O’Halloran Move Represents A Throwback For Rangers!

Rangers/Ibrox

Rangers have a history of pursuing players after they impressed playing against the ‘Light Blues’.

Neil McCann is a good example. He was the first Scottish based player Dutch manager Dick Advocaat signed during his era in charge and cost £1.9m from Hearts. McCann had helped prevent Rangers winning their tenth league title in a row and a Scottish Cup title the season before his move to Glasgow.

You can also go back to 1960 when they signed Jim Baxter from Raith Rovers for £17,500 as a fine example.  Six months after a virtuoso performance at Ibrox for the Fife team and Rangers signed Baxter up.

Legendary Gers boss Scot Symon would tell Baxter:

‘When I watched you that day I knew I had to sign you. You ran the game, the whole show.’

Fast forward fifty-six years and the Glasgow giants are once again chasing a player who had dismantled them on their own turf.

That player is St Johnstone forward Michael O’Halloran.

His electric pace and goal helped give Gers boss Mark Warburton and his side their first bloody nose this season. His performance knocked Rangers out of the League Cup and it clearly stuck in Warburton’s mind.

Supposedly the Ibrox club’s first two bids, starting at £150k, were rejected. Saints boss Tommy Wright has already stated that his club will only sell for the right price. Speculation has that price touching £500k.

That’s a big outlay for Rangers in this current period of time. But the O’Halloran signing, along with a defensive midfielder (Possibly Brentford’s Toumani Diagouraga), could prove to be inspired if he (they) push the club towards the Scottish Championship title.

After allowing Nathan Oduwa to return to parent club Tottenham Hotspur, Warburton has a place available in his pool.

Now some Rangers supporters have questioned the reasoning behind the O’Halloran pursuit. They point to his poor scoring record this term in the Premiership and the fact that Rangers already have Ryan Hardie ready for more first team opportunities.

But I think the problem is the term forward as it confuses a few.

Yes Michael is an attacker but he isn’t an out and out central striker. He’s best suited to playing on the right, although at a push you can play him centrally or on the left.

So really you could see him up on the right for Rangers. That would allow prolific goalscorer Martyn Waghorn to return to his preferred central role and Barrie Mackay staying on the left.

While two league goals isn’t a great return for a striker, O’Halloran has produced nine assists in nineteen league games for the Perth side which is impressive for a wide forward.

Unlike Oduwa, Michael is a more established talent ready to go straight into the first team. His pace and keen eye for an assist would help the title charge.

Again comparisons could be made with Neil McCann in that regard.

Plus you have to trust the judgement of the current manager when it comes to Ryan Hardie. Warburton isn’t scared of playing youngsters but clearly doesn’t want to put too much pressure on the eighteen year old’s shoulders.

At the moment it’s still all conjecture regarding Michael O’Halloran as St Johnstone revealed last night that they’ve yet to receive a third bid from the Ibrox outfit.

But at least the chase represents a bit of the old Rangers transfer mentality of if they impress against you, then why not have them on your side!

 

8 Responses to “O’Halloran Move Represents A Throwback For Rangers!”

  1. Why are you comparing old gers players to new gers targets?
    Two different clubs.
    You may as well compare Rayo Vallecano and Elgin.

  2. Or comparing Celtic and Pacific shelf eh Jim…

  3. Jim the thick. There has been NO liquidation and cannot be until the HMRC issue is resolved. The assets were sold out of administration, something which happens under company law on a weekly basis on the High Street, allowing the company to continue unaltered. The Court of Session, UEFA, the SFA, FIFA, the SPFL and even the Advertising Standards Authority all agree.
    What you,Phil the Irish Republican bigot or anyone else in green and white thinks is totally irrelevant. You are not important.

  4. There is no new club Einstein.

  5. Well Celts Chief Executive agrees that the famous Glasgow Rangers are the same team and pacifies the ignoramus benefit mob who support them by referring to waiting until law courts decide otherwise. They wanted to win titles without a challenge and are now desperate to have the Gers back. They have lost thousands of Irish supporters to Liverpool and Manchester United because their is no challenge in Scotland without the Gers.

  6. Great blog let’s hope we can get these two new players but to be honest if it doesn’t happen we have a good enough squad to win the league.

  7. I’d forget the Brentford dude : he’s far too slow. Hopefully the Crooks lad will fill that position when he arrives in the summer.

  8. i like this

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