A wise man whom I used to have the pleasure of attending football matches with once told me a couple of things, one as I witnessed Scotland qualified for France 98, that Scotland would not qualify for another major tournament for a good number of years, the second on the day Rangers took on their first match in the third division, as we travelled up north, with him saying Rangers wouldn’t win another top-level league title in his lifetime.
I scoffed at these suggestions, but he might just be right, I only hope for his sake, the second turns out to be not true.
Ahh the banter years, they continue on.
As a Rangers supporter, I was lucky and fortunate enough to see 9IAR era, I was also forced to witness Ian Black and Kevin Kyle don a Rangers shirt. I was there when we beat Leeds at home, the champions of England and all their might and Annan away on a cold new year’s day many years later, still hanging from the night before, yet now after all the false dawns, I am at my lowest point.
Standards have slipped for years, from my pet hat (room 101) type, of having players not in club suits before every match, to the cheap captain’s armband our so-called captains wear. Rangers to me was all about quality, where has it gone. We have cheapened the brand and only have our so-called custodians and players to blame. The fans have more than played their part, we have dug deep and turned out in numbers, home and away. Right now we are a club lacking in any direction or leadership, it cant be allowed to continue, we at present are rudderless.
I truly believe that in sheer terms of money and keeping our head above water this board are right, there is no money tree out the front of Edmiston Drive. These days it is about extracting the most money from the most sources as possible. So over to you Mr King. The kit deal is a fairly decent one in terms of money in, that I can’t complain over.
I once again, like many others have blindly renewed my season ticket, paid the rise, all this despite the product on the park being less than substandard. Despite the fact I cant see the big screens, where I sit we used to have tv’s above our section, they were on standby from 2008-15. The last game or half-time draw I witnessed on them was during the UEFA cup run ten years ago. Painting things blue is not the answer either. On Sunday mostly due to the fact I was at a charity event on Saturday evening I was forced to buy a hot dog, if that’s what you want to call it. Value for money and points awarded for presentation clearly don’t matter.
The players and management tasked so far with mounting any sort of prolonged or serious challenge this season has not materialised. This is a group that has shown they are simply not capable, or even worse only play when they want to. They are a mentally weak bunch and have proved over a prolonged period that many are simply not good enough, or of the required level, I very much include the man in the hot seat currently in that bracket.
Murty was put in a difficult situation I agree, but ask yourself this how else or when else would a youth coach be given an opportunity like the one he has had twice ?. You don’t get the Rangers job as a youth coach if things are going well, he has failed to seize the chance presented to him and now looks like somebody has stolen his lunch money. His actions of self-pity are not befitting a Rangers manager. His crocodile tears and body language is not of a leader of men. Your time is up, Murty you have been found out, players do not play for you. See the celebrations after the goals on Sunday as more damning evidence.
Off the field, and operationally, we need an experienced CEO, who can sort out the whole mess. The issue at present is wages, we are getting what we pay for, it is that clear. Stewart Robertson is the best we can hope for on the salary extended to the position. We must allow Mark Allen to get on with the football side of things. If this board think he is the right man to do that. Let the businessmen do business and the football men do football. I ask any of the successful members of the Rangers board, would you run any other of your company’s or investments like you have us ?. No, of course, you don’t or wouldn’t.
The PR, side of things is a disaster. In fact, I take that back it is quite simply an embarrassment. The fact the club are allowing some stuff to be released and get out is a dereliction of duty. Sort it out now. Rangers used to stand for something. No dressing room leaks, nothings being drip fed and certainly no statements, made out of sheer anger only designed to create further fractions between supporters, or alienate players, what is going on is rotten to the core. Every week seems to bring a new PR disaster.
I only hope the wise man’s words to me that Rangers would not win another league in his lifetime don’t come true.
@steven_harrigan
