Do Rangers fans want Steven Naismith back?

23
Do Rangers fans want Steven Naismith back?

On the 24th of June 2012 Steven Naismith placed himself in absolute ignominy, a stain on the history of Rangers. During Rangers’ darkest hour of modern times (perspective, we have lost dozens through Ibrox Disasters) he called a press conference alongside Steven Whittaker and confirmed Rangers were dead to him and he refused to put his future in ‘Sevco’.

It was a truly ugly period in concert with a very hard time for all Rangers fans to stomach, seeing arguably our best player turn his back on us and walk away for nothing, while suggesting the Club was no more.

Of course, Whittaker was sat alongside him, and was complicit to all this, but Naismith somehow seemed to lead the desertion, perpetuating negative ideas and breaking fans’ hearts in a way his colleague just was not.

As we know, that was five years ago. Times change. It is a great healer, after all, and we also know off the pitch Naismith is a genuinely good guy, with his charitable work and personal philanthropy making him one of the better sorts in football.

But his decisions back then were truly pitiful and poorly thought out – he was far from alone, but he was the highest profile and stuck the knife in most painfully of all.

So here we come to the present day, where, having been freed by Norwich, there is a surprising groundswell of opinion alluding to the desire for Rangers to re-sign him. Fans, desperate to have actual footballers replace the likes of Joe Garner, Michael O’Halloran and Martyn Waghorn, are looking at Naismith as a potentially lucrative Bosman this summer, with the 30-year old already having confirmed he is open to a return:

“Our times at Rangers are probably the best in our careers. We were a successful team and had some great memories and being a Rangers fan he would have enjoyed it and want to relive them. I don’t know what will happen in the coming year never mind the future. At the moment I love playing for Everton. Since I’ve been there it’s been a great adventure, from being a substitute and not having an impact to playing in most of the big games and having an impact. I love it at the moment but you never know things can change so quickly in football. I’d never rule anything out to be honest.”

Two, maybe three years ago this notion was an absolute taboo, a no-go, but with the disastrous quality of the current squad, needs must as the devil drives and fans are opening up to the idea of Naismith rejoining in an event previously unthinkable.

Of course there are plenty who remain completely opposed to it, with the memories remaining fresh and the grudges sharp. Who could blame them. But sometimes when the climate is right, anything is possible, and Steven Naismith, if Pedro Caixinha is in fact interested in a EPL and Scotland quality striker joining up, could well make his way back to Govan.

Who’d a thought it?!

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23 COMMENTS

  1. Any player who can genuinely contribute to closing the gap is welcome, the past is past.

  2. Despite the past – and it was a sore one to take at the time – Naismith at this moment would be a great signing for Rangers. It would take a significant drop in wages on his part but perhaps a chance to make amends and atone for past mistakes.

  3. You have to forgive and forget every one in life makes mistakes .He still loves Rangers and there,s no doubt he play his socks off.

  4. The manner in which he deserted us sticks in my throat! We had players like him and indeed Whittaker who decided to fuck off at the earliest opportunity. They fled like rats on a sinking ship.

    I'm not one to say the past is the past and welcome him with open arms because of the way they left; they hurt most of us at a time when we were already badly hurting.

    That being said IF we sign him and he delivers on the type of player we so desperately need then he may go some small way to redeem himself.

    I shan't hold my breath.

  5. Yes why not. Let's not forget he said no to c green. A man that we now know was bad for rangers, and untrustworthy, and yet we forget that the team took a large pay cut for months jist since whyte wasn't paying the bills

  6. If Kenny Millar can come back to us and Mo Johnson, after playing for Celtic there is no reason Naismith can't. He was at the peak of his career when he left, I defy most of us if we were in his position with a family not to have done the same thing. He would be desperate to win the fans back and he would.

    • Totally agree Ernest some people need to get real he had a career, a short one at that,to think about at that time. All these guys talking about rats deserting a sinking ship have to remember that. Welcome back Stevie.

