CammyF

Agreed, maybe in my anger I didn't put my point over correctly - meant to say that if he was to be replaced, he should have been replaced by another left sided player, rather than someone clearly struggling to regain fitness after a long injury break and, even when fit, has struggled out on the left. Cammy F

Ruud Van Nilstroy was a far better goal scorer and all round player than Kris Boyd will ever be. When RVN was at Man United, he was theirs and the EPL's top goalscorer but with him in their team Man United only won 1 EPL title in 3 seasons. SAF realised that whilst RVN goals were important, but his overall game and style of game wasn't working and was costing his team titles, cup's, games etc. Much to everyone's surprise, SAF sold RVN and was scoffed at for this decision at the time. Well, we all know who was right. Man United haven't looked back after selling a player who scored goals for them on a regular basis. Kris Boyd playing ever week is hindering Rangers' overall performance and ability. When you look at the movement, passing, link up play, running, passion etc displayed by Lafferty it shows Boyd up for the lazy and woeful footballer that he is. Would the team be better off without him? I would argue yes and as SAF and Man United proved, selling your top scorer can actually HELP the overall team performance and ability. PS - who many goals has the 'goal-machine' contributed to the cause since the January transfer window closed? Cammy F

The fat lady may not be singing as yet, but she is certainly warming up her vocal chords as Rangersââ?¬â?¢ title dreams lie in tatters after another frustrating performance at Ibrox today. This dire result should signify the end or Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s second spell in the hot seat as his troops failed to capitalise on a two goal advantage and a decent first half performance. Nobody inside Ibrox could have predicted such a turnaround after witnessing an invigorated Rangers team in the opening 45 minutes. However, this start can not be allowed to mask the inadequacies that were so cruelly exposed in the 2nd half. Rangers started the game well given the fact we were forced to field an emergency defence given the injuries to Boogie and Broadfoot and pressed, harried and hemmed Hearts into their own half and this pressure was rewarded in the 9th minute when pressing the ball, Rangers forced Hearts to relinquish position in midfield. Beasley pounced on the mistake, fed the impressive Lafferty who dispatched the ball passed the despairing dive of McDonald with aplomb. We continued to press and pressure Hearts and can count ourselves unfortunate not to have added to our total. Just as it looked like Rangers would have to settle for a slender 1-0 half-time advantage, Pedro Mendes fed Captain Barry Ferguson on the stroke of half-time and Ferguson fired in a tremendous 2nd goal which was merited on the balance of play. The only down sided to the first half was the injury sustained by Kyle Lafferty as the big Ulsterman was having a wonderful game and his pace, vision and running was certainly troubling the Hearts defence. Just like in last weeks Co-op Cup Final, the loss of Lafferty signalled the end of any movement in our forward players and this would come back to haunt us in the 2nd half. To say that Rangers were a different team in the second period is an understatement. Instead of continuing with the pressing, crisp passing and pressurising that was evident in the 1st half, we dropped of the pace, resorted to firing long, high balls it the hugely ineffective Boyd and entirely lost our way in the game. Hearts to their credit noticed this and seized on our lacklustre play and forced their way back into the game. However, they shouldnââ?¬â?¢t have had the opportunity to get back into the game as Novo slams a shot against the post instead of squaring the ball to the unmarked Boyd. Hearts then break up the park and McGregor is forced to tip the ball over the bar for a corner. A simple corner into the back of our penalty box was headed back across goal Karipidis squeezed the ball home despite Beasleyââ?¬â?¢s efforts to clear of the line. So Hearts had clawed themselves back into the game but Rangers didnââ?¬â?¢t heed this warning and criminally lost another goal minutes later. This time Papac was easily beat on the left wing, the ball was played into Elliot who cushions a header into the path of Palazuelos who fires home. So, in a matter of minutes, all the good work of the first half is undone and we are struggling to reinforce ourselves in the game. In truth, we never really regained any momentum and had to endure another baffling substitution from Walter Smith. Beasley who has continually caused Hearts problems is withdrawn and is replaced by Stevie Naismith. We create a couple of half chances but in truth have thrown away another two points and any chance we have of winning the SPL title. Questions have to be asked regarding the fitness of our players. We were told after the Hamilton game that Boogie was withdrawn as a precaution and that he would feature in the Co-op Cup Final. We were then told that he wouldnââ?