Football fans can be fickle creatures.

A goalscorer leaves their club and he goes from being a hero to villain in the moment he departs. Bring him back and a few might question it but if he returns with goals or committed performances, then all is forgiven.

A prime example of this, is Wayne Rooney going back to Everton this summer.

This week, Steven Naismith has hinted that he could leave Norwich City in January and return to Scotland:

“I do want to come back and play in Scotland and the older I’ve got, the more interest I have in terms of coaching and tactics, and what you should be doing as a player in games.

“If I can do that for some of the young guys coming through in Scotland, then that’s something I want to give back in that respect. But whether that’s in the short term or long term, we need to wait and see.”

That has led to plenty of speculation on where he could go and the two obvious candidates are former sides Rangers and Kilmarnock.

The Glasgow side would probably be his first choice, if both were indeed interested in bringing him back up north. They would offer the player more money and probably an easier route back into the Scotland national team set-up.

Now one major issue is the way Naismith left Ibrox in 2012.

When the new Gers board tried to move players onto new contacts with the new business, the players had the right to refuse and move freely to a new club.

Naismith, like quite a few others, decided that he didn’t want to play in Scotland’s bottom tier and left to join English Premier League side Everton.

The Rangers fans understandably took the decision to heart and hated every player who left when the club needed them the most, even if it was just to get a fee for the talent.

Time is a great healer and need is even better.

At the moment, Rangers could really do with a player like Naismith back at the club and for various reasons too.

His overall experience and especially in winning could really be welcomed at this stage. Some players at Rangers still don’t get what it really means to play for the club and Naismith does. The attacker would moan and shout passionately at his teammates to get a positive reaction.

Today, Rangers announced that veteran forward Kenny Miller had ruptured his hamstring against Hibs last week and will be out for a ‘significant period of time’. Rangers will miss his experience up-top.

Carlos Pena has a great goals to minutes ratio but to be honest the Mexican still doesn’t offer enough in terms of running and being involved more in the game. He seems to have good vision and has the brain to get into the right positions but fitness issues still surround the attacking midfielder. I honestly think he’ll need the full season to ingrate into the squad and get used to the Scottish game.

With Miller an Graham Dorrans both injured, it seems as Pena is the only real option to play as a number ten. Can you get more out of him and rely on him to deliver on a full time basis? I don’t believe so.

Naismith, if match fit, could come in and instantly become the Govan side’s best performer in that role. The thirty-one year old is smart, he works hard and he can get goals and assists.

The player has himself expressed regret in the way he left in 2012:

“Unfortunately, the way I left wasn’t great. I still watch all their games on TV and still speak to all the players and staff I know at the club.

“I love hearing how things are going. I still support Rangers and I want them to do well.”

It sounds like Steven Naismith is ready to come back to Ibrox, Rangers and their support should welcome him back because he has the talent and determination needed to get the club back on track!

Posted on December 19th, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article