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Everyone has their own memory of football matches. When the Scottish cup comes around one name is always the first to jump into my head. Kai Johansen. His fantastic goal in the 1966 cup final is probably one of my most memorable moments of that time. Now I won't claim to have been at the game,simply because I wasn't, but it was one of the images that has lived with me from a young age right into what I hate to say my young old age. I am not even sure how or where I was listening to the game but I can just remember the burst of excitement goung around when that ball hit the back of the net. As far as I can remember Rangers were'nt given much of a chance to win that day, and it was at the start of Celtics domination in the years to come. For years after I remember walking down the Copeland road towards the Kelvinhaugh ferry and the Kai Johansen pub standing there as a shrine. I always remember walking in awe while staring at the name on the way past and remembering that goal. I think it must be one of the most memorable in Rangers history especially for older bears. There have of course been many great and bad memories in the Scottish Cup. After 133 years every football supporter in Scotland will have some memory somewhere. Even Hibs knew they had not won the trophey since the early 1900's when they played us two years ago in the final.That one hurt. 12 minutes from lifting the trophey and then see the game turn on it's head to lose 3-2 Hopefully this will be the year we can exorcise that ghost and go on to win it this time. I know many people think that the SFA should cut all there ties with Hampden and play the Scottish internationals and Cup games at Ibrox, Parkhead or Murrayfield but for me it would never be the same as a Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Thinking so far ahead is possibly showing a bit of disrespect to our opponents Falkirk on Sunday but given the way the team are playing I am getting lured into thinking the biggest worry will be that we don't pick up any injuries before the Oldfirm clash with Celtic next week. Wrong! The Scottish Cup is a one game and a chance for these smaller clubs to produce a shock result. Falkirk are really not that small a club and have produced many surprises in the past so they are certainly a team to take seriously. Rangers managed to get a pitch cleared of snow to train on a grass surface and Graeme Murty was confident that they would get the Ibrox pitch in good condition in time for the game tomorrow.The problem may be the police stopping the game going ahead due to the condition of the surrounding areas. Winning the Scottish cup will probably be the best chance we have had to redeem our pride after that infamous Hibs cup final unless Celtic collapse in the league so we should be going in to it with all guns blazing and finish Falkirk off before they get their confidence up. C.mon the Gers. Sorry guy's I don't have time to finish this off or add to it. as I have a family emergency. If a mod wants to add to it or rewrite it that is fine. Pete.

Only a fool would try and predict an oldfirm game. I predict 2-1 Rangers.

Murty has the job until the end of the season. There's no advantage making any longer term decision without taking the time available to assess his suitability.

The Daily Rhodent won’t be able report on any football in the Dundee area soon if the Dundee Hivs go into liquidation! ?.

Merge them into a team called Dundee that plays in dark blue at Dens Park.

