Why Always Adel? – 12 Sept 2012

It’s a strange phenomenon. Ask the vast majority of Rangers’ fans who the most talented player in the squad is, then there is a fair chance that most will say Adel Taarabt. He is the player that can set the game alight, see a pass that no-one else can, go past players as if they are not there. His skill levels are second to none, he can dazzle, he can amaze. There is a buzz and an expectation whenever he gets the ball, he is the one player to get the supporters off their seats, the one player who you would pay to watch every week. His song describes his talents in a nutshell: “Taarabt’s too good for you”. So why is it then that he is invariably the one sacrificed when the hatchet comes down after a poor team performance?

It happened under Neil Warnock last season and now it is happening again under Mark Hughes.

But why? Do they have no faith in him? Is he considered a liability? Is he too much of a maverick? Does he not easily fit into the regulated shape of a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 or a 4-5-1? Maybe it is a combination of all of these things, but it does seem such a dreadful waste.

Let’s consider the case for the defendant.