Rangers News

The end of Jon McLaughlin at Rangers? Beale has to manage the situation

|
Image for The end of Jon McLaughlin at Rangers? Beale has to manage the situation

Following his error that contributed to Ross County’s goal at Ibrox last week, there has been more angst regarding the position of Jon McLaughlin at Rangers. 

Greater than that though, is the predicament regarding the overall goalkeeper situation at the club. Action is coming, but there won’t and can’t be a proper solution found until the end of season.

If we rewind to the end of last season, it appeared that Allan McGregor got his hard won final bow in front of the fans after the Scottish Cup victory at Hampden. Instead, Gio and the management dithered and decided to go into another campaign with the veteran and McLaughlin still in place. It was curious to see Robby McCrorie still merely fulfilling a back-up role with no real exposure in the early months of this season.

No action was taken in January either and despite the urgency, here we are.

With the priority of looking to next season, things simply have to change. Allan McGregor is surely set for retirement, with his legend status firmly intact but there can be no place for Jon McLaughlin as a viable first team choice between the sticks. Despite this and the latest error last week, Michael Beale will know that there is a situation to be managed in the remaining months. He has stated that McGregor is his number one but that has been in continuation of a rotation policy, sometimes on a game by game basis.

As much as McGregor should be playing almost every game in terms of the pecking order, he is also more error prone now and only a potential injury away from needing to rely on the back-up. With McCrorie still thought to be a few weeks away from contention due to his own injury, McLaughlin is still required and this was reflected in Beale’s reaction last Saturday when he stated of County’s goal:

“I thought we were slow coming out to a short corner. We were winning the game 1-0 at home and we were comfortable in the game. Jon didn’t have much to do. Then we switch off, they deliver it and where are the centre-halves and where’s Jon? It’s a collective thing.

“This week we’ve had two games and a late night in midweek. I just felt Jon was the fresher goalie coming into today. He didn’t have much to do and I’ll continue to rotate them. I’m trying to get us through a tough schedule, that’s why I’m rotating.

Opportunity

There is a huge onus on the manager to give Robby McCrorie his chance, as soon as possible. That can only come when he is fit but we won’t know if he is good enough unless he’s given a run in the side. He was faultless last season against Alashkert and Celtic but that was pretty much the last meaningful action for the Scotland squad member.

A new goalkeeper in the Summer is almost certain, with speculation underway, but it needs to be a clean break from McGregor and especially, Jon McLaughlin who may be needed for now, but if he remains into next season with one-year remaining on his contract, it should only be as third-choice reserve option.

That is the difficult, delicate situation but it is one of Rangers own making.

Share this article