GersNet Forums

Rangers 'Soccer' School

Davie P — Sat, 19 May 2012 13:10:18 GMT

Hi all

Looking for some advice here. Has anyone put their kids through the Rangers 'Soccer' School and is it worthwhile? My youngster is a really good footballer and despite only being to Scotland once in his life, he is as passionate about Rangers as anyone on here. I was thinking of putting him into the residential camp and then taking in a match at the end of the week.

Thoughts?

Rangers v Aberdeen - 1987 League Cup Final

ian1964 — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:32:02 GMT

PSV Eindhoven 2 v 3 Rangers - European Cup 1978

ian1964 — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:08:20 GMT

Jock Wallace berates STV reporter

ian1964 — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:02:03 GMT

Vintage video: Souness' Rangers blast five in Skol Cup

ian1964 — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:59:12 GMT

Rangers 6 Hearts 1

ian1964 — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:38:16 GMT

Strathclyde Police

Yorkshire Bear — Sat, 19 May 2012 10:50:33 GMT

I see an off duty POLICE OFFICER has been charged with a sectarian breach of the peace at the Pigsty. A 16 year old has been charged with the same plus vandalism.:rfcbouncy:

Leggat - ASTONISHING RANGERS CLAIMS BY LLOYDS CHAIRMAN

ian1964 — Sat, 19 May 2012 09:39:23 GMT

LLOYDS BANK have claimed they had nothing to do with the controversial sale of Rangers by David Murray to conman Craig Whyte.

Despite the fact David Murray told Martin Bain at the time, his Murray Group were in debt to Lloyds to the tune of a staggering �700M and that Lloyds Bank had ordered him to get rid of Rangers�.FAST!

It is the latest twist in the increasingly bitter claims and counter claims rumpus over just what happened when Murray sold out Rangers to conman Whyte for a quid, sealing Rangers� fate by sending them hurtling into the crisis which now engulfs them.

But Lloyds Bank have admitted they haven�t a clue what role their own man on the Rangers board, the shadowy Donald Muir, played in the deal which has taken Rangers to the brink of oblivion.

That startling admission came from the man at the very top of the Lloyds Banking Group, Sir Winfried Bischoff and was all the more astonishing given the fact that Lloyds remain Rangers� bankers.

However, he has been forced to promise he will launch a full scale internal probe to attempt to uncover just what role Muir, who was acting as a consultant for Lloyds, representing their interests on the Rangers� board, played in the fiasco.

And that he will provide answers.

Bischoff made the pledge at a stormy Lloyds Banking Group Annual General Meeting held in Edinburgh, during which Lloyds were under attack for the way it handled the Rangers� account and the sale of the club by Murray to trickster Whyte, leading to the Ibrox club now having to fight for its very existence.

Four times the Lloyds Bank chairman was grilled as to what role his Bank and those employed by Lloyds, played in the debacle.

And the under pressure Bischoff was forced to admit Lloyds Bank knew nothing about Craig Whyte�s dodgy past.

Bischoff admitted Lloyds did not investigate Whyte and had no idea where the money he was going to pay off Rangers� �18M debt to Lloyds was coming from,and that Lloyds hadn't a clue that trickster Whyte had been banned for serving as a director for seven years.

Bischoff also insisted that another controversial behind-the-scenes senior figure at Lloyds at the time, Manus Joseph Fullerton, a founding director of the Celtic Trust, had nothing to do with the Rangers account, despite the fact east end of Glasgow born Fullerton claimed quite clearly on BBC Scotland�s website that he was responsible for ALL business banking in Scotland.

Bischoff insisted that was not the case and the now retired Manus Joseph Fullerton only controlled companies which had a turnover of up to �5M.

It is curious Lloyds have never made this claim before, as they have long been aware of Manus Joseph Fullerton being mentioned in LeggoLand. A simple statement when his name originally surfaced here in the autumn of 2010 would have cleared up the whole matter.

But Lloyds Bank refused to do that. They stayed silent on Manus Joseph Fullerton�s role in the whole murky affair until chairman Sir Winfried Bischoff was forced to comment when quizzed at the Lloyds Banking Group�s Annual General Meeting.

At the at times stormy three and a half hour AGM, chairman Sir Winfried Bischoff insisted Lloyds Bank had no influence whatsoever on David Murray�s decision to sell Rangers to Craig Whyte.

He revealed Lloyds did not do due diligence on conman Whyte and had no knowledge of his dodgy past and that Lloyds were not interested in knowing where Whyte got the �18M he used to pay off the Rangers� debt to the Bank.

