The new season is ready to kick off – and the Record Rangers podcast is back with a bang. Giovanni van Bronckhorst has had a busy summer with seven new signings and fans will get the first glimpse of some of them in competitive action when the Ibrox side travel to Livingston for Saturday’s Scottish Premiership opener.
But there are so many big decisions for the Dutchman as the new campaign approaches. Will Allan McGregor be first choice between the sticks after signing his new deal or is Jon McLaughlin set to step up? New boy Ridvan Yilmaz at left back or Borna Barisic? How big a loss are departed duo Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo?
And there might be more news to come with Alfredo Morelos and skipper James Tavernier both in contract talks. Rangers surrendered their league crown last season as Celtic won the title by four points but the Light Blues went all the way to the Europa League Final before lifting the Scottish Cup with a win over Hearts at Hampden. Now, with the new season upon us, Record Sport duo Gavin Berry and Andy Newport and Sunday Mail chief football writer Scott McDermott sat down to discuss the season ahead and you can listen to what they had to say by clicking on the link below.
Jon McLaughlin says he hasn’t been told who will start the season as No. 1. Who should be the man between the sticks?
ANDY: What does a Rangers goalkeeper need to do in domestic games? Come off his line and take crosses and be useful with the ball at his feet in terms of starting attacks and building out from the back. And on those two fronts McLaughlin has got the edge. There is no doubt Allan McGregor is the better shot-stopper of the two and has built his career on these belief-defying saves that Jon McLaughlin isn’t capable of. But for what Rangers need, especially in games domestically where they will dominate possession, Jon McLaughlin fits that remit better. I still think Allan McGregor is the better goalkeeper but for what Rangers need domestically, I think you’ll see a lot more of Jon McLaughlin. Even if it is a 50-50 split.
SCOTT: Allan McGregor wouldn’t have hung around to be second string and only called upon when needed. When he signed that deal I’m sure he would have known he was going to play a significant part for Rangers this season. I’ve got a feeling he’ll starting against Livingston and that the Spurs team was picked with Saturday in mind. I don’t get a lot of the criticism of Allan McGregor which is bordering on disrespectful. I spotted a fans’ poll where 90 per cent wanted Jon McLaughlin as No. 1. That’s staggering. I understand McGregor isn’t the keeper he once was and that he made a couple of mistakes but show me Jon McLaughlin’s big saves? Overall Allan McGregor is, and always will be, the better goalkeeper.
On paper, it’s been a good summer for Rangers business-wise but are they stronger on the park than last season?
SCOTT: We can’t really say for certain until see how these new signings bed in. It’s fine saying Tom Lawrence looks great, (Ridvan) Yilmaz looks great.. but we need to see them. Antonio Colak looks like an upgrade on Cedric Itten so they look stronger there. Calvin Bassey is a massive loss but they’ve effectively got two players in with Ben Davies and Yillmaz to cover that left centre back/left back/left wing back roles. They look like good acquisitions but we need to see how they settle in for what’s expected at Rangers. Tom Lawrence would be Joe Aribo’s direct replacement as that creative, attacking midfielder and I actually think Lawrence has shown even in the couple of friendly games that he’ll provide more goals than Aribo and better numbers. And Rabbi Matondo could finally be the man to fill that position on the right side of attack. They’ve tried loads of options since Daniel Candeias and Matondo looks like the man to fill that role. They look stronger in terms of the squad but there’s no getting away from the fact Bassey and Aribo will be big losses.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst said it’s positive in terms of Alfredo Morelos extending his Ibrox stay. Did you expect this to be the summer he would finally move on?
SCOTT: I always had a hunch he might stay. There hasn’t been that much speculation this summer. With a year left, decisions need to be made and the longer the summer went on I had a hunch he would be about to sign a new deal and that could be the real big news for Rangers fans this summer and what a boost that would be going into the new season if he comes back fit again and commits his future to the club - it would feel like a huge signing.
ANDY: I’m surprised there hasn’t been more interest because he’s tailor made for England or Spain. He’s proved with his performances in Europe that he’s a guy who has quality and knows how to score and he’s tamed a lot of the wilder edges to his personality that caused controversy. He’s a more rounded footballer and getting him on a new deal would be the biggest bit of business Rangers could do this summer along with Connor Goldson signing a new deal.
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