buster.

The short to medium term outlook is bleak IMO and the main reason behind that is finance. We could get lucky of course. Make a really good managerial appointment and get the recruitment spot on. I said a few weeks ago that this was beginning to look like the Celtic/Lennon implosion. Not exactly but along the same lines. Well, we obviously should have consolidated on 55 with 56 BUT they got lucky with their managerial appointment and recruitment* and complicated what should have been a shoe-in for us. *I refer back to finances. Their luck was alot to do with the amount of money thrown at it.

It's the second one against Celtic that is the most damaging IMO, closely followed by the immediate non reaction against Ajax. What they showed was a manager who couldn't coach or/and motivate a group of players. Firstly at Parkhead. We knew what was coming, the players hadn't taken on board the coaching (according to post match interview) and it ended up a lot wose than the Feburary debacle. (No) Reaction at Ajax Nuff said.

I don't doubt that Ross Wison could write down a list of very good candidates but the problem will be how many on that list would want to come to Rangers with the current squad, injury list and transfer budget (less pay off to Gio and staff). A few wouldn't want to know until next summer when they can reshape the squad. This squad of players will get most managers the tin tack. An inconsistent mentality runs through too many players, who have been here too long. I agree that the line in the Chris Jack article looks like his opinion. It could be a steer from another opinion closer to the action, who knows. But bottomline, I don't think it is too much of a secret where Gio is going from here. It is only a matter of timing (between Monday and the end of the season ??).

When trying to be clever, get it right or you look stupid!

There is knowing who you might want and there is knowing that who you want has reacted positively to a preliminary conversation.

If true, it would suggest that we already know who will take his place.

Currently, it is what it is. Going forward, they very much do and are part of the reason for the board's current actions. They are preparing the ground and it isn't what we are accustomed to.

I think we are somewhere close to a before and after point. Certainly in terms of competing with the elite. The realisation hits now, even if that line was crossed a fair way back. Running the club in a sustainable way with the new FFP regulations is effectively a double whammy. The strict looking regulations being one part and secondly, the fact we aren't used to being run in a sustainable manner.

Only 14 weeks then....🙃

I think the main problem for Ross Wilson is that he doesn't have a big enough budget to do what he'd like to do or what we as fans, would like him to. The area that seems to have been improved and is doing well is youth development/academy. This was always going to be a hugely important area going forward and the board did well to recognise this and allocate resources accordingly. The signing of so many injury prone footballers is a tell tale sign of trying to squeeze as much quality out of a limited budget. This increases the odds on what is always a gamble. To compound that gamble in the same area of the pitch (central defence) made IMO, what was an acceptable gamble (Souttar on a free) into a long odds bet that predictably went badly. Spending a significant part of a relatively limited budget on what was or became a project (Ridvan Yilmaz) should be judged at the end of the season. The positive is that it pushed Barisic into some form. To judge Wilson on transfers, you have to look at several windows and on balance it hasn't been good. Mitigation is the size of the budget he has to work with but the decision to go with so many injury prone players, eg. Ramsey or those once wonderkids who have lost their way, Diallo, Matondo to squeeze value isn't working and is on him. Saying all that, by far the worst area for me is the squad management going into this season. It was basically set-up so as something like the current mess would happen (too many injury prone or older players whose gametime needed managed / lack of freshness and energy) and it doesn't look like the manager has got what it takes or the authority to change it. Our hopes ly with a similar inconsistency creeping in on the other side of the city. The bulk of the squad peaked 2 seasons ago. Goldson's rant post League Cup semi-final applied after Gio's honeymoon period and it applies today. Bring another manager in with the same squad and they'd take him to the same place they eventually took Gerrard and now GvB. Two different management syles but the same squad. Regards fitness. I have often seen teams where a fair number of plyers aren't really on the same wavelength as the manager/coaching team and despite what would seem to be the same amount of fitness work as ever, they appear off it in games. More especially the games that don't go to plan. Too many players have been here too long, IMO. Many look stale, (haven't got the legs, chronicly injured/old legs) and provide little energy (see our midfield). Problem is we haven't got the money to get player with the same ability and look to squeeze every last drop out of them.

Aye, IIRC Ryan Jack had surgery that was going to sort his calf issue, once and for all. I think I heard the same for Roofe this summer.

