The new way to measure Rangers?

8
The new way to measure Rangers?


While on the face of it it is easy to say Rangers are not as good as we were. Yet all the time we Bears find ourselves debating over the quality of the current crop and find ourselves trying to elevate someone like James Tavernier to Alan Hutton level. In short, we try to big our players up to justify the simple fact they are Rangers players and should be furnished with ability accordingly.

Of course, it is a subjective measurement, and even here at Ibrox Noise we have been guilty (rightly or wrongly) of comparing someone like Jason Cummings with Steven Naismith. Indeed, we even condoned the club’s decision not to pursue the Norwich striker in the face of their acquisition instead of the Forest forward.

But just how do we know where we stand in terms of teams from yesteryear? Some might try to justify Alfredo Morelos and say he is just as good as Nikica Jelavic (or maybe not, right now (!)), or big up Ryan Jack and say he is on the level with a Maurice Edu or the like.

Others may think these players are miles off.

Who is correct? Well the simple measurement is international caps. The best way to compare your current Rangers team with your previous ones is to look at both how many have been capped for their country, and how many of those are current internationals.

If we go back to 2011 and a team filled with McGregor, Whittaker, Goian, Bocanegra, Edu, Davis, Aluko, Naismith, Lafferty and Jelavic, how many are/were internationals or current internationals?

All, is the answer.

Going back further to 2007 and Walter’s return, it was filled with Daniel Cousin, DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Cuellar, Alan Hutton, Lee McCulloch, Kevin Thomson et al. How many of those were internationals and indeed current internationals at the time? All bar two; Cuellar and Thomson. And Cuellar was entirely understandable.

Now fast forward to the present day, how many of this Rangers squad have actually played for their country?

Russell Martin, Declan John, Lee Hodson, Ryan Jack, Jason Cummings, Lee Wallace, Kenny Miller, Graham Dorrans, Bruno Alves, and Jamie Murphy.

Doesn’t sound too bad does it?

Now how many of these are proper playing current internationalists? The answer? Barely two.

Martin is no longer called up, John only got a few caps before his recent return, Hodson is a fringe player, Jack got his first call up and cap only a few months ago, ditto Murphy with a 5-minute cameo, ditto Cummings, Wallace is a fringe call up, Miller is naturally past it, Dorrans stopped getting call ups some time ago, and while Alves regularly gets call ups, he is there now for squad depth with his country and is usually behind Pepe and Coentrao.

That is your barometer, and it really is quite stark.

Now look at Celtic, unpleasant though such activity is. If nothing else shows the gap Rangers must close, it is the internationalists one. And Celtic are absolutely chock full of them – Lustig, Rogic, Brown (ex), Armstrong, Forrest, McGregor, Griffith, Tierney, Bitton, Hayes et al to name just 10 are some of the currently international players Celtic boast.

In short, when Rangers have a team full of credible international players, that is when we will truly know they are where they should be on a squad level at least. Even Aberdeen have been far more successful recently on this basis. In fact, the top 6 are filled with current internationals for various nations – Hearts in particular, along with Hibs and to an extent Killie have a number of current senior internationalists.

We hate to look at Celtic, but their squad has a hell of a lot of internationals. Not as much as yesteryear in their case either, but still plenty of them.

Alves aside, Rangers will have no one at the world cup this year. And by then the Portuguese international will probably have left anyway.

That is where Rangers must get to.

No posts to display

8 COMMENTS

  1. I think we have more to sort out than how many international players we have just now we need players with quality and skill to give their all for Rangers and when we get that the internationalists situation will take care of its self Primarly we need a coach who has the ability and the know how to recognise what needs to be done to win games Murty is just another Warburton Caixinho no idea how to set the team up no alternative tactics and no plan b when plan a is not working our midfield is outnumbered and overrun in every game he doesnt seem to see this we as supporters can see what needs done

  2. Make us feel better IN! Lol to be fair to the current crop the average age is probably far younger so they are less likely to have loads of caps. They are just starting out in their international careers. However, I agree the quality isn't the same as we had before.

  3. Very good anyalisis of where we are and why we keep being surprised when we are coming up short .
    We are now at crunch time !for me we need to drastically improve to bridge that gap and we should look to souness style of management in that he was ruthless with players and was thoroughly professional with little sentiment when dealing with transfers out.
    Tavernier, fody , Morales, Windass, johns too although he has potential all these players should really be moved on and higher grade players brought in.
    We have potentially some fantastic young midfielders in Docherty Jack, and mcrorie who could all be future internationalists.
    We need to add to that with some quality professionals ,of our loans I'd keep Murphy and Cummings.

  4. I suggested this last summer when I pushed for the club to sign Berra, Patterson, Hanley, McGinn.

    Appreciate McGinn may have been a difficult one but the rest were available and within budget. A back four featuring Berra and Patterson would not be bullied the way we have been recently that's for sure…

  5. Your argument is slightly skewed in recent years when wee Chesney was in charge. Under him you were guaranteed a cap if you played for Celtic. Having said that under Big Eck Hendry has just won his first cap even though he can't get a place in the Celtic team.

  6. While I accept international caps may be some measure it's not everything. Wouldn't you love to see a Rangers team full of guys like Bomber Brown, Terry Hurlock, Nigel Spackman and Stuart Munro who never won any caps. Or guys like Graham Roberts who only won 6 and Mark Walters only 1. I'm sure there are many others.

  7. Now UR talking my language, been telling U that for months.
    STATS DON'T LIE!!!

    1M for Cummings??
    1 deflected goal against RC🤣
    Add another 1M to that and Allen will get us much much better.
    Nearly 1M for Martin?? He's a 💣 scare!!
    1.7 for Murphy pay it.
    He will get a lot more games for his country, especially since that Rangers hating ginger fanny has left the building.
    Try get Goss on loan again,he has plenty upward scope!.
    Fire sale for 12 Exitears🔥

  8. Yeah but think about it if we hadnt been in the shit for the last 6yrs and we had those players they wud have 20-30 caps 🤔💙⚽

Comments are closed.