  7. my heart says no my head says yes,personally speaking i could'nt have done it for any amount.I will never forget big jig for his commitment. There's individuals past and present who are just as culpable. united we stand divided we fall.

  8. It's a non runner, no chance was naismith on Peds 12 player shortlist.

    Yes back in the day he was without a shadow of a doubt our best player at the time of collapse but that was then and he is now 30.

    The jig is up sorry to say as naismith was my favourite player back then but now he doesn't have the pace he used to, he's still not gained any significant strength in the past 5 year and just won't add anything to the squad. 8.5 million in January and now being offloaded doesn't speak volumes regardless of Norwich state you don't spend that in January unless it a long term investment as there would have been no way of recouping that money in 2-3 years time from a player at 30.

    Talented yes, rangers man.. I do believe he is and he made a decision at the time he felt was right for him. Rangers quality now….Sorry guys, nostalgia is a great thing but it doesn't win games.

    • Sean, if he's prepared to take a huge cut in wages… and there is no transfer fee involved… it's a no brainier for me. The problem will be,as you know, offloading Warburtons warblers (that's being polite as it's a family based forum) to pay for his wages. We need guys who can cope with the pressure of playing at our club, that's a given, so some experience added to younger guys with pace, dig and we need height into the team… we're far too small and lightweight at present. Easier said than done of course… and if Mr King cannot step up… then he should step aside.

  9. If they want to take a huge drop in there wages then come on board now and not in 3 or 4 years when your hair is going grey.

    Like to see it happen but it is paper talk and there are more clubs who can offer more money than us but if you want love then come on down.

  10. We really need to show a bit more imagination. Signing 30yr+ players or trying to rebuild team with players from the past is simply not going to catch up with Celtic.

    The only player from past I would take us Steven Davis, but that clearly isn't going to happen.

    Naismith has lost pace, stamina, aggression and confidence. A shadow of what he was for us and early Everton career.

    Signing other clubs rejects is a strategy doomed to fail.

  11. No.
    Not because he left, but because of his "Sevco" comment. Talk about fuel for our enemies. I can see the banners now.
    His wee legs go at 100 mph, but I can't see him waltzing through the Celtic defence somehow.

  12. OUT
    Foderingham
    Tavernier
    Hodson
    Kiernan
    Hill
    Senderos
    Halliday
    Waghorn
    O’Halloran
    Garner
    Hyndman
    Toral

    IN

    GK
    John Ruddy – Norwich – Free

    DEF
    Phil Bardsley – Stoke – Free
    Marcin Wasilewski – Leicester – Free
    Martin Kelly – C Palace – Free
    Dan Cleary – Birmingham – Free

    MID
    Graham Dorrans – Norwich – Free
    Will Vaulks – Rotherham – 400k
    Stevie Mallan – St Mirren – 300K?
    Charlie Adam – Stoke – Free

    FW
    Jason Cummings – Hibs – 2m?
    Dominic Solanke – Chelsea – Free
    Sander Svendsen – Molde – Free

    LOAN
    Martin Samuelson – West Ham

    One we missed out on –
    George Glendon (Man City youth, now signed for Free at – ok – Fleetwood. But a star of the future IMO)

  13. My memories of Naismith are an injury table for long periods being well paid and well looked after by a dedicated physio team. Rather than pay that back with loyalty he pissed off at the first chance he had instead of holding on till all unfolded. His letter of Rangers no more, Sevco, no history etc could have been written by a rabid Tim or Daily Rebel so called journo. It was a long and painful stabbing of the heart to every true blue! At 30 is he fitter less injury prone? I can't answer that. I would ask though why the rush to bring back any player (it historically never works out). Why are we not getting excited about who Pedro may sign (of his own accord)? Surely that is where we should be instead of dreaming of days gone by. We move forward with hope and trust in a new management team. Let's cool the beans and see who eventually comes in. I personally don't want any of these guys back but if they end up here by Pedro's choice and not fan frenzy then I will support whoever pulls that famous and historic jersey on their back. READY!

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