Sir Winfried Bischoff also admitted he had no idea what role Lloyds Bank�s representative on the Rangers board, Donald Muir, played in the sale of Rangers to huckster Whyte.

And that Manus Joseph Fullerton, a founding director of the Celtic Trust, who claimed he was responsible for ALL business banking in Scotland, was not involved in any banking affairs of one of Lloyds most high profile customers, Rangers.

The bottom line being, Lloyds had no idea what their man on the Rangers board, Donald Muir, was up to and that Lloyds appeared to be happy enough to hand over the ownership of a high profile business in Scotland, one which their bank in the guise of the Bank of Scotland, the Halifax Bank of Scotland and the Lloyds Banking Group, had been involved with for a quarter of a century, without bothering to investigate the buyer or show any interest in where Craig Whyte�s money to clear the �18M to Lloyds, was coming from.

Given that Whyte has no visible means of support, no visible means of legal income, that is an astonishing admission for the chairman of Lloyds Bank, which British taxpayers have a 43per cent stake in, to make.

And it surely makes one wonder just how easy drug dealers, human traffickers and other branches of organised crime, must find it to launder their dirty money through the Lloyds Banking Group?

Perhaps that is a matter some Westminster MPs might like to take up with the Treasury.

Taken From Rangersmedia.

caseyjones — Sat, 19 May 2012 09:22:40 GMT

It's good to know that one of Gersnet's leading lights has had such an impact on a fellow poster!

Quote:

if i got to touch frankies arse then i would put on a tim shirt with a republic of ireland scarf.

:whistle:

Tom Miller's "The Rangers will prevail" speech

der Berliner — Sat, 19 May 2012 08:03:58 GMT

... clad in a well-made video

Tom Miller: The Rangers will prevail

Update from the Hong Kong Sevens

ian1964 — Sat, 19 May 2012 07:39:59 GMT

1-Scott Gallacher, 2-Gregor Fotheringham, 3-Mattie Clarke, 4-Robbie Crawford, 5-Kyle McAusland, 6-Danny Stoney, 7-Fraser Aird, 8-Aaron McGregor, 9-Barry McKay, 10-Rhys McCabe

Results
Gers 2 - Kowloon Cricket Club 0
Gers 2 - Singapore Cricket Club 0
Gers 0 - Sundireland 0

http://www.hksoccersevens.com/fixtur...match-schedule

A Champions League Final Day Moan

andy steel — Sat, 19 May 2012 06:34:40 GMT

If you have ESPN, you may have been enjoying their season of games from the history of the old European Cup. It's been a pleasure to sit with my youngest and watch games I saw as a kid...last night, Forest's 1-0 win over Hamburg in 1980 was on, a game I recall watching as a 9 year old in my Grandpa's house. A reminder of a time when John Robertson could keep Davie Cooper out the Scotland team (fair enough, really, he was a cracking player) and Kenny Burns could keep Gregor Stevens company in the disciplinary rooms. What a thug!

But another reminder hit home much harder, the 7-3 Real Madrid-Eintracht Frankfurt final, held in Glasgow in 1960. I think Frankfurt gubbed us in the semis (it's 7 in the morning, I'm not checking) so that must have been a sore one for Bears, yet 135,000 people turned out to be royally (arf) entertained. 1960 may seem like a world away to a lot of posters, but being born in 1970 it doesn't seem that far back in time to me...but the difference between then and now is staggering.

The idea of 135,000 folks at a game in Scotland today is ridiculous. Even for games where demand is high, for example Scotland's qualifier with Italy a few years ago, you wouldn't get that; and even if you optimistically claim you would, we have made it impossible by creating a national stadium with a capacity of under 50,000.

It's a fine example of the mismanagement of football since those days, though I have little doubt there were misdeeds then too. But to drive demand for a sport which can attract audiences like that into a niche attraction, on a level with rugby (and that's being generous - given some of rugby's recent attendances, it can seriously claim to be the leading sport in Scotland) is really quite an achievement.

You could point to outside forces affecting the game. Impact of TV, certainly. But it can't account for it all; if the product was of any value the audience would attend. I firmly believe the problems are of our own making. Insane increases in price being the prime factor: when I began attending Ibrox, around the 1984-5 season, I paid �1 to get into the west enclosure. I remember being distinctly peeved when they increased it to �1.10 when we had a good start to a season one year. But still, it was affordable for a 13 year old. I don't recall how much a return to Central cost, but it was 30p on the tube, so fling in a programme and it was under a tenner all in. Compare that to today - even allowing for inflation - and see how practical it has been for the generations which came after me to develop a habit of going to the football. A specific plan to exclude potential customers could not have been more effective.

