Former captain Weir questions Rangers’ pursuit of Pompey target Edmundson
DAVID WEIR has questioned Rangers’ pursuit of Pompey target George Edmundson.
The former Gers captain believes his old club need to be attracting proven players in their bid to close the gap on Celtic, who have won the Scottish Premiership title for the past eight seasons.
And in an interview with the Daily Record, the ex-Scotland international claimed the step up from League Two Oldham to the top tier north of the border should not be underestimated.
Pompey had a significant bid in excess of £600,000 accepted for the Latics centre-half last week.
But that hasn’t put off Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, who has seen two approaches for the 21-yearold knocked back.
A last-gasp bid is expected from the Ibrox outfit, who are also keen on Charlton midfielder Joe Aribo.
But Weir believes if the Gers are to deny triple-winning Celtic a ninth consecutive title, then established players – and a bigger budget – are the answer.
The 49-year-old, who acted as Mark Warbuton’s assistant manager at Ibrox from June 2015 to February 2017, said: ‘You can see from the profile of the players the ones they are going for.
‘They are younger, more up and coming and there is value in them. But the ones who are going to change their team are the ones they really need.
‘They need ones to make them significantly better because they have got a good solid base.
‘It’s a massive step up from Oldham to Rangers, there is no doubt about that.
‘People underestimate Scottish football and look at some of the games and say maybe the quality isn’t there.
‘But the intensity and physicality of the game up here is really difficult and a lot of players have come here and really struggled. ‘I have watched a lot of English football and Scottish football rates,Idon’tcare what anyone says, in terms of being a difficult league.
'Steven Gerrard was right to say he doesn’t have a magic wand but you also need a magic wand. ‘That’s the reality, you need to be lucky and if you’re not getting backed then it’s really difficult.
‘You need to spend more, be creative, get loans or sell someone to fund bringing players in.
‘It’s about what Rangers’ business model is because fans are demanding title number 55.
‘They don’t care about the budgets.
‘They just care about the result on the Saturday and where they are in the league table.’
55 Rangers will be hunting a 55th top-flight title next season