Rangers striker Joe Garner has been defended by Ally McCoist.
Rangers’ Joe Garner celebrates
Rangers legend Ally McCoist has told The Scottish Sun that it’s too early to judge summer signing Joe Garner after a hit-and-miss start to life at Ibrox.
Garner, 28, was Rangers’ big summer signing, as manager Mark Warburton forked out £1.5m (STV) to land him from Championship side Preston North End, where the striker had been a hero.
A boyhood Preston supporter, Garner was a fan favourite at Deepdale having hit 57 goals in 151 games for the club, but he’s yet to really take off at Rangers.
Garner scored just once in his first ten Rangers games, and that was what proved to be a consolation against Celtic in the Old Firm derby in September.
Joe Garner celebrates
Fans were left questioning just whether Garner was worth the money Rangers paid to land him, but he’s impressed in recent weeks, scoring twice in his last three games for the Gers.
Rangers now need Garner to go on a run of goalscoring form, given that they’ve scored just 16 goals in 12 games this term – the lowest tally in the top six of the Scottish Premiership.
Ahead of Saturday’s home game with Dundee, former Rangers striker and manager Ally McCoist has spoken to The Scottish Sun about Garner, suggesting that it’s too early to make a judgement on the attacker.
Former Rangers manager Ally McCoist
McCoist added that the success of Celtic’s summer addition Moussa Dembele – who has hit 16 goals in 24 games for the Bhoys – has made it tough for Garner as expectations have risen.
“It’s too early to make a judgement,” said McCoist. “The unfortunate thing for the player and the club is that Celtic have signed a wonderboy in Moussa Dembele. He’s been rightly getting all the headlines and he got another two goals against England Under-21s. So it’s tough for Joe. I think the team will be developing over the next 18 months or so. There will be changes, but there have been no absolute standouts so far. I get that,” he added.
What have you thought of Garner’s performances so far?
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