MARK Warburton hoped, along with every member of the Rangers support, that signing Philippe Senderos just before the close of the transfer window last month would go a long way towards addressing the defensive issues his side was experiencing.
The 31-year-old certainly arrived with an impressive pedigree having played at the highest level for Arsenal, AC Milan, Fulham, Sevilla and Aston Villa as well as on numerous occasions with his country Switzerland.
Warburton was impressed with the fitness levels and sharpness of the defender in training despite the fact he had not played competitively since a six month spell with Grasshoppers of Zurich in his homeland last season.
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Yet, the centre half’s calamitous debut against Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday has done nothing to suggest that Senderos is the solution to the problems Rangers have in that vital area; he was unable to prevent the home team from scoring three goals before being sent off for a deliberate hand ball after being booked.
Rob Kiernan, who gifted the home team their second goal in the first half with a misplaced pass, fared little better before being substituted. Clint Hill was left on the bench when he was replaced. Danny Wilson, meanwhile, was omitted from the match day squad altogether. It hardly augurs well for the remainder of the 2016/17 campaign.
But Bob Malcolm, the Clyde assistant manager who played for Rangers as a centre half or defensive midfielder for seven seasons, yesterday stressed that it was a difficult match for Senderos to make his debut in and urged supporters to give him the time which he needs to settle in Scotland.
“It was a hard game for Philippe to come into,” he said. “I know he played in the friendly against Linfield the week before, but that isn’t anywhere near the standard of the Old Firm game.
“I can remember big Lorenzo Amoruso was brought in to make his Rangers debut in an Old Firm match in his first game back after a long injury and had a good afternoon at centre half. It does happen. But it is a big ask.
“It is a difficult one for the manager. His centre backs haven’t been doing so well. Philippe has got experience. He has played in big games before. I can understand why he took a chance. But it didn’t work out for him.
“But you can’t write him off after one game. He has all the experience in the world. He has played for Arsenal, AC Milan and Sevilla as well as for Switzerland. He’s definitely a player who can do well at Rangers. He just needs time to bed in. I just hope the fans don’t get on his case right away.
“In the past, somebody who has had a bad game in an Old Firm match, and big players who have played in World Cups have come to Rangers and struggled, have struggled to win over the fans after it. Phillipe has to keep his head up. It is a hard one to take. But he can recover from this.”
Malcolm added: “It is easy to get caught up in an Old Firm game and do something stupid. In my first experience of it in the League Cup final in 2001 Claudio Reyna, Michael Mols and Lubo Moravcik, three players who had hardly been booked in their lives never mind sent off, all got red carded.
“In a league game between Celtic and Rangers the next season Fernando Ricksen, Johan Mjallby and John Hartson all got sent off. Celtic nearly scored a winner near the end and there was a riot in the six yard box. Crazy things can happen so Philippe shouldn’t be judged on one game.”
Joey Barton once again performed disappointingly for Rangers in the centre of midfield alongside Niko Kranjcar against Celtic at the weekend. His proud boast that he would be the best player in Scotland this season when he signed in the summer is looking increasingly unlikely.
Malcolm, though, believes the former Manchester City, Newcastle United and Marseille player showed great composure not to react foolishly as his side slumped to a humiliating 5-1 defeat at the home of their greatest rivals.
“Joey Barton is another player with huge experience,” he said. “People are saying he had a bad game on Saturday. But Joey Barton has had bad games before and has bounced back and he’ll do so again. You don’t play for the clubs he has played for without being a quality footballer.
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“I haven’t been in a situation in an Old Firm game where I have been beaten by that many goals before. But I have been in situations where you are two or three goals down. It isn’t nice. You just want to go around and boot somebody.
“In the past, Joey might have done something stupid in similar circumstances. I think he has actually shown great maturity to keep his head. He appreciates he is no use to the team when he is suspended. I am sure he will come good as he gets games and the team comes together.”
Malcolm, meanwhile, believes that Rangers, who are under strict instructions from Warburton to build play gradually from the back, will have to rethink their game plan when they play Celtic again at Ibrox on New Year’s Eve.
“It is definitely the way football is going,” he said. “Managers want their teams to play from the back. But, first and foremost, you have to have the players who are comfortable doing that. Plus, if you are under sustained pressure you can’t just keep playing the ball from the back.
“I can understand where Mark Warburton is coming from. In most other games Rangers will be able to play from the back and push the full backs up. But in games like on Saturday you don’t get the chance. There is a certain point when, if you are under pressure in the game, you have to get the ball forward.”
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