Then there's the actual product on the park. Maybe we shouldn't aspire to Real Madrid's 1960s, 5-5 tactic, but it's a dismal thought that with 50 years to practice, all the advances in sports sciences and fitness, and massive exposure to good football from around the world online and on TV, we have regressed to a point hitherto unseen in the annals of association football. Gandalf football - "You Shall Not Pass!"

In the late 80s, the SFA brought out a video called 'Scotland the Brave' or somesuch, showing classic games from down the years. I kid you not, we used to play passing football in Scotland; some of the highlights of Baxter ripping Austria to bits were Barca class. It's hard to tell from newsreel footage from before the 60s what the game was like, given their bizarre camera angles and editing, but I doubt it was as bad as St Johnstone offered against us last week.

Little needs to be said about the off field world of Scottish football. In the absence of an actual war in Ireland, some seem to feel the need to carry on the struggle by other means in other places (I refer to both sides here). Sordid and depressing and of no help whatsoever. A recent spate of articles citing Rhegan's brother as having an interest in Irish literature (fancy that! it's only been the leading brand of English lit of the last hundred years), thus proving his celtc affiliation, highlights this. I love my brother, but his work doesn't affect me in the slightest, and politically we're miles apart. It proves nothing but obsession.

On and off the field, the product is poison. Hatred, bitterness, envy, delusion, all charged at a premium. Why would anyone want to get involved in it? Why on earth would anyone, in the future, look back on it with anything but bewilderment and disdain?

So it goes. Today, I'll be getting comfy on the coach, chips, dips and Blue Becks to hand (I am no macho drinker). Me and my youngest will watch the Cup Final - here's hoping it rises to the occasion - then take in the main event, the pinnacle of football in my eyes, the European Cup Final. Drogba style diving apart, it promises to be a good one. In 32 years, my boy might be reliving the Bayern-Chelsea game with his kids as ESPN shows highlights of the old days. What they'll have to watch more locally - whether they have anything to watch at all - is far more open to question.

Little article on Jude Allen and not much at all on Mazen.

kuznetsov — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:12:07 GMT

Signforce takes crises in its stride
By LEONG HUNG YEE

IT was a labour of love. That was how Jude Allen described his hotel management and technical consultancy company, Signforce Sdn Bhd.

Allen recalled setting up the business during the height of the Asian financial crisis in 1997/98.

�We went through a very tough time when we first set up our business. We were going through a financial crisis and some companies had even closed down because of it.

Jude Allen
�We are glad that we survived the crisis but subsequently we have to deal with Sept 11, the Bali bombing, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak and bird flu,� Allen told StarBiz.

He said that was one of the worst times for the hospitality and tourism industry.

�We explained our financial difficulty to our employees and thankfully they understood. We also froze our managers' salary during the bad times. I am not excluded from this as well,� he said.

He added that there were months when he did not draw a salary for himself in the hopes of keeping the business afloat.

�We eventually paid them with interest whatever we owed them,� Allen said, adding that he was very grateful to his employees who have been very supportive and loyal all these years.

He is very passionate about the business and his eyes gleamed when he spoke about it during the interview.

Allen, who has more than 29 years of experience in the hospitality industry, started his career in the industry with Kuala Lumpur Hilton as a night auditor in 1978. It was during this time that he learned the ropes of hotel operations � from food and beverages to computerisation.

He reached the height of his career when he was 26 years old and decided to start his own consultancy business. Allen and his siblings IZ Melvin and Sergius Flavian founded the company.

He said the standardised hospitality sector was dominated by chain hotels such as Hilton and Marriott.

�We tried to differentiate ourselves by staying away from traditional hotel management systems and constantly altering operations based on what guests wanted,� Allen said.

Some might not have heard of Signforce but the group's most noticeable work is the Tanjung Rhu Resort, Langkawi, and fine-dining outlet Saffron in One Bangsar.

�Over the past decade, Signforce has developed four distinct home-grown brands for hotels and resorts � Rhu (premium resorts), Essence (four- and five-star city business hotels), Moments (high-end limited-service hotels in suburban areas) and Suitestay (high-end serviced apartments),� Allen said, adding that the group's focus was on luxury resorts and city hotels.

Signforce, which did not own any of the hotels but only managed the properties, offered a very comprehensive consultancy, development and operating services for hotels, he said.

Allen said the group had embarked on an expansion plan and has been pursuing opportunities overseas since last year.