The team is cruising at the moment. The confidence is flowing through the team and the club, and the players seem to be able to play a style of football we are all enjoying. So, rather than wait until the end of the season, is it time now to give him the job? If not, when is the right time? Lets take a look at his report card so far. RESULTS: 8/10 Any manager of Rangers has to get results and Murty now has 12 wins out of 16. The team has scored 37 and conceded 16. Since the transfer window, which was his first opportunity to assemble a team of his own, we've won 7 of our 8 games, scoring 27 and only conceding 8 goals. To win the league or a cup, we need to beat Celtic and although the deserved to win the last old firm game when he was in charge, we could achieve only a draw. In my opinion, he has to manage a win to show he has what it takes longer term. Coaching: 8/10 Murty has shown that he can improve players like Windass, John, Morelos, Tavernier and Bates. Morelos aside, I was unconvinced by these players and thought they would be replaced at the earliest opportunity. I'm now wondering whether these players could be longer term prospects for us because the improvement in all of them has been quite remarkable, especially since he took over. His experience in developing the youth players appears to be helping us to develop our own youth players too with McCrorie making a breakthrough. I'd like to see him showing that he can address the bad habits of some of our fringe players though. Holt in particular is a player I like but he seems to repeat the same bad habits game after game and yet he could be a really important player for us if that could be resolved. Wilson was the same but we don't have that problem any more. Can Murty improve these players? I suppose he needs more time to prove that. Man management: 7/10 This may be an unfair score, given that the dressing room seems to be united at the moment, but it reflects the fact that he has a few injured players out that may otherwise be expecting to start games. Alves is returning from injury, as is Miller and Wallace. We still have McCrorie, Jack and Dorrans out. How will he manage these big players' expectations of game time? The team is winning at the moment so it's easier to explain why others are not getting their chance but it will be a test of his skills to manage this when they are all fit. Having said that, I thought is was a weakness of his his but he's shown that he is robust enough and strong enough to play a team he has confidence in, and keep some big names on the bench. Style of play: 7/10 I questioned Murty's style a few weeks back. I just couldn't see any sort of system being played and I certainly was not enjoying the football on show. Then we had the transfer activity and suddenly the football is as good as I've watched in a very long time. The team can dominate the ball for long periods, but we can also play direct, or hit teams on the counter with the speed of our forwards. He seems to have developed a flexibility in our approach to games, whilst maintaining some consistency in the standard of fast, one touch passing, which we've used to slice team so apart with apparent ease. I've now lost count of the times I've watched our goals and thought it was a contender for goal of the season. The team is exciting to watch and there's a confident swagger to our play which is pleasing to see. The reason for a score of just 7 in this category is because we have to do this consistently now, especially at Ibrox. He hasn't done enough yet to build a fortress at Ibrox, but we are getting there. Equally, we need to demonstrate that we can do it against 'them' too. Media: 6/10 When Murty faced the media at first, he was lacking any confidence or gravitas when responding to questions. He was always friendly and articulate, but he did not command much respect. I see him growing into this role now and in the last 2 or 3 press conferences he seems to be more assertive and confident in his position. He seems to now believe that he is almost worthy of being the Rangers manager. He has created a decent relationship with the press now, but he has to start seeing himself as the manager of the best team in Scotland. He needs to walk in to those press conferences and realise that his words can have an influence on the opposition as well as his own players. He's an intelligent guy and very articulate. Now he must use that fully to gain any small advantage, especially in games against 'them'. Support team: 9/10 Allen, JJ, CM and a few others were already in place before he became the manager, but the addition of Jimmy as his assistant has been a brilliant appointment and I suspect this has had a big impact on the players. Also, Murty may not have appointed the others but what he had done is built a strong relationship with them in a short period of time. He seems like the sort of guy that gets on with everyone, and I'm not sure how other managers would have dealt with the DoF role. The relationship with Murty and Allen is going to be so important for us to achieve longer term dominance in the game up here so it just has to work. So far, so good. SUMMARY Murty is the lead candidate for the role of permanent manager. He is getting results, and appears to have created a harmony in the club. He has some work to do to show he is the man to lead a title challenge, but who else would we be willing to take the risk with? Other managers come with their own ideas, and an uncertainty that I'm not willing to gamble on. I was uninspired with Murty's appointment, and thought I'd want another manager in asap, but he's done enough in my view to get the job full time. I suspect the players want him to be confirmed in role, so the question is when to do it? I think the players would get a boost from such an announcement so maybe it'd be ideally timed just before the game next weekend, or maybe just ahead of a cup final. What do you think?

We can lose the next couple of games and there will be a post about wanting Murty out now. Too early to say. He'll be judged at the end of the season.

I'd agree with that. Playing devil's advocate, I'd raise the following points: 1. Player purchases - how much input did Murty actually have in that? Were any of the players brought on after Murty identified them or were they all Allen's purchases? I'm not sure that Murty can be given credit for the successful transfer window. 2. Improvement in players - You identify 5 players as being improved. Morelos and Tav have been playing great all season. Not sure that Murty has improved them. Likewise John. Has there been an improvement there? He may have become more match fit, but not sure that there's been a massive improvement otherwise. Windass has been moved into the middle as we have bought a left winger and that's more suited to his game and allowed him to score more goals. When he moves back to the left, is there really an improvement in his play? there has been an improvement in Bates' game but he's in the side in front of better (IMHO) centre halves. 3. Media - he's let himself down with his lennon love-in and not criticising the tackle on Jack. 4. Style of play - we've certainly seen a big improvement over the past 4 games. 5. Tactics - he has been shown to be outfoxed by opposition managers on a number of occasions and has shown an unwillingness to make changes when required. I still have major doubts in this respect. Overall, I'm not near wanting him to be appointed on a full time basis.

