John Bennett believes the current Rangers squad is the STRONGEST in his time at the club as he defended the summer recruitment drive.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst brought in the likes of Ben Davies and Ridvan Yilmaz this summer for around £10million combined but neither has been able to nail down a first-team spot to date with James Sands playing as a makeshift centre-back and Borna Barisic holding onto the left-back position.
Ibrox chief Bennett admits he won't judge a player in five weeks and has backed all the new arrivals to show their worth and display the talents that attracted Rangers to get deals over the line to bring them on board. He understands some of the 'justified' noise coming out but said some of it is also 'unjustified'. Bennett also made reference to Calvin Bassey, who made a mega money transfer to Ajax in the summer, and also discussed the signing of Yilmaz from Besiktas in more detail.
READ MORE: John Bennett admits 'valid' Rangers criticism as he makes 'let's fix that' communication fan vow
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Speaking to Rangers TV, he said: "The first thing I'd say about that, because I know there's a lot of noise around that just now... on the back of those two unacceptable performances, there's quite a lot of noise around that. Some of it justified and, as always, some of it less justified.
"I learned long ago not to judge a new Rangers player within weeks. I go way back over my supporting life as a Rangers supporter, I've seen more players take time to settle than those who hit the ground running.
"I can talk about individuals if you want but I certainly looked at Tom Lawrence and thought 'there's a player who's hit the ground running' and then events, things happen, injury. He's hit the ground running, others haven't for various reasons. So, I would say this to you - we're six or so weeks into the season, I won't judge a football player who comes to Rangers within that period of time, I've learned to wait a bit longer.
"We haven't seen enough of them, we haven't seen them enough. We will see them. If you take another young player we have signed - (Ridvan) Yilmaz - yes, we spent significant money on that transfer but we signed him for five years, not five weeks, not five months.
"I won't wait five years to judge him but nor will I do it after five weeks. I would say if we need a very recent reminder of why we shouldn't judge players early in their career - I suggest Calvin Bassey, I give you Rangers vs St Mirren in the cup and I do remember a noise - maybe not a clamour - but I do remember a noise around young Calvin, negative noise and questioning him.
"Look at him now. When it comes to young Calvin, a finer young gentleman you're unlikely to meet. He represented this club on the pitch and off the pitch, impeccably. Another very valid point, and it's one that's easily missed, especially around transfer windows, is that investment in the playing squad is not exclusive to new signings. What about the investment in the existing squad, the squad that got us to a Europa League Final?
"I actually remember, only a few weeks ago, some negative noise about giving certain players of a certain age new contracts. It's not as though the board somehow makes that decision in a vacuum. The board is listening to Gio (van Bronckhorst), to Ross, and taking recommendations, be they new players or existing squad members. To repeat, a squad that got you to a Europa League Final.
"The recommendation comes and the board backs it. I come to the other night, to the Napoli game, some of those players to whom we gave new contracts - the goalkeeper, Steven Davis, Scott Arfield - more than played their part in what was a Rangers performance. Not a Rangers result but a Rangers performance against Napoli.
"If we return to the new signings, some weeks ago I listened to the vice-captain of the club say it's the strongest squad he's seen at Rangers since he's been at Rangers. I know for a fact that is a player who doesn't miss a training session. And if that's a player who doesn't miss a training session I trust his judgement, because he sees those players every day.
"And, I trust the judgement of the manager, who says he's happy with this squad. I happen to believe this is also the strongest squad since I've been at Rangers, since Connor (Goldson) and others have been at Rangers. It's September, let's see if we're right on that as the season progresses."
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