Criticism of Rangers transfer record is over the top and Premiership table proves it - James Black
Our Rangers blogger responds to Gordon Parks' Sunday Mail column on the club's summer business.
By
James Black
(Image: SNS Group)
Get Rangers updates directly to your inbox
See our privacy noticeMore newsletters
After a pretty rough couple of weeks for Steven Gerrard's side, Rangers again rose to the top of the Premiership table on Sunday after a nervy 1-0 win over Hamilton at Ibrox as they looked to get over recent disappointments against Aberdeen, Dundee and Rapid Vienna.
With the European campaign over for the season, all focus now turns to the domestic scene as Gerrard looks to lead his side to their first title since 2011 - but I was left scratching my head in bewilderment reading Gordon Parks' MailSport column yesterday as he described Rangers' league showing so far as 'grim' while taking aim at Gerrard for praising Ibrox director of football Mark Allen for his work in the transfer market over the summer.
Now, the former striker is obviously entitled to his opinion - and as a former pro, he has some great insight that many who cover the game lack - but Sunday's column was short-sighted.
(Image: PA)
Ovie Ejaria was Rangers flop and many of Steven Gerrard's signings are the same - Gordon Parks
There's not a Rangers fan who'll disagree that there has to be some improvements at Ibrox in January if Gerrard's side is going to take that step and get their hands on the Premiership trophy come May but sitting two points off Celtic with 22 games left to be played is far from 'grim'.
For the last few years, all we've heard is how Brendan Rodgers' side is some sort of unstoppable force domestically yet, just a few hours after Parks' column went live, Rangers are again top of the pile.
I'm not really sure what it is that Parks was expecting from the Gers this season but scoring more goals than any other side in the top flight, and conceding fewer than everybody not called Celtic, doesn't really have me reaching for the white flag and preparing to concede the title before the Christmas decorations are packed away for another year.
With 15 new faces arriving at Ibrox over the summer - and just as many heading in the opposite direction - and the added pressure of facing an extra 14 games in Europe this season, Gerrard has made an impressive start to life in management.
Rangers went back to the top of the league on Sunday (Image: SNS Group)
The Liverpool icon will admit himself there are areas where he and his side can improve in the short-term but I'm almost certain that if you had offered him a run to the Europa League group stage (only to be knocked out on matchday six) and be very much in a title race then he would have bitten your hand off for it.
I know I would have.
Parks had a pop at Gerrard for his praise of Allen and claimed that only Allan McGregor has lifted himself out of 'mediocrity' since the start of the campaign. Apparently, Niko Katic is being 'found out' and Eros Grezda and Joe Worrall were scouted by Colonel Blink.
We're talking here about three young players who, if they were Scottish we'd still be calling kids who need to be wrapped in cotton wool. At 22, Katic has moved to a new country with a new language at a club where there is more pressure on him to succeed than he will have ever experienced at Slaven Belupo.
Grezda, 23, has started five games so far and has made a steady, if unremarkable, start to his Ibrox career as well as being a regular for his country after recovering from ankle surgery earlier in the year.
Eros Grezda (Image: SNS)
Worrall is a 21-year-old England U21 international and is at Ibrox to get more game time to continue his development.
Looking at the other new arrivals, Scotty Arfield has scored five times and created four assists in the league so far (Celtic's latest superstar Ryan Christie has hit the net five times and failed to register an assist but is being lauded as the next big thing across the city).
Connor Goldson has been solid at the back since his arrival from Brighton and Gareth McAuley should prove to be a decent addition at the back as he uses his experience to help his much younger colleagues develop.
Ryan Kent is another who has impressed since arriving over the summer although another who moved from Anfield, defender Jon Flanagan, hasn't been great as he fills in for Borna Barisic at left-back.
Ovie Ejaria has returned to Liverpool (Image: SNS)
Transfer news LIVE as Celtic and Rangers plus Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs target signings
Barisic is another who already looks as though he will be a fantastic signing for the Gers and the Croatian international has been a huge threat down the left for Gerrard's side either side of his injury problems.
Ovie Ejaria and Umar Sadiq's loan moves never worked out but it's far from the first transfer which hasn't worked out and certainly wont be the last - Sir Alex Ferguson said in one of his books that a 50 per cent hit rate on transfers can be considered a success.
Maybe I've missed something and they've changed they way that league tables are calculated but if being top of the table with a team riddled with 'mediocrity' is what passes for a 'grim' start to the season then I can only hope that it continues in the same vein over the next six months
Our Rangers blogger responds to Gordon Parks' Sunday Mail column on the club's summer business.
