I agree McCrorie was a sensible signing and I even admitted years ago I preferred Shankland to Dessers. I'm not knocking the recruitment. What does worry me is the shorthand we keep hearing — 'Scottish', 'knows the league', 'knows the club' — as if that'll guarantee success. Labels don't replace character.

Paying attention to the boxes

It makes sense to tick boxes. Familiarity with the SPFL, experience in Scotland, the right age profile — signings can look neat on paper. But football isn't a checklist. The training ground, the dressing room, the way a player reacts when things go wrong — that stuff isn't captured on a scouting brief.

Supporters are right to praise sensible recruitment, but we should be wary of slogans. 'He knows the league' shouldn't be waved around like a magic wand. Plenty of players who look ideal on a CV don't settle, don't graft, or simply don't fit the style the manager wants.

The Dorrans warning

Graham Dorrans gets mentioned for a reason. He ticked a lot of boxes in his day, yet many fans remember him as a signing that didn't work out. To be fair, plenty of signings fail for reasons nobody could predict, but there's a pattern that matters: desire, fight, and temperament are hard to measure before you see them week in, week out.

That doesn't mean every Scottish signing will fail or every foreign player will succeed. It's a reminder to look beyond the easy lines when judging recruitment. We need a balance of guts and brains in the transfer market.

What identity really means

When people bang on about 'getting our identity back' I roll my eyes. Identity has always been patchwork — homegrown heroes sit beside foreigners who became legends. Goram, Gough, Butcher, Gazza, Laudrup, Hateley — they all form part of what Rangers are. Identity isn't nationality; it's attitude, quality and connection to the club.

So yes, be proud when we sign sensible players. But don't let cosy narratives blind us. Demand more than labels. Ask for hunger, for attitude, and for players who actually earn that shirt on a Saturday. And show they can cope under pressure, night after night.

Written by zikos: 9 July 2026

Tags: transfers rumours