Rangers must make this a window of opportunity
IT’S a blue do right enough when Michael Gove, of all people, is making you the butt of jokes over Brexit.
Yet, there he was at a charity lunch at the end of the week, old Mr Vote Leave, raising chortles over Steven Gerrard’s ability to exit Europe before Christmas.
Perhaps his routine was inspired by the fact Rangers looked as likely to get a positive result out of their visit into EU territory in Vienna on Thursday as Theresa May did in Brussels.
As Jean-Claude Juncker might have put it, his team’s approach to getting the ball in the net can be a little, well, nebulous.
Rapid Vienna were diabolical, but Rangers could have played for a month without scoring. What’s more, performances like that are all too common with them.
With effective signings crucial in January, summertime recruitment — spearheaded by director of football Mark Allen, don’t forget — is coming under scrutiny. Indeed, it’s tempting to read something into the fact that some of the harshest analysis came from assistant boss Gary McAllister’s long-time pal Gordon Strachan.
Look, Allan McGregor is a phenomenon. Connor Goldson and Scott Arfield make a difference.
The jury is out, though, on the wisdom of splashing £5.5million on Borna Barisic, Eros Grezda and Nikola Katic from the Croatian market — even though injury has had a say in things.
Of the other arrivals, Kyle Lafferty remains a confusing use of £500,000. Lassana Coulibaly, meanwhile, is showing exactly why Angers can do without him — and the less said the better about Ovie Ejaria and Umar Sadiq.
Amid the hunt for better players, manager Gerrard had better hope no one comes in with a crazy offer for Alfredo Morelos.
Not even the staunchest Brexiteer at Ibrox would want that particular foreigner leaving the country. If he does, any hopes of Rangers taking back control of the title race are gone.