'Something Rangers are missing': Clement urged to sign £3.5m ace who would fix big Gers problem
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Even as Rangers cruised past St Johnstone at Ibrox over the weekend, those familiar failings were still very evident.
Philippe Clement’s side stormed into a 3-0 lead inside half an hour through Hamza Igamane, Vaclav Cerny and Mo Diomande. But a Rangers performance is never usually complete these days without some kind of defensive mix-up.
And as Jack Sanders pulled one back for the struggling Saints, the manner of their consolation would have taken no one on the Ibrox terraces by surprise. A corner swung into the box, the 6ft 4ins Sanders ragdolling Ianis Hagi and heading past Liam Kelly almost unchallenged from point-blank range.
This came just days after Rocky Bushiri snatched a point for Hibernian at Easter Road from another set-piece situation. In fact, only the woodwork denied Hibs a hat-trick of set-piece goals in that 3-3 Edinburgh thriller.
And while Rangers legend Kris Boyd questioned Liam Kelly’s ability to command his penalty area in Jack Butland’s absence post-match, it’s clear that this is a problem which goes beyond the man standing between the sticks.
Rangers urged to sign Grant Hanley from Norwich City
Without John Souttar – and without a Connor Goldson or a Filip Helander to call upon these days – Rangers lack the sort of physicality and aerial aggression required to cope with some of the Premiership’s more direct opponents.
As such, and not for the first time, the idea of Rangers bringing Grant Hanley back to Scotland is once again a topic of discussion.
“I think it would be a good fit if it is one Rangers can do,” Marvin Bartley, the former Hibernian and Livingston defender, said on Wednesday. “If I was the Rangers manager, or I was on the Rangers board, its one I would be trying to do.”
Hanley, capped nearly 60 times by his country, is 33 years of age these days. He has only played three Championship games for Norwich City this season, too.
Yet, with his contract expiring in the summer, both Bartley and former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell believe this is a deal worth pursuing, even if Hanley would be more of a short-term quick fix than a long-term solution.
Scotland star Hanley would gave Rangers something they are ‘missing’
“He’s done extremely well for Scotland. He is dominant aerially, which is something Rangers are missing at this moment of time,” Bartley adds. So yeah, a solid player to bring in, who understands the Scottish game and the physical side that comes with it.
“You’re not bringing a player who has no idea how it works [in Scotland]. I think he would hit the ground running and improve that backline for sure.
“Agree,” Bell responds. “I think Grant Hanley comes with a huge amount of experience. He likes the contact, the physical challenge, and Rangers are lacking that. Any ball that comes into the box, they are really struggling with corners and set pieces. Very, very vulnerable.
“So yes, he would definitely be one you would be looking at if he’s affordable and available. It is definitely a position they need to strengthen.”
The Dumfries-born Hanley has never played a senior game in the Scottish Premiership. He did spent two years in Rangers’ academy until 2008, however, heading south of the border and making his name at Blackburn Rovers.
Hanley has now played just shy of 200 games for Norwich, having joined The Canaries from Newcastle United in a deal worth a reported £3.5 million.
