NafisaRangers may have secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Jablonec, but the result did little to quieten the growing questions surrounding Nicolas Raskin.
Ryan Naderi’s early second-half strike gave Derek McInnes’ side a narrow advantage in the Conference League play-off tie, although the performance itself left plenty to be desired.
The Ibrox crowd had booed the team off at half-time, while Cammy Devlin’s dismissal after coming off the bench made the closing stages even more uncomfortable.
Yet one of the biggest talking points before the game was not about who was starting.
It was about who wasn’t.
McInnes made just one change from the side that demolished St Mirren 5-1 at the weekend, with Dan Neil replacing Raskin in midfield.
Given the Belgian’s importance to the team — and the mounting speculation surrounding his future — the decision immediately caught attention.
And former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday was among those who felt there could be more to it.
Halliday raises eyebrows over Raskin decision
Halliday was at Ibrox working as a pundit for BBC Sport and admitted before kick-off that Raskin’s absence looked significant.
He questioned whether the midfielder’s situation could be linked to the interest reportedly building ahead of the transfer deadline.
Speaking on Sportsound, Halliday said:
«“That tells me something.»
«“I don’t think he’s out due to form, because of his performance at the weekend [against St Mirren].»
«“You just wonder if interest in Nico Raskin has started to ramp up. We all seen what happened to Youssef Chermiti – is it now a case of Nico Raskin sitting on the bench with interest coming from elsewhere? It’s an opportunity for Dan Neil.”»
It was a striking suggestion, particularly because Rangers had named an otherwise strong team for a tie they could ill afford to take lightly.
Raskin had impressed during the 5-1 victory over St Mirren, making his omission even harder to explain purely on sporting grounds.
But McInnes had an answer.
McInnes insists injury was the reason
The Rangers boss moved quickly to shut down suggestions that transfer speculation had influenced his team selection.
Speaking to Rangers TV, McInnes explained that Raskin was managing an ankle injury and had required treatment following the St Mirren game.
«“Nico is managing an ankle injury,” McInnes said.»
«“He needed an injection after the game on Sunday. It gives him a little bit of time to recover, and it gives Dan the opportunity to play.”»
On the surface, that appeared to settle the matter.
Raskin was not being left out because Rangers were preparing for his departure.
He was being protected because of an injury.
However, what happened during the match only ensured the questions would continue.
Raskin wasn’t used even when Rangers needed him
Rangers struggled for long periods against Jablonec.
After Naderi’s goal, the game became increasingly uncomfortable, particularly when Devlin was shown a straight red card after coming on as a substitute.
With Rangers down to ten men and searching for enough quality to see the game out, McInnes made further changes.
But Raskin still didn’t appear.
Connor Barron and Kosta Nedeljkovic were introduced late, while Lawrence Shankland was also brought on.
Raskin remained on the bench throughout.
That inevitably raised another question.
If the midfielder was fit enough to be included in the matchday squad, why wasn’t he considered when Rangers were under pressure and desperately needed control in midfield?
If he was genuinely carrying an ankle problem, then McInnes’ decision is understandable.
But from the outside, his complete absence from the game does little to extinguish the speculation.
The timing is what makes it interesting
The Raskin situation has become particularly intriguing because of the timing.
Reports have suggested that clubs are monitoring the Belgian, with interest from elsewhere potentially intensifying as the transfer deadline approaches.
McInnes has also previously acknowledged that Raskin could be a potential “flight risk” if Rangers receive an offer that meets their valuation.
That means every team selection involving the midfielder is now likely to attract additional scrutiny.
For Rangers supporters, the hope will be that this latest situation really is nothing more than an ankle issue.
Raskin remains an important player for McInnes and, with Rangers trying to recover from a difficult start to the season, losing one of their key midfielders would represent another major headache.
The Ibrox side did eventually get the job done against Jablonec.
But the 1-0 win has not put the Raskin story to bed.
If anything, Halliday’s comments before kick-off and McInnes’ decision not to use the midfielder after his team went down to ten men have ensured that the Belgian’s future will remain firmly under the microscope.
And with the transfer window approaching its final stages, Rangers fans may have to wait a little longer before they discover whether this really was just an injury decision — or the first sign of something much bigger.
Nafisa
