VoodooChild360
20-05-2008, 18:33:39 PM
Was watching the FA Cup final on Saturday. One of the biggest, infact probably the biggest Domestic Cup Final in the world and was shocked to see two Rangers rejects pop up in the Cardiff squad for the game. Gavin Rae and Stevie Thompson. Where the Hell have they been? Couldn't cut it at Rangers and now suddenly popping up in the FA Cup Final? Albeit with Cardiff City who aren't exactly world renowned but it was weird to see them there.
Anyway I remember having this discussion a few years ago with some mates. In the sort of early to middle part of this decade there was a fact going around that a lot of the players Rangers had sold or released in recent years were so good you could make a whole first team with them it was better than their Starting XI.
Just have a look at some of the players they let go since the turn of the Decade. Look how many of them have popped up in the footballing world doing bigger and better things years later. Maybe if they'd held onto these guys a little longer then they wouldn't have to rely on signing gash like Sebo, Ostenstad, Eggen and Flo etc.
So just so we can laugh at their losses I've thrown together a starting lineup of players they should have kept.
1) Antti Niemi
One of the most sought after goalkeepers in the English Premiership. Has been touted by some of the bigger clubs however opts to float around the diddy teams. Could easily grab a move to one of the decent English Premiership teams though.
2) Alan Hutton
More a move for money but wins a cup in his first couple of months and is an established first teamer now at Spurs. Since leaving Rangers his presence has been sorely missed.
3) Joachim Bjorklund
Anyone remember this guy? A flop at fullback for Rangers in the late nineties. Goes off to Spain where the next time he appears on our radars is playing for Valencia in the 2000 Champions League final. Then just to rub it in, he's back in the 2001 Champions League final with Valencia again!
4) Lorenzo Amoruso
Ok, he was a big numpty but a loveable big numpty. Love Rangers and gave his all to the club albeit he was mistake prone. A good one for team morale and always likely to come out with a stupid comment to the press like how he used to go on booze binges of Baileys. The man should have ended his career at Rangers.
5) Zurab Khizanishvilli
A big Eck signing who was actually alright. Just never got his chance on a regular enough basis before being released. Now finds himself playing every week at Blackburn Rovers in the English Premiership. Can't be that bad huh?
6) Tugay
Was a good player at Rangers and the fans did like him but for whatever reason the Rangers bored decided to punt him at the first opportunity to Blackburn for a measly million quid. Even in this late stage of his career he is one of Blackburn's most valuable players. Gets stuck in, picks a good pass and can score amazing goals. Not got the legs for it anymore mind you.
7) Gio Van Bronckhorst
Majestic player to play for Rangers and his move to Arsenal was deserved. Too bad it never really worked out for him. It's the move he had to Barcelona which followed that saved his career. A rebirth as a left full back kept him playing in the team for a long time as well as keeping his international career going. This was more another move like Hutton where the money was too good to turn down.
8) Rino Gatusso
No words needed really.
9) Jonathan Johansson
Stands out because I remember at the time Rangers were struggling for goals. Wallace and Dodds were just rubbish while Flo had turned out to be Scotland's biggest flop. Kenny Miller was a failed experiment to. Johansson had gone down to Charlton and already had 15+ goals for the season.
10) Kenny Miller
Although he would eventually resurface for us, in the time between being released by Rangers to coming to us he filled the gap pretty well by scoring for fun for Wolves and for the Scottish National Team. Maybe if given more of a chance at Rangers his path of clubs in his career could read very differently. Don't worry though, The Huns will have him back soon enough it seems. A prospect which is terrifying me lol!
11) Mikel Arteta
The boy was recently voted the "Best Player outside the Top 4" in the Premiership although I think Berbatov may have something to say about that. The kid is definitely gifted but again, it's another Rangers loss.
Other notable mentions go to Claudio Reyna, Derek McInness and Charlie Miller. All of which went on to play in the English Premiership after Rangers.
Good to be a Celtic fan :celticscarf:
Anyway I remember having this discussion a few years ago with some mates. In the sort of early to middle part of this decade there was a fact going around that a lot of the players Rangers had sold or released in recent years were so good you could make a whole first team with them it was better than their Starting XI.
Just have a look at some of the players they let go since the turn of the Decade. Look how many of them have popped up in the footballing world doing bigger and better things years later. Maybe if they'd held onto these guys a little longer then they wouldn't have to rely on signing gash like Sebo, Ostenstad, Eggen and Flo etc.
So just so we can laugh at their losses I've thrown together a starting lineup of players they should have kept.
1) Antti Niemi
One of the most sought after goalkeepers in the English Premiership. Has been touted by some of the bigger clubs however opts to float around the diddy teams. Could easily grab a move to one of the decent English Premiership teams though.
2) Alan Hutton
More a move for money but wins a cup in his first couple of months and is an established first teamer now at Spurs. Since leaving Rangers his presence has been sorely missed.
3) Joachim Bjorklund
Anyone remember this guy? A flop at fullback for Rangers in the late nineties. Goes off to Spain where the next time he appears on our radars is playing for Valencia in the 2000 Champions League final. Then just to rub it in, he's back in the 2001 Champions League final with Valencia again!
4) Lorenzo Amoruso
Ok, he was a big numpty but a loveable big numpty. Love Rangers and gave his all to the club albeit he was mistake prone. A good one for team morale and always likely to come out with a stupid comment to the press like how he used to go on booze binges of Baileys. The man should have ended his career at Rangers.
5) Zurab Khizanishvilli
A big Eck signing who was actually alright. Just never got his chance on a regular enough basis before being released. Now finds himself playing every week at Blackburn Rovers in the English Premiership. Can't be that bad huh?
6) Tugay
Was a good player at Rangers and the fans did like him but for whatever reason the Rangers bored decided to punt him at the first opportunity to Blackburn for a measly million quid. Even in this late stage of his career he is one of Blackburn's most valuable players. Gets stuck in, picks a good pass and can score amazing goals. Not got the legs for it anymore mind you.
7) Gio Van Bronckhorst
Majestic player to play for Rangers and his move to Arsenal was deserved. Too bad it never really worked out for him. It's the move he had to Barcelona which followed that saved his career. A rebirth as a left full back kept him playing in the team for a long time as well as keeping his international career going. This was more another move like Hutton where the money was too good to turn down.
8) Rino Gatusso
No words needed really.
9) Jonathan Johansson
Stands out because I remember at the time Rangers were struggling for goals. Wallace and Dodds were just rubbish while Flo had turned out to be Scotland's biggest flop. Kenny Miller was a failed experiment to. Johansson had gone down to Charlton and already had 15+ goals for the season.
10) Kenny Miller
Although he would eventually resurface for us, in the time between being released by Rangers to coming to us he filled the gap pretty well by scoring for fun for Wolves and for the Scottish National Team. Maybe if given more of a chance at Rangers his path of clubs in his career could read very differently. Don't worry though, The Huns will have him back soon enough it seems. A prospect which is terrifying me lol!
11) Mikel Arteta
The boy was recently voted the "Best Player outside the Top 4" in the Premiership although I think Berbatov may have something to say about that. The kid is definitely gifted but again, it's another Rangers loss.
Other notable mentions go to Claudio Reyna, Derek McInness and Charlie Miller. All of which went on to play in the English Premiership after Rangers.
Good to be a Celtic fan :celticscarf: