Ally McCoist slams 'absolutely unacceptable' Rangers transfer and names two favourites he would have signed
The Rangers icon has been left crestfallen after a poor weekend in the Premiership.
Ally McCoist has been left aghast over Rangers recruitment that’s left them in the Premiership’s 10th spot after five games - as he slams defeat to Hearts.
The bad feeling around head coach Russell Martin from supporters got worse on Saturday, as the Jambos won in the top flight at Ibrox for the first time since 2013. Lawrence Shankland’s double turned the home crowd toxic, with star player and Belgian international Nico Raskin in the stands, fully fit amid a need to win the trust of Martin back.
New owners 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh fully backed Martin in the market, namely with a deal that could rise to £10m for Everton striker Youssef Chermiti, but McCoist reckons it’s a gamble. He would have put that money towards deals for a pair of loanees who impressed at Rangers in recent seasons, Abdallah Sima and Vaclav Cerny, while the obligation to buy Oscar Cortes for more than £4m has left him stunned.
Ally McCoist on Rangers defeat vs Hearts
He’s already out on loan at Sporting Gijon after an injury plagued Ibrox stint but his loan deal ensured a permanent deal at the temporary contract’s conclusion. McCoist said on talkSPORT: “It was terrible. I've got to say congratulations again to Derek and Hearts who played exceptionally well. The irony, the whole situation wasn't lost to me, the guy that scored the two goals. If Rangers had gone and signed them 18 months ago they'd have won the league.
“So the irony was incredible, Lawrence Shankland took his goals with one of them. The only thing I would say as well that’s worth mentioning, and believe me it is not an excuse because Rangers were diabolical and Hearts thoroughly deserved it but some of the refereeing decisions and VAR at the weekend north of the border, oh my goodness. Appalling. However, Rangers have got far more to worry about than VAR decisions and refereeing decisions, that is for sure. Rangers, massive problems, well done to Hearts.
“Rangers spent an awful lot of money. They've brought an awful lot of money in. You know, you look at Igamane getting it for the best part of 10 million Jefte’s away, Dessers going away, Yilmaz, Propper, so they've probably brought in about I don't know 25 million whatever it may be. But this is the problem, they've spent a lot of money as well, Chermiti for 10 million. Give the lad a chance, only come off the bench at the weekend so very, very difficult to gauge. You spend four million on Antman, Aasgaard another three and a half million, this is the one I can't believe. You spend four and a half million on Oscar Cortez and put him out on loan, I mean that, that, that is just unacceptable.
Rangers transfer window review by Ally McCoist
“Absolutely unacceptable recruitment but it goes deeper than that. Straight away you spend nine, 10 million pounds on a lad Chermiti who's going to be a gamble. I'm thinking to myself, I don't care what anybody says, sometimes I say you better the player you know. I would have went and got Sima and I'd have got Cerny, two players that you know, that you've watched and can perform at Rangers.
“Have done well at Rangers, know the league, know the club, instead of taking another gamble but it goes, it goes a lot deeper than that. Rangers and Celtic, you can say what you like, but they are fantastic places to play when things are going well. They are unbelievably difficult places to play when things aren't going well.
“My concern with Rangers at this moment in time or one of my concerns is things are not going well. The supporters can make that place an unbelievably difficult place to play and I'm looking at the mettle and the makeup of the squad and I'm not sure it can handle it to be honest with you.”