buster.

Real Madrid is mucho politics and you can see that those that have been successful tend to 'go with the flow', eg. Del Bosque, Zidane.

I think back to what Alastair Johnson said about the appointment of Pedro, eg "institutional failure", etc .....and wonder if there has been pressure to keep to the DoF structure wrt a new Head Coach/manager. I think you have to factor in that the list of names out there may have been smaller than often listed because of managers not wanting the job at this moment in time, eg. I don't think Clarke (my pick) would have taken it, just as McInnes in December. Given our history and the vageries of Scottish football , going 'foreign' would represent just as big a risk, even if they had some experience. IMO Frank de Boer wouldn't last a season. The McLaren or Pardew type would have been another disaster waiting to happen. Yes, they have experience but it's mostly collecting large pay-offs. 'Hair Island' would have become a comedy figure up here. So taking into consideration strategy, who is actually willing and 'star dust attraction' wrt selling project/attracting investors....... then Gerrard is a name that seems to fit the bill. I'm just glad it isn't Barry Ferguson

A "long-standing shoulder problem" doesn't sound good for a prospective medical, if we want a club to pay a decent fee.

Thanks Johnny !

Just had a look on oddschecker and the market (SkyBet) for the next Rangers manager seems to have been lifted. I saw Gerrard at 1/2 on earlier this morning. Anyone see it get any shorter ?

Was that GIF that Rosseau posted in the manager thread,..... this "same bird" that you mention ? It's just that it appeared if the "holistic medicine" was running down her chin.

Impossible to say, it's only mentioning that it has already happened. Inexperienced appointments can go either way and depend a lot on how well the individual is supported, both by his staff and financially. Souness got the support in both areas and was successful. Although it has to be noted the situation today is a different one. Greig didn't really get the same level of backing and seemed a reactionary/hasty decision by Willie Waddell.

Where did Souness go after Rangers ?

It's about the finance as well as the football and if you want to provide a imaginative project for prospective investors then Gerrard plus experienced Number 2 would probably work..... Investment is key wrt providing funds to bring in quality. I look at the candidates out there, the probability some wouldn't want the job and a Gerrard/Experienced Number 2 would be a gamble but no moreso than anyother prospective options out there. IMO, the likes of McLaren, Pardew would crash and burn anyway (ie.experience in failure). Personally, I'd go for Clarke but I doubt he'll want it. If it's a Gerrard/Experienced No.2 then so be it....the fans could get into that.

I don't think Gerrard would come as a Number 2 and the board may be looking to how the Souness appointment galvanised the club (importantly with Walter Smith beside him).

Gerrard is now 1/2 odds on with Sky this morning. Given the grapevine is suggesting the manager has already been chosen and that a prospective Number 2 would be noteworthy.....does this mean we are going to appoint Gerrard with an experienced Number 2 ?

When you consider the respective managerial appointments of Greig and Souness in retrospect, they were hugely significant as to how events would unfold for a number of years. ie. this upcoming appointment is very important multiplied by a lot.

Making signings and having a manager ready in waiting make sense. I hope Arfield and his knees are in good order. I'm amazed that the name of an already signed up manager is still a general secret if it has reached ITK posters.

Agreed and the opposition support know that. Not to mention Rod Petrie, who got away with some disgraceful remarks in the immediate aftermath of the 2016 Cup Final. IIRC Motherwell fans got away with severe goading of the Rangers support after the play off match. If you put Dave King or the Rangers support in the above examples, we'd have been hammered, at least in the media.

A Liverpool v Real Madrid final will definately be a game to mark down in the diary. A modern-day Eintracht 3-7 ????

I will never forget the day I sat open-mouthed at the UK national BBC evening newscaster, after she read that Graeme Souness had replaced Jock Wallace in a player-manager capacity. Football didn't often make the national news in those days, never mind anything to do with Scottish football.

It reads to me as what they themselves know will largely be a hollow effort to appease supporter unhappiness with the Hibs decision. The only real matter for concern is the safety aspect and there it should have stopped. Considering what happened on the last matchday of both 2014/15 at Motherwell and 2015/16 at Hampden, I'd think this should be uppermost in the thoughts of the clubs. Obviously not Hibs, as the Rod Petrie decision and his 'exuberent support' should have the finger and spotlight pointed at them in the lead-up to the game because dependent on circumstances, it definately has the ingredients for trouble.

The statement is another OG that won't come to anything. Safety issues not withstanding, I don't get the fuss. A club seek a competitive advantage in a game that could be vital that is within the rules (as Motherwell did in play offs). I'd be looking for us to do the same if we had the opportunity to do so. At the end of the day, the fans can decide whether they want to go back to Easter Road.

Too many of the players we are being linked with have the main part of their career behind them. A goalkeeper is a little different and if we were to get some funds from moving Foderginham on then I could see the sense in it.

So are you saying that despite major investment, you don't have a seat at the table of your own hoose ?

In the UK, there have always been issues and no set recognised structure wrt to how a DoF and first team coach/manager divide responsibilities. What is clear is that big football clubs need someone to take responsibility for overseeing the whole football operation, regardless of how much authority a first team manager/coach has or develops. I think it possible to have a respected manager with clear ultimate authority over what he sees as important and then a DoF (call it what you like) who makes sure things get done, as well as keeping all the other levels and sub-departments in line. I think this is what we need opposed to the more easily disposible 'Head Coach' idea that plainly won't work given the pressures of the Ibrox dug-out.

Good effort lads ! Chat flowed well with a healthy mix of opinions. Is Frankie one of the new investors ?

Germany isn't just a big team though. They are a formidable and mentally strong group of world class proven winners backed up by a fantastic youth system. Not to mention an amazing tradition and consistency of success over many decades. There are very few 'big teams' that can boast the same.

Yes, but not to the level that he'd get linked to today. eg. Arsenal would be a very difficult gig and one where he might be exposed somewhat. edit He's been at Germany (No.1) for a fair bit longer than he was cumulatively at the 7 clubs before hand.....and if he has sense, will probably clock up more years as the Germany manager.

Obviously he deserves a lot of credit but the quality coming through in Germany is outstanding and alongside their mental capacity means that you'd have to be a numpty not to do well in tournament football. He was lucky wrt timing as well and got the job after a relative lean spell was coming to an end.