The Athletic discuss the potential sale of Morelos

It's easy to forget that Morelos has just turned 24. He's not even in his prime yet.

He's shown nothing but improvement season after season.

I understand the reasons, but think it would be mental to get rid of what is quite clearly your best player on a season that will mean so much for the management, fans etc.

The challenge isn't with Morelos, the challenge is on the rest of the team to chip in so that he isn't our sole threat. Replacing Morelos suddenly doesn't make the other 2 of the 3 bang in 15 goals a season, neither does keeping him.

Regardless, it's a conundrum for Gerrard on a season that'll be crucial to his management;

Sell him and the new striker has scored 5 goals come Christmas?
Keep him and he doesn't score against them and is sent off?

Can't be overstated how important this season is.

In my personal opinion we keep him in the hope that his improvement continues and we bring in someone else who can pick up the burden when he's slightly off-form.

Also worth noting his goals and especially his record in Europe. Imagine the excitement if we were in for a striker with the same record and accolades as Morelos? Doesn't make sense that we want to get rid of someone like that.
 
queensferrybear said:
By that I mean you have to Identify a replacement for Alfie, have him in the squad alongside Morelos for 6 months to a year. This allows said player time to bed in ease in to the squad, learn how we play without all of the pressure in the world to be an instant success.
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That's just completely unrealistic though.

We can't sign a Morelos replacement a year in advance because we need the transfer fee from Morelos to be able to afford a quality replacement.

A player of his quality for the bargain £1m we got him doesn't come along often...
 
I think we need to sell him if we have any chance of winning the league. The fact is, he will miss games. Some will be is fault, and others will be the out and out bias from cheats like Clancy who treat him differently from every other player in the league.

If he goes to a big money league, he'll likely be one of 3 top players fighting for that place. With us, he is the main man, and we cannot afford for our main attacker to be missing for half a dozen games this (or any other) season. If we got £20m, and invested even half of that on 2 quality strikers, I would be more confident going in to this season. Surely our scouting department can deliver with that budget. Defoe will score goals still, but if he has to start a run of games, we will drop points, he cannot score enough goals as a lone striker, and often becomes completely ineffective in that role.

We need quality options up front, selling Alfie is the only way to fund that I would think.
 
I just don’t trust Morelos over the course of a full season so for that reason I think we should be looking at selling.
 
Whether or not to sell Morelos depends entirely on whether or not we've identified players who can strengthen the squad and we've done our due diligence. There's no point getting £20m and wasting it.

The worst thing that could possibly happen is similar to Spurs when they sold Bale. They signed anyone that moved, so few of the players worked out and it took them years to get back to where they were before he left.
 
Hank Hill said:
That's just completely unrealistic though.

We can't sign a Morelos replacement a year in advance because we need the transfer fee from Morelos to be able to afford a quality replacement.

A player of his quality for the bargain £1m we got him doesn't come along often...
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that’s not the case at all, lots of teams who will be following a similar model do that and is practically and financially the better option (over a period of time).
It just takes foresight and planning.

look at it this way, we sell Morelos, who we know can score goals and dominate games himself. We then buy someone who we think can do the same, that player takes time to settle, struggles with language or new environment (remember said player will most likely be from a lower standard of league hoping to replicateAlfie) you then are stuck with a striker who is struggling. They need time, the manly way to give time is to have a handover period.
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
No I don’t all I was told is that he was so far behind fitness wise to the other lads he wouldn’t be ready for Aberdeen that’s not knowing the lineup is really.
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This is nonsense. He isn’t failing fitness tests, he isn’t the unfittest at the club and he isn’t in his own running group. Twice i’ve read this crap on here now. Not sure if its the same poster... very dubious of why you are so adamant to spread lies.
 
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Sad seeing our own turn on our own so easily especially in a public domain.Maybe turn on is a harsh term but the boys been the reason we have had a challenge for the title for two seasons and if we got 20million is that going to Make certain we get a 20 goal plus striker and a really strong centre back? Fire us to 55 then take his pic of a top half premier league team
 
We need to start getting fair prices on our players.

