O’Halloran aims dig at Caixinha after securing Rangers loan move
By Harry Sykes
Michael O’Halloran is looking forward to being a “normal” footballer again after completing a loan move to St Johnstone from Rangers on Saturday.
The 26-year-old returned to McDiarmid Park on deal that runs until January just 18 months after Mark Warburton sanctioned a £500,000 swoop to take him to Ibrox.
But his Rangers transfer has not worked out and he was banished from the first-team set-up at the end of last season by Pedro Caixinha and ordered to train with the club’s youth team amid bust-up speculation.
O’Halloran admits it has been a while since he trained as a first-team player so can’t wait to get involved with his Saints team-mates for the build up to the season opener at Kilmarnock.
The winger, who came off the bench against East Fife on Saturday, told the Scottish Sun: “I always wanted to come back so jumped at the chance when I found out on Friday night it was happening.
“I did well here before, I had good times here so it was a no brainer. I have not played for a while so need to get back playing, hopefully I will manage to do that here.
“It has been frustrating, it’s not nice when you are on the bench or in the stand. I can’t remember the last time I played, I think the last competitive start I had was January.
“I have not trained a lot with the team at Rangers much, a lot of it has been on my own or with another couple of boys.
“So I’m looking forward to getting back to training normally with the lads again. I can’t wait for the game against Kilmarnock next week.”
O’Halloran’s exit marked the seventh player to leave Rangers either permanently or on loan this summer with the likes of Clint Hill, Matt Crooks and Andy Halliday also departing as Caixinha revamps the squad.
O’Halloran has returned just three goals and six assists in 37 matches in total for the Glasgow giants.
The winger still has three years remaining on his contract at Rangers.
In other Rangers news, Kevin Thomson believes this 2016 summer signing is as good as any Gers player in the squad.
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