Glasgow Rangers formally announced on Thursday that the original club no longer exists — they are now known the world over as “The Rangers Football Club.” The question now for MLS fans is what's in store for the club's US contingent made up of Carlos Bocanegra, Maurice Edu and Alejandro Bedoya?
In the next week or so, the other 11 Scottish Premier League teams will meet to vote on whether Rangers can enter the SPL next season. The newly formed team, which is replacing the side which was formed in 1872, will have to win the vote by a majority of 8-4 in order to compete in Scotland’s top division. If not, they will likely be demoted to the bottom tier of Scottish professional soccer, the third division.
So will Bocanegra & Co. be lining up against the likes of Montrose, Elgin City and Peterhead next season? Or enjoying the Old Firm derby against archrivals Celtic FC at a packed Ibrox Stadium? Only time will tell, as the wait to find out their fate will be an anxious one for the US trio.
One report Thursday suggests that with the original Rangers Football Club ceasing to exist, no player is contractually obligated to play for the newly formed club. Hence, all three US players could end up as free agents and able to speak to whichever clubs they want.
Watch this space, this saga will rumble on long into the summer months. Let us know what you would like Rangers' American trio to do in the comments section below.
