Andy Halliday is yet to really make an impression since leaving Rangers for Azerbaijani title challengers Gabala on loan.
While Michael O’Halloran has used his loan spell away from Rangers to restore his reputation at former club St Johnstone, winning the league’s Player of the Month award for August, Andy Halliday hasn’t really made the same impression.
After being frozen out by Pedro Caixinha at Ibrox, Halliday decided to broaden his horizons with an eye-catching move to Azerbaijani outfit Gabala on a season-long loan.
Speaking to the Daily Record in October, the former Rangers youngster, who returned to Ibrox from Bradford City in 2015, said the aim of the move was to play again after barely featuring in the final few months of last season.
But, in that regard, the loan spell in eastern Europe hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Gabala are second in the table, three points behind Champions League outfit Qarabag, but Halliday has featured just three times in the league so far.
He was once again an unused substitute in the 3-0 win over Keshla at the weekend – meaning he has not made a single appearance since the middle of October. As it stands, Halliday failed to get off the bench in five of his last six inclusions in Gabala’s matchday squad.
So while it is obviously not easy to adapt to a new language, a new culture and a completely different footballing life, Halliday will surely be a little frustrated that things haven’t quite worked out so far.
The midfielder told the Daily Record in the autumn that he planned to speak with Gabala’s management about a permanent deal. As it stands, however, he’d be forgiven for having second thoughts.
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