Rangers recruitment, reputation and the second-tier debate

On the transfer side of things, I’m firmly in the camp that doesn’t sit trawling through YouTube comps and stat sites trying to pick signings for Rangers. Truth is, I don’t really have a fixed list of names I want us to bring in, beyond the odd opposition player that catches the eye when we play them. That’s what a recruitment team is for, and they’ve far more tools and information than any of us on a forum.

Not every unknown name is a hidden gem

The other day Aphelion posted a list of Scandinavian and German players. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know any of them. So I did what most of us do: went away, had a quick look, tried to get a feel for who they are and what level they’re at.

Nothing really leapt out at me as someone who has already proved they can handle the kind of pressure and expectation that comes with playing for Rangers. It wasn’t that they were bad players. It was more that I didn’t see that mix of experience and mentality you usually need to walk straight into our first team and cope with the demands here.

One point I was trying to make, probably not very clearly, was around the level they’re playing at. We’ll regularly see people dismiss players from the English second tier as not being good enough for us. If that’s the standard we’re using, then why would second-tier football in Germany or anywhere else automatically be seen as a step up? Different leagues have different profiles, but the logic has to be consistent.

Experience now, potential later

Listening to what Danny Röhl has said, it feels like we’re targeting proper experience in certain key positions. Players who have been around the block a bit, know what it’s like to play under real pressure and can handle it from day one. None of the names on that list really screamed “ready-made starter” for us in that sense.

That doesn’t mean there’s nothing interesting there. In fairness to the discussion, Jens Hjertø-Dahl looks really decent from what you can see. There’s clearly talent there. But at 20 years old, he looks more like one for the future than someone you throw straight into the fire at Ibrox in the middle of a season.

So for me, it’s a balance. Let the recruitment team earn their money, look at markets like Scandinavia and Germany, and find value. But at the same time, we shouldn’t kid ourselves that every unknown name from abroad is automatically a bargain or mentally ready for the specific demands of Rangers. Potential is great, but we still need a core of players who are ready right now.

Trusting the process, with a bit of healthy scepticism

In the end, I’m not against us signing from any league or any age bracket. I just want us to be clear about what we’re getting: experience for the here and now, or a project for a year or two down the line. Right now, it sounds like the manager wants a bit more of the former in key areas. The younger, high-upside types like a Hjertø-Dahl feel more like summer business, when you can bed them in properly rather than throwing them straight into the deep end.

You can debate names all day, but for me it comes back to this: level, mentality and timing. If those three things are right, the passport and the league shouldn’t really matter.

Written by Angus1812: 13 December 2025