Rangers could be at disadvantage with winter break scrapped

0
Rangers could be at disadvantage with winter break scrapped
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 09: Rangers manager Philippe Clement is seen during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Rangers FC and Dundee FC at Ibrox Stadium on December 09, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Ibrox Noise waited till the dust had settled before addressing the big breaking news of the scrapping of the winter break in Scotland.

ADVERTISEMENT

Basically, because the Champions League and Europa League change format next year, to identically copy the European Super League format that UEFA alluded to hating so much, there will be even more congestion in the world of football and a winter break isn’t feasible any more.

Of course the irony is that Scottish clubs are never in the Champions League after Christmas so it doesn’t strictly affect us on that level, but it may happen in the UEL and therefore the winter 3 week time out is done. Over. Kaput.

There are three massive ramifications for Rangers to this change.

ADVERTISEMENT

The first one depends in part on tonight’s performance and result. That is, Rangers traditionally coming back from winter break barely in first gear. We saw in Dumbarton something a bit better, but that was ‘only’ Dumbarton, and we’d need to see how the side fares on Wednesday night v Hibs to make more of a conclusion there.

That is to say that the scrapping might actually be redundant to Rangers now, that Clement may have cracked the infamous winter and new year hoodoo which has blighted Rangers for years. But it still does mean it’s no longer an issue either way anymore regardless.

The second ramification? Injuries. With no winter break, Rangers are going to lose more players over the dangerous December and January period. We’re already a massive glut of key players down with a break, it’ll be worse without taking a break over winter. That is far from ideal.

ADVERTISEMENT

But the third one? It’s what Clement said himself – he badly, badly, BADLY needs more and more players to cope with the extra matches, and that means signing players! Which we simply haven’t done this window. We have added one player, and while Mohamed Diomande appears to be close and may be sealed today, that would only make two.

We need considerably more than two.

So the break is scrapped, but the curious irony is that now with Clement maybe sussing the issue out of Rangers being slow after new year, dumping the break may in fact now be more disadvantageous to the club!

ADVERTISEMENT

Que sera

No posts to display