Lewis Mayo, back-up centre-half?

Highway Star said:
He's not even played in a meaningful 1st team game for us yet.
He played at Tynecastle (admittedly at left back) in a testimonial pace game and was still struggling to cope with both McKay- Steven and Ginelly.


Helander and Balogun are 1st pick central defenders for better international teams than Scotland and even when fit, aren't guaranteed starters for us.
Souttar has established himself in the full Scotland set up too.
King isn't at the level of any of them yet.

How you think he is already good enough to play for the full Scotland team, when he's never even been selected for an U-21 squad and has barely played any 1st team football is baffling.
Click to expand...
I appreciate that but I think the boys going places. Add to that a selection of Helander, Balogun and Souttar will have more minutes in the treatment room than on the park, then what is the other option? We simply don't or won't have the funds to replace every position required. We will be lucky to get 1 CB in never mind 2.

To me, it's more important we give King an extended role and concentrate whatever funds we do have on a proper RW and a CF. That's before players like Aribo, Kent & Morelos go and need replacing too.
 
prenzlauerbear said:
It means nothing really. The idea that Welsh and Mayo are being picked over him because of ability is nonsense. They're more developed physically right now, that's it.

Ross Perry was a regular fixture for the Scotland 21's. It's not a barometer of quality in any way.
Click to expand...


I agree with that.

The point I was making was in reply to the poster who said King should be a 1st pick for Rangers and Scotland.

He still has a lot of development to make before he's going to be a Rangers 1st team pick.
 
dynamo_rosco said:
King wouldn't be 1st choice cb but I don't think it's out with the realms of possibility that he'll be 4th choice.
Click to expand...
Id have him as 3rd choice tbh rotate him souttar and whomever we sign. Hes really not as bad as some folk want to make out. Remember folk were writing bassey down as a squad player 5 month ago in this asylum.
 
Rule Britannia said:
I appreciate that but I think the boys going places. Add to that a selection of Helander, Balogun and Souttar will have more minutes in the treatment room than on the park, then what is the other option? We simply don't or won't have the funds to replace every position required. We will be lucky to get 1 CB in never mind 2.

To me, it's more important we give King an extended role and concentrate whatever funds we do have on a proper RW and a CF. That's before players like Aribo, Kent & Morelos go and need replacing too.
Click to expand...


If Goldson leaves, then Gio will 100% sign a top 1st pick central defender.

That will be an absolute priority for him.

No chance yet that he'll be trusting King as a first choice.

Kamara and Aribo look the others most likely to leave.
If they do, then they'll go for good money, particularly Kamara.

With the money they'll bring in, plus the Europa money, Patterson transfer and Gerrard compensation, I think Gio will have a more than decent transfer budget.
 
Anyone thinking we can just move Helander on is kidding themselves.

Until he decides to return to Sweden for some sort of nominal sum, we need to get him fit and playing more often than not or he will need paying off. Nobody is going to hand over good money for a guy with his injury problems. He is a super footballer but a fitness catastrophe.
 
I'm sure Gio will have a look at him in pre season and take it from there. I haven't seen an awful lot of him but he's looked assured from what I have seen.
 
weefree said:
Age 22 now, contracted to next summer, and played well by some accounts I’ve read at Patrick when played at CH rather than midfield or RB. Cemented starter in Scotland U21s.

Can’t see any point in sending him out on loan again when there’s only a year least, if we don’t want him we should release now.

If we go with Souter & Helander, King & Balogun, I wouldn’t be averse to Mayo being the 5th as cover.

Bassey will be gone, with the money that’s being talked of that’s as good a dead cert as you’ll get, if Helander leaves we’ll buy another, really just a question of that 5th spot. And can’t see big Katic still being here next year.

Opinions?
Click to expand...
Disaster written all over it and a real drop in ability if thats our CHs for next season.
3 out of 5 have bad injury records, whilst 2 have limited first team experience.
Never been convinced that Souter can step up to level required.
With possible exception of Hellander they would all have been considered 3rd, 4th , 5th choice CHs compared to Goldson and Bassey.
If we want to remain compeditive in Europe we need to replace Goldson and Bassey with better quality if both go.
 
Rule Britannia said:
He hasnt put a foot wrong when called upon. He's more than good enough to play in Scotland.

At his age we either play him or loan him out. It's no use to anyone keeping him on the bench. He needs game time or his development will slow
Click to expand...
Would loan him out to English Championship team
 
Bishyboy said:
Disaster written all over it and a real drop in ability if thats our CHs for next season.
3 out of 5 have bad injury records, whilst 2 have limited first team experience.
Never been convinced that Souter can step up to level required.
With possible exception of Hellander they would all have been considered 3rd, 4th , 5th choice CHs compared to Goldson and Bassey.
If we want to remain compeditive in Europe we need to replace Goldson and Bassey with better quality if both go.
Click to expand...


