It seems a fresh idea has emerged from Ibrox in the ongoing quest to catch Celtic — and, if you’ve been paying attention, it’s a familiar one dressed up as something revolutionary.
Earlier today, I highlighted how Kris Boyd called for more Scottish players to be brought into the Rangers setup. Now, his old teammate Ally McCoist has jumped on the bandwagon, backing the same idea and suggesting that as many as seven Scots in the starting XI could turn Rangers into title challengers again.
This all stems from Monday night’s defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle — a match that has clearly struck a nerve. One particular detail has become a major talking point: Rangers didn’t start a single Scottish player.
For McCoist, that’s not just a coincidence — it’s the problem.
And when Ally speaks, people are expected to listen.
According to him, Hearts having five Scottish players in their starting lineup meant they “wanted it more.” In his view, that hunger and connection to the club outweighed the so-called “mercenaries” currently filling the Ibrox ranks.
Boyd shares a similar sentiment. In his eyes, the current group simply doesn’t care enough.
So here we are again — another rebuild on the horizon. Call it rebuild number 14 in 14 years. But this time, we’re told, it will be different.
This time, it will be built around Scots.
Now, it’s hard not to question why this has suddenly become such a critical issue. History doesn’t quite back up the argument. When Martin O’Neill took charge of Celtic and faced Dick Advocaat’s Rangers, there were only four Scottish players in that Rangers squad. It didn’t stop them from competing back then.
But fast forward to today, and the absence of Scottish players has apparently become a crisis.
Against Hearts, Rangers had just two Scots in the entire squad — enough to send Boyd and McCoist into full meltdown mode.
Naturally, McCoist couldn’t resist a dose of nostalgia. Speaking on TalkSport, the club’s all-time leading scorer pointed to the “good old days” when Rangers sides were packed with Scottish talent.
> “The first thing I wrote down — no Scotsmen. You can say what you like, but it matters. It’s a massive thing.
> Our successful team was ridden with Scotsmen — Durrant, Brown, McCall — I could name you eight in the team.
> You’ve got to have Scotsmen in your team. They know what it’s about.”
It’s a familiar argument — one rooted in identity, culture, and a belief that local players inherently understand what it means to wear the shirt.
But after 14 years of searching for that elusive “winning culture,” you’d think Rangers might have found a more consistent formula by now.
Instead, we’re back to square one — chasing something that still seems just out of reach.
Almost like that U2 song: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.
Still, Boyd and McCoist are convinced this is the way forward. And the media has been quick to play along.
The Daily Record even compiled a list of potential Scottish recruits who could form the backbone of this new-look Rangers side:
Ollie McBurnie
Kenny McLean
Nathan Patterson
Findlay Curtis
Lewis Ferguson
Luke Graham
Elliot Watt (Motherwell)
And there you have it — the supposed solution to Rangers’ problems.
A Scottish-led rebuild, a renewed sense of identity, and yet another attempt to close the gap on Celtic.
Whether it’s a genuine strategy or just another chapter in a long line of failed resets… we’re about to find out.
