Former Rangers defender looks at the club’s inability to compete financially.
Richard Gough of Rangers gets on the end of the Celtic defensive wall
Former Rangers defender Richard Gough has told the Evening Times of his lament at the club’s inability to attract top players to the club from England.
Gough was lured from Tottenham Hotspur to Rangers back in 1987, and admits that finances played a huge part in his choice to make the switch.
Gough went on to play almost 300 games for the Gers, helping them win a majestic nine league titles in a row.
Rangers’ Richard Gough and Ally McCoist celebrate their league title
Rangers are no longer in that position of strength, and are watching Celtic close in on that record.
This season was Celtic’s sixth title in a row, going the whole season unbeaten, and Rangers have their work cut out.
Gough uses his example as a former Tottenham player, of how Rangers can no longer go and sign the top players from the North London side.
Richard Gough – Tottenham Hotspur in action against Jesper Olsen – Manchester United
He said: “When I first came to Rangers, I was the captain of Tottenham and we had already signed Terry Butcher, who was the captain of England.
“Rangers can’t go out and sign that kind of quality now. That’s a worry. It’s a completely different cycle. Scottish football is far from its heyday.
“Everyone says to me that I was a Rangers man. That’s true. But Rangers also doubled my money when I came up from Tottenham. Maybe people didn’t know that. There was a financial consideration as well.
“Imagine that happening now? Rangers signing the Spurs captain, aged 24, and doubling his money. What would that be these days? Maybe £200,000 per week or something.”
From a financial perspective Rangers would not be able to replicate their move of 30 years ago – but also from a sporting one.
The English top flight has outgrown the Scottish Premiership by quite a distance during this time, with the Premier League forming in 1992.
Television money has given English clubs untold riches, and the Champions League is a competition Rangers have not competed in since 2010.
Rangers’ Martin Waghorn in action with Celtic’s Erik Sviatchenko
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