already has loads of assists and would have had another 1 on Sunday if Itten had been on his toes.

He is not starting all the games right now due to the great form other players are in.

He is going to be a great player for us and will make us alot of money some day.
 
When I went to watch him last season, I was delighted to be greeted by a player as great as Steven Gerrard.
"Of all the clubs I have visited, Rangers were the club who received me the best. They even gave me a shirt with my name on it.
"It was a great reception and I left happy that Ianis had made the right choice.
God I love the Rangers. Hopefully Hagi Sr. can join the Bears at the end of the season when his boy is lifting the league title!
 
Think the key word there is development. He's a young guy with a big reputation at a club where the pressure to win every game is unreal. I think Gerrard is a managing his well and have no doubt he'll get better and stronger as the season goes on.
 
I see similarities in Hagi with with how we have developed Kent.

Kent on first appreance was raw. In that first season, He would maybe try to hard and often his decision making was poor. Fans questioned if he was good enough. He was inconsistent. But you could see he had something.

We have to be patient with Hagi like we were with Kent and we will reap the rewards.
 
Well said Hagi Snr.

I think sometimes as a support we don't see by the end of our noses. I know I'm guilty of it at times. We are so hungry for success and trophies that we don't boil down the facts and just expect that everyone who plays for us needs to be a Laudrup or a Gazza week in week out. There are times that Hagi goes missing in games but there's times every player goes missing in games. They are human beings not machines (that may be questionable on this seasons form though :D). Hagi is a young lad who is clearly a very talented footballer regardless of what anyone says. He has that swagger that you rarely see and given the correct coaching approach which I 100% trust SG and his staff to deliver I think Hagi can become something really special. He has to give his all too, which I'm sure he will. He came on against the Edinburgh Junkies last year and under real pressure he delivered, he then dug us out a hole against Braga on the European stage and this season has 7 or 8 assists and some fans bang on about him like he's an absolute failure. Stick by the kid, I have a feeling he will play a big part in this seasons title challenge.

Mon the Rangers!
 

The legendary father of the Ibrox club's Romanian star remains convinced his son is at the right club.





0_gh.jpg



Gheorghe Hagi has rallied to the defence of his son Ianis and hailed Rangers as the right place for his development.
The legendary Barcelona playmaker also singled out Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard for praise and saluted the club for making him feel welcome on his visit to take in the Europa League game against Braga earlier in the year.
And while Ianis has been in and out of the team since his stunning showing that night, his Dad reckons he made the right choice in heading to Glasgow.
The 22-year old was moved down to the Romania under-21 squad in the last international window and has been criticised in his homeland.
But his famous father is adamant that doesn't mean he's moving backwards in his career.
Hagi said: "I believe in Ianis totally and I am very proud of him.


"I keep hearing he doesn't play very much at Rangers - well he's played in 13 out of 20 matches this season.

"It's true, he hasn't maybe scored as many goals as he would have wanted for Rangers, but the No.10 position he plays means he is not necessarily a goalscorer.
"He is the only Romanian player at a big club from the West. He's playing for a club who are in first place in the league and he's also playing in the only league in Europe that plays three matches a week all year round.
"Ianis is very well appreciated at Rangers. He will only get better playing for them.

"When I went to watch him last season, I was delighted to be greeted by a player as great as Steven Gerrard.
"Of all the clubs I have visited, Rangers were the club who received me the best. They even gave me a shirt with my name on it.
"It was a great reception and I left happy that Ianis had made the right choice.
"Ianis just loves football. He's never caused me any problems ever. He represents Romania very well in Europe and we should be proud of him."
Brilliant from the wee man and I still think his lad will come good. Great to have such an embassador of the game speak highly of the Club.
 
I actually think the wee man misses the crowds more than most. He is a game changer and a worker, his vision is above most in this league, and he has a sublime touch, but he thrives in the demands of his supporters. See Braga, the lad was immense under that pressure atmosphere, 2-0 and the need of a spark, he produced, then produced some more. He is a big game, big pressure player.
 
Some would have had Hodson, Ball, Cummings and Alnick in our team ahead of what we've ended up with.

It's great publicity for someone of Hagi Snr's stature to be talking about us in positive terms. It does make a difference in helping attract other names here.

It's great for Ianis that we can ease him in to our team and style of play as we've done with the likes of Aribo too and not just be playing them 40 times a year and expecting them to be like Laudrup every week.
I think that’s the key difference now. A season or two ago we would be relying on him to produce magic every week. Now we have the strength and depth to ease him in. Happy days.
 
He’s a very talented boy and with the right attitude and application he will contribute.

The spotlight shines a little brighter on him because of his old man which is why he’s hyper evaluated by fans and pundits...
 
I think he is very much a confidence player and will come good given the time.

He's not the sort of player that will be in the game for the full 90 minutes but he does need to have more of an impact in our games.

I really.yope it works out for him as he has bags of talent.
 
Hagi’s attitude is first class. He reminds me of Kent in the way that he just keeps going, yes most of what he’s trying doesn’t come off, but that’s the same with most players. Then one ball through and bang we’ve scored! He’ll just get better and better!
 
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