Maurice Edu: I want Rangers to sign Hamilton's James McArthur

[pete 2,494]

RANGERS star Mo Edu says he'd love to see Hamilton ace James McArthur lining up alongside him in midfield next season.

 

American Edu, who scored the only goal of the game and won the Man of the Match award as the Ibrox side beat Accies on Saturday, conceded that his young opponent was easily the best player on the pitch.

 

The 22-year-old, who has attracted interest from Stoke City and Wigan ran the show from start to finish - and had what looked like a perfectly good equaliser ruled out for an offside.

 

Gers boss Walter Smith is a huge fan of McArthur but with the Ibrox club in financial limbo any move for the young Scot has to remain on the back-burner.

 

With the number of Premiership suitors growing by the week the playmaker looks destined to head south in the summer.

 

But Edu feels he would be a massive hit at Ibrox. He said: "He's a great player, a talented kid. If he does go south he has the ability to do well. But he could also do well here. I believe he's a Rangers fan so you never know what could happen."

 

McArthur will head to Wigan for a trial at the end of the month and while Edu insists the SPL can ill-afford to lose performers of his calibre the former Major Soccer League star understands the lure south of the border.

 

He said: "You always want to keep the talented players in this country. But you have to respect players' ambition to test themselves against the best players in the world in the best league in the world."

 

On an day when few of his team-mates merited pass marks Edu's strike after 10 minutes was the only goal of the game.

 

Thereafter Hamilton were in the ascendancy as the rigours of playing 21 games since the turn of the year took their toll on Smith's weary squad.

 

And Edu admits the fans were short-changed by the display. He said: "It's another result towards the title but we would rather put on a good show for the fans and ourselves."

 

Edu says he almost preferred the run-in 12 months ago when Rangers needed to win every game as the title race went down to the wire.

 

He said: "We are in a different situation from last season and in some ways that is harder.

 

"Last season we fought back and clawed our way to the top. This is a different challenge for us but I think we will be fine."

 

I haven't seen enough of McArthur to judge but i know he has been linked with us for a while.

When i am watching rangers playing i don't really see the opponents unless they are far better than us.

[Super_Ally 0]

I haven't seen enough of McArthur to judge but i know he has been linked with us for a while.

When i am watching rangers playing i don't really see the opponents unless they are far better than us.

 

In much the same boat myself mate.

 

Unless someone from the opposition is playing an absolutely blinder I am unlikely to notice as I am focusing on the Gers on the field.

[Zappa 0]

I'm wondering which gutter rag is responsible for this because there's no quotes from Edu backing up the article title. This twisting of people's words is getting beyond a joke.

[pete 2,494]

I'm wondering which gutter rag is responsible for this because there's no quotes from Edu backing up the article title. This twisting of people's words is getting beyond a joke.

 

It is in the Record and the Herald. I can't see two papers making up the same story.

[Zappa 0]

It is in the Record and the Herald. I can't see two papers making up the same story.

.

I'm not saying they made up the so-called 'story' pete, but the title of the thread is no doubt the article title and there's no quotes from Edu saying 'I want Rangers to sign Hamilton's James McArthur', so the article is misleading at best, but more like twisted.

[pete 2,494]

Maurice Edu full of praise as James McArthur thrives at Ibrox

 

It is a long-standing tradition in football that the man of the match award is always given to a home player, regardless of the result or performance of the opposition.

 

Given the recipientââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?rewardââ?¬â?¢ at most grounds is to be paraded around hospitality suites to press the flesh and pose for an endless stream of photos with adoring fans, the award could hardly go to somebody from the visiting side.

 

The fact, therefore, that Maurice Edu strode off with the champagne on Saturday was surely more a reflection of that convention rather than any impartial critique of the 27 players on show.

 

Not that Edu played badly ââ?¬â?? the American scored the only goal of the game and offered a bit of spark to a Rangers midfield that was surprisingly lifeless ââ?¬â?? but his contribution was still overshadowed by the stellar displays given by Hamilton midfield pair Alex Neil and James McArthur.

 

McArthur has long been a player coveted and admired by a number of clubs, the only surprise being that he didn�t depart last summer at the same time as close friends Brian Easton and James McCarthy. It seems almost inevitable that the 22-year-old will move on from New Douglas Park at the end of the season, with Wigan Athletic leading a long line of suitors. The player will spend a few days training with the Barclays Premier League club later this month before deciding on his next move.

 

I think James McArthur could do well here. He has two good feet and he�s been a key player for Hamilton this season.

 

 

Edu revealed himself to be a McArthur fan and hoped Ibrox could yet end up as the next destination for the lifelong Rangers fan. ââ?¬Å?I think he could do well here,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?He has two good feet and heââ?¬â?¢s been a key player for Hamilton this season.

 

ââ?¬Å?I believe heââ?¬â?¢s a Rangers fan so you never know what could happen. Weââ?¬â?¢ll just have to wait and see. Iââ?¬â?¢ve played against him a few times this season and I know him off the field as well. Heââ?¬â?¢s a great player, a talented kid and has a good head on his shoulders.

 

ââ?¬Å?If he does make the move to the Premiership then he has the ability and the potential to do well. Itââ?¬â?¢s just a matter of progressing and learning from the peers around you.ââ?¬Â

 

McArthur, despite the opportunities coming his way, remains remarkably level-headed about his future.

 

ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ll go down for a few days [to Wigan] to see what itââ?¬â?¢s all about. Graeme Jones [Wigan assistant manager and former Hamilton player] has set it up and Iââ?¬â?¢ll go down and do my best and hopefully theyââ?¬â?¢ll be impressed by that. I will train for a few days and do the best I can. All I can do is play the best I can for Hamilton and Iââ?¬â?¢ve been happy with my form. If people come and watch and are impressed then so be it. All I can do now is concentrate on helping us stay in this league and keep playing really well.ââ?¬Â

 

McArthurââ?¬â?¢s impressive display at Ibrox should have been topped off with a goal, his second-half strike erroneously ruled out for offside. To his credit, however, he chose not to gripe too much about the decision.
 ââ?¬Å?It was onside but people make mistakes,ââ?¬Â he shrugged.

 

 

 

Edu conceded that Rangers hadnââ?¬â?¢t been at their best and added: ââ?¬Å?Yes, you can say itââ?¬â?¢s another result towards the championship. But we would rather put on a good performance for the fans and ourselves. We expect a high level of performance and we are disappointed the display wasnââ?¬â?¢t the greatest. At least we got the three points and are one step closer to being champions again.ââ?¬Â

The Herald version.

[stewarty 1,876]

Kinda agree that clearly a twist or spin has been put to Edu's words. Interestingly, although it was widely reported about the player going for a trial at Wigan, Hamilton's chairman was in the radio on Sunday saying there was no way it was going to happen. Strange things going on there and Willie Mckay is the boy's agent... I think we can draw our own conclusions about this story I.e it's designed to flush out rangers interest in the player come the transfer window.

[Frankie 8,136]

I think the fella Neil is just as good. As is Mensing actually.

 

In general I wouldn't take any of them.

[Zappa 0]

Agreed Frankie. A player like McCarthur might be a good buy at �£2m (ish) for a club like Wigan, but we need to be looking at somehow getting more player for less money. If McCarthur wants to play for us he should move down south from Hamilton, get some valuable experience down there, look to run out the duration of a contract, then come to us on a free or on the cheap.

[calscot 0]

If I was interested in anyone in the SPL it would be Anthony Stokes.