Popular Post BridgeIsBlue 66,606 Posted October 20, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted October 20, 2018 "I went to watch them a lot and Alfredo was the big star in Finland. I saw what he had potential to do." Prior to the summer of 2017, Alfredo Morelos was a goal-scoring phenomenon in the obscure world of Finnish football. In little over a year at HJK Helsinki, the Colombian striker netted 46 goals in 62 games, including scoring 11 in 12 across his second season. It was little surprise that suitors would come calling, and, thankfully for Rangers, the eagle eye of Jonatan Johansson spotted his talents. Now Morelos has reached the same tally of games for the Ibrox club as he did in Finland as his reputation grows, Johansson describes how the Colombian went from being the poster boy of Finnish football to Rangers' top marksman. He was the goal-scorer so I guess you get most headlines," explains the Morton manager, who first became aware of Morelos while working as a coach with the Finnish national side. "The Finnish league is very different to the Scottish league. It's one of the challenges for a scout going to Finnish football because the tempo is quite slow, it's tactical and it's totally different from here in many ways. "So when you look at players you have to think, 'how will they fit into the Scottish game?'. They have to be tough, they have to be strong, have character, link the play as a striker. "In that way Morelos was different from other strikers in Finland as I thought he had all of those attributes. That's why he caught the eye." The impact Morelos made in Finland was something Johansson kept lurking at the back of his mind whenever the former Rangers forward became part of Pedro Caixinha's backroom staff. Morelos was brought in as Caixinha was assembling a squad for his first tilt at a full Scottish Premiership campaign. The Colombian, along with Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera, would provide competition to Kenny Miller for a starting place in the Rangers attack. "A big part of why I felt confident bringing him forward to Pedro at the time was because I knew some of his team-mates and his coaches so I could just phone them," said Johansson. "At the time it was the end of my first season at Rangers when Pedro came in and he gave me a lot of strikers to have a look at. "I didn't know them but the profile was for someone who could be the second or third striker that was younger with potential to develop and sell on for a profit. "Pedro took to him quite quickly." Since then Morelos has gone from strength to strength, with this season in particular holding a lot of promise for the 22-year-old. In his first campaign Morelos hit 18 goals under Caixinha and then Graeme Murty. Three months into the current season under Steven Gerrard, his tally already sits at 11, including four in the Europa League. One constant through his time in Scotland has been his tenacity and at times fiery temperament - he was booked in six of last season's final seven games. It is a characteristic Johansson acknowledges was evident during the forward's time in Finland. "I knew about his temper and that side of things but if you look at a lot of top players they all have that side as well. Young players maybe have it even more," he said. "It's something at that time we felt taking a risk on and it's something that he can control. "Temperament is a good thing as well. You need to have a winning mentality and a temper. Credit to the current management team that they seem to have focused him to channel it in the right way." Morelos signed a new deal with Rangers last month, tying him to the Ibrox club until 2022. Already this season Rangers have rejected £3.75m from Bordeaux for their star striker, and Johansson believes the striker has the work ethic and quality to fulfil the potential he first spotted in the Veikkausliiga. "I've watched him a few times already and he's been fantastic. It's so pleasing for me to see because he's a really good kid," he said. "I don't look at prices. Prices are dependent on markets. When he was at HJK I knew there was a clause in his contract that we could get him for a certain amount of money that fitted our profile and budget at the time. "I hope whenever he does decide to move on Rangers will get a good profit from it." https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45929914 dee9, Rum Ham, Courtyard Bear and 7 others 10 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Spliffy 643 Posted October 20, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted October 20, 2018 JJ is a sound cunt. Wish him all the best with Morton. Morelos is a great find and money in the bank as far as I'm concerned. We are a weaker team without him, brings far more than just goals to the team. Laudrup1984, WilliamMunny, dee9 and 16 others 19 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Hurlock Loyal 12,133 Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Comments are rancid in the BBC site already!! 4 posts in and they can't help themselves. WATP-FOREVER 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee9 3,972 Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 JJ...loved him as a player. Good article Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopCat 4,511 Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Worth 12 million plus........... well done JJ. Great bit of business for the Rangers. Blumhoilann and Rum Ham 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKnight87 17,285 Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Got to give JJ huge credit for the morelos signing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopCat 4,511 Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 2 minutes ago, BlueKnight87 said: Got to give JJ huge credit for the morelos signing. When you think of the number of very poor signings in the last 8 years or so...... some fanny must have recommended them to the club............ so AM stands out as a brilliant signing for the Rangers - therefore credit must go to JJ for bringing him to the club. BlueKnight87, BridgeIsBlue and Rum Ham 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rum Ham 2,059 Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 32 minutes ago, Spliffy said: JJ is a sound cunt. Wish him all the best with Morton. Morelos is a great find and money in the bank as far as I'm concerned. We are a weaker team without him, brings far more than just goals to the team. Could even see we were worse off without him during his drought last season, as soon as he was subbed off we would start to play deeper, as if we were defending a lead in Europe. He's the opposite of a keeper that is good with the ball at his feet and is the start of every top teams attack. Morelos is our first line of defence, and even before Gerrard arrived, was the only player that looked like he gave a shit. BridgeIsBlue 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Robot 21,149 Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 45 minutes ago, Terry Hurlock Loyal said: Comments are rancid in the BBC site already!! 4 posts in and they can't help themselves. They really are a brood that needs put down. Unhinged and they just know they are second class in all things and their continual obsessive nonsense demonstrates this. Terry Hurlock Loyal 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassettger 365 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Morelos is a big plus. He does miss chances but he also creates goals for others and he is strong and cannot be bullied. If sold would be very difficult to replace. Bad Robot 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKingObv 10,642 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Didn't get on the ball much today but managed to show his class I thought. ForeverAndEver 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
don1972 491 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Great 4th goal today ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEFTONG 60,097 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 J J gifting us El Buffalo almost lets me forgive him for the sitter he missed in Munich that would've got us a draw and qualification in the Champions league (the night Mols got done by Khan).... Almost.... Terry Hurlock Loyal 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Lockin 3,911 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 40 minutes ago, bassettger said: Morelos is a big plus. He does miss chances but he also creates goals for others and he is strong and cannot be bullied. If sold would be very difficult to replace. Last 10 goals the Buffalo has been involved in 9 of them siddiqi_drinker 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carsons Dog 9,878 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 I love the wee man If he could calm his temperament a bit and just hold his runs half a yard he would be a much better player. The times he gets caught offside are frustrating as phuk Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddiqi_drinker 14,635 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 3 hours ago, Lord Lockin said: Last 10 goals the Buffalo has been involved in 9 of them pass to Kent today was sublime & the wee man took his own goal well Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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