Sport
Rangers may forfeit more than 750 appearances
Over 750 Rangers appearances could walk out the door for nothing as Philippe Clement eviscerates the contract record of Ross Wilson.
Rangers chairman John Bennett was clear in the publishing of the club’s latest accounts that improving player trading was set to be a primary focus of the club’s business model.
This is after years of negligence on that front from the recruitment power brokers at Ibrox who have systemically failed to both boost the club’s ranks with quality and maximise our earning potential.
At the crux of the entire thing is the record of ex-Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson, with manager Philippe Clement taking a decidedly different view on contracts to the now Nottingham Forest chief.
Philippe Clement calls out Rangers contract record
Speaking ahead of the Scottish Cup clash with Dumbarton, Rangers manager Clement lamented the fact five experienced and high-earning first-team options are into the final six months of their contracts.
Interestingly, we actually count it six with the comments probably a nod to third-choice goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin’s Ibrox future.
In total, it means Rangers could lose 773 appearances (at the time of writing) from their ranks in the summer for absolutely nothing in a situation Clement has branded “crazy”.
The incoming Ibrox gaffer will have also landed a tremendous blow on the ego of Ross Wilson by claiming the situation is not an example of a “well-leaded club”.
Borna Barisic (224 appearances), Ryan Jack (204), John Lundstram (130), Kemar Roofe (93), Leon Balogun (77), and Jon McLaughlin (46) are all free to discuss terms elsewhere and leave in the summer.
Rangers would then theoretically have to spend to replace them in what is a damning indictment of the club’s crazy approach to recruitment in recent seasons.
Not only is it a host of big names leaving Rangers, but it’s some sizeable transfer fees too with the first four players mentioned certainly capable of recouping fees at one stage or another of their Ibrox tenures.
Ross Wilson at centre of transfer criticism
Contrast the comments of Philippe Clement with that of Ross Wilson speaking back during his time at Rangers in 2021.
Claiming that Rangers were “really, really relaxed about where we are with our player contracts” on reflection these are misjudged comments.
Going on to discuss a “clear contract model” and “clear wage structure”, Wilson told that year’s AGM that Rangers were “really, really comfortable with where we’re at with all our player contracts”.
Rangers have sleepwalked into something of a disaster in the transfer front in recent seasons with Ross Wilson’s recent signing record genuinely abysmal.
The club failed to build on 55 and the January window of 2022 proved to set the hammer over Wilson’s coffin before a disastrous summer proved the final nail, with protests aplenty sending the ex-Southampton director back to the Premier League.
This summer saw Rangers release three players in Filip Helander, Ryan Kent, and Alfredo Morelos who not only cost the club a combined £11m but who could’ve recouped fees during their time at Ibrox.
By the time Wilson jumped ship to the City Ground, all the power was in the hands of the players.
Whilst Steven Gerrard wanted to keep his squad together post-55, it’s a failure of the club’s recruitment that they couldn’t ship these guys out, bank profits, and find suitable replacements.
When players won’t sign extensions whilst value remains on their contracts or – in the opinion of the recruitment team – have reached their maximum potential at the club, they must be sold and a portion of the funds reinvested.
There were success stories – Nathan Patterson (Everton), Calvin Bassey (Ajax), and Joe Aribo (Southampton) in particular – but just not enough of them.
Having worked in the Belgian Pro League, Champions League, and Ligue 1, Philippe Clement certainly knows how things operate at the top end of European football.
Since coming into Rangers, the Belgian hasn’t been shy in pointing out first the shortcomings of our medical departments but also of our scouting and recruitment team.
Ross Wilson led this department between October 2019 and April 2023 and the bulk of the contract blame lies firmly at his feet.
