'Undeserved' - Euro legend reacts to Hagi developments after Rangers banishment

Ianis Hagi’s return to the Rangers first team has delighted his father Gheorghe who insists the situation was undeserved.

The Romanian legend talked up his son’s behaviour and readiness to perform at Ibrox after the contract stand-off which saw him banished to the B Team since the summer was brought to an end [Rangers Review, 1 October].

The 25-year-old has reportedly given up the pay rise which his contract entitled him to in order to return [Daily Record, 1 October], and could feature against St. Johnstone after joining Philippe Clement’s first-team training.

Hagi senior said, via Rangers Review (4 October): “Ianis is at a huge club. Ianis is happy and I am at peace now. I can sleep peacefully.

“I knew that sending him to the second team was not a decision based on football reasons. It was about different clauses in his contract, there was even a statement from their manager confirming this. It was not a sporting problem.

“There were no acts of indiscipline at Ianis. Let’s hope that things will return to normal, it was not a very pleasant time for him. It was undeserved.

“Maybe that made him stronger, maybe it will be better for Ianis from now on. He behaved impeccably. He accepted the decisions.

“From a physical point of view, he is extremely fit and ready to go. Did you see him last month for the national team?”

Rangers ace could come in for Tom Lawrence after injury

Hagi’s father is obviously going to be somewhat biased in any circumstances but the entire episode does seem to have treated the Gers ace poorly.

It may be more complicated than it seems from the outside but it’s hard to see what the Euro 2024 ace did wrong, only to be left in the reserves throughout preseason and then the first two months of the campaign.

Todd Cantwell wanted to leave during the summer but there is no evidence Hagi did anything other than remain committed to getting his Rangers career off the ground again [Football Scotland, 19 August].

And if the contract clause was the problem all along then the fault for that surely lies with the club for giving it to him in the first place.

Even if Hagi and his agent had previously insisted on it, and there is no suggestion they did, he indicated earlier during the stand-off that he was willing to work out a compromise [Instagram, 27 August] and has seemingly now done just that.

Quite why it took the club so long to get the matter sorted, not least once the transfer window closed, is baffling, and if he is able to make a positive contribution on the pitch now it will look even stranger.

With Vaclav Cerny going through some nightmare form after back-to-back clangers in the Europa League against Malmo and then Lyon, and regular number 10 Tom Lawrence going off hurt in the latter, there could be a route back into the side straight away against St Johnstone on 6 October.

In other Rangers news, a new Gers ace has been blasted and called just as bad as the former flop he replaced.

For more Rangers news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.

The post 'Undeserved' - Euro legend reacts to Hagi developments after Rangers banishment appeared first on Ibrox News.