As the World Cup fever draws to a close, the attention now turns back to the domestic leagues and the transfer market.
In analysizing the Scottish League, it has been noticeable that over the past two weeks, the Old Firm have been making waves in the transfer market.
The Hoops have cleverly snapped up two players: South Korean Cha Doo-Ri and Welsh wonderkid Joe Ledley, on the free.
Shrewd moves by Neil Lennon, and although he failed to lure Jimmy Bullard, fans can take heart that Mexican starlet Efrain Juarez, who shone during the World Cup, is much on Lennon’s radar.
On the contrary, Rangers’ fans must be concerned that all their beloved team and manager have done is to release and sell some of their most trusted players.
Being a Rangers fan, I would have actually liked to see Nacho Novo stay.
How many times has this ‘bit-part’ player as some may see him, scored crucial goals and lifted the team when he came on? The entire Boyd saga was inevitable and there was never a doubt that he would leave for greener pastures.
The impending sale of Kevin Thomson may not affect the squad as much as Boyd’s departure, but with the likes of Bougherra and Steve Davis being thrown into the transfer mix, surely this is a call for great concern.
Not wanting to spend too much time talking about who is leaving or potentially leaving, I want to focus on who should or can Rangers bring in, given the tight budget.
Like what I have always predicted, Walter Smith being forced to work with little money, would turn to the Championship for bargain buys.
Rumours linking him to Chris Eagles for 1.3m pounds seem a good move, given that the lad is only 24 years old and has his best years in front of him. With the forward pack needing to be strengthened, a move for the Riverside’s Lee Miller should yield some success as he was a proven scorer in the SPL with Aberdeen and with Boyd’s arrival, there is no reason why Boro should not let Miller move.
Perhaps Miller could even be included in the Thomson deal and furthermore he has never made secret of the fact that he would love to play for Rangers.
Apart from the abovementioned, Smith could well pillage the free transfer market. In considering midfield options, he could move for Slovenia’s Robert Koren who was not given a new contract be WBA, to the surprise of many, or Amdy Faye, who has had good experience in the top flight.
Hard tackler Lee Carsley may be an option but his age would be an issue, I presume. George Boateng would be a safe addition and would be a morale boosting coup if Rangers can steal him from under the noses of the Hoops.
Former Manchester United reserve player, Sam Hewson, should be considered as well.
Febian Brandy or Zoltan Harsanyi could be a cheap choices for Smith to add pace to his frontline, while Guillermo Franco or Ilan can provide stability and presence, although high wages may be a stumbling block.
Chris Killen can be thought of as well, althought he did not quite cut it out for Celtic and Middlesbrough. One might think of Marlon Harewood or Francis Jeffers as viable player options, but given their inconsistent form, it would be advisable to look for more established or younger players.
Rangers may have a sturdy defence but there is certainly no harm in adding quality back up to the firstliners, especially with age catching up on David Weir.
Stephen Caldwell or Jay Demerit would be good additions, with the latter having played for USA at the recent World Cup. Kerrea Gilbert, Toni Kallio and Steve Finnan could provide nice back-up for the wing backs.
Whatever it is, it is important that Walter Smith is able to build a team capable of challenging Celtic right to the end and leaving behind a solid foundation for Ally Mccoist to work on.
Bringing in players on free transfers or on the cheap may to some seem like a step down if compared to their Old Firm rivals.
But what matters most is that the hunger stays with the team and that the team ultimately progress as on united squad.
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