Danny Rohl is at last getting a tune out of music mad Thelo Aasgaard but it isn’t over until the fat lady sings
10:00, 13 Jan 2026
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Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard and Ibrox boss Danny Rohl(Image: )
Thelo Aasgaard admitted it himself. In a house full of musicians, he was the odd one out. Growing up in a family famed for its abilities to make soaring harmonies on classical strings, the young Thelo was more interested in lacing up his football boots.
His Norwegian father Jonathan is one of Europe’s most celebrated cellists, while his French mother Georgina has performed with some of Britain’s top orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic.
Naturally, some of that musical talent has rubbed off on Thelo, as it has done with his brother and sister who are also budding instrumentalists.
In fact, the Rangers ace is known to dabble a bit himself and likes to spend his spare time producing hip-hop and rap tracks in his own home studio while working under the pseudonym ‘Thxlo’.
Had Jonathan had his way, his son would have followed his lead into a career in music.
But football was always the first love of the former Liverpool academy kid and it was the crack of a crisply struck shot that produced the sweetest sound for the young Scouser.
Yet there is something more than a little ironic about the fact that a player who grew up amidst such a rhythmic family life has found it difficult to find his beat at Ibrox.
For the Rangers crowd, the 23-year-old former Wigan and Luton playmaker has proved to be quite the enigma.
They were sold a vision of a bold, powerful midfield attacker who had a knack for scoring from distance.
But for much of the Norway international’s six months in Glasgow so far, the soundtrack accompanying his efforts on the pitch have been groans of frustration from the stands.
At 6ft 2ins tall, well balanced, technically adept and able to strike with both feet, it looked like he had all the instruments needed to chime in with the Gers support.
But to date, Aasgaard has struggled to arrange all his obvious attributes into one coherent performance.
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Referee Nick Walsh shows a straight red card to Thelo Aasgaard(Image: )
His half-time substitution in last week’s Old Firm victory at Celtic Park was the third time he’s been dragged off at the interval this season - and that’s not to forget his early sending off against the Hoops in November’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final.
That Hampden dismissal screamed of a player overdoing it in an attempt to finally make his mark in a blue jersey.
Unfortunately, the only impression he made that day was the six-stud boot print he left on Anthony Ralston’s stomach.
In fairness to him, few among this Rangers squad seemed to suffer more under the dogmatic ideals of Russell Martin than Aasgaard did early on.
Locked into the former Ibrox boss’ rigid formation, he found it difficult to find the pockets of space from where he was so dangerous during his Wigan days, where he blasted 32 goals in 164 appearances before winning his move to Kenilworth Road.
The Ibrox support hoped the arrival of Danny Rohl might finally get a tune out of their £3.5million recruit.
And bit by bit, there are finally signs that Aasgaard is picking up the rhythm at Rangers.
His goal against Aberdeen on Sunday evening was his third in four games and his fourth overall this season.
But more than that, in what was also just the second time he started and finished a game in the Premiership this term, Aasgaard produced his first proper 90-minute display.
With Rangers’ energiser bunny Connor Barron missing, Rohl needed the rest of his team to provide the power they had lost as a result of the Scotland World Cup hopeful’s knee ligament injury.
And Aasgaard unquestionably did that, helping Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande to dominate the Dons as they swept to three points amid brutal weather conditions.
He kept possession in tight areas, won it back when Aberdeen threatened to break and took his chance to fire home the early opener - succeeding in three areas of the game he has previously failed to live up to expectations.
The question now, however, is has he done enough to keep his place in Rohl’s line-up?
Rangers unveil Tochi Chukwuani from Sturm Graz
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Rangers unveil new signing Tochi Chukwuani (Image: )
The arrival of £4million new boy Tochi Chukwuani from Sturm Graz will give the German gaffer another dynamic option in the engine room.
The Ibrox punters are already getting excited about renewed links with Danish international Andreas Skov Olsen.
The Wolfsburg winger has long been on Gers’ wish list and should he arrive on a loan with the kind of form he showed at Club Brugge - where his hit almost 50 goals over three seasons - then the opportunities for Aasgaard to continue his recent crescendo may be curtailed.
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But if Aasgaard can finally click into the potential that convinced Rangers to sign him last summer, then maybe he might not find himself yet again being branded the odd one out at Ibrox.