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A young fellow was struggling with his homework. His father, who was reading the paper, looked up and said 'What's the matter?' The boy replied, 'I have to write a sentence or two explaining the difference between 'potential' and 'actual'. His father thought for a moment, and said 'Go through to the kitchen, and ask you mother if she would sleep with a strange man for 10 grand.' The boy does so, and confirms that she would. His father then says, 'Go upstairs and ask your sister the same question' Again the boy does so, and confirms his sister would do likewise. 'Well', says his father, ' potentially we are worth 20 grand, but actually we are living with a pair of whores'.

From what is being said, DA wanted more input on transfers and wanted a bigger budget. We are looking for a model where the manger / coach only coaches the team. This model has been successful for many clubs. We've been an utter basketcase of a club for 15 years, yet expect new owners to suddenly attract a top class manager. If you listen to Leeds fans they'll tell you they made some very unpopular decisions at Leeds but most turned out to be the right decisions. We just need to hope this trend continues at Rangers.

Every Rangers manager this century has played a possession based game domestically because it's only occasionally Rangers don't have the bulk of the possession during a match. Walter Smith became a master at a rope-a-dope style against Celtic where we'd often concede possession then hit them on the break but against everyone else we dominated. Smith relied on moments of skill from very good players, we were also much more dangerous from set-pieces then too. Gerrard didn't favour a counter-attacking style, he wanted his sides to dominate everyone. It took a while for this to be effective against Celtic and it worked in Europe until we played a side better than us. Whereas Gio and Clement were more flexible, particularly in Europe, and were happy to play effectively on the counter-attack. Martin has a clear preference for passing the opposition to death. So did Gio. Clement had that at first too, but as it struggled to breakdown the opposition he tried more direct football, with limited success. Our players simply weren't equipped for that style. For me Martin, or whoever it is, will need to play possession football because we'll have possession in most matches. What they'll need is better players than we've had recently. Without better players Martin won't succeed, but then I doubt Klopp would succeed if the players aren't of the required standard. It might be unpopular but had both Gio or Clement been given better players both were able enough managers to have won us the league.

Yeah, the worst for me. All other decisions are short term and can be corrected over time. This one means we've lost an asset for ever. It was sold so that NEH could be finished in time for the 150 year celebrations (it wasn't) and was very much a vanity project for the directors. We may not use it for much at the moment, other than match day parking, but who knows what future generations could have used it for. Plus it takes away much needed car parking spaces at a time when the council are trying to restrict match day parking nearby and punishes those whop struggle walking. I have 2 friends who would be unable to attend unless they're in the car park and this will potentially prevent them attending as they don't have the club-issued disabled passes, which will become harder to obtain. It's a disgrace!

In before @Bluedell 😀 Off all the bad decisions by previous boards, this is one of the worst.

The possession based style where they try to hold the ball until they can find a spare man to play through. Teams in a low block will let us play in front of them all day. We seen it so many times under Gio and Beale. You cant get past this if you don't move the ball quickly, or with urgency. All the reports I see reads as his teams move forward slowly. The Southampton reporter on the Rangers review yesterday stated he struggles against a low block, even when playing with a far superior quality of player than the opposition. I have seen a clip on YouTube from his time at Swansea highlighting some of his teams attacking play. It starts from the keeper, who needs to be able to pass, unlike anything we have now (and I've long stated we need a 'sweeper keeper' who can play the ball out and be an extra man for us at times, so I agree with RM on this one) It comes from games being wide open, teams pressing his team high. Look at where the back lines are. His set pieces since the dedicated set piece coach he had at Saints left, have been abysmal. Said coach left to manage Lillestrom, then shortly after went to Man U to be set piece coach. Of course this can be easily mitigated by getting a good coach in to work on it. But I'm sceptical. Its still possible for his style to work up here. It needs the right kind of player, high wide players who can beat defenders in 1-v-1's. Stronger more aggressive players than the opposition, getting bodies int he opponents box. Can the recruitment team source players with pace who can move us up the park quickly, can we have a #9 that takes the ball into feet with his back to goal and bring other players into play. These are things that we don't currently have, and something I've seen many Everton supporters criticise Purdy for is recruiting lots of slow players, so there's a red flag. I also watched this, from a Leicester City fan which outlined some pro's and cons. It states RM has learned that his teams need to be more aggressive off the ball, take more fouls to break up the game, get more yellow cards. In recruitment RM said he needs to look for more physical players, which is a mindset that will serve him well up here if he sticks to it. Some of the supporters in the comments state he doesn't utilise wingers well, teams will pass all day with no purpose etc which set of alarm bells. I just feel like the chances are low, for all the things needed to enable his style to be successful to come together. Out of interest, why do you think he will be so successful?

I can't help feeling that our new owners have failed their first test by delaying the Ancelotti appointment and allowing other jobs to emerge which have attracted him.

