When we speak of “transfer news,” we are typically speaking of a defender or a forward or whatever, someone about to jump from one club to another.
But what about an entire club transferring, well, countries?
The mess with Rangers continues to be a wild ride, sprouting a real smorgasbord of sidebars; some are just little nibbles, but some are real calorie bombs. Today two stories are making the rounds out of England regarding Scotland’s fabled side.
First, Rangers officials are not a bit pleased about a proposed plan to re-structure the game in Scotland. Honestly, it sounds like some sour grapes, and perhaps some hurt feelings that Rangers hasn’t been asked for greater participation in the ongoing process.
Of course, you could see that estrangement from the decision process as part of the punishment for the financial irresponsibility that left Rangers here in the first place. Clearly, Rangers chief executive Charles Green doesn’t feel that way, and he’s threatening to walk out of the Scottish association.
Where would they go? Well, that’s the issue. The obvious possibility, one that’s been talked about in passing for years, is England. The traditional imbalance that exists between the two dominant clubs, Rangers and Celtic, and the rest of the league has always made this a talker. There’s something appealing to it, although there are tons of procedural obstacles to overcome.
At least one prominent voice from the English game, QPR’s Harry Redknapp, says they should let ‘em in, already!:
They should play in England. They’re two of the biggest clubs in the world. Maybe it would give someone else a chance to win something in Scotland if they left. All over the world you’ll find fans of Celtic and Rangers. Everyone flies to games now. We’ve got Welsh teams in the Premier League. Why not two Scottish teams?”
