14 PLAYERS IN-14 OUT-£21.9M NET SPEND-PURDY STEPS DOWN

Eight days after the closure of the summer transfer window, the following summary can be deduced:

-14 players have been joined the club.

-14 players have left the club.

-The net spend amounts to £21.9m.

There is nothing dull at Rangers FC, it was then announced that technical director Dan Purdy has 'stepped down' from his position. It was however announced that 'Dan will continue to work with the club's ownership group, supporting the transition and other football projects'.

Purdy was part of a collaborative group (including chairman Andrew Cavenagh and CEO Jim Gillespie) whose responsibility was to oversee the recruitment process during the transfer window. Purdy's main responsibility was to identify players for consideration by the whole recruitment group.

So who has left the club and joined during the summer transfer window and accounted for the £21.9m net spend? See table below:

At the end of last season in May chairman Andrew Cavenagh outlined the key components of the forthcoming summer transfer window:

-"Change in the dugout is futile if the club doesn't change it's 'culture and leadership'".

-"Without the right conditions no manager will succeed" (referring to the summer transfer window).

-"You can't lament the squad and blame the manager in equal measure".

-"Get the recruitment right, 'best team, right culture, right leaders'".

-A "pro SPL and Scottish bias will be implemented" (within the recruitment process).

-"Chemistry and leadership, steel and footballing IQ over raw talent".

This is a breakdown of the 14 incoming players following the closure of the summer transfer window:

Some key conclusions can be drawn against the above comments made by Mr Cavenagh last May taking into consideration the 11 games played at the time of writing:

-There has been a change in the dugout with Danny Rohl leaving for RB Salzburg and Derek McInnes joining shortly afterwards to undertake the "managers" role on the 17th June. It is evident with the composition of the squad, with some of the old guard leaving, that their is a change in "culture and leadership".

-The "right conditions" have been attempted to be created by the board by sanctioning the 14 incomings, and the rebuffing of numerous transfer requests and some firm offers for high profile targets Emmanuel Fernandez, Nico Raskin and Youssef Chermiti (before his unfortunate injury).

Mr Cavenagh and the board should be commended for this course of action and therefore giving Derek McInnes the best possible opportunity to work with an invigorated and ambitious (albeit largely inexperienced) playing squad for season 2026-27.

-Due to the poor initial start of the season resulting in being knocked out of all European football following the two legged debacle against FK Jablonec from the Czech Republic, there was clear signs from the fan base lamenting the composition of the squad and the performance of the manager included him making 11 half time changes in the first seven games. However following the second leg in the Czech Republic, the manager and team have shown a greater level of consistency winning all four following SPL matches. This along with the clear development of the both the team and the newer players has given the fanbase a greater degree of optimism.

-Time will tell if the "best team, right culture, right leaders" is forged, but as alluded to above Mr Cavenagh and the board have backed the manager to put these attributes into practice.

-Perhaps surprisingly out of the 14 incomings only 3 are Scotsman and only four have previous SPL experience which conflicts with Mr Cavenagh's comments in May regarding the desired composition of the squad. With potential targets like Elliot Watt and Luke Graham not being secured, was it a case that the potential players that fell within this Scottish/SPL "bias" where either not considered the type of players of "right culture, right leaders" or where financially out of reach?

One thing that is evident is that there appears to be good "Chemistry, leadership and steel" within the squad, although some of the "footballing IQ over raw talent" is going to be a slower burner as the average age of the 14 new players is just over 22 years of age.

SUMMMARY:

With no European football on offer for Rangers this season, and a current squad of 31 players, this creates the paradox of positive competition for places, but negatively match minutes will be limited for the developing players. Vanja Dragojevic is an example of a player with undoubted talent having limited initial match minutes compounded by the surprising retention of Nico Raskin.

Three long term injuries to Youssef Chermiti, Lawrence Shankland and Daisuke Yokota have already distorted the squad composition.

There are clear signs in the performances against Motherwell at Ibrox on Saturday 5th September, and the first half against St Mirren against at Ibrox on Wednesday 9th September, that the team is beginning to find an identity under manager Derek McInnes and gain confidence both collectively and individually.

The likes of Ivor Pandur (GK), James Penrice (left back), Olwethu Makhanya (centre back), Dan Neil (midfield and captain), Minsu Kim (winger) and Lawrence Shankland (striker-before injury) have already made positive contributions and have shown "chemistry, leadership and steel" three key attributes challenged to be carried out by Mr Cavenagh.

Derek McInnes will be working overtime to become an alchemist, in accelerating a group of young players with obvious talent, into very good Rangers players as soon as possible-time is a rare commodity at Rangers FC.

As Mr Struth said many years ago "I hear that you're a good player, son, but can you play for Rangers"? This quote could not be more pertinent to the current group of players as it was all those years ago.

Marcus

HATW1872