If that means holding onto Morelos until September, or even beyond, so be it. We've undersold the vast majority of our players for years, we need to show we aren't a soft touch in the transfer market anymore.

If you look at our fixtures up until the transfer window ends, they are relatively kind. Aberdeen away is the most challenging, and unfortunately even if we sell Morelos tomorrow, our chances of getting the 3 or 4 top level signings in and settled before then are minimal.

Ideally we would have sold him a month ago and all our business would be done, but obviously we are not operating under ideal circumstance.
 
Anybody who advocates keeping Morelos is ignoring the facts of previous seasons. Under SG, he has improved but is still incapable of keeping his discipline. He is a marked man on the pitch and certainly by the media, but if we can get £12/15m in the current circumstances, we could lose our best striker but finish up with a stronger team.
If reports of him coming back overweight are true, I'd be astonished if SG keeps him on. He came back late after the winter break, and, if overweight, it shows he doesn't have the intelligence to play for us.
 
sheddensbear said:
Anybody who advocates keeping Morelos is ignoring the facts of previous seasons. Under SG, he has improved but is still incapable of keeping his discipline. He is a marked man on the pitch and certainly by the media, but if we can get £12/15m in the current circumstances, we could lose our best striker but finish up with a stronger team.
If reports of him coming back overweight are true, I'd be astonished if SG keeps him on. He came back late after the winter break, and, if overweight, it shows he doesn't have the intelligence to play for us.
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He’s our best player. Why keep any of them then? Coaching staff included? I mean at this point they’re all failures, other players much more so than Morelos, yet he seems to carry the bulk of the blame.

If we can sell him for a good fee and get 3 or 4 winners into the starting 11 and build a team that isn’t reliant on one player, I’d be all for it. It has to be quality players though, no Landon Dykes/Florian Kamberi/Brandon Barker/Jordon Jones/Shey Ojo/Kyle Lafferty/Andy King type squad fillers.
 
Crispy Bacon said:
This is nonsense. He isn’t failing fitness tests, he isn’t the unfittest at the club and he isn’t in his own running group. Twice i’ve ready this crap on here now. Not sure if its the same poster... very dubious of why you are so adamant to spread lies.
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Where was he yesterday why wasn’t he training with the group because he was doing fitness training.

I’ve not once said anything about fitness tests!
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
Where was he yesterday why wasn’t he training with the group because he was doing fitness training.

I’ve not once said anything about fitness tests!
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You said he was unfit and nowhere near the squad.
He played v Hamilton.

He isn’t training on his own, he might be doing extra fitness, but ALL players are. He doesn't have a fitness or weight problem like you are so desperate to convince all. Every player has different needs, and every single players training plan is completely different. You should be careful about what information you pass off as fact, you saw one photo and are making stuff up based off that.
 
Either way is a gamble. No guarantees he'll no miss some of the season suspended but there's also no guarantee buying new players will work straight away either. Should have probably got ahead of this last summer but at the same time we'd a been pumped out of Europe in the qualifiers without Alfie so what I'm trying to say is %^*& knows
 
Crispy Bacon said:
You said he was unfit and nowhere near the squad.
He played v Hamilton.

He isn’t training on his own, he might be doing extra fitness, but ALL players are. He doesn't have a fitness or weight problem like you are so desperate to convince all. Every player has different needs, and every single players training plan is completely different. You should be careful about what information you pass off as fact because you saw one photo and thought you are clever.
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I posted this info on Morelos way before any photos he was doing fitness training yesterday the group where playing mini games. He returned overweight and unfit that is 100 percent correct. I was told he wouldn’t be ready for Aberdeen I guess we will see.

I imagine some will change their tune on Thursday when we play Lyon with some admitting he looks heavy if he plays.
 
We absolutely should not be looking to sell.

He is far too important to our success on the pitch.

We should be forced to sell because of a massive offer, and nothing else.
Yes, every player has their price but when they are so important that price is massively inflated.
For that reason we should not entertain any offer until it surpasses that massively inflated price.

