Jon McLaughlin has today been rejected from the Scotland squad yet again, in a categorical admission of how lowly-rated the deputy stopper at Ibrox is, with Hearts and Motherwell goalies preferred to Rangers’ number two.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke unsurprisingly named Ryan Jack as the only Rangers player to be selected (well, what other credible Scottish offerings do we actually have anyway) but omitted the deputy and indeed third goalie Robby McCrorie, electing instead a rather weak group of Clark, Kelly and Marshall, in what must be the biggest dearth of goalkeeping talent in Scottish history.
Allan McGregor, of course, is not only long-retired from the national scene but is well past his best and wouldn’t be up to standard now regardless, while usual number one Craig Gordon is injured for the season and may struggle to regain fitness this year.
McCrorie? All the promise in the world but not being allowed to play despite how poor McGregor and his deputy are, so we don’t see that one changing any time soon nor McCrorie getting a chance with his national team either.
But it’s the admission of how chronically bad McLaughlin is that even as Rangers’ main offering for the national team in goal, he’s comically overlooked and dismissed without thought with midtable clubs’ stoppers instead chosen.
We don’t agree with much about Steve Clarke, he’s already responsible for breaking Ryan Jack quite badly in the past and derailing our midfielder’s career somewhat, but on this one we couldn’t be more on the same page.
McLaughlin should not be at Ibrox in any capacity, we wouldn’t even want him as a coach – he’s not Rangers standard, hell he’s barely Scottish Premiership standard. And yet on our bench he sits happily picking up a Rangers player’s wage.
If even Steve Clarke can see this, what’s the guy even doing here instead of Ozer or Siegrist? McLaughlin must be the poorest goalkeeping signing Rangers have ever made, even including the 2012 era.
But enough whining about how bad he is, he didn’t get the Scotland call which isn’t really a surprise. It’s just astonishing he remains in Govan being well-paid.
Cushy life huh?