3-year deal signals end of Rangers hopes for goalie

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3-year deal signals end of Rangers hopes for goalie
Queens Park Rangers v Watford - Sky Bet Championship - Loftus Road Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly warms up on the pitch prior to the beginning of the Sky Bet Championship match at Loftus Road, London. EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTessxDerryx 56731152

With Liam Kelly’s 3-year contract confirmed at Motherwell on a-now permanent basis, it signals the absolute end for any ambition some had about the former Rangers man being a long-term successor for Allan McGregor.

When Kelly originally moved south for QPR and the Magic Hat, he had an ok time of it in truth, but he didn’t quite crack it, hence the loan north to Motherwell.

His record in the SPL, particularly on loan at Livi from Rangers, impressed many – 14 clean sheets out of 33 appearances was a fine return and made him one of the strongest goalies in the league at that time, hence he was popularised as a long-term future goalie for Rangers, with good reason.

But once he left permanently for Loftus Road, those notions died a bit. Not completely, but a little.

And now signing a 3-year deal at Fir Park categorically ends his chances of ever being viewed in a Rangers light. It is all about Robby McCrorie now as McGregor’s potential successor.

Is this a missed opportunity? Kelly is 25 and while that’s still young for a goalie, that the best he could get was Motherwell does suggest he’s maybe not good enough for Rangers after all.

End of the day, Rangers, like any club, makes regular decisions on players – some it gets right, some not.

Kelly is one with a hint of what might have been, but it’s a busted flush now and we’ve moved on.

Is McCrorie the future? Well at 23 he’s still the right age to make an impression, and in the next couple of years he’ll get more chances to do that.

We can be pretty sure though Kelly’s Rangers race is well and truly run.

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