Its also going to be x many residents who will be able to object to any future building works, concerts, parking, around the stadium. Its so short sighted.

Use a 12ft Ladder...

Teams don’t get tired out watching the ball passed about in front of thrm.

I've watched a few videos, this included since the news broke. I still cant get away from this approach. It just wont work against the low block week in, week out. These teams just camp in the last 3rd, there is no space in behind, while we do the horseshoe around the back again, and again, and again.. I hear the argument 'His plan will work better when he has better players.' What better players? We barely have better players than Hibs and Aberdeen. We certainly don't have better players than Celtic. The league table does not lie.

Although the Broomloan is a major issue for Euro nights, as you pointed out. I sit in the middle of the main stand, where nobody sings it, and it's easier to tell where the singing is coming from. Agreed. I think a section of our support forget the sanctions that we previously incurred. Many don't have any discipline when it comes to songs. It will come back and bite us. How hard is it not to sing about the pope or fenians, some of which are just embarrassing? There are plenty of other songs to pick from.

Best to take what we can get and cut our losses from paying him.

I might disagree with you on the UB but I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments above. When was the last time you heard Every Other Saturday or songs about our legendary players that used to be far more regular. A full 90 mins of non-stop Rangers songs without any anti-pope/ira, or TBB/YCV/UVF type stuff would be amazing.

It'll depend on what budget he gets, but agree that fixing the spine of the team is priority. His style of play is very similar to Rodgers, so that's proven to be successful in Scotland so I can see why this would be attractive to the board. He plays with 2 high / wide full backs which was successful for Gerrard, when Tav & Borna were at their best. However, it's easier and stauncher to ignore all this, pine for a manager who hasn't managed 1 game, and simply scream and shout that Martin is an arse and we will fail before we've even signed a player or kicked a ball.

Another thing I can't get my head around is the hard-on some of our fans have for DA, a coach who hasn't managed a team in his career. People mocking Martins win rate, at least he has one, unlike DA. Neither would have been my choice and said previously that they are a much of a muchness. But at least Martin has experience managing a team. Also, I don't think this board will care what us fans think of the appointment, they have already said they are here to make tough and unpopular decisions as these are required to get us back to where we want to be. They haven't spent £75M to hire managers who'll expect to tell them who to sign and what to pay, nor will they bow to fan 'opinion'. I'm sure most of us would agree that this is the correct way for them to run our club.

Its a shocker. No idea what they were thinking.

Stevie Clifford said on his podcast Thelwell has been living up here for months, and working in the background for some time. Regardless, things will be moving. We just cant see it yet.

At this point, I genuinely believe Russell Martin might be the only remaining candidate who’s 100% committed to taking the job. The other names linked all seem to have other options on the table, or are waiting on how other situations play out. I don’t think Martin is/was the board’s first choice and that’s probably why this whole process has dragged on longer than expected.

I'm still genuinely unsure who I'd prefer to be the new Rangers manager so I'm unsurprised those responsible for the appointment seem to be equally uncertain. Perhaps this says more about the lack of quality candidates at this late stage than anything else? Meanwhile, the clock is ticking loudly...

Congrats @Bluedell!! We done Sir!

@Bluedell Again.

Apparently (per Fabrizio Romano): Inter Milan has asked Como for permission to open talks with Cesc Fabregas today. No direct contact with Cesc yet as timing and final decision depends on Como, with Inter now ready to present their project to Fabregas. The implication is: Cesc Fabregas to Inter, and Davide Ancelotti to Como. Hard decision for the boy - Glasgow or the Italian Lakes; Serie A or the Sunday Post Football League; sophisticated players who have been coached by a sophisticated player and coach, or a ragbag of second raters, who have had several managers bagged, on long contracts. Gotta be Glasgow when you see it spelled out like that. Non?

I, too, was worried, but wanted to overtake you so I didn't ask...

As a comparison, here is Rodgers record prior to joining Liverpool ; Watford, Reading and Swansea - win rate of 41.3% - Martin has a 39.3% win rate. The only thing Rodgers won prior to going to Celtic 1st time around was a Championship Play Off final, the same as Martin.

Spot on, Cammy

Best of luck, and welcome to Rangers Mr Martin, You have my backing. 💙 The bedpishing will be off the scale on followfollow this evening, best avoided.

He's not a coach on the way up, he's a guy on the way down, from a low peak.

Addresses some concerns fans have had: Rangers on verge of Martin appointment - what can fans expect? https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cm2692qe2v1o

And fullbacks according to this I watched earlier. Jefte is a fit for this, but a declining Tav, Ridvan and Sterling don't fit at all. Lots of work ahead for Martin & co.

