13 years after leaving Rangers for £0, Ibrox flop is even better than Raskin
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There’s plenty to be positive about regarding Danny Rohl‘s first six months at Glasgow Rangers, although the most notable example of the German’s impact might well be the resurgence of Nico Raskin this season.
It’s worth remembering that the Belgian midfielder looked set for the scrapheap back in August, following a bust-up with Russell Martin, with last season’s Player of the Year having also previously fallen out with Philippe Clement at Ibrox.
Now, the 25-year-old is front and centre of the Gers’ push for the title, having been in talismanic form in recent weeks, in particular.
Big players step up in big moments, and with just five Premiership games remaining, Raskin is hitting his groove at just the right time.
Why Raskin is emerging as Rangers’ player of the season
For much of Rohl’s tenure thus far, the star attraction has undoubtedly been Mikey Moore, the teenager scoring all six of his Rangers goals since the former Sheffield Wednesday man took charge.
The 18-year-old has started each of the last nine in the league, at a time when the rest of the forward line has grappled for consistency, firmly putting himself in contention to be the club’s player of the year.
And yet, Raskin’s performance level has soared to new heights of late, the former Standard Liege man at his brilliant best in Sunday’s 6-3 win over Falkirk, playing some part in five of the six goals on the day.
It was the midfielder’s driving run and driven finish that nudged the away side ahead in that frantic second-half spell, having now contributed 12 goals and assists in the Premiership this season.
With 11 ‘big chances’ created too – only behind James Tavernier in that regard – the 2023 arrival has been immense in an attacking sense of late, chipping in with four goals and assists in just his last four league games.
| Top scorers under Rohl | |
|---|---|
| Player | Goals |
| Miovski | 11 |
| Chermiti | 11 |
| Tavernier | 9 |
| Moore | 6 |
| Raskin | 5 |
| Aasgaard | 5 |
| Fernandez | 5 |
| Gassama | 3 |
| Danilo | 3 |
| Chukwuani | 3 |
| Naderi | 3 |
Now the second-most valuable player in the squad behind the on-loan Moore, as per Transfermarkt, Raskin’s status is secure as one of Rohl’s key lieutenants.
That said, have the Gers already let a more valuable asset leave in the past?
Rangers already let a bigger talent than Raskin leave for nothing
It must be said, the Gers haven’t been stung by too many of the players they have moved on over the years, with £6m man Joe Aribo now on loan at Championship strugglers Leicester City; Nathan Patterson a forgotten figure at Everton and Calvin Bassey a solid performer in a mid-table Fulham side.
Rangers’ most expensive signings of all time
The Gers now have new owners in the 49ers Enterprises.
If there is to be any sense of regret, it might well lie in those who have moved from within the youth ranks, be it Billy Gilmour or Lewis Ferguson.
In Ferguson’s case, the now Scotland international never got close to reaching the first team at Ibrox, moved on at the age of just 14 back in 2013, having been told he “wasn’t good enough” to make it at the club.
“This (leaving Rangers) was one of the most difficult points in my career. At 14 I was told I wasn’t good enough to play for Rangers.
“A club which I supported of course because it had a strong connection with my family. I just used the disappointment as motivation to prove people wrong but just to become a footballer in general was my dream.”
13 years on, that decision appears to have come back to bite the Gers, with Ferguson using that rejection to fuel a fruitful career since then, enjoying his time at Hamilton and Aberdeen, prior to making a surprise switch to Bologna in 2022.
The 26-year-old has since cemented almost cult status with the Italian side, notably captaining the club as they secured Coppa Italia glory last year, becoming just the second Scotsman to win the competition after Graeme Souness.
In 128 games for the Serie A side, he now boasts 21 goals and assists from his midfield berth, while his record back at Pittodrie was also stellar, with 60 goal involvements in 137 games.
For context, the aforementioned Raskin has chalked up just 35 goals and assists during his 147-game stay at Ibrox, after previously registering just 18 in 97 games back in Belgium.
Ferguson, just a year or so older than Raskin, is flourishing in one of Europe’s top five leagues, and boasts a superior market value to boot, deemed to be worth around €18m (£15m), ahead of Raskin’s own worth of €12m (£10m).
For such a talent to have slipped from their grasp may remain a sore one as far as Rangers are concerned, although to Ferguson’s credit, he has not let that decisive moment in his young career define him.
