Reports today claim not only is Allan McGregor to accept a new player coach deal at Rangers (because that worked SO well last time…) but that Jon McLaughlin is to be installed as new number one.
The surprise news coming out of Ibrox suggests McGregor has reversed his decision to retire, something he was planning on after Sevilla, and is now eager to continue with a potential crack at the CL.
But the accompanying news that McLaughlin will take over as number one, unless Rangers sign a new first choice body for that position, is the biggest left field announcement.
In Gio We Trust, but even we’re a little taken aback by this, if true. Not so much McGregor becoming second choice and backup (he is 76 now after all), but that McLaughlin stands a strong chance of becoming the new first-pick between the sticks.
Don’t get us wrong, McLaughlin has never let us down, and has been reliable when called upon, but his CV doesn’t point to a goalie with the quality to be Rangers’ first choice on a permanent basis and he seems perfectly placed as deputy to whoever number one is.
We do agree on McGregor taking a step back as a potential coach (we’re not sure he’s in favour of that in truth) given he struggled for a large amount of last season particularly in the league, and he’s getting no younger.
But the notion of McLaughlin as his replacement does feel like settling and if we’re to replace McGregor we’d rather a marquee quality stopper rather than our own deputy goalie.
But if this is Gio’s decision, we trust it.
As long as he’s replacing Firth as our unnofficial mascot, I’m happy with that. I would prefer a better keeper than McLaughlin as no.1 but he is a good shot stopper and far superior in his box than Shagger ever was. His errors in the County and Motherwell games are still fresh in the mind and I don’t particularly want him as no.1, promote McCrorie to no.2
When he was with Hearts I rated him highly. I believe that he would do an excellent job as our no. 1.
McGregor as coach and number 2 just won’t work. At his age McGregor has to play every week to keep himself up to speed. He won’t be able to keep his sharpness. Just as Defoe couldn’t.
You just said yourself that McLaughlin has never let us down. The guy is really solid and deserves a good run now to prove himself surely? He is settled, knows the players and the opposition. Would it be any better to take in a new man between the sticks that might not settle immediately and cost us a fortune to boot? McLaughlin as first pick with McCrorie as backup seems like the most logical way to go right now. McGregor would be heavily scrutinised if he was to continue as no.1 and not do the position justice. We saw signs of that last season.
Should we really be replacing a top act like greegs with a guy who is to an extent unproven and who we THINK may do a job going in to yet another very important season ?
A top goalie can be worth 10 -15 points as proven last season ,we need to go out and get a class act if possible ,very imporatant position .
MacGregor has for the most part been living on his past reputation for most of last season, with the occasional good game, and I’m not sure what he would bring to the coaching side of the game.
I can’t honestly remember Greegs ever coming of his line at a corner, or dominating the box, but if GVB thinks he can add to the coaching staff, fair enough.
Forget about playing though.
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