‘It’s as simple as that’ – Steven Naismith blasts ‘Expendable’ Rangers duo after new development
Hearts forward Steven Naismith has labelled Jordan Jones and George Edmundson as “easily expendable” at Rangers after the two players were hit with seven-match bans for breaking COVID-19 regulations.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that the duo will not be available to play again for the Light Blues until the meeting with St Mirren on December 30, missing matches against Aberdeen, Falkirk, Ross County, Dundee United, Motherwell, St Johnstone and Hibernian.
Speaking ahead of the clash with Aberdeen at Ibrox on Sunday, Steven Gerrard suggested ones and Edmundson might still have futures at Ibrox [Sky Sports] after they apologised for attending a gathering in Glasgow earlier this month.
However, ex-Rangers star Naismith has a bleaker view on Jones and Edmundson’s futures, saying that neither player has done enough at Ibrox to show they are worth keeping around after the controversy.
“In terms of Rangers as a whole, the manager’s built his squad and these guys have been a part of that. Whether they’re starters or guys who need to bide their time, they were always going to get game-time with the number of games Rangers have. That’s probably the part that will anger the manager,” said Naismith on PLZ Soccer’s Football Show.
“For them personally, so many things have been taken out of their hands now.
“The seven games, everyone else in the squad can play and put themselves ahead of these two guys in the squad and before you know it, you’re into the January transfer window and the manager might want to freshen things up.
“With them not being guys who don’t carry enough weight because they’ve not done enough at the club, they’re easily expendable. If the manager says ‘out you go’, there’s not much they can do in terms of forcing the club’s hand to keep them because they’ve not performed well enough – it’s as simple as that.
“It’s going to be a tough couple of months ahead.”
Since joining Rangers last year, 26-year-old Jones has made just 19 appearances in all competitions and played just four times this season before he was frozen out due to his indiscretion.
Edmundson, 23, also joined the Gers last year and has only played 17 times in Gerrard’s first-team with only two of those appearances coming this season. His only outing in the Scottish Premiership saw him score an own goal in the 5-1 win over Motherwell – one of just three league goals the Gers have conceded this season.
Can Rangers cope without Jones and Edmundson?
Absolutely.
Gerrard has plenty of attacking options and plenty of versatile players to be able to cover Jones’ absence while Nikola Katic’s agent has recently suggested the Croatian defender will be available to play again in January.
It’s a bit of a no-brainer, really.
Jones and Edmundson betrayed the trust of the club and Gerrard and could have threatened the health of their families and team-mates by acting so negligently.
Neither are worthy of playing for Rangers in terms of both their professionalism and their overall quality.
In other Rangers news, this 34-cap midfielder wants to sign for the Light Blues with him currently available.