Rangers alarm bells ringing after news on Leon Balogun before Celtic final
Bill Leckie has slammed Rangers and said that “alarm bells” should be ringing if their Scottish Cup Final hopes hinge on the availability of defender Leon Balogun.
Rangers head into their Hampden Park decider against Celtic on 25 May with Philippe Clement hoping that Balogun will be fit enough to feature, but Leckie believes that “says it all” about the current squad management.
The Gers let in two late goals to draw 3-3 with Hearts in their final Scottish Premiership match, and Leckie suggested that sweating on the fitness of Balogun means the signs are not good for the Ibrox side.
Writing in his column for the Scottish Sun, Leckie said: “The fact that Clement’s sweating bullets over Balogun says it all about the state of the club he inherited.
“If your cup final plans hinge on the fitness of a 35-year-old centre-back who hasn’t racked up 50 starts for any of his ten clubs, alarm bells really should be ringing.”
Rangers will take depleted defence into Scottish Cup Final test
Rangers have conceded eight goals in their four previous Old Firm matches this season, most recently being hit back-to-back within minutes in the 2-1 loss at Parkhead.
After the 3-3 draw at Tynecastle last time out, Clement was hopeful Balogun would be available to feature against Celtic, but they’ll need more than the Nigerian to be on top of their games to have any chance of lifting the Scottish Cup.
The Gers’ record against their Glasgow rivals makes for grim reading this season, with three losses and a 3-3 draw at Ibrox which saw them score twice in the closing stages to come back from 2-0 and 3-2 down.
Balogun is one of several defenders out of contract at the end of the current campaign, with a summer of huge change seemingly on the way. It remains to be seen if the 35-year-old will be offered a new deal.
Leckie’s assessment of the “crumbling” Rangers squad going into the Scottish Cup final suggests that there’s a mountain to climb at Hampden, but having pushed Celtic close this season, there are high hopes that they can finally get one over their Old Firm rivals.
In other Rangers news, Simon Jordan has continued his war of words with Sir Rod Stewart on talkSPORT.
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