Rangers transfer exit sanctioned behind player's back as 'ruthless' Celtic message sent amid burning issue

Rangers are back in action on Saturday 23rd November with a home clash against Dundee United. They won 1-0 against Hearts at Ibrox in their last outing before the international break.

As for Celtic, they have an away trip to Hearts up next. In the meantime, here is a look at the latest news regarding the pair...

Ex-Rangers man on exit

Connor Goldson has admitted it was ‘difficult’ to leave Rangers this past summer. He cut ties with the Glasgow outfit and now plays his football in Cyrpus for Aris Limassol.

The centre-back was a great servant to the Gers during his time at Ibrox. He has opened up about his departure and has said in an interview with MailSport (via Daily Record): “It was difficult to leave. I still felt I had a lot to give. Listen, I’m happy with this move. It has been great for me and my family and given us a great lifestyle. But do I think I could have contributed to Rangers this season? Of course I could have.

“That’s why I was so disappointed. The club gave me a contract when I was at the best point in my career. But, two years later, they didn’t want to fulfil that contract any more. Did I leave under a cloud? If I’m honest, I had felt that cloud from the end of last season. They told me they wanted me to leave. And I want to make this clear – that wasn’t the manager (Philippe Clement).

“He was actually really good with me. But there were a lot of new people within the club who didn’t know what I’d given over six years. One said they wanted me to leave. At first I said no, I wasn’t going. But then it was probably my time. Listen, I have to respect the fact that the club didn’t want me any more. So I was happy to leave in the end and I don’t hold any hard feelings.

“I had six amazing years with some brilliant times and some difficult ones. But over the six years I gave my best every time. No one will take that away from me.”

Former Celtic man on youth development

Former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady has said youth football can be ‘ruthless’. It is difficult for academy players to make the step up into a first-team environment in Scotland, especially when the majority of teams bring in their players externally.

McGeady, who has now retired, has told The Herald: “It’s really simple. There’s no pathway if you’re not good enough to displace a first team player. No manager is ever just going to get rid of three or four players and almost set a team up to give young players a chance. That’s not how it works.

“A manager is looking after his job. He wants the best players on the park. So, you have to prove that you’re good. People say to me, how did you have such a long career? Well, why? Because I proved I was better than the guys that were ahead of me. That’s the way football is. Football is dog-eat-dog. It’s a ruthless environment.”

He added: “Young players coming through nowadays, they keep talking about the pathway, and that’s fine. But how come other teams and other countries can have a conveyor belt churning out talent year after year after year? What are we doing wrong here? It can’t just be in the water, is it?.

“It’s clearly in the fundamentals that they’re being taught from a young age filtering up the chain. Whereas here…it’s quite an easy throwaway comment, that one, that there’s more foreigners now, there’s more money. Well, there’s not more money. When I played for Celtic, I came through into probably one of the hardest Celtic teams to break into.”