Whatever way you slice it, this felt like one that came from left field. For all the talk online and all the so-called inside info that does the rounds, not many had this one clocked early. That’s not a complaint, by the way. Sometimes it’s refreshing when Rangers move quietly and just get on with it.
The attraction is obvious: size
The immediate thing you hear, and the first thing you picture, is the lad’s frame. Rangers have clearly been shopping with a type in mind lately, big, physical players who can stand up to the league and impose themselves. That doesn’t automatically make someone a success, but you can see why it appeals when so many SPFL games turn into battles in tight spaces.
There’s also the simple truth that we’ve not had enough goals from up top at times. When you’re watching chance after chance fizzle out, it’s hard not to think: what if we had a forward who just attacks the ball and makes defenders hate their afternoon?
Not first choice, but football changes quickly
My instinct is he’s not coming in as the nailed-on first pick. It feels more like a project signing, someone Rangers see as one for the future rather than the finished product. But it only takes a couple of starts, a couple of goals, and suddenly the “one for later” is the one the manager can’t leave out.
That’s especially true if we’re looking for a different profile in the squad. Not every striker needs to do the same job. Some games you need pace in behind, other games you need someone who can pin centre-halves, win second balls, and give you a platform.
Crosses and set-pieces: the oldest trick still works
The thing about a tall forward who can actually head a ball is that it’s universal. Amateur level or elite level, the principle doesn’t change: put a decent cross in and let him attack it. It sounds basic because it is basic, but that’s exactly why it’s reliable when it’s done properly.
And if Rangers start loading the box at corners and free-kicks with multiple big bodies, it can become a real theme. Not just for goals, but for chaos. Second phases, knockdowns, scrambles, defenders panicking, that’s often where matches are won.
Funny thing is, it takes you back to the way Martin O’Neill’s sides used to lean into that kind of pressure. If Rangers can build that threat again, there’s a certain irony in turning that same approach back on him.
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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.
