Official Balogun and Firth officially gone

JD1872 said:
Balogun has been a very good signing in a free but it is the right time to move him on

Goldson signing a long term sealed probably sealed his fate. I expect we will go with Goldson/Souttar or Goldson/Bassey in most games next season

King looks very capable as back up, Helander is a bonus if we can get him fit but we should try and move him and Katic on to free up wages
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Souttar is right footed and pretty sure he always tends to play on right.
Appreciate Balogun was right footed but was comfortable as LCB. which not convinced Souttar is.

Thing a CB pairing of a right and left footed CH gives the team a better balance.

I
 
BN94 said:
Maybe controversial to some but I don’t really rate Souttar. I think Balogun is better.
Maybe I’ll be made to eat my words but all I see is Souttar and the treatment table next season.
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I think Souttar is going to surprise a lot of bears. My only concern, like everyone’s, is his ability to stay fit.

He’s commanding, decent pace, brilliant in the air and an excellent passer of the ball with a right nasty streak. He’s also good at taking the ball out of defence.

Fingers crossed.
 
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Bishyboy said:
Souttar is right footed and pretty sure he always tends to play on right.
Appreciate Balogun was right footed but was comfortable as LCB. which not convinced Souttar is.

Thing a CB pairing of a right and left footed CH gives the team a better balance.

I
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Souttar is two footed and has spent most of his time at Hearts as the LCB as in the Cup Final.

That's exactly why we've signed him!
 
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Gazza 8 said:
Good news.

No way could we have gone into next season with Helander, Souttar & Balogun.

Especially if we sell Bassey which is looking likely.

All the beat to both.
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Not yet it isn’t.
There is a major presumption that this’ll happen but, absolutely nothing has been said or done that makes his sale look likely.
Remember how often we’ve been down this “looking likely” and “definitely away” road, especially in the not too distant pass.
 
Bishyboy said:
Souttar is right footed and pretty sure he always tends to play on right.
Appreciate Balogun was right footed but was comfortable as LCB. which not convinced Souttar is.

Thing a CB pairing of a right and left footed CH gives the team a better balance.

I
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I reckon Souttar played more on the left than the right for Hearts.
Also, as I explained in a post yesterday it can be an advantage.
 
Sorry to see the big man go. Always felt he was a good option to have (when fit), and would be a good influence around the dressing room.

I’m sure he said previously that he would like to go back to Germany and I expect he wouldn’t be short of offers.
 
I really liked the guy, but hopefully Leon King is ready to step up. Favourite game was him playing right back in Old Firm at Ibrox and strolling it!
 
Balogun is an articulate, likeable guy who quickly understood and fell in love with the club. He was a decent centre half and good signing and all the more so for being a free transfer pick up shortly prior to the start of the season. That said, he was one rung higher up the centre half pecking order, and therefore played more, than I wanted. He was effectively our no 2 / 3 centre half when I would have preferred him as our no 4. Whilst I didn’t rate him as highly as others on here do, I readily acknowledge that he was at the very least a decent centre half (and after the wilderness years of the Wilson’s, Martin’s and Kiernan’s and the like, being a decent centre half isn’t to be sniffed at).

The easy thing for GVB and Wilson to do would have been to sign Balogun up to a new contract. I am actually encouraged by the fact that they haven’t gone for the easy option but instead have had what was, presumably, a difficult conversation with Balogun (unless it was Balogun’s decision not to stay, which of course is a possibility). GVB and Wilson presumably want to upgrade on Balogun, or to give King a real opportunity, or both. For me, that is the right thing to do.
 
I though we might hang onto Balogun. A reliable and experienced backup. Equally I said we needed to lose 2, or maybe 3, centre-backs. Simpson and Katic to follow I guess. Nobody will touch Helander whilst he’s in a moonboot.
 
Balogun will have a whole host of clubs after him. Plenty of top level football left in him.

Would prefer he moved to England rather than another Scottish team as he could be a thorn.
 
I wish Balogun was a few years younger and didn’t have the injury problems/niggles/need to be managed.