I doubt that offer will come in this window, under current circumstances.
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
I posted this info on Morelos way before any photos he was doing fitness training yesterday the group where playing mini games. He returned overweight and unfit that is 100 percent correct. I was told he wouldn’t be ready for Aberdeen I guess we will see.

I imagine some will change their tune on Thursday when we play Lyon with some admitting he looks heavy if he plays.
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You do know Rangers played Hamilton mere days ago and Morelos started and was clearly not overweight?

Who’s your source for all the shite you spread on here, Phil 3 names?
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
I posted this info on Morelos way before any photos he was doing fitness training yesterday the group where playing mini games. He returned overweight and unfit that is 100 percent correct. I was told he wouldn’t be ready for Aberdeen I guess we will see.

I imagine some will change their tune on Thursday when we play Lyon with some admitting he looks heavy if he plays.
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People were saying “im scared about the weight of Alfie on return“ since March/April. It’s a prebuilt stick for you lot to beat Alfie with. Wouldn’t be surprised if 90% of the folk claiming hes fat, lazy, unfit are mentally challengeds. He isn’t far off the same weight that he’s always been. More than one player returned heavier you know.. and it shows. That’s what pre-season is for. There is no panic around Alfie despite folk trying to create some type of hyperbole nonsense about how he’s been on the pies n bevvies all summer. Folk will do anything to making him look bad, even make up nonsense about his training plan.
 
Jjbscotty said:
I just don’t trust Morelos over the course of a full season so for that reason I think we should be looking at selling.
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I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you Scotty, and probably think, subject to the COVID environment, that this is the right time to sell him.

But I'm a Rangers fan, and I appreciate what this £1m buy from Finland has done for us, despite certain failings.

And i'm not going to sit & let the SMSM re-define what I've seen with my own eyes over recent years.

The issues are separate.

And just for the record, Morelos has been more consistent than
Edouard over the last two seasons by far, up until the last 6/8
weeks of the season.

Look at Edouard against us at the Theatre of Screams ? Look
at him against Copenhagen. Shite. And he's a so called 30m
player.
 
Crispy Bacon said:
People were saying “im scared about the weight of Alfie on return“ since March/April. It’s a prebuilt stick for you lot to beat Alfie with. Wouldn’t be surprised if 90% of the folk claiming hes fat, lazy, unfit are mentally challengeds. He isn’t far off the same weight that he’s always been. More than one player returned heavier you know.. and it shows. That’s what pre-season is for. There is no panic around Alfie despite folk trying to create some type of hyperbole nonsense about how he’s been on the pies n bevvies all summer. Folk will do anything to making him look bad, even make up nonsense about his training plan.
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You’re in denial.
 
Didn't we have this same stuff at the start of last season? Apparently he was fat and unfit, yet he came flying out the traps from the first whistle.
 
Torn on whether we should sell him or not. On one hand he's our best player and make no mistake, the whole team performed well as a unit but he carried us in the group stages of Europe, 6 of our 8 goals were scored by him, got the only goal over the two legs to get us into the group stage as well. In our current system Defoe can't replace him, he'll chip in with plenty of goals against the lesser teams but he doesn't have the same energy and power to open space for others or chase after the long balls we send Alfie. However on the other hand, he's fallen apart at new years every single season he's been here and he really only has a proper excuse for his first season. He's shown you that as much talent as he has he'll also let you down, whether that's with his discipline on the pitch, or even off the pitch when he came back late from Colombia and was dropped for the cup game at tynecastle. There's also the matter of his performances in the of games, sometimes he's played well but his inability to score puts heaps more pressure on others to do it for him and his performance in the league cup final was nothing short of embarrassing and looked like a player who's completely in his own head when he has chances to score against them. As good a player he is, i think by now he's shown he won't carry you to trophies.


Force me to make a choice and if we get a offer around 18-20 million i think you have to take it. Value for players in this league will drop rapidly if you don't sell them at the right time, also reckon if we spent half of the fee you get for him you'd be able to create a far more complete side not so utterly reliant on one player to bag you all the goals.
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
Yes he is but we can do this all day you just don’t want to see it.
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Who is your source for the absolute guff you spread?

