As many Rangers supporters will know, in recent times Steven Gerrard has been linked with a move for St Johnstone’s Zander Clark.
Don’t get us wrong, he’s not a bad keeper, in fact a very good one, but the question on a number of fans’ lips, not least ours, is just why we’d pay around £1M for a backup keeper when we could have another extremely impressive one in Livi’s Liam Kelly, for a fraction of the price.
Tommy Wright’s side have slapped a seven-figure sum on Clark’s head, and the 26 year old, who’s never been called up, incidentally, has an excellent 12 shut outs this league season – more than Kelly, and a major reason the Glasgow-born stopper is in high demand.
St Johnstone top the relegation table by a distance, and Clark is a big part of why, but for how good he is, we’re not sure he’d be interested in playing second fiddle to McGregor for the next few seasons.
That said, would Kelly? He left Rangers to get first team football and he’s been a revelation at Livi, a major reason why they too are miles away from the danger zone at the foot of the table.
But on a pure economics level Kelly, would make more sense.
Many feel Kelly is destined to be McGregor’s successor – ourselves included, in truth. Call us old football romantics.
But we admit Clark has had an outstanding season in a team not a million miles better than Livi and while he’s probably worth the money Tommy Wright is asking, the potential of Kelly, three years his junior, to bloom even more than he is, at a fraction of the price, is a very tempting apple as well.
But, of course, both of them presumably would want the number one shirt. And as long as McGregor is at Ibrox, that’s not happening.
Although it would certainly be handy to go into the Old Firm on Sunday with something a bit better than Wes Foderingham.
The solution seems simple.
-Ask Kelly's agent if he wants to come home.
-If he says yes, tell him we will
a)Buy him and lend him back until McGregor is no longer Number 1. This would be a decision made every 6 months during the transfer window or
b)Wait until McGregor is no longer Number 1 and buy him then.
His choice, but let him know he is wanted. Sign someone on a free as backup while we wait. Explain to McGregor he will be kept for a season as backup then can become a coach
A million for a bench warmer, no thanks
Good luck to Wes tomorrow
Incredible final comment in the article. Foderingham is miles better than each of these. Gerrard should have been prepared to stand McGregor down a couple of times – that might have made him think about his indiscipline and rank childish behaviour. He’s a fantastic keeper (dodgy on crosses) but he should simply grow up.
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