- SHARE
By
James Black
- 11:44, 17 DEC 2018
(Image: SNS Group)
Get Rangers updates directly to your inbox
See our privacy noticeMore newsletters
After a pretty rough couple of weeks for Steven Gerrard's side, Rangers again rose to the top of the Premiership table on Sunday after a nervy 1-0 win over Hamilton at Ibrox as they looked to get over recent disappointments against Aberdeen, Dundee and Rapid Vienna.
With the European campaign over for the season, all focus now turns to the domestic scene as Gerrard looks to lead his side to their first title since 2011 - but I was left scratching my head in bewilderment reading Gordon Parks' MailSport column yesterday as he described Rangers' league showing so far as 'grim' while taking aim at Gerrard for praising Ibrox director of football Mark Allen for his work in the transfer market over the summer.
Now, the former striker is obviously entitled to his opinion - and as a former pro, he has some great insight that many who cover the game lack - but Sunday's column was short-sighted.
(Image: PA)
Ovie Ejaria was Rangers flop and many of Steven Gerrard's signings are the same - Gordon Parks
There's not a Rangers fan who'll disagree that there has to be some improvements at Ibrox in January if Gerrard's side is going to take that step and get their hands on the Premiership trophy come May but sitting two points off Celtic with 22 games left to be played is far from 'grim'.
For the last few years, all we've heard is how Brendan Rodgers' side is some sort of unstoppable force domestically yet, just a few hours after Parks' column went live, Rangers are again top of the pile.
I'm not really sure what it is that Parks was expecting from the Gers this season but scoring more goals than any other side in the top flight, and conceding fewer than everybody not called Celtic, doesn't really have me reaching for the white flag and preparing to concede the title before the Christmas decorations are packed away for another year.
With 15 new faces arriving at Ibrox over the summer - and just as many heading in the opposite direction - and the added pressure of facing an extra 14 games in Europe this season, Gerrard has made an impressive start to life in management.
Rangers went back to the top of the league on Sunday (Image: SNS Group)
The Liverpool icon will admit himself there are areas where he and his side can improve in the short-term but I'm almost certain that if you had offered him a run to the Europa League group stage (only to be knocked out on matchday six) and be very much in a title race then he would have bitten your hand off for it.
I know I would have.
Parks had a pop at Gerrard for his praise of Allen and claimed that only Allan McGregor has lifted himself out of 'mediocrity' since the start of the campaign. Apparently, Niko Katic is being 'found out' and Eros Grezda and Joe Worrall were scouted by Colonel Blink.
We're talking here about three young players who, if they were Scottish we'd still be calling kids who need to be wrapped in cotton wool. At 22, Katic has moved to a new country with a new language at a club where there is more pressure on him to succeed than he will have ever experienced at Slaven Belupo.
Grezda, 23, has started five games so far and has made a steady, if unremarkable, start to his Ibrox career as well as being a regular for his country after recovering from ankle surgery earlier in the year.
Eros Grezda (Image: SNS)
Worrall is a 21-year-old England U21 international and is at Ibrox to get more game time to continue his development.
Looking at the other new arrivals, Scotty Arfield has scored five times and created four assists in the league so far (Celtic's latest superstar Ryan Christie has hit the net five times and failed to register an assist but is being lauded as the next big thing across the city).
Connor Goldson has been solid at the back since his arrival from Brighton and Gareth McAuley should prove to be a decent addition at the back as he uses his experience to help his much younger colleagues develop.
Ryan Kent is another who has impressed since arriving over the summer although another who moved from Anfield, defender Jon Flanagan, hasn't been great as he fills in for Borna Barisic at left-back.
Ovie Ejaria has returned to Liverpool (Image: SNS)
Transfer news LIVE as Celtic and Rangers plus Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs target signings
Barisic is another who already looks as though he will be a fantastic signing for the Gers and the Croatian international has been a huge threat down the left for Gerrard's side either side of his injury problems.
Ovie Ejaria and Umar Sadiq's loan moves never worked out but it's far from the first transfer which hasn't worked out and certainly wont be the last - Sir Alex Ferguson said in one of his books that a 50 per cent hit rate on transfers can be considered a success.
Maybe I've missed something and they've changed they way that league tables are calculated but if being top of the table with a team riddled with 'mediocrity' is what passes for a 'grim' start to the season then I can only hope that it continues in the same vein over the next six months