Unless we get a ridiculous offer, I don't think Bassey will leave in the summer and I also see his future at left back.


His pace, strength, endurance and delivery make him an absolute natural in that position.
He will go to the very top.
 
Highway Star said:
If Goldson leaves, then Gio will 100% sign a top 1st pick central defender.

That will be an absolute priority for him.

No chance yet that he'll be trusting King as a first choice.

Kamara and Aribo look the others most likely to leave.
If they do, then they'll go for good money, particularly Kamara.

With the money they'll bring in, plus the Europa money, Patterson transfer and Gerrard compensation, I think Gio will have a more than decent transfer budget.
Click to expand...
Totally agree if Goldson goes, we need to bring in a good quality Centre Back to replace him. I would rather the 'money men' got round the table with his agent and sorted something out that suited both parties, as replacing him won't be cheap. As you say Aribo and Kamara's names are constantly getting banded about as transfer targets, as are Bassey, Kent and Morelos, though it's just talk at present. Think it's certain whoever it is, we're going to lose players, but as you say, with the money pulled in already plus any further income through transfers, Gio's 'pot' to bring players in shouldn't be too bad. Mind you it'll need to be, to bring in good quality players to Ibrox to replace the players going out. Next season's going to be a huge one, so we can't afford to let things drag on, hopefully we've identified the players we're wanting, depending on who's leaving. In an ideal world we can get all our business done quickly, but as we all know, it rarely works like that.
 
RFC_Champions said:
I watched him a few times for Partick.

Miles off what we need.
Click to expand...
Read the same thing on here about Lowry, King, McCann, Devine etc. Bassey got the same only last year.

Not saying you are wrong, I haven't watched him at all but the club seem more open to testing these guys than before. Sink or swim time for a lot of young guys. If they can get some minutes as back up and kick on from there who knows what can happen? Worst case scenario, we can sell slightly more experienced lads who can then try and forge a career elsewhere.
 
HamiltonBear said:
Read the same thing on here about Lowry, King, McCann, Devine etc. Bassey got the same only last year.

Not saying you are wrong, I haven't watched him at all but the club seem more open to testing these guys than before. Sink or swim time for a lot of young guys. If they can get some minutes as back up and kick on from there who knows what can happen? Worst case scenario, we can sell slightly more experienced lads who can then try and forge a career elsewhere.
Click to expand...

Bassey has been knocking on the door of the first 11 / match day squad for two years.

Lowry, king etc are only 18 and Mayo is 22. It’s not really comparable.

Mayo has a year left on his deal. It won’t be extended.

He’ll leave on a permanent deal this summer or it’ll be another loan then he’ll be away of a free next season.
 
Mayo is a decent defender I reckon. He has a bit of a chance the way spots are opening up, but it's hard to tell if he's going to kick on or not.

Plenty of attributes coaches will like, especially how two footed he is. I'd like it if he managed to make it with us.
 
weefree said:
Age 22 now, contracted to next summer, and played well by some accounts I’ve read at Patrick when played at CH rather than midfield or RB. Cemented starter in Scotland U21s.

Can’t see any point in sending him out on loan again when there’s only a year least, if we don’t want him we should release now.

If we go with Souter & Helander, King & Balogun, I wouldn’t be averse to Mayo being the 5th as cover.

Bassey will be gone, with the money that’s being talked of that’s as good a dead cert as you’ll get, if Helander leaves we’ll buy another, really just a question of that 5th spot. And can’t see big Katic still being here next year.

Opinions?
Click to expand...
You’re being majorly presumptuous with the Bassey leaving line.
 
Rule Britannia said:
I'd be moving on Helander & Balogun, but i can see Balogun getting another year. Goldson's off and Bassey will likely be sold. That leaves us King & Souttar.

King would be my 1st choice CB and I would be looking for some experience to rotate with Souttar. It's about time we gave these boys a chance.
Click to expand...
Stick to the day job!
First choice?
After what, less than three starts?
Wonderful idea.
 
tazzabear said:
Stick to the day job!
First choice?
After what, less than three starts?
Wonderful idea.
Click to expand...
We're not going to go out and buy 2 starting CBs so we may well have little choice. We won't get a full season out of anyone else that's currently signed up for next season, so what do you propose?
 
Would ruin his career sat here playing 2 games a season instead of someone like Jack Simpson.
 
Rule Britannia said:
We're not going to go out and buy 2 starting CBs so we may well have little choice. We won't get a full season out of anyone else that's currently signed up for next season, so what do you propose?
Click to expand...

King will get games, but he'll rightly be behind Souttar and Helander just now.

