It’s safe to say Dutchman Robin Propper’s Rangers career hasn’t started terribly well. While initially Ibrox Noise was fairly impressed with his composure at Hampden v Motherwell, since then the 31-year-old, whose game is identical to departed Connor Goldson’s, hasn’t exactly shone.
Now, we must remember that it is the defender’s first time outside of Holland, having only ever plied his trade in the Eredivisie up till now, and he’s experiencing a major culture shock by the differences between Scotland and Holland.
Much in the same way it took Ridvan Yilmaz a terribly long time to settle in Glasgow, Propper is the same – the difference for him is he’s much older than the Turk, and he will find it more mentally challenging to adapt to a new culture at his age.
There’s also the completely new style of football he’s having to contend with.
Gone is the open-ended technical football of Holland, with a mid-to-upper table side trying to usurp the giants at the top, and that’s replaced by constant possession-based dominant football trying to get past a low block.
Robin Propper, simply put, doesn’t suit Rangers.
His game style has been dealing with Twente (and other Dutch sides) and Holland for the best part of 12 years, and suddenly, out of absolutely nowhere, he’s been thrown into a chaotic, badly-managed Rangers under the pressure of must-win.
His game style is similar to ex-defender Connor Goldson – he is all about distributing the ball, and making clearances – he’s not a physical defender, he’s not strong, and he is caught a lot by the speed of Scottish football.
Rangers fans are already unimpressed by the stopper, especially by his abysmal defending v St Mirren.
But it’s less his fault, more Rangers’ scouting for recruiting a guy who had never experienced anything like this before, at his age. It’s fine for a Ridvan, a Kasanwirjo, a Sterling – young guys who can adapt more easily because they’ve not experienced enough yet and their personalities are fluid.
An older, crystalised defender who lacks experience though is a tough one. Why did Rangers sign him?
Because he was only £1.5M and they needed a quick replacement for Goldson.
This is an occasion where despite the data screaming at Nils Koppen that Propper wouldn’t suit Rangers, the club forged ahead with the signing anyway.
The summer was indeed a hotpotch of signings, few of whom made clear sense, and most of whom seemed to have been plucked randomly.
It’s not really Propper’s fault, he just doesn’t suit the club just like so many of our signings haven’t.
But if injuries don’t clear up, Clement will be relying on him again tomorrow.