He started a game a few days ago, you seem to think he’s going to suddenly appear like a balloon in the next game and everyone will be shocked, do you even think about what you post?
 
47blue said:
Alfredo is a fantastic player but there are so many extraneous factors surrounding him. From racist mhedia campaigns, cheating referees and his temperament.
Focused and on his game he is a valuable asset.
Gerrard has a huge decision to make and if Alfredo sees his future elsewhere, then I wouldn't hesitate to sell him. It would be the best for both parties. We must hold out for at least 30m. The English transfer market pays much more for inferior players.
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If he goes I think whoever comes in, our dodgy match officials will do everything they can to treat them the way they have treated Alfredo? I hope he stays just one more season and delivers!
 
I would rather see us trying to improve on what we have not trying to flog off one of our best players
 
By the way, there hasn’t been any offers, acceptable ones anyway.

The very fact these discussions go on daily shows how ridiculous the pressure on him has been since he arrived, fans genuinely blaming him and him alone for every ill, it’s deranged.

And instead of wanting our best player, an exceptional talent who on his day is as good as any striker we’ve had in the past 30 years to stay they want to hound him out, bonkers.

The team has been built round him because he’s brilliant, the problem is he’s also flawed and inconsistent at times, I think folk forget he’s just turned 24, but rather than hope we strengthen to take pressure off him and allow him to regain form if he has a downturn folk would rather chase him out the door as if by magic taking away a player that good automatically makes us better.
 
Grigo Yossarian said:
I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you Scotty, and probably think, subject to the COVID environment, that this is the right time to sell him.

But I'm a Rangers fan, and I appreciate what this £1m buy from Finland has done for us, despite certain failings.

And i'm not going to sit & let the SMSM re-define what I've seen with my own eyes over recent years.

The issues are separate.

And just for the record, Morelos has been more consistent than
Edouard over the last two seasons by far, up until the last 6/8
weeks of the season.

Look at Edouard against us at the Theatre of Screams ? Look
at him against Copenhagen. Shite. And he's a so called 30m
player.
Click to expand...
I’m not interested in the Morelos edouard debate grigo, at the end of the day they are two really good players who will both go for £20m+.

Morelos going awol before our Scottish cup game was the day I gave up on him tbh. Yes he’s been a good player for us (especially in europe) but I think it’s time for us to sell and try build a better team with the money.
 
Crispy Bacon said:
The rumours of overweight started as early as March.

So you’re confident we won’t see him
in France or Aberdeen? Put it in writing.
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I said he won’t be ready for Aberdeen that was the words I used because that’s what I was told so let’s see if he starts.

As for Lyon what I was saying if he plays folk will then admit he is overweight and lethargic that’s if he doesn’t pick up a “knock”
 
Jjbscotty said:
I’m not interested in the Morelos edouard debate grigo, at the end of the day they are two really good players who will both go for £20m+.

Morelos going awol before our Scottish cup game was the day I gave up on him tbh. Yes he’s been a good player for us (especially in europe) but I think it’s time for us to sell and try build a better team with the money.
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Some in here will deny he went AWOL and one blamed Gerrard lol
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
I said he won’t be ready for Aberdeen that was the words I used because that’s what I was told so let’s see if he starts.

As for Lyon what I was saying if he plays folk will then admit he is overweight and lethargic that’s if he doesn’t pick up a “knock”
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Overweight and lethargic are very different things – the squad isn't going to be all fully fit this early in the pre-season.
 
Tagsbear said:
By the way, there hasn’t been any offers, acceptable ones anyway.

The very fact these discussions go on daily shows how ridiculous the pressure on him has been since he arrived, fans genuinely blaming him and him alone for every ill, it’s deranged.

And instead of wanting our best player, an exceptional talent who on his day is as good as any striker we’ve had in the past 30 years to stay they want to hound him out, bonkers.