�We are expected to conclude negotiations in Indonesia soon. We are also looking at Vietnam and Indonesia to sign some contracts. We hope to get into India as well. I think India is a good location for us and Indonesia is superb! India's hospitality industry is growing and the market is becoming more brand conscious. They do not have enough hotel rooms there,� he added.

Signforce has already secured a contract to manage two properties in Doha, Qatar and is also looking to expand its footprint in the Middle East.

Allen said the Qatar project would include a four-star 120-villa resort (to be ready in the third quarter of 2009), a 36-storey five-star city hotel (to be ready in the first quarter of 2010) and the conversion of an 84-room boarding accommodation into a four-star boutique hotel (to be ready in 2008).

Signforce's foray into Qatar marks the group's first overseas venture. The group also has offers from Abu Dhabi asking it to manage its hotel.

Apart from overseas expansion, Signforce was also �in-talks� with potential clients for local hotel management contracts, Allen said.

The group may still be young but Allen is ambitious. He hopes to list the company in a few more years.

�We have to put in a lot of money and effort into this business. It took us 10 years to get where we are today and we will continue to do our best,� he said.
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I thought this maybe of interest to some Bears.

Another little piece on him here.

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http://lumirahotels.com/home/?page_id=21

Javed Abdullah @ Jude Allen has over 33 years experience in the hospitality industry. Previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Signforce Hospitality for 13 years. Also served as Executive Director for Radisson International Asia Pacific and Area Director for Hilton International. Javed had been personally involved in the design and development of more than 15 hotels throughout the world and is an expert in areas of Strategy, Development, Hotel Planning and Design, Project Management, Information Systems, Management and Control Systems. Educated in the United States in Industrial Engineering and Finance.
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Couldn't find much on Mazen.

http://www.zoominfo.com/#!search/pro...rgetid=profile

Green: Stay and win back the title

ian1964 — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:38:10 GMT

CHARLES GREEN last night insisted Rangers can be SPL champions next season if they keep their best players.

Crisis club Gers are facing a 12-month signing ban after stiff sanctions from the SFA.

Boss Ally McCoist could also see his top stars leave this summer for a fraction of their market value, because of deals their agents struck with administrator Duff and Phelps.

Former Sheffield United chief Green is still hopeful of persuading the key men to stay and win the title back.

He said: �As an outsider looking in I felt the original SFA ruling was wrong, but I also felt it would have been difficult for Rangers to overturn it. We have now got to see the written report from the judge and sit down with our legal advisors and see what the best step is for Rangers.

�If that signing ban remains then we will deal with it and we will work with Ally McCoist and his team to come out of it the best we can.

�My understanding � and I�m going to sit down with Ally next week � is a number of players reached agreements with the administrators to take reductions in salaries and vary their contracts.

�The condition in agreeing those variations is they would be allowed to leave at a lower price.

�What I�d expect is these players will have the chance to sit down with myself and the manager so we could explain what the plans are for Rangers over the next few years. Ally has done a fantastic job this season with a 10-point deduction.

�To my mind if we can�t sign anyone, but we can keep the existing players why wouldn�t we win the league? We need the chance to speak with the players.

�Of course, the major problem in all of this is the agents.The players respect Ally, they love Rangers and have enjoyed playing here.

�I had the fortune of floating the biggest soccer agency in the world a few years ago so I understand the market and the pressure put on players by their agents � and it is difficult.

�However it is a challenge we will have to face.

�We are are backing Ally and he knows that. I have had a number of meetings with him and he understands where we are coming from and he seems very happy with what he has seen and heard.

�It�s about building up trust, whether it is the fan on the street or the manager of Rangers. Everyone�s suspicious of anyone who comes through the front doors at Ibrox and I would be exactly the same.�

Green has vowed to freeze Rangers� season ticket prices when he completes his takeover.

He originally planned a price HIKE when he first launched his bid for control but Gers supporters slammed his proposal in meetings with the Yorkshire businessman.

He added: �I have had a number of meetings with fans who have raised important issues about Rangers and the way forward.

�I have listened to them and a key issue raised with me was the season ticket pricing for next season. Taking on board the fans� concerns, I can confirm when my consortium completes the purchase of Rangers, season ticket prices will be frozen for next season.�

Green has also revealed administrators Duff and Phelps have moved to rip up Gers� controversial deal with firm Ticketus.

He said: �The administrators have informed me they have written to Ticketus to terminate the agreement that is in place with Rangers.

�Supporters can now take heart from the fact that season ticket sales will be as normal.�

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scot...#ixzz1vGeSSiYK

Viva Barca Bears

Alistair McCoist MBE — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:20:55 GMT

GALA dinner to celebrate 40th anniversary of Cup Winners' Cup triumph

More...