Why do Rangers have such a huge squad?

The above is a hypothetical 'Rangers A' v 'Rangers B', as I see it at this moment in time.

Not bad, eh?

I know a few players are a wee bit out of position, but you'll recognise the point I'm making.  I couldn't even find a place for youngsters like Barrie McKay and Kyle McAusland who have both seen first team action this season.

After a pretty mediocre tilt at the third division last season, the Gers seem to have moved up a few gears this time around.  Aside from the humiliation of defeat at Forfar in the League Cup, they've romped all their other games.  On the one hand it is the least we should expect, but on the other hand you can only beat what is put in front of you.  But does Ally McCoist really need so many options?  He said in pre-season it was so he could rotate his squad.

How does the size of the squad compare to Premiership clubs?  Well, let's look at how many 'over-21' players (that is, under the SPL rule that was used up to the start of this season), each club has on their books currently.

Aberdeen - 15
Celtic - 20
Dundee Utd - 15
Hearts - 6
Hibs - 19
ICT - 16
Killie - 16 (which could increase if Bouzid and Silva are signed)
Motherwell - 14
Partick - 17
Ross Co - 19
St Johnstone - 18
St Mirren - 12

Rangers, at the time of writing, have 19 players over 21.  That of course does not include their talented youngsters such as McKay, Fraser Aird, Robbie Crawford or Lewis Macleod.  That's a lot of guys to keep satisfied with first team football.  And it seems that most Premiership clubs do not need the same amount of options as Rangers do.

This talented yet bloated squad's remit, may I remind you, is to win the Scottish second division and the Challenge Cup and, presumably, wreak revenge on any Premiership sides they might meet in the Scottish Cup.

The wage bill for the playing squad in 2012-13 was, according to the sources I found online, about £7 million, which was the second highest in Scotland.  That didn't include Dorin Goian and Carlos Bocanegra, who spent last year out on loan and had their wages paid by their new clubs.  Apart from those two, the only senior player to depart in the summer was Neil Alexander (admittedly, the highest-paid member of the squad), while Anestis Argyriou has subsequently moved on and Francisco Sandaza came to a settlement over his contract termination.

Rangers have signed nine players since their transfer embargo came to an end on 1 September.  Those signings include two players with Scotland caps, a Honduran international, veteran striker Jon Daly, and Nicky Law, who was one of the SPL's outstanding midfield players last season.

And, on top of that, Ally McCoist has offered a contract to ex-Hearts skipper and Lithuania international Marius Zaliukas, and still apparently wants to sign Bosnian defender Boris Pandza.

Maybe it's that Rangers want to have a settled, talented squad in place for their first go back at the top flight in two seasons time.  That's a long time away.  That wage bill isn't likely to be lower than last season.  We all know that the club have already pissed away most of the cash raised by the newco last year.

So how on earth can the club manage to afford all these players?  And how will they be able to afford them for next season as well?

That AGM next month is going to be interesting.

Still, the 11-on-11 games at Murray Park during training will probably be higher quality than at any other club in the country aside from Celtic...

L.