Rangers could be ready for a big summer clear out with Michael Beale admitting his squad is too big.
The Ibrox boss has opened up on his reasons for carrying a slightly heavier pool than he would like as he revealed his 'honest and clarity' motto that he maintains with his stars. A number of his top team are out of contract in the summer while a core are on the fringes with a number of young players out on loan. They all return for pre-season in the summer with the Ibrox boss admitting he likes everyone to have clarity on their role in the squad.
Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell arrived in January while the Rangers boss has not hidden his desire to add to his goalkeeping ranks and another No9 option - both likely areas that will be addressed during the summer window. Speaking to Rangers TV about his squad situation and expectations of those involved, he said: “We have too many players is my opinion. There’s a reason we’ve carried one or two more, we’ve had injury problems and we’ve had to supplement that.
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“When I say we have too many we have young players out on loan as well so when pre-season starts they’re all back in the building. I want all the players to have clarity in their role in the squad and it’s difficult the more players you have.
“If I look at the top teams in the top leagues, like Arsenal at the minute have the most consistent eleven and I know from being at Liverpool when they won that was the case as well. When we won the league we had a core of seven or eight that play.
“With the amount of subs in the match day squad now I want everyone to feel engaged and involved in the squad. I want everyone to feel their best days are in front of them and to know the pecking order to get in the team and what role they’ve got.
“If I look at Fashion Sakala and Todd Cantwell, they’ve rotated the last few games and are completely different so they are competing for the same role but there will be certain games that suit Fashion more than Todd and vice versa so they’re aware of that because it’s been spoken about. Players like honest and clarity and that’s my motto.
"The last few weeks only having 18 fit means I’ve not had to leave anyone out of the squad. It’s not shying away from the job I just think every player is engaged.
"If you have a second team behind your first team then you probably need one more goalie and one more number 9. Within that you then have hybrid players like Hagi, Tillman, Kent, Arfield, Kamara, Nico Raskin. Players who don’t always play in one position it gives you more options.
"We look for that in players, those hybrid qualities and it benefits us. We see it in the past with Calvin Bassey. We don’t need any more than that and if there is young boys around it then wonderful but we don’t want to devalue the shirt or expectations."
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