¬â?¢t make the Co-op Cup Final but would be back for the Hearts game, yet there is still no sign of him. The exact same thing happened when Novo was injured against DUFC, we were told that heââ?¬â?¢d be back in action the next week, only for him to miss 3 or 4 weeks. Once again, Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s tactics and signings must come under some scrutiny. After playing well for 45 minutes, we retreated into our shells and appeared to be happy to defend the lead rather than continue to press and secure the victory. Steve Davis and Pedro Mendes MUST start offering more in the midfield. I fully understand that Davis is being played out of position, but both flatter to deceive. In every game this season, after 60 minutes, Steve Davis moves inside meaning that we have no wide player on the right hand side of midfield. I donââ?¬â?¢t know if this is a consequence of him playing out of position, or something that the coaching staff are instructing him to do, either way, it negates our threat from the right and stifles the midfield area. Kris Boyd has become a liability, he offers nothing, even his staunchest supporters must be questioning his ability and his recent goal-scoring record. He is the only player I know who shrinks when jumping for the ball. Boyd should have been withdrawn after 50 minutes as it was evident that he was offering nothing. He spends more time on his backside during a game than I do in the stand. All in all, a totally frustrating game and a result that must hasten the end of Walter Smiths tenure as Rangers manager as he appears unable to get the players playing to their capabilities and the time has come for him to be replaced with someone that will bring some fresh ideas to the team. For the 2nd consecutive season, Walter Smith has cost Rangers the SPL title with his negativity, defensive tactics, baffling substitution and inability to kill teams off when we are in the lead. The team were rightly booed of the pitch at the end with the fans that were left at the end showing their frustration and annoyance that another two points were thrown away. Players Ratings ; Alan McGregor ââ?¬â?? a mere spectator in the first half, couple of decent saves in the 2nd and little chance with either goal. However, his distribution is still suspect 6-10 SW ââ?¬â?? another decent shift at right back but was left exposed on the final 30 minutes of the game as Davis went AWOL and deserted his wide right position 6-10 Christian Daily ââ?¬â?? thrown into the game due to growing injury list and didnââ?¬â?¢t play that badly at all. Never troubled in the first half and won his fare share of tackled 5-10 Lee McCulloch ââ?¬â?? same as his defensive partner ââ?¬â?? not his natural position 5-10 Sasa Papac ââ?¬â?? not one of the Bosnians best games, easily beat in the build up to Hearts 2nd goal and his delivery wasnââ?¬â?¢t the best ââ?¬â?? 5-10 Steven Davis ââ?¬â?? continues to frustrate, flirts in and out of games then goes wandering after an hour ââ?¬â?? a major let down this season 5-10 Barry Ferguson ââ?¬â?? along with Lafferty, the best player in the Rangers team and scored a wonderful goal on the stroke of half-time 8-10 Pedro Mendes ââ?¬â?? further proof, if necessary that Mendes and Ferguson arenââ?¬â?¢t suited to each other in the middle of the pitch ââ?¬â?? poor game from one of the most skilful players we have ââ?¬â?? 5-10 Beasley ââ?¬â?? at last, a genuine wide player playing wide left ââ?¬â?? troubled the hearts defence constantly and it was a surprise to see him being subbed ââ?¬â?? 6-10 Lafferty ââ?¬â?? was playing brilliantly before picking up an ankle knock that forced him out and hopefully the injury isnââ?¬â?¢t serious. Great opening goal and deserves an extended run in his favoured position ââ?¬â?? 7-10 Kris Boyd ââ?¬â?? an enigma or just a woeful football player? The debate and argument of his merits (or lack of) will continue to rage on. On this showing, weââ?¬â?¢ll be lucky to get Ã?£300,000 for him never mind Ã?£3M ââ?¬â?? 3-10 Nacho Novo ââ?¬â?? replaced the injured Lafferty but couldnââ?¬â?¢t recapture the Ulstermanââ?¬â?¢s movement ââ?¬â?? tried as always but really should have squared the ball to Boyd to finish the game ââ?¬â?? shot off the post instead ââ?¬â?? 5-10 Naismith ââ?¬â?? continues to struggle in games and I canââ?¬â?¢t understand why we continue to persist with him wide left ââ?¬â?? pulled out of tackles and contributed nothing ââ?¬â?? 1-10 Cammy F

