Skov Olsen can be a good player and still not belong anywhere near the same conversation as Brian Laudrup. That’s not a slight on Olsen, it’s just the reality of what Laudrup was at his peak and the level he did it at.
When Laudrup was coming through and then hitting his stride, he played in an era where the Italian league was the place you went if you wanted to measure yourself against the very best. Week to week, it was packed with elite defenders and top-class teams. And Laudrup wasn’t merely surviving in that environment, he was making people look daft with his close control, his balance, and that ability to glide past a challenge as if it wasn’t there.
Why the level matters
Rangers supporters don’t need a history lesson on Laudrup, because most of us remember the feeling. You could be sitting at Ibrox and the match would be scrappy, tense, or going nowhere, then he’d take the ball and suddenly the whole thing changed. One touch, a drop of the shoulder, and the tempo lifted.
That’s what folk mean by world class. Not just tricks for the sake of it, but a player who decides moments and changes games. You can talk about systems and shapes all you like, but some players are a system on their own.
Olsen’s career so far, and what it is
Olsen has had strong periods, especially in Belgium, and there’s nothing wrong with that level. He’s been productive early in Denmark, he’s had a move abroad that didn’t quite click, and he’s enjoyed success at Club Brugge in a good side. That can still translate into being a very useful signing in Scotland, because our league suits players who can be direct, make good decisions in the final third, and handle a physical game.
But it’s also fair to say his CV doesn’t scream “global elite”. He’s not built the kind of top-league body of work that Laudrup did, and he hasn’t produced the same level of standout moments on the biggest stages.
It’s not disrespect, it’s perspective
The issue is the comparison itself. Laudrup wasn’t just a very good Rangers player. He was one of the best players of his era, full stop, and his honours and reputation reflect that. Olsen can still be a solid, even important player for Rangers without us forcing a label on him that doesn’t fit.
So aye, enjoy Olsen for what he is. Just don’t try and squeeze him into a Laudrup-shaped frame. There’s no need.
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Rangers News Views offers daily Glasgow Rangers coverage including match reaction, transfer analysis, SPFL context, tactical breakdowns and opinion-led articles written by supporters for supporters.