I can see why most are worried about their injury issues, but that's not a guarantee either way. The main injury Souttar picked up this season was in an incident that would injure anyone. In many ways, it's a positive he came back and played so well in the final, suggesting the longer term issues aren't as problematic as feared.

We may only need one more centre half to come in with the options we have. Need to wait and see I guess!
 
Bassey will stay so this lad would be 6th choice and likely never step onto the pitch. Just let him go and fins a career somewhere.
 
Highway Star said:
He's not even played in a meaningful 1st team game for us yet.
He played at Tynecastle (admittedly at left back) in a testimonial pace game and was still struggling to cope with both McKay- Steven and Ginelly.


Helander and Balogun are 1st pick central defenders for better international teams than Scotland and even when fit, aren't guaranteed starters for us.
Souttar has established himself in the full Scotland set up too.
King isn't at the level of any of them yet.

How you think he is already good enough to play for the full Scotland team, when he's never even been selected for an U-21 squad and has barely played any 1st team football is baffling.
Click to expand...

Young fella King has a future except can’t see it with us
 
Rule Britannia said:
We're not going to go out and buy 2 starting CBs so we may well have little choice. We won't get a full season out of anyone else that's currently signed up for next season, so what do you propose?
Click to expand...
I propose we buy two starters if that is what we need and if King is the best we will have left after all you think will be gone are gone, two starters is what we will need.
 
tazzabear said:
I propose we buy two starters if that is what we need and if King is the best we will have left after all you think will be gone are gone, two starters is what we will need.
Click to expand...
Were not spending the money required for 2 x starting CBs, not a chance. How much you proposing that costs us? That's easily at least £5m each for the required standard to step straight in and compete for UCL qualification. That's not our model, and we simply don't have the cash for it.

We're heading towards self sustainability, not throwing cash about. People seem to think with the UEL run we'll suddenly have £30m/£40m to spend on transfers when in reality we're still living on soft loans being converted to shares. We'll be lucky to spend a net sum of £10m this summer.
 
Rule Britannia said:
Were not spending the money required for 2 x starting CBs, not a chance. How much you proposing that costs us? That's easily at least £5m each for the required standard to step straight in and compete for UCL qualification. That's not our model, and we simply don't have the cash for it.

We're heading towards self sustainability, not throwing cash about. People seem to think with the UEL run we'll suddenly have £30m/£40m to spend on transfers when in reality we're still living on soft loans being converted to shares. We'll be lucky to spend a net sum of £10m this summer.
Click to expand...
What you’re suggesting is that King is a five million pound player?
Thats what we need and we’re not buying two of them?
 
Rule Britannia said:
Were not spending the money required for 2 x starting CBs, not a chance. How much you proposing that costs us? That's easily at least £5m each for the required standard to step straight in and compete for UCL qualification. That's not our model, and we simply don't have the cash for it.

We're heading towards self sustainability, not throwing cash about. People seem to think with the UEL run we'll suddenly have £30m/£40m to spend on transfers when in reality we're still living on soft loans being converted to shares. We'll be lucky to spend a net sum of £10m this summer.
Click to expand...


Who leaves will determine who we buy.

If Goldson, Helander and Balogun all leave, (which is a possibility) then we will 100% buy 2 quality central defenders.

With the European prize money and gate receipts, plus Patterson transfer money and Gerrard compensation, our finances will be unrecognisable, in comparison to recent seasons.
 
weefree said:
Age 22 now, contracted to next summer, and played well by some accounts I’ve read at Patrick when played at CH rather than midfield or RB. Cemented starter in Scotland U21s.

Opinions?
Click to expand...
Position aside, if youre 22 and havent made an impact youve missed the memo.

Rangers need to be testing development players at a much younger age in the first team and by 22, if good enough, they should be considered good enough to start and play whenever needed.

Maybe had they done that with Mayo he might've developed more by now but hes nowhere near good enough to even play as a back-up.
 
These batch of kids on loan it is sad to say but i don't see any coming back and been Rangers players. Kelly would be closet but last season even after impressing in pre season he got zero minutes.
The batch we have in the B-Team now i would have McCann, McKinnon, King and Lowry promoted to first team players and send on loan Weston and a few others.
All players on loan currently move on.
 
tazzabear said:
What you’re suggesting is that King is a five million pound player?
Thats what we need and we’re not buying two of them?
Click to expand...
I'm not suggesting that at all. I'm suggesting it will cost us upwards of £5m for a new Connor Goldson and I cant see us buying 2 of this type, therefore King, Souttar and another, imo, will be our 3 main CBs next season. We can't rely on Helander, I don't think Bassey will be here unfortunately, and who knows what Niko Katic we get back.

Our model to become self sustainable means developing and giving youth a chance. I don't know what you're struggling to understand about that.
 
