Aaron speaks out

[Gazza_8 233]

From the Evening Times

 

Aaron’s age was a no-go for Walter Smith

 

SPANISH kid Aaron Niguez reckons he never got a chance to make the grade at Rangers because manager Walter Smith felt he was too young to be thrown into the first-team.

 

The 20-year-old signed on a two-year loan deal from Valencia, but was shipped out during pre-season and now finds himself back in his homeland at second division side Celta Vigo.

 

Aaron thought the opportunity to operate in the SPL for a couple of seasons could help prepare him for life in La Liga the same way as Rino Gattuso's spell at Rangers sent him on his way to a fantastic career.

 

But he admitted: "Nobody likes to leave a club as big as Rangers, but I'm young and to progress as a player you need to play.

 

"It was a difficult decision to turn my back on the Scottish champions for a Second Division side in Spain.

 

"But as far as I was concerned there was no other option because I'll get more game time at Celta.

 

"I learned many things at Rangers and I improved on the physical side and I know what it's like to be at a great club.

 

"It was a wonderful experience because I've now sampled another culture and met new people.

 

"My problem was probably that I was too young and the trainer preferred to trust more experienced players.

 

"I don't hold anything against the coach. Every manager has their own ideas and there is no magic formula to be successful.

 

"To him things were good the way he worked. We won two trophies in that season and he trusted other players.

 

"But I hope things go well for them and Rangers do well in the Champions League as well as win the league again in Scotland."

 

"I was to young and the trainer preferred to trust more experienced players."

 

Surely not?

[Hurlock 0]

He scored and missed a penalty the other night, not being funny but any player who can walk into the Spanish U-21 side and be their main penalty taker must be well thought of despite not playing regular first team football, I think we've lost out there big time !

[craig 5,199]

We won the league. WS was proven right to play who he did. It was a must win year for us so I can see why WS went with who he did.

 

Disappointed Aaron left especially as the only signing we got was someone to play the same position as him but probably on far more money, which suggests to me that WS just felt he wasnt good enough.

 

Hurlock, U-21 football is far, far different to playing in the SPL. Many U-21 players go on to achieve very little in the game, even Spanish ones. And surely he IS playing regular first team football at Celta ??

 

I dont think we lost out big time at all because the reality is we wouldnt have kept him after this season - we simply wouldnt have been able to afford the €4 million fee for him.

[calscot 0]

I can't see how one young and unproven player could have made last season more successful than winning the double with a runners up spot in the league cup and there is a chance he could have made it less successful.

 

We know what we won last season without playing him, we don't know if we would even have won as much if we had played him.

 

We also have little basis to make a judgment of him and the fact he's playing in the Spanish SECOND division shows that not one big club has so far judged him as a capable first team player.

 

He may go on to be great but that does not mean he's a better bet in our current team right now than our experienced players.

 

As for this season, we now have Rothen, who should really be a better bet than an inexperienced 20 year old.

[ian1964 10,416]

I think what he has to say is pretty reasonable tbh. It just didn't work out for him at Rangers and if he does go on to be a '' great player '', he certainly never showed anything while he was here to suggest this, then good luck to him.

[pete 2,499]

I can't see how one young and unproven player could have made last season more successful than winning the double with a runners up spot in the league cup and there is a chance he could have made it less successful.

 

We know what we won last season without playing him, we don't know if we would even have won as much if we had played him.

 

We also have little basis to make a judgment of him and the fact he's playing in the Spanish SECOND division shows that not one big club has so far judged him as a capable first team player.

 

He may go on to be great but that does not mean he's a better bet in our current team right now than our experienced players.

 

As for this season, we now have Rothen, who should really be a better bet than an inexperienced 20 year old.

 

I worry about Rothen's defensive qualities to be honest. He is not one to track back with his opposite number. I feel Papac has been affected by this as he has to make a decision to which player to go to. Hopefully Walter can improve this in training.

[Hurlock 0]

I worry about Rothen's defensive qualities to be honest. He is not one to track back with his opposite number. I feel Papac has been affected by this as he has to make a decision to which player to go to. Hopefully Walter can improve this in training.

 

This is another good reason to have kept Aaron a little longer perhaps:

 

Fleck - Great going forward, no defensive qualities

Beasley - Lightweight, the wind knocks him over and injures him

McCulloch - Now seen more as centre midfield or centre defense cover

Rother - Good set-piece taker, good link-up, no defensive qualities tho

Lafferty - Occasionally tracks back when playing left wing, good at studding people in the testicles though !

Stevie Smith - A left-back, not really a left midfielder

 

I just think Walter should've given the Aaron more time, we'll see over the coming years what we've missed out on although would Aaron want to lose his natural skill playing in the kick and rush SPL, probably not !!

[craig 5,199]

Hurlock, you mention Fleck and Rothen and it seems that the major reason you give for them not being ideal in the LM position is that they have no defensive qualities.

 

In the limited time that Aaron had game time with us can you honestly say that he showed any defensive qualities ? I don't think so.

 

The reality is that both Fleck and Rothen would be far more likely to get a start than Aaron even if he did stay - so why bother having a 3rd LM ?

 

I read on here that he was on 7k a week as well, we cant afford to be paying 7k for a kid to warm his heels on the bench.

 

Besides, it actually looks like he too wanted to go because he wouldnt get a great deal of games.

 

Dont get me wrong, I was saddened to see him leave but there are others who would get a game ahead of him. In fact, when you look at it, if our chosen CM's are Mendes and Thomson with Davis at RM then Novo is probably a better option than Aaron as too would be Naismith.

 

So why keep a young lad who would probably be 4th or 5th choice ?

[delbear 0]

nice words from another young boy who was the next best thing that never happened..... de ja vu?

[Hurlock 0]

Hurlock, you mention Fleck and Rothen and it seems that the major reason you give for them not being ideal in the LM position is that they have no defensive qualities.

 

In the limited time that Aaron had game time with us can you honestly say that he showed any defensive qualities ? I don't think so.

 

The reality is that both Fleck and Rothen would be far more likely to get a start than Aaron even if he did stay - so why bother having a 3rd LM ?

 

I read on here that he was on 7k a week as well, we cant afford to be paying 7k for a kid to warm his heels on the bench.

 

Besides, it actually looks like he too wanted to go because he wouldnt get a great deal of games.

 

Dont get me wrong, I was saddened to see him leave but there are others who would get a game ahead of him. In fact, when you look at it, if our chosen CM's are Mendes and Thomson with Davis at RM then Novo is probably a better option than Aaron as too would be Naismith.

 

So why keep a young lad who would probably be 4th or 5th choice ?

 

I hope you're right, although you do need to be pretty good to get into any Spanish international team, that speaks for itself, again, I believe we've missed out here. Someone can see he has ability, shame it wasn't Walter & co.

 

What you mentioned before:

"In the limited time that Aaron had game time with us can you honestly say that he showed any defensive qualities ? I don't think so"

 

Limited time being the word, we saw nothing of him because he wasn't played, we won't know until we see more of him. Again I wish Walter and co gave people more of a chance.

 

If he is playing regularly for Celta Vigo in Spain's second tier then he's already playing in a higher standard than the SPL and is clearly a player. Perhaps there he isn't used defensively at all but we'll never know now unless they get promoted and we see them on Sky Sports maybe.

Edited October 10, 2009 by Hurlock