Yip, more baffling subs by the tactical genuis Walter Smith. He is the only manager in the SPL who can't change games with subs - why did he replace a genuine wide player in DMB who was causing Hearts problems with a guy who is clearly struggling after a long lay off with injury? Boyd wouldn't get a game as far as I'm concerned - contributes the square root of zero to the team and his saving grace, his goals, have all but disappeared. However, Walter Smith is to blame for the change of attitude in the players after half-time. It was as if they were told not to continue with the pressing, passing etc and resort to holding on to the 2-0 lead and humping long balls to Boyd thus surrendering the ball. Cammy F - SMITH MUST GO LOYAL RSC

Good read as usual - http://www.jeffwinterentertainmentandmedia.co.uk/rangers/0809021.html Cammy F

Ditto Hearts Cammy F

Our Bobo Balde if you will. Cammy F

A great article and fine words from McLetchie. However come election time, the vast majority of Bears will troop down the polling station and vote in the barstewards who are determind to blacken our name and have an agenda that won't stop until Rangers FC has been closed down. Another gaulling aspect to this whole debate was highlighted in my 'Hate' article yesterday regarding the Celtc fan celebrating the murders of 2 British Soldiers using Domino's Pizza boxes on Sunday. Both Celtc and political parties claimed that there was no evidence of this being true, yet by searching Celtc websites on Sunday evening, I, a mere ludite was able to find evidence in the form of a picture that can be seen here - http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=10572 Truly one rule for one and one rule for everyone else. Victimised in our own country by those that hate us. Cammy F

My arguement is that Alex Mc won the SPL title twice and in both seasons faced huge financial contstraints that meant that he lost between ~5 players each season and wasn't allowed to replace them with players of a similar standard. However, I said on the back of both SPL titles that these victories, whilst being welcome were merely papering over the cracks that were appearing both on and off the field. I have continually said that WS and his enterage and AMc and his are merely symptons and not the real problem. The real problem that we face is a chairmain who is a liar and a charlatan and who is destroying our club. However, WS is guilty of mismanagement given that he has all but wasted �£20M on players who aren't performing or delivering. He is also guilty of costing a CL place this season and bottling situations where we were in a position to build on a position of strength. This isn't just about a one-off cup final where he selected the incorrect team and formation and brought on a baffling sub. This is about surrendering a significant lead last season that ultimately lost us the SPL title (you can argue about circumstances, but the bottom line is that WS tactics lost us the title last season - end of story) and looks like costing us the SPL title this season, as well as the chance of the domestic treble. Wlater Smith has spunked over �£20M in the summer on players who he deems not good enough to (1) play in their natural positions or, and most worryingly (2) JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH. That �£20M was wasted AFTER him losing a CL qualifier to a pub team, a result that cost the clud �£10M in revenue and untold damage to our reputation. The season that AMc finished 3rd, he also got us to within a whisker of the CL quarter finals where we were unlucky to be defeated by a team that went on to the semi-finals and were themselves unlucky to lose to Arsenal. AMc is the last Rangers manager to win the league title and a domestic treble and he did this against a Celtc team that were spending more than they ever did and were going through their 2nd most successful period in their history. Their manager at the time was lauded as a genius, yet AMc matched him trophy for trophy over their period in charge of their clubs. Again, it is worth repeating that whilsts Celtc were splashing the cash, AMc was losing all his top performers and was still challanging on the pitch. This Rangers team thrown together by Walter Smith isn't performing. We can't even get the basics right and you have to wonder what we do at Murray Park on a daily basis. From what we are witnessing on the pitch we are certainly not practicing throw-ins, corners, free kicks, crossing, shooting, passing and moving etc as we fail to achieve any of the above on the field during a match. It can be argued that Walter Smith's Rangers team have gone backwards from last season in terms of performance and ability to win compititions that is despite the injection of over �£20M into the squad. If certain Rangers fans are happy with the current state of affairs on and off the pitch then fine, that is their parogative. However, as a Rangers fan, I'll never settle for 2nd best and surely I am entitled to that opinion and entitled to show my furstration at the undenyable crippling state of affairs that my club is in? Cammy F

If's, but's and maybe's - like the old saying goes, if your auntie had baws, she'd be your uncle. The difference was with Eck's team, as I've stated previously, there were players