Rousseau

“[Antonio Colak] took the time to speak to all the staff and squad in Germany to say goodbye and thank you. This moment typified Antonio’s class as a man. Everyone at Rangers would like to wish him and his family huge success moving forwards and he will always have a warm welcome at Ibrox.”

I'm waiting for @JohnMc to come along and tell us that, in fact, Bailey Rice is p*sh and won't make it before I get on the hype wagon.

If Forest are giving us money for a 30-year-old, I'd bite their hand off!

I think we're all getting mixed up between how we think a DoF-based recruitment model should word and how it is actually working.

Even I, in my dream of a DoF absolute dictatorship, don't see it as such a one-sided relationship. There must be some negotiation, for want of a better word.

Absolutely. I've been whinging about that point recently. I've slowly come to the realisation that that must be the 'model' that the board want. It's a muddle; it's not sure what it wants to be.

I'm well out in front. It's you neanderthals that are holding me back! It's about balancing short-term success and long-term sustainability. There are deliverables in a sustainable approach. They're very much at the forefront of my belief. I agree it's pointless without deliverables.

Mayo played the whole game! Clearly first choice CB this season.

Our lawyers returning to Ibrox...

Your conception of a 'manager' is old-school, when in fact it has changed. A manager now is basically just a head coach, responsible for match prep, etc. A DoF now is an old-school manager, responsible for managing all the footballing departments (First Team, Academy, Player Recruitment, Analysis, Performance and Medical), but excluding match prep, etc. The managerial role is too short-term now to allow a manager so much power. It can work in the short-term, but even if it does (e.g. Ange), can the next manager come in and hit the ground running without needing wholesale changes? I think less so. Celtic have the best squad in the league but now Rogers still needs to spend a huge warchest? Mental. I mean, I'm quite happy to see them do so, as they'll squander their financial lead. What we need is a DoF overseeing the recruitment (alongside all the other footballing departments) so we have a more medium to long term outlook, and so the DoF can also look at appointing new managers that can hit the ground ground and work with what's already here. Medium to long-term management. Gone are the days where old-school managers were all-powerful because they were in charge for decades. Now, they get a couple of years, if that. Why would you give all power to a temporary position?

I agree, but as I've argued before, I believe that our DoF doesn't have enough power in that situation. He leaves it to the manager too often, hence the hodgepodge of players we've signed by our managers. It's alright when it works (e.g. Ange), but it's not sustainable, for me. The ideal situation would be to have a DoF with a great eye for a player, and then let them get on with the recruitment, irrespective of temporary managers... IMO, of course.

The DoF was still involved in the planning of these signings.

I feel it's a bit soon to sell Sakala, so that probably means it's the perfect time.

What's the opposite of Levein's 4-6-0? Do you know what the fee is?

I think strikers/forwards were top priority, then GK, then CB. We filled the forwards and GK, so we now need a CB, irrespective of Balogun, IMO.

They were all loans. I was only interested in those that were signed for 'big' money.

What?!

Goldson, Davies, Souttar, Sterling, Balogun, King?

I'm waiting for some (one) to moan about Wilson letting LB go in the first place...

@Bill needs to take a moment...