Stevie Gerrard has signed 25-year-old Jon Flanagan to make his seventh signing after the former Liverpool defender passed yesterday’s rigorous medical. Jon wasted no time in joining his new team mates in Malaga, when he was introduced to them at training today.
It included a thorough medical applied to Flanagan’s current knee condition, following an operation, which has been given the all-clear and declared a complete success.
Gerrard knows exactly what Jon could bring to his new club, because apart from his natural talent as a defender, he is an England internationalist, and a high quality versatile player who can play anywhere along the back line. He might also become a good defensive midfield player. if required to fill in at any time.
Without Stevie G, there is no way Flanagan would have signed a 2-year free transfer deal. He admitted today his old team mate and new gaffer was a massive influence on the move. He is an extremely strong first team player costing us nothing, which leaves us more money for other areas of the park to be greatly improved.
Flanagan is the standard of player that more fans will be hoping Gerrard brings to Ibrox, with his many years experience of playing in the EPL at the highest level in a top class Liverpool team.
At Rangers every player is put under the microscope by the hard to please Ibrox fans and the bias of most of the media. Gerrard and McAllister are both confident that Jon can cope with that same experience he played under with great success at Anfield.
In January, Flanagan was sentenced to a 12-month community order after admitting attacking his girlfriend three days before Christmas. This resulted in Liverpool’s decision to release him when his contract was up this summer.
He pled guilty and showed real remorse for his terrible mistake, but he has to move on from this trying period.
It is my belief that Flanagan is worth a second chance!
Finally, he decided that Rangers with Gerrard and McAllister’s professionalism, ability and attitude, was the right place to rebuild his career, credibility and his new life in Scotland.
After seven great years at Liverpool, he spent the second half of last season on loan to Bolton and I cannot see Stevie bringing his ex-team mate Flanagan to Ibrox to play for the reserves – can you?
However, will this signing lead to Gerrard accepting a good offer to sell current right back and periodic captain James Tavernier to one of his many admirers from England believed to be willing to pay a good fee for his services? Number one Gary McAllister suggests Tav will play a key role next season but money speaks.
Personally, I will not be surprised if Gerrard sees the opportunity of a free transfer right back starting for Rangers and the Ibrox club receiving £3m+ for Tavernier – a great piece of business, especially if it makes us even stronger in defence.
Tavernier is certainly a good player as a wing-back, but a liability right back who will always cost Rangers points and games due to his ‘gone missing’ style of play. He attacks too often and leaves the back door wide open for too many breakaway goals.
Let’s sign one, sell the other and give everyone a new lease of life.
Not convinced by this signing and it has nothing to do with his previous offield problems.The player has been in decline for a few years now, you only have to look at the comments from the Bolton fans who did not have anything good to say about his recent loan spell, and the fact Bolton were not interested in signing him permanently surely has alarm bells ringing. For me if he is there for cover, fair enough, can’t be worse than Hodson, but a replacement for Tav, that would be a monumental mistake.
Totally agree with this. Flanagan was a very good player but is he still? Liverpool let him go because he wasn't good enough. Nothing to do with his conviction – if it was he would have been sacked at the time. The Bolton fans comments are worrying. Let's hope that good player is still in there and Stevie G can get the best out of him.
"can't be worse than Hodson"? Really Gazwol? I'm better than Hodson ffs!!!
Totally agree mate, selling Tav would be a huge mistake and Flanagan has a lot to prove. He's only played 50 times for Liverpool has injury concerns and the Bolton fans didn't want him. Hopefully Gerrard can get him back to his best but not at the expense of Tav
Totally agree mate, selling Tav would be a huge mistake and Flanagan has a lot to prove. He's only played 50 times for Liverpool has injury concerns and the Bolton fans didn't want him. Hopefully Gerrard can get him back to his best but not at the expense of Tav
100% agree , Tav is improving every year and with a better defence and shagger giving him an ear full he can only improve defensively and deserves the chance to do so. Tav has some uncoachable skills , but defo needs a good manager to improve other aspects of his game. Maybe Gerrard is that manager
All The Best JF, welcome aboard The Steven Gerrard Express, next stop- 55!
Rangers are 136 years old and have always had high standards. As much as I have total faith in gerrard etc I feel this signing shows he doesn't know our club. You never hit a woman and for me this is wrong and the press etc will use it to undermine us. The higher ground we have always had will be lost in my opinion
What’s your thoughts on Gascoigne Shug?
I disagree completely, everyone deserves a 2nd chance and who cares about the press, they make it up as they go along then profit from the conviction. lets move in with Jon.
At Rangers every player is put under the microscope by the hard to please Ibrox fans, certainly true but I hope our latest manager is half as good as he was a player, which should make him better than our most recent manager(s), slight aside from the article, is it right that we are running on fumes with regard finances and the 3 bears are offski as Mr K cant/wont pay back loan funds? J
Just hope he can cope with the guaranteed abuse, he's going to get from the East-end muppets.
Tav is one of the few (and I mean few) players who's shown any passion for the club in the past few years. Selling him would be daft. His defending has improved, as an attacking threat he's as good as anyone in the league.
I Don't agree with The Signing of Flanagan.
I Don't Think We should Sell Tavernier unless we get Offered around £5mill
But The Problem for Tav is
1. Flanagan is Better Defensively
2. Candeias is Better going Forward, He Tracks Back and is a Better Crosser
Let's forget the off-field issues and focus on the pitch. Tav is miles ahead of this lad and at Bolton last season Flan was bloody hopeless. It's no use banging on about him being an England international – that's history. He has a lot to prove and I hope he does it but please – enough of the blind faith and the assumption that he must be better than what we've got. Selling Tav would just be laughable at this point.
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