The team has been built round him because he’s brilliant, the problem is he’s also flawed and inconsistent at times, I think folk forget he’s just turned 24, but rather than hope we strengthen to take pressure off him and allow him to regain form if he has a downturn folk would rather chase him out the door as if by magic taking away a player that good automatically makes us better.
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I want our best player to do it over a season he hasn’t yet in three seasons I don’t see why some have such a issue in folk pointing that out.
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
Excuses excuses
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Excuses excuses? You seem to be trying to cover your arse. Nobody is going to be match fit after 45 minutes against Hamilton – I don't want you using a player not being match fit as justification to your point that he's fat even if he isn't fat.

All the posters that have these kinds of claims follow a similar pattern; when the first evidence doesn't back up the claim it's deemed irrelevant and focus is placed on another piece of evidence until one fits the narrative. Watched it over and over again with the Gerrard is forced to play loan players pish.

If he's fat on Thursday then fair enough, you will be right and a few posters will hold their hands up (me included). But if he's not fat and you hit out with 'he looked a bit sluggish to me' as justification, then you can take your rumours and bolt.
 
Danger Zone said:
You clearly don’t know the first thing about footballers, their fitness regiments, what happens in the off season and how they prepare during pre-season.

You were told a pile of pish and you’ve been quite happy to spread it in an attempt to fuel the growing frustration and in some cases, resentment surrounding that player.
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That pile of pish 100 percent true you believe what you want but I’m no liar and plenty on here will back that up.
 
Its-Sebo said:
Excuses excuses? You seem to be trying to cover your arse. Nobody is going to be match fit after 45 minutes against Hamilton – I don't want you using a player not being match fit as justification to your point that he's fat even if he isn't fat.

All the posters that have these kinds of claims follow a similar pattern; when the first evidence doesn't back up the claim it's deemed irrelevant and focus is placed on another piece of evidence until one fits the narrative. Watched it over and over again with the Gerrard is forced to play loan players pish.

If he's fat on Thursday then fair enough, you will be right and a few posters will hold their hands up (me included). But if he's not fat and you hit out with 'he looked a bit sluggish to me' as justification, then you can take your rumours and bolt.
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Time will tell I never hide and if I wrong always put my hands up to it.

That goes the other way too though some won’t admit if on Thursday he is what has been posted.
 
Jjbscotty said:
I’m not interested in the Morelos edouard debate grigo, at the end of the day they are two really good players who will both go for £20m+.

Morelos going awol before our Scottish cup game was the day I gave up on him tbh. Yes he’s been a good player for us (especially in europe) but I think it’s time for us to sell and try build a better team with the money.
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That's fine, I have no problem with that Scotty.
 
Super Ally Does It Again said:
I want our best player to do it over a season he hasn’t yet in three seasons I don’t see why some have such a issue in folk pointing that out.
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Yes we all do but as I said he can be inconsistent and flawed, and we need to rely on more than just him so need better options, not rid of a brilliant player.

Give him help, improve the back up so if he loses form the whole side doesn’t drop a level.

You don’t chase him out the door simply because we have placed every hope, frustrations and expectation from years in the wilderness on one young guys shoulders, because that’s what’s happened and much more experienced players wouldn’t have coped, never mind a guy picked up from Finland for a million quid.
 
Walter Smith used to say "he gave the ref a decision to make"
2 yellow cards within 30 seconds v Ufa ? Referee picking on him?
Red card when Brown conned him ? Ref picking on him?
2nd yellow v Aberdeen when they're down to 10 men ? Ref again ?
Red card v Aberdeen when tangled with McKenna who was going off for violent conduct ? Ref ?
2nd yellow v Motherwell ? Ref ?
Yellow v Ayr (?) misses league cup semi
Yellow v Braga, misses 2nd leg
I thought he was very unlucky v bheasts for 2nd yellow.
7 red cards (1 rescinded), at least 3 suspensions in cup ties, plus extra games banned under totting up rule. Between 15 and 20 games missed in last 2 seasons (no red cards in 1st season when we were rotten)
 
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