Belgian Mystery

The enigma that is Thomas Buffel.

Few players have split the Rangers support down the middle this way this Belgian attacker has.

Bought by then-manager Alex McLeish in January 2005 for a fee of around £2.3M from Dutch giants Feyenoord, the creative attacking midfielder was a fairly unknown quantity in Britain.

The circumstances surrounding his exit from his Dutch employers are equally as mystifying as his stock in the UK was. There was apparently a contract dispute, and the Belgians’ refusal to sign a new one, and his alienation from the squad. The question is whether his alienation from the squad was the direct reason he would not sign an extension, or if his refusal to sign the contract caused said alienation. In other words, which way around was it? A suggestion could be posed that it would be unlikely Ruud Gullit would wish to extend the contract of a player he wanted rid of, and that the notion of the loss of his place was down to his reluctance to extend his stay in Rotterdam. It is all conjecture, however, and what is known for sure is Gullit parted with Buffel as a consequence of Rangers’ bid for him.

The notion of an exciting attacker in the mould of a Kaka type filled the fans with a fair degree of optimism about his future at Ibrox. A pacey, sharp and skilful addition to the Rangers first team might just give the side a touch of the creativity absent since the departure of Dutch legend Ronald de Boer.

However, while few fans would doubt Buffel’s talent, and recognise some of his definite contributions to the side, there is a massive divide between the fans regarding other aspects of the attacker’s game.

There is a lot of feeling that he simply does not work hard enough, and shirks too many tough challenges from opponents. Furthermore, he is accused of an incriminating lack of consistency and subsequent unsuitability to the rigours of the SPL.

His supporters believe he genuinely does work hard, and makes plenty of imaginative and useful runs which are not picked up, and indeed has shown on more than one occasion the ability to fight off brutal opposition.

Whichever side is taken, the mere fact there is such a strict division in feeling over him does support credibility on either side. If it was clear-cut one way or the other, there would evidently be no split in opinion.

His supporters would love nothing more than to see him emerge in the first-team next season as a major and integral part of the team, while his cynics want him as far away from Ibrox as possible, but as good supporters, would put their hands up should he show to them what his fans believe they already see.

Currently, Buffel is injured and out of the picture for this term. He is on the road to recovery and, of course, was very close to a move to German side Hannover in the January window. That did not materialise, and he remains at Ibrox, with public admissions of his contentment in Glasgow and his desire to impact with the team next season.

What all supporters will agree on, whether a fan of his or not, is that Rangers need a strong squad, and that an on-form Buffel (or, indeed, any other player) terrorising opposition defences would be a good asset to the team.

Overhaul the Side?

The season is tailing off to its completion. Celtic, having already won the SPL have very little to play for now, with Rangers going into the match at Easter Road on Saturday knowing a victory would secure that runners’ up spot in the league, meaning a route into the promised land that is the Champions League via way of the qualifiers.

The bad news was the enforced absence of the inspirational Croat Prso, due to yet another injury, which merely drives home the reasons he is quitting Ibrox in the very near future. The inconsistent winger Burke was left on the bench, and there was likewise no place in the starting 11 for Rae, a player the fans seem to particularly dislike.

Instead, the return of the previous suspended Adam, and a start for Novo on the right wing, with Boyd once again adopting the lone striker role up front.

The side knew what they were playing for, and how significant and critical for the club a place in the CL actually – both in monetary terms and prestige.

And yet, the performance, while not the worst ever produced by Rangers, showed what the side lacks when up against a younger, fitter, more energetic and crucially, quicker side.

The Hibernian team these days is no outstanding outfit, but some of their players seem to be highly coveted, Rangers already having plundered their captain Thomson. And they regularly show a level of performance which is certainly worthy of praise.

Rangers, while arguably man for man a better team, seem to be missing the spark and overall sharpness of a team like Hibernian, and if they could add it to their current general efficiency and ‘hard to beat’ mentality, it would go a long way to evolving the side.

But clearly a radical overhaul is required, and the jury is out on whether that will happen, with clearly dubiety that major money will be spent and volumous dead wood will be shipped out.

This will be a testing summer, in both playing catch up with Celtic, and ensuring enough wheeling and dealing occurs to give the fans hope of a more successful campaign next term.