What is it with people and mobile phones ? It is as if there is some electro magnetic wave that removes their common sense and ability to think things through.

Cannae promise you, I like a good analytical moan. Edit Not forgetting a regular bit of trumpet blowing.

Ajax always beat us, we were fcuked at the draw. Just like we never get beat at PSV, always going through.

History intervened. We beat Portuguese teams, period !!

Of course, the harsh nature of the scoreline was a surprise. The reaction, like Ajax, generally takes into account the gulf but rightly doesn't like it when we seem to be folding without much of a fight.

Yes, results are everything regards where our focus tends to be directed and mood. However, the underlying positives/negatives will tend to indicate overall direction of travel beyond the short term. I have been going on about the squad for months, it isn't hindsight or off the back of a few results. The questions around the manager are something that has come up of late due to results. Limited availability within player squad feeds into that and makes it more difficult. The answer IMO is to change management and allow whoever that is, to start a rebuild. Probably, next summer.

Interesting to see what were superior teams in the recent past take such a dip in fortunes. Leverkusen (15th bundesliga/ 4th CL gp) and Slavia Prague (well behind V.Plzen in league/ 4pts after 4 games in Europe Conference)

Agreed Looking at the starting XI and the whole squad, there are various issues.

Let's be serious. Your younger team was IMO, the stuff of nightmares. Just because they are young doesn't mean you have to embrace it. Any rational person will take other things into account, not just age. Things like ability. The team against Liverpool was of an advanced average footballing age which has repercussions when it comes to squad management, recruitment and often medical issues. So away and smell shite somewhere else #lol

Aye, and what are you hmmming at Inspector #LoL

Aye. AC Milan used to collect an over age defence but were very successful. Obviously the players were of an excellent level but the clubs approach was interesting.

You look through the squad and nothing stands out. Hagi is a possibility but he has to get fit again and his contract is running down. It is the likes of King, Lowry and other youngsters that we need to hope get a chance, take it and attract interest. Although, we also need to build a team and losing your better prospects before they can do much in a blue shirt won't be good for results. Football no more It is all about money Sad

Average age of starting XI on Wednesday against Liverpool was 29.54 It is young players who take their chance, who can quickly become valuable.

The Football Operation at Rangers is a mess and the current situation is very much a result of it. You could argue that Youth Development is one positive area and it is just as well, given how the future is shaping up First Team Mgmt It just isn't working, is it ? The manager seems unable to motivate, organise or show leadership. It seems to be the players that choose their games or moments to perform (or not). It wasn't that different at the end of Gerrard's time, so as Goldson tried to articulate post League Cup semi-final defeat (between SG and Gio), there is some kind of faultline in the squad. Gio enjoyed a honeymoon period up to the end of 2021. Thereafter it has been a rollercoaster. Squad Mgmt Frankly awful. A willingness to collect older and/or chronically injured (CI) players whose gametime needs to be managed. Morelos, playing him whilst injured = worse injury, out for months. Back up to Morelos, was a CI player (Roofe) who couldn't play two games a week for very long. Further back-up (Itten)wasn't in UEFA sqaud because of lack of home(grown) based players. Result was Roofe got injured, we pushed him out of necessity, haven't seen him since (apart from 2 minutes at EL Final). The centre half debacle. Souttar signing on top of Helander status. @craig ITK(?) tells us Souttar signed to replace outgoing (at the time pre extension) Goldson. Was the plan to have a Souttar/Helander partnership ? WTAF We let Balogun go (another one who neede managed) We saw the problem late and bring Davies in.....that goes wrong early doors for either one thing or another (?) The goalkeeping situation It wasn't joined up thinking and has us between a rock and a hard place. It looks reactionary. McGregor is going, no he isn't. Looking less than good, lets give McCrorie an extension. The Midfield High average age, CI players and a predictable energy shortfall. Recruitment Mixed bag and in part, reactionary. To be fair, that often happens. But the short term balance is poor with Colak the notable exception. I would highlight the fact that when the balance is poor for several consectutive windows and it has been, then problems will follow. Medical There just seems to be too many unfortunate things going on for it to be coincdental. @forlanssister has already suggested that the medical department may not be all that they should be. That is a lot of problems to solve and we'll see shortly how the accounts are looking. Talking accountability, somebody (persons), needs to be held to account for the above.