Highway Star said:
Who leaves will determine who we buy.

If Goldson, Helander and Balogun all leave, (which is a possibility) then we will 100% buy 2 quality central defenders.

With the European prize money and gate receipts, plus Patterson transfer money and Gerrard compensation, our finances will be unrecognisable, in comparison to recent seasons.
Click to expand...
I agree it all comes down to who we sell. Even then though we won't be reinvesting 100% of player income on new players.

The Paterson money will be in installments. We won't have £12m sitting there to spend and the Gerrard moneys probably already spent on overheads this season. Remember we've been relying on soft loans the past few seasons, we need to close that gap first.

If we get the rumoured £25m for Bassey I'd like to think Gio gets at least £10m of that towards the transfer kitty. Throw in another £10m from this year's Euro run and I would say were in a really good place.
 
Rule Britannia said:
I'm not suggesting that at all. I'm suggesting it will cost us upwards of £5m for a new Connor Goldson and I cant see us buying 2 of this type, therefore King, Souttar and another, imo, will be our 3 main CBs next season. We can't rely on Helander, I don't think Bassey will be here unfortunately, and who knows what Niko Katic we get back.

Our model to become self sustainable means developing and giving youth a chance. I don't know what you're struggling to understand about that.
Click to expand...
I’m struggling to understand how somebody can believe it wise to go for a potential lottery whilst deliberately neglecting the most important area of the team.
Leon King a first choice centre back?
So, you expect Souttar, Balogun, Mayo and King to be the options because ”the model” is to give youth a chance?
Why should it cost £5m plus to replace Goldson?
How much did he cost?
I’ll tell you what, let’s have a charity bet.
If our central defence in the CL qualifiers does not contain a new signing, not including Souttar, and valued at as much as we signed Goldson for, I’ll donate £100 to a charity of your choice.
You do same to Erskine.
 
If Bassey and goldson both go then we need to bring in at least 1 first name on the team sheet centre back. A Cuellar/Bougherra/Boumsong type of signing.

Souttar, Hellander, Balogun and King can rotate alongside whoever that is.

For what it's worth I'd rather Katic than Mayo.
 
Whats up doc said:
He can’t get in Scotland u21s over Stephen Welsh who is about to be surplus to requirements when they start signing more City academy boys.
Click to expand...
He's literally just been called up. Lowry just got his first call up aswell. Does that mean he's not as good as Kelly, Kennedy, Middleton, etc

No it's because Lowry and King are the age group below and were finishing up the qualifying campaign at u19 level.

Scotland are also a mess at under level are a mess and rarely call up players above their age group.

Hickey despite playing first team football at 16/17, never got called upto to u19 level and didn't get called upto u21 level until 19. Does that mean the 2 Ayr Utd LBs that kept him out are better than him? No Scott Gemmell is a clown.

Until injury to a RB and playing Burroughs out of position at RB, they wanted Calvin Ramsey to play u19 level despite him flying at the time.

Basically don't take youth level as gospel of a players current ability. We have clowns running the game at those levels
 
I feel we made a mistake sending him back to the championship. At his age it should have been SPL or League 1/2 in England.

He seems to be one of the best in the league and has time on his side, but like Kelly I doubt his immediate future lies here. There is a good player there are I can see him doing well and developing over the next few years. One to sell and keep an eye on.

Not at our level just now but by 26-28 he could develop into a good CB. One to sell on good terms and hopefully he develops down the line to bring back.
 
not seen anywhere enough of him to pass judgement but hes of an age he needs to be getting a game and experience somewhere
 
tazzabear said:
I’m struggling to understand how somebody can believe it wise to go for a potential lottery whilst deliberately neglecting the most important area of the team.
Leon King a first choice centre back?
So, you expect Souttar, Balogun, Mayo and King to be the options because ”the model” is to give youth a chance?
Why should it cost £5m plus to replace Goldson?
How much did he cost?
I’ll tell you what, let’s have a charity bet.
If our central defence in the CL qualifiers does not contain a new signing, not including Souttar, and valued at as much as we signed Goldson for, I’ll donate £100 to a charity of your choice.
You do same to Erskine.
Click to expand...
We struck gold with Goldson. I just can't see it happening again, and for a player of that calibre I am throwing a figure of at least £5m at it in today's market. That's all my own opinion - yours is allowed to be different. It's not a competition.

I did also say I can see us sign 1 new CB but not 2, unless we sell Bassey. At this moment in time I don't see us buying 2 x new CBs when we have other areas to address also. For me, again my opinion so no need to get upset, I would be happy with King, Souttar and 1 x new quality CB.

On the charity bet - not being a dick here, but I don't even understand what you mean tbh. How can a new CB that we theoretically never signed be valued as much as Goldson?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top