Norris Cole

Female Prime Minister of a rampant Conservative government, with a Labour party in disarray. Growing suspicion over Russian activity in the east. Scottish rugby team mixing it with and beating the big boys. And a Rangers team not worthy of the name. That's right, it's the early-mid Eighties all over again. Apologies in advance for the negativity, but sometimes a spade is, in actual fact, a spade. This is not an easy preview to write, I can't remember ever having such little enthusiasm over the team, which let's face it has problems all over the park. Defenders who can't defend. A midfield with the heart of a peanut. And strikers who won't shoot. I've been a little alarmed at some post-defeat comments on here about us being 'unlucky', just 'needing a break', etc. The truth is, we are in abject freefall, as clueless as we are directionless. Trying to predict the outcome of Rangers games these days is something of a pointless exercise. Losing home games did for Advocaat and McLeish, the difference now being we don't even have a manager to sack. If we lose this one though, I see no way of Murty ever gracing the dugout again. But with Parkhead looming, the board have a dilemma. Stick with Murty and risk a record defeat, or hand the new manager an Old Firm debut where he risks a doing in his very first game? St Johnstone will fancy turning us over at Ibrox on Wednesday. I think every team fancies turning us over at the moment. Rangers aren't even a scalp anymore. Whoever our new manager is, a base requirement is that opposing teams coming to Ibrox get nothing for free. What we really need, and fast, is a steadying of the ship along the lines of Walter during the second half of the 06/07 season. I remain far from convinced about the Cathro 'revolution' at Tynecastle and they continue to drop points themselves, so, against the grain of this season, I'm pretty confident of 3rd place and European football next season. But something has to change at Ibrox, and before the summer.

The Rangers team of midwinter 09/10 was the best since the heights of the Advocaat era. We'd have beaten today's Celtic side, no doubt in my mind. All Kris Boyd needed to do was sneeze and suddenly we were 3-0 up.

Ally McCoist has taken a lot of flak. He signed Vuckic. Warburton signed: Rossiter Barton Crooks Toral O'Halloran (500k) Garner (1.7m) Etc Etc Etc The more I think about it, the less I think Warburton was an improvement on McCoist. Let's be clear, this next managerial appointment is absolutely huge for us. I pray the board don't fuck this up.

We're on his mind from the beginning to the end of the day. Lovely.

Hold on a minute, where were we exactly under Warburton? I failed to see the sizzling pass and move style. This is simply more of the same, from what I can see.

That's really not what I've seen. When he's actually been given a chance, that is. Shit, we're one down to f*cking Partick, get big Dodoo on. Two goals and three points from said gentleman, thanks very much, enjoy a seat on the bench for four months.

Toral is dung. It's all very well getting these EPL loanees, but we tend to get the ones who are destined for journeyman careers at Gillingham and Colchester.

No Wes? Bold.

If the bold Davie was able to find himself a wife, then he'd be able to magic something out of this team of wasters.

So the inference is that he's therefore some sort of fenian agent. Sigh. We have a mountain of problems right now. He's not one of them.

Dodoo seems to me to be a cut above the other strikers currently at the club. One wonders what exactly is going on there.

Background?

Hold on a minute. We're playing the worst team in the league, an absolutely honking Inverness team, and we're looking for a 'break'?

I knew there was something about female Prime Ministers!

I'm talking about the season as a whole. They try a leg and seem to have half a desire to improve things. I cannot name one other player who has looked like they want to improve. As for Barrie McKay, well, he looks no more than a 3m player. Basically an overrated Lewis MacLeod.

We are still a Championship side. Except now we have the heart of a mouse. With the exception of Miller and Foderingham, this entire Rangers squad should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

Cringeworthy stuff from the bin dipper there.

Is that the first time a non-league team has reached the last eight? Some achievement. Their manager has no doubt put himself in the shop window now, can see him jumping a division or two now.

Never thought I'd see this Barcelona team comprehensively schooled but there you go. 4-0 was the least PSG deserved tonight, it was men against boys. It'll take an Italian side playing catannacio to put them out IMO.

Allan Kuhn is a guy I know from my time in Sweden. I'd take him. For all that we laughed at Deila, there are some handy (and affordable) managers in Scandinavia, particularly in Norway.

The very fact I laughed out loud at that says it all.

Today?????

Well haven't the board spoken to Davies? That he would even be under consideration is a trifle worrying.

Billy Davies, jesus wept. If that's the extent of the board's thinking, we might as well get on the blower to Barry Ferguson.

Tell you what, it didn't half leave my socks with red tops.