BBC Sportscene pundit Neil McCann pays tribute to Rangers ‘war horse’ Allan McGregor as club icon reaches 500 appearances
BBC Sportscene pundit Neil McCann paid tribute to Rangers “war horse” Allan McGregor and argued he may be the Gers’ all-time best goalkeeper after reaching 500 appearances.
McGregor looked set to hang up his gloves last summer, only for the 41-year-old to change his mind and pen a new deal for another year following the club’s exploits in the Europa League.
The Gers icon reached 500 games for the Scottish giants in their 2-0 win over Dundee United on Saturday [1 April] and Michael Beale hinted at a new deal for McGregor with his contract running out this summer.
And McCann, speaking on BBC Sportscene [2 April] paid tribute to the 41-year-old for his longevity and abilities.
“I tell you, this guy has been an absolute war horse for the club but to get to 500 appearances is remarkable in itself but the quality that you have to come up with as a goalkeeper because you’re more often than not out of the game when playing for Rangers and you’re then judged on your concentration levels and your ability to make top saves at times when it’s important,” he said.
“And this guy just constantly and still is performing.”
Asked if he was the best goalkeeper of all time at Ibrox, McCann responded: “I think he is, yeah, there’s been a load of great goalkeepers but Allan McGregor rightly holds that mantle to keep himself up there.”
Be proactive
It is incredible indeed that McGregor is still going strong, performing at the highest level at his age, and he may just be the Gers’ best shot-stopper of all time.
There are no reasons why he won’t extend his stay at the club beyond this summer, especially if Beale has been endorsing it for a while now.
Many Gers fans will be hugely anticipating the club to spend some cash on a long-term replacement this summer, with Norwich City’s Angus Gunn and Preston North End’s Freddie Woodman reported targets and representing ideal replacements for McGregor, but the 41-year-old will certainly try and prove that he can still perform at the top level if given the opportunity.
His experience and winning mentality will be crucial too, with Beale set to undergo a major assault on Celtic on all fronts next season and the 41-year-old will be vital to those ambitions.
However, Beale’s subtle hints at a new deal shouldn’t stop the Light Blues from being proactive in going out and getting a long-term replacement this summer, as McGregor may no longer hold the capacity to play 30-odd games next season.
In other Rangers news, major Old Firm boost as Celtic ace suffers new injury.