Why Rangers flop was doomed to fail amid exit 'agreement' as he joined club 'falling apart' says ex Dutch ace
Dutch defender set to leave Rangers after just one year as return to his homeland in the pipeline
Robin Propper is reportedly set to leave Rangers after just one season at Ibrox - and Theo ten Caat has explained why his style of play was always destined to fail in Scottish football.
According to sources in the Netherlands, the 31-year-old central defender has ‘reached an agreement’ to return to his homeland with former club FC Twente on the verge of bringing him back to the Eredivisie.
Signed by Philippe Clement for £2.5 million last summer from the Dutch outfit as Connor Goldson’s long-term replacement, Propper faced strong criticism for his performances last season as he struggled to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premiership.
Despite scoring twice and making 39 appearances across all competitions, Propper - under contract at Ibrox until the summer of 2028 - is expected to tear up his deal and head back to Twente.
A transfer fee has not been mentioned, but TwenteFans reports that the centre-back will sign a three-year contract. His imminent departure would mean new head coach Russell Martin will be faced with an immediate task in re-shaping the defensive area of his squad.
Speaking exclusively to GlasgowWorld before the reports emerged, FC Twente hero and former Aberdeen star ten Caat admits he had huge concerns about Propper’s decision to move to Glasgow.
He explained: “The way he plays, it's always going to be tough to win the Rangers supporters over because I know he's more a tactical-minded defender and not a defender who's making big challenges or is a runner.
“He's not that fast so he's trying to read games but you're not the only person on the pitch. You've got players who also make mistakes and then you have to be there and react quickest.
“It was a surprise for me that Propper went to Rangers because the Dutch game is totally different to the Scottish game. I thought he would have a difficult time over there. The way he likes to play and the way Rangers have been playing, you can see it.
“Rangers have been falling apart. They're not close to Celtic anymore. They've got a couple of good players, but that’s it. I mean, (Cyriel) Dessers, when he played for Feyenoord on loan, he was a good player but not an international player. He doesn't make the team better.
“Propper has struggled a lot domestically but his better games have been in Europe and the Champions League games last season. That, I guess, comes down to the style of football that he's very much used to.
“You have to play against Ross County, against St Mirren, against Motherwell on a regular basis. Domestically, it's hard to read a game because it’s so physical.”