How Rangers star has gone from being the brand new Dowell to undroppable

The recruitment work accomplished by Glasgow Rangers lately has taken loads of flak, and rightly so, as a result of it has not delivered trophies on the pitch.

Philippe Clement is the latest supervisor to have lifted a trophy with the Gers, again in 2024 when he received the League Cup, and the membership haven’t received the Scottish Premiership title for the reason that 2020/21 marketing campaign below Steven Gerrard.

The board have made too many errors with managerial appointments, as Michael Beale, Danny Rohl, and Russell Martin all did not safe silverware, and with signings that haven’t labored out.

A highway a lot travelled has been the trail from England’s second tier to Ibrox, and it isn’t one which has been notably fruitful for the Scottish giants, with Kieran Dowell being one instance of it.

Why Kieran Dowell failed at Rangers

The English attacking midfielder seemed like an thrilling signing on paper for the Gentle Blues after he joined on a free switch from Norwich Metropolis in the summertime of 2023, as he had received a league title and performed within the Premier League with the Canaries.

Dowell racked up 12 targets and 6 assists in 75 matches at Carrow Highway, providing a good menace on the high finish of the pitch, however he lacked the depth and physicality to hold that over to Scottish soccer.

He left to signal for Hull Metropolis within the Championship in January of this 12 months for a nominal payment after scoring simply three targets in 39 appearances in all competitions for Rangers.

After 18 months at Ibrox, Dowell struggled for consistency within the Scottish Premiership, shedding the vast majority of his duels within the division, and was despatched out on mortgage to Birmingham Metropolis in January 2025.

The left-footed attacker’s lack of physicality and mobility meant that he was unable to influence video games regularly, which is why he finally failed in Glasgow and was let go earlier this 12 months.

How Rangers star is avoiding turning into the subsequent Kieran Dowell

Regardless of the failures of the likes of Dowell, Joe Rothwell, Max Aarons, and Todd Cantwell, Rangers dipped again into the English market to land one other free agent this summer season.

Dan Neil was introduced in on a free switch after his contract at Premier League aspect Sunderland expired on the finish of July, though he had most lately been enjoying within the Championship on mortgage at Ipswich City.

The English central midfielder didn’t get off to the very best of begins at Ibrox, as he delivered underwhelming performances throughout each legs of the Europa League play-off loss to Jagiellonia, and was an unused substitute for the league defeat to Hibernian.

After such a poor begin that led to him being dropped so early within the season below Derek McInnes, there have been already comparisons drawn amongst supporters between him and the likes of Dowell and Rothwell, who had made related strikes and struggled.

Nonetheless, the previous Sunderland captain, who has received two promotions out of the Championship in his profession, has since settled in and seemed extra at dwelling in his environment in latest matches.

Having seemed like the subsequent coming of Dowell, attributable to his lack of pure physicality and mobility, Neil has adjusted to the depth of the league and improved his positioning off the ball.

The distinction in his defensive numbers within the video games towards Aberdeen and Motherwell present that he’s enhancing with extra expertise below his belt in Scotland, which is a promising signal.

Neil additionally showcased his improved work off the ball within the two legs towards Jablonec within the Convention League, profitable 5 of his 9 floor duels with out being dribbled previous a single time.

The 24-year-old maestro has received 56% of his floor duels and 60% of his aerial duels within the Premiership throughout his first three appearances within the division, displaying that he has tailored to the physicality of the division.

Dowell by no means handed that take a look at, as he struggled with the bodily aspect of the sport, and Neil’s performances recommend that he is not going to have the identical drawback, regardless of a disappointing begin.

REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

Now, after a dominant efficiency towards Aberdeen, wherein he received 5 of his seven floor duels, he ought to be thought-about an undroppable member of the squad heading into the subsequent block of video games, because the midfielder continues to enhance.