I'd say wait and see where we are at the end of the season before making a decision. If we finish second comfortably and win the Cup then yes. If not, it'd be worth considering bringing someone else in.

I hate when Rogic plays against us as I think he is one of their best players.

Id rather forget the easdales were ever allowed in the door at rangers.

Couldn't a similar ban be implemented on Gersnet with no DR links allowed to be posted?

I've never been really confident about any game against Celtic. There's too much at stake. What I would say is that for the first time in years I'm no longer dreading the outcome. There's every chance this is where we turn the corner.

When you consider a lot of the individuals and companies involved in 'robbing us blind', it was one disreputable and often dishonest bastard after another. Even the bloody NOMAD was at it ! If they don't start treating those caught at it like common criminals, they'll have very little reason not to stop.

But we're not just any old football club. Teams raise their game to play us and our support demands success, so accepting mediocrity will only end in another sacking. I'm not saying Murty is mediocre but I think we need more time to make a sensible judgement.

The pub was very near to the Govan Graving Docks (dry docks). Spent many a hour in there while serving my time.

Pay at gate for Copland rear. https://rangers.co.uk/news/tickets/pay-gate-tomorrow/

That is the pub I mentioned in my preview and was definitely on the way down to the ferry. . http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/kaijohansens.html

Good on Dundee. I wish Rangers would do the same.

Cheatin Beaton strikes again. Did he not also chalk off an earlier Morton goal for a phantom offside?

I think this applies to the whole team, including the manager. If we can beat Celtic we will have excitement aplenty. In fact the level of excitement for us will be matched only by the level of despair as the timplosion takes place. We will always regard ourselves to be the best and will only ever be content when we are back to normal and beating them consistently.

I'm waiting for him to have a good game against the Tims before getting too excited.

A bunnet’s nothing. I had a quarter bottle in my hand. What happens when you throw your hands in the air? God knows where it came to earth. Only nine years before Falkirk won the cup with Derek Grierson in the team beating Killie in the final. I was pleased because I didn’t like the Killie ‘keeper, Jimmy Brown, though I should have been grateful because they had evicted celtic in the semi.

Yes, it does and that's why I said that bringing him in was a master stroke. He's been around enough to know what it means to be at Rangers and I think he's helping Murty tremendously.

Where did you Cook up that idea?

Delighted to see this. Just wish we would follow suit

The best 7/6d you have ever lost, though....

As to the 66 cup final - you're correct , we weren't given much of a chance in the run up to the game. They had beat us 5-1 in the Glasgow cup final a short time before. Yogi Hughes had given Kai a hard time in that match. The S.C. final saw Davie Provan and Kai switch positions to prevent it happening again. It had ended up in a draw but Hughes had given Provan a torrid 90 minutes. That's why the replay victory was so much sweeter because not only had Kai went back to his correct position, but tied him up and also went on to score the winner. Over the years I've heard folk say Kai scored anywhere between 20 and 35 yards from goal. If you watch the goal he actually struck the ball from inside the box . Incidentally, when he signed for us his name was KAJ but folk kept pronouncing it as Cadge so it got changed on team lines, press announcements, etc.

When Kai scored back in 66 some eejit through my Rangers bunnet up in the air never to be seen again a waste of seven and six that was .

The entire Scottish league fixture list is postponed today. There are two Scottish Cup quarter-final ties to fill six hours of BBC Scotland coverage. Perhaps, Jum Spence will use the opportunity to explain the demise of Dundee United? Remember, Jum spent several months as a club consultant at Tannadice. Or, they can continue to bash the H-u-ns.

All 2000 of them lol.

Quote from new chairman Mike Martin . "It is clear that Dundee United benefits from an excellent staff and arguably the most loyal and passionate support base in the country." The man is very clearly deluded.

Enjoy!

I see Dorrans is back training as well

I wouldn't risk him against Falkirk. Keep him for the yahoos game.

Is is April 1st?

The only people I knew who continually banged on about Daly’s nationality were Celtic fans at work. They seemed disappointed that I couldn’t have cared less. I actually really liked big Jon.