Rangers having to register their European squad at the start of the season is a “joke” and is limiting them.
That’s according to Peter Grant, who would do away with squad registration windows at the start of the season. Fellow pundit and Record Sport columnist Barry Ferguson was in agreement, branding the rule as “crazy.” Philippe Clement is preparing for his first European night under the lights at Ibrox when Sparta Prague visit.
The sides drew 0–0 in the Czech capital a fortnight ago and the Belgian will be looking to go one better, with Gers having a chance to top the group with a win. But he’s been left hamstrung by predecessor Michael Beale’s squad selection. Injuries at left back men Ben Davies may have to keep deputising for Borna Barisic, with natural replacement Ridvan Yilmaz left out of the group for Europa League games by Beale.
That also cause a problem at centre back, with John Souttar out through injury. Clement can’t call up a promising youngster either, with squads set months earlier for European competitions, meaning he’ll have to get creative against former teammate Brian Priske.
And Grant can’t get his head around the UEFA requirement. He told Go Radio: “It’s a joke. You could have 40 player or 50 players, I don’t care.
“What are these young boys doing in the B teams? Say one is playing particularly well. ‘Aw but we named the squad at the start of the season so you’ve no chance of playing in Europe son.’ We’d have never played in Europe if the manager named it at the start of the season.
“If you’re a signed Rangers player, you should be able to pull on the jersey no matter what game it is. It’s a ridiculous rule. You shouldn’t be telling anyone they need to name a European squad at the start of the season. Come on.”
Ferguson added: “What if you collect a number of injuries? You’ve not got enough players to play with. It’s a crazy rule. If you’ve got a squad of 25 or 26, you should be allowed to use it. In any game.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
