Rangers flop told by Danny Rohl and board that he can leave | OneFootball

It has now been officially confirmed that Joe Rothwell is a serious target for Sheffield United and has been told by Rangers he can leave next month. This really was an absolutely terrible signing, one which Ibrox Noise was heavily against from the word go. We complained when Rangers were interested in him during his Blackburn Rovers days, and we were no more happy than when we were linked during his Leeds days. The signing was secured, we were extremely frustrated on this side, but fans overall seemed to think we’d signed Barry Ferguson. In reality, Rothwell is what he is, a bread and butter lower Championship player. He is completely out of his depth playing for a club with the demands of Rangers. Thankfully Joe Rothwell will leave.

Joe Rothwell really wasn’t a good addition for Rangers (Credit Rangers FC)

Never Rangers Quality

Now some would say that he managed to shine for Leeds United. We’re not entirely convinced that he actually did, but perhaps we’re wrong. Nevertheless, they did get promoted to the Premier League and he was regarded as a big part of that. However, the really big clue was when Bournemouth recalled him, they just let him go. Despite the fact that he’d supposedly shone at the very top of the Championship, he wasn’t regarded as good enough for Bournemouth, his parent club, in the Premier League. That says it all.

Wrong Level for Rangers

Rangers need players who are Premier League quality, not Joe Rothwells. Yes, he does have around 20–30 appearances for Bournemouth in the Premier League, but there’s a good reason why he doesn’t any more. He doesn’t have that level in him, and that level, that demand, that pressure is what Rangers need. Rohl sussed that like a flash. We’ve not agreed with everything from Danny Rohl, to say the least, but he definitely sussed Joe Rothwell pretty quickly and cast him out completely. The man has barely been on the bench.

Surplus and Forgotten

Even in light of the fact that we have a bit of an injury crisis, he wasn’t on the bench last night. It was said that he didn’t travel for the European match, possibly through injury, but not actually confirmed as one. He is just surplus, a really bad signing by that wonderful Kevin Thelwell, who seemed so very smug when he’d made that addition, alongside former boss Russell Martin. But it was a horror of an addition, a really bad signing.

Rangers Need a Real Six

It has also been said that Rangers want a number six, an actual Barry Ferguson, a deep-lying, what they call in Italy, regista. A midfielder who can dictate play, put their foot on the ball and spread the passes. Rangers have lacked that since Ferguson. We haven’t had a single player in there who can really do that. And initially, many were arguing that that was what Joe Rothwell could do. But then, curiously enough, once his performances went to rubbish, it was claimed by an ex-teammate of his Blackburn Rovers days, Barry something or other, that his best position was actually as more of an eight, a playmaking midfielder. And that’s apparently where he played at Leeds.

Time to Move On

But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter where he plays. He can’t cope with the pressure of Rangers, and he never shone in any position for Rangers. So he will move on next month. What we can get for this guy that we paid £500,000 for, we don’t know. But the sooner Joe Rothwell will leave, the better, because we need a better midfield. Whether we can get a proper Barry in there, that’s a tougher one to call.