Ultimate professional, some outstanding performances and someone who knew what it meant to play for Rangers.

Wish him all the best.
 
Very best wishes to the two of them.
Leon was excellent for us and could still have done a job - would have given him another year but maybe with Katie returning he wouldn’t have got much game time.
Wouldn’t be surprised if we tried to move Helander on as well.
 
Nice to see us keep some players we
Need and start to move on others that don’t seem to be deemed necessary before we look to strengthen

Makes the transfer pot and wage budget a bit healthier
 
Balogun did fine and wish him all the best however, he was not as good as some have made out.

The re-signing of Goldson and signing of Souttar meant he was further and further down the pecking order.

If he signed a new deal I also think it would prejudice Kings development further.

We have -
Goldson
Souttar
Helander
Katic
King

In addition -
Bassey
Sands

He had to go!!
 
I just hope Helander can get over his injury problems now
Because I can't see Katic or Souttar giving us anything like the cover Balogun did.

LB will do a decent job for someone & I wish him every success in the future

Thanks for the memories Leon
 
Fantastic contribution from Leon but not the most surprising news given Goldson signed on the dotted line.

Although we currently have Souttar and Bassey that can perform in the CD role and also Helander perhaps due a break from injury (not to mention Katic being given a chance to impress) I am more certain now than ever that we'll sign another younger central defender of decent quality.

Time will tell.
 
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jaws73 said:
Fantastic contribution from Leon but not the most surprising news given Goldson signed on the dotted line.

Although we currently have Souttar and Bassey that can perform in the CD role and also Helander perhaps due a break from injury (not to mention Katic breing given a chance to impress) I am more certain now than ever that we'll sign another younger central defender of decent quality.

Time will tell.
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An opportunity for King to step up.
 
Disappointed to see Balogun go, was a very good back up option, but can understand why when there are other options like King, Bassey and possibly Katic.

Could not tell you a thing about Andy Firth's abilities as a goalkeeper.

Best wishes to both players.
 
LucyBlue said:
Goldson has played more than that in one season. When we really needed Balogun he was crocked...then crocked again. We've all but admitted he can't play 2 games in a week. That;s no use to us going forward.

I'm sorry though, he really wasn't that good and I'm glad he's gone.

Clearly the Management team felt the same.
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Goldson is a freak to be fair
 
Paisleybear30 said:
Balogun was a good bit of business, low cost and did a decent job. He had some excellent performances for us but I think this is the right call.
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That’s a fair view. With Soutar and King, plus Bassey, in addition to how we started last year, I think we needed to let him go. Gives us a chance to bring King through and get time. If Bassey is sold presumably someone will be bought.
 
A very bad decision by Rangers not to give Balogun a contract extension.
Our best centre half along side Bassey.
Hope we don't rue letting an excellent servant to the club go..
 
SDF said:
They couldn't offer him a contract. They were in administration.

Balogun was excellent at Wigan. 11 games, 1 loss, 6 clean sheets.
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He was released by Brighton the year before.

He played 11 games for Wigan the entire following season.

I guess we agree, you've just put a spin on it.

Sorry but I still believe he was below par and I'm glad Management agree.

.
 
murdoch5 said:
Shame about balogun going. Guess Katic will be coming back soon then
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I'd imagine it's more to do with the fact we've signed Souttar, Goldson renewed, King has emerged as a viable option and Sands/Lundstram can both play there. Not to mention if Bassey stays, then we are totally stacked when it comes to defensive options.
 
LucyBlue said:
He was released by Brighton the year before.

He played 11 games for Wigan the entire following season.

I guess we agree, you've just put a spin on it.

Sorry but I still believe he was below par and I'm glad Management agree.

.
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It's not spin. He played 11 out of the 14 games he was there for and lost once. They were also in the Championship and not League One and were only relegated with a points deduction.

He signed for Wigan on loan from Brighton in late January 2020. His Brighton contract then ran out in June and he signed a short permanent contract with Wigan to complete the delayed season. 5 days later they went into administration.
 
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