Danny Rohl invites two free agent to training one day before Kilmarnock game

Danny Rohl invites two free agent to training one day before Kilmarnock game

In the high-stakes world of Scottish football, where every session can tip the scales of fate, Danny Röhl’s arrival at Rangers has already sparked intrigue. Just one day before the crucial Premiership clash with Kilmarnock at Ibrox, the German tactician pulled off a masterstroke: inviting two Premier League free agents, Michail Antonio and Sergio Reguillon, to join the Light Blues’ training ground. This audacious gambit, executed on October 24, 2025, underscores Röhl’s reputation as a manager unafraid to think outside the box, blending innovation with urgency in a bid to haul Rangers out of their early-season slump.

Röhl, the 36-year-old former Sheffield Wednesday savior, stepped into the Ibrox hot seat earlier this month amid mounting pressure. With Rangers languishing in sixth place—13 points adrift of leaders Hearts and eight behind rivals Celtic—his debut European outing ended in a humiliating 3-0 loss to Brann on Thursday. Fans, already simmering with frustration, demanded immediate change. Enter Antonio and Reguillon, both unattached talents whose presence at Auchenhowie injected fresh adrenaline into a squad desperate for inspiration.

Michail Antonio, the towering 35-year-old Jamaican international, has been a West Ham staple for over a decade, amassing 90 Premier League goals and embodying raw power and versatility. Released in the summer after a storied career marred by injuries, Antonio’s market value lingers around £5 million, per Transfermarkt estimates. His invitation wasn’t mere symbolism; Röhl, drawing from his Bayern Munich and Germany national team days, sees Antonio as a potential aerial dominator and locker-room catalyst. “Michail brings that fire—the kind that turns draws into wins,” Röhl reportedly told his staff, envisioning the forward sparring with Rangers’ strikers.

Complementing Antonio’s brute force is Sergio Reguillon, the 28-year-old Spanish left-back whose pedigree screams elite potential. A Tottenham Hotspur discard after loans at Manchester United and Brentford, Reguillon’s pinpoint crosses and defensive tenacity made him a £27 million signing in 2020. Now a free agent, he’s been linked with MLS moves, but Röhl’s call lured him north. For a Rangers side leaky at full-back—conceding 12 goals in seven league games—Reguillon offers tactical fluidity.

During the session, he slotted into Röhl’s preferred 4-2-3-1, overlapping with winger Ross McCausland in drills that mimicked Kilmarnock’s counter-attacking threat. “Sergio’s experience in big games is gold dust,” one Rangers insider quipped. “He’s not just training; he’s teaching.

“This isn’t Röhl’s first rodeo with unorthodox recruitment. At Sheffield Wednesday, he orchestrated a great escape from relegation in 2023-24, blending data-driven tweaks with motivational ploys like all-night video sessions. Now at Rangers, facing a “puzzle” as Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell called it, Röhl is adapting fast. The duo’s involvement bypassed formal trials, focusing instead on chemistry-building exercises: small-sided games where Antonio bullied midfielders and Reguillon whipped in dangerous balls. Observers noted immediate buy-in from players like John Souttar, who praised the “buzz” post-session.

Critics might dismiss it as a publicity stunt, but Röhl’s track record—nominated twice for EFL Manager of the Month—suggests substance. Rangers, bottom of the Europa League table, need points, not headlines. Against a Kilmarnock side unbeaten in five, this training infusion could unlock the creativity stifled under predecessors. If Antonio’s physicality disrupts Derek McInnes’ defense or Reguillon shores up the left flank, Sunday’s match might herald a turning point.

As the October chill bites at Ibrox, Röhl’s invitation signals a broader philosophy: opportunity knows no borders. In a league where free agents like these can be transformative bargains, Rangers fans dare to dream. Will it propel them up the table? Only time—and perhaps a goal or two from these surprise guests—will tell. For now, Röhl’s gamble embodies the beautiful chaos of football: one day, two outsiders, endless possibilities.