My big concern about Russell Martin as Rangersmanager is that, from what I’ve read, he appears to be Warburton MK II (no plan B when plan À isn’t working. Just do plan A better). We need a good tactician who, when needed, makes effective changes during games. We don’t need another one trick pony like Warburton

God loves a trier......

Russell Martin has bought a few. Might be nothing.

Wee Wullie playing for the Owls .

This is a really good, constructive essay from Martyn. It might not have the red, blue and white ticker tape some fans are throwing around to welcome our new majority shareholders but it's a necessary note of realism and caution amidst the excitement.

All this nonsense about possession it doesn’t matter how long you have the ball it’s what you do with it back we were kings we’d play the hooped horrors and it would be the horrors with possession for most of the first half then big slim would get rid of his hangover slip a couple of through balls for our forward players we’d go in two up we’d hardly touched the ball and it would be the same in the second half look at Manchester city no team retains the ball like them but others have now rumbled them result a trophy free season I might be right when I say that in last season’s champions league city were the top passion team but won nowt it’s what you do with the ball that counts fitbaws a simple game played by simple people for simple people.

Gies a job, like

This is the best case scenario about his style, if it goes well in theory we control the game overall and can suffocate opponents. It is reliant on us creating lots of quality chances and keeping clean sheets. I'm sceptical but all we can do is wait and see. If they do hire him, they need to back him in the transfer market or he is doomed to failure.

Valid points, well expressed. I would suggest that keeping the ball, keeping a good rest defence, tiring teams out, etc. will be beneficial. Also, possession is not for possession's sake. His aim is to create chances. It's similar in style to Rodgers; positional play. I looked at the results in So'ton's championship season. Taking the sides that were at the bottom, or played 5-4-1-type formations, he had a 65% win rate. I think Martin's style will be more effective than Clement's direct style in beating the dross. I've never said I thought he'd be successful. I've said consistently that out of the most likely names mentioned, for me, Martin seemed the best. It's mainly down to the fact that we know what we'll get. He has a record of implementing a progressive style of play, and can develop and use players, which is what I think we need.

Just my opinion, but I think Inzaghi leaving Inter is what’s shifted things a bit. With him gone, Fabregas is lined up to take over there, which in turn puts Ancelotti as the likely candidate for the Como job. That could explain why Russell Martin is suddenly the odds-on favourite for us. He might just be the only one who’s fully committed to taking the role right now. From what fan media’s been saying, there was supposed to be another meeting with Ancelotti, today I think, so all the talk about Russell Martin getting the job is a bit premature. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of these rumours were pushed by Martin’s camp to put pressure on the club. Also worth noting that apparently Ancelotti hasn’t been told he’s out of the running. So as of last night, no final decision had been made. That said, this could all be complete rubbish by now 😂

Farioli is probably out of our league. I think Farioli will have an Italian side lined up. There are about 10 Serie A sides looking for new managers this summer.

It went quiet very quickly on Farioli so my thoughts are either... The rumours were because we reached out and guaged his interest and he said no, or, he reached out to guage our interest and we told him we were already too far down the line with the current shortlist

Both. Buying better players might help improve our chances against a low block. But this style plays into the hands of McInnes and Martindale.

Let’s hope we can accommodate his philosophy if he is indeed the man, he needs to get rid of a lot of players for his preferred tactics and patience from us the fans in which he always says it takes time like Southampton 🤣. TAV would struggle, Dessers would maybe struggle, Jefte could benefit maybe as a high wing back Big John S needs to sign a contract as he is probably our most reliable defender. Raskin Lyall & Barron would play well also in his system if Diomande decides to leaves for Everton. I’ve noticed he also prefers a goalkeeper to be comfortable with the ball at his feet and playing quick balls out , curiosity does Kelly or Butland have those qualities? . Is this the year for our new flop Cortes to shine alongside Igamnae etc. let’s hope he identifies the players he would like asap and the ones unfit for purpose. He does give a good speech tbh.

Yeh, don’t disagree much with that.

They have had months to come up with the right guy , and its scary if the names that are in the frame are the guys they are actually thinking of employing. Russell Martin is just ridiculous and if they are crazy enough to give it to him we are all going to be at the games and on forums in October asking why.

Probably. Pay the piper; call the tune.

We have previous for TBBs and I'm astonished FARE haven't reported us, but it's just a matter of time. As it stands the UB have NOT been responsible for section / stand closures. The uber staunch / well sing what we want fans HAVE been. Having a "wee drink" and singing a song isn't an excuse. TBB's is creeping back into our song book and is prevalent at home European games and not from The UBs. Around me (BF4) it's fans that aren't there normally, only popping along for the Euro nights. Mostly drunk or coked up. No, both are the real live danger. But at least the UB have made it clear they are looking to clean up their act. Hopefully those who sing TBB will be as equally contrite.

A sensible answer nothing like a FF type answer.