The whole “he played in the third tier so he can’t be good enough for Rangers” line has always felt like folk trying to win an argument rather than actually watching a player. If that’s the rule, then we should never have taken a punt on someone like Manny in the first place. And yet here we are, with plenty of supporters now looking at him and thinking: aye, there’s something in this lad.
Level matters, but so does profile
Truth is, the badge on the opponent’s shirt isn’t the only thing that tells you whether someone can step up. What matters is the player’s profile: athleticism, temperament, decision-making, and whether their attributes translate when the tempo rises and the pressure’s on. Rangers is a different world, but it doesn’t mean talent can’t come from outside the obvious places.
Supporters have used that same logic before to write off other names too, like Nedari in your example. It’s the same old pattern: judge the division first, then the player second. That’s back to front. If a recruitment team is worth listening to at all, it’s because they’re meant to spot the bits that travel across levels.
Manny’s value isn’t just what he costs
Calling a signing “wasted money” is easy when you’ve not got patience for development. But if Manny is doing what you hoped he would, then the conversation shifts fast. Suddenly it’s not “why did we buy him?” but “how high is his ceiling?”
Even in basic football terms, centre-halves who can handle duels, recover in space, and look comfortable when we’re pushing up the park are always going to be valuable. Rangers spend long spells on the front foot in Scotland. That means the defenders need to defend big spaces and cope with transitions. If Manny’s showing he can do that, he’s already answered half the doubts.
The Bassey comparison and the Nigeria chat
You mentioning Calvin Bassey is interesting because it underlines the bigger point: you don’t need to arrive with a glamorous background to become a serious player here. Bassey proved how quickly a Rangers stint can turn into the kind of platform that gets you noticed.
If Manny ever did earn recognition at international level, it would just be another marker of progress, not the reason to rate him. Same goes for the eligibility chat around Meghoma. It’s nice to think about, but the bread and butter is what they do every week in a Rangers shirt.
And as for imagining a Manny and Bassey pairing? It’s a fun “what if”, and you can see why it appeals. Physical, quick across the ground, aggressive. The sort of centre-half mix you don’t fancy running into.
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