Hot on the heels of Olwethu Makhanya, Rangers are set to announce another bizarrely left field signing in Japan’s Daisuke Yokota. On the face of it, this right winger, 26, sounds like a Japanese international. It appears Rangers have finally entered that market to find the hard working players better known at the East End. However, a bit of digging suggests he is not quite the elite calibre of winger Rangers fans hoped for. He is yet another addition dividing the fanbase between the hipsters and the realists. He has never been called up for Japan at any level.
Another obscure Rangers signing
On one hand, some are screaming and extolling this Rangers signing Daisuke Yokota virtues. They explain that Rangers cannot exactly sign Arjen Robben these days.
Meanwhile, other fans complain that Rangers are shopping in the bargain bin yet again. They are bringing in obscure signings nobody has heard of from other countries’ lower divisions.
Alas, Ibrox Noise would have to be in the latter camp on this one. We have already complained about Makhanya’s statistics, reputation and CV on paper. The former Philadelphia Union player did not impress us. We cannot say that Yokota has a much better CV.
Nine goals and assists in 30 appearances is not absolutely terrible. However, that came in the 2. Bundesliga rather than Germany’s top flight.
Hannover are, of course, a well enough known team. However, we are not talking about a marquee side. They made a loan from Gent permanent in July in this boy, and then sold him one month later to Rangers in a similar permanent at higher price.
To us, this does not scream of a well thought out signing.
Rangers appear to be panic buying
This is what happens when a team starts panic buying with serious action on the horizon. Rangers were diabolical at Dundee United. Now, with Thursday’s trip to Poland approaching, Rangers need players in as soon as possible.
Nobody will tell us that the likes of Makhanya and Yokota are the level Rangers need to improve. Some fans appear to have accepted that these lads represent where we are now. They believe Rangers simply cannot attract the talent they used to.
In all fairness, there is a parallel with our green and white chums across the city. Celtic have just signed Høgh from Bodø/Glimt. They spent around £11M on the best player at that side.
Rangers technically did the same with Dragojević of Partizan. He, of course, cost Rangers around £4.5M. Therefore, both sides are buying the best players from other teams.
The problem is that both teams are generally bringing in relatively substandard players overall. Not that we care what Celtic are doing, of course. However, while they have spent a fortune, we are unsure whether they are much stronger.
We are certainly not convinced Rangers are much stronger after spending around £20M either. Put simply, we are not. Rangers are signing more players at the same level as those currently here.
McInnes faces serious questions
That is the biggest problem for Derek McInnes. During his unveiling press conference, he claimed he would sign off on every player. He said every signing would receive his approval.
Either he cannot spot a player to save his life or that statement was not entirely true. There is also a third option. If he does not accept the players he is given, he will not get anybody.
There have been some decent signings this summer. We were happy with Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin. We did not mind Ross McCrorie either. Rangers signing Daisuke Yokota is uncertain.
However, the others are basically unknown. There is no question that these are not exactly marquee signings that thrill us.
Only time will tell whether there is an immediate impact. If the Dundee United performance indicates anything, it has already fallen flat on its face.
Rangers need Walter Smith calibre
We always hark back to Walter Smith’s impact in early 2007. We keep repeating this like a broken record.
All it took was two technically washed up Premier League players in Weir and Ehiogu and one of the Scottish Premiership’s better players in Kevin Thomson. Overnight, Walter transformed Paul Le Guen’s absolutely diabolical squad into Scotland’s best team.
That is how much the right signings could improve Rangers. Obviously, the manager was an absolute god and an icon who knew what he was doing.
We do not think Derek McInnes is not capable. However, he really is not getting that calibre of player at all.
He is not getting the trusty warhorses or experienced talent. He is not getting the quality he needs. Instead, Rangers are bringing in very average EFL (or otherwise) slop.
Now we have moved on to lower division slop from other leagues. It is not exactly the obvious path forward for Rangers to improve.
It is a bizarre signing, as many have been this summer. We cannot really say that we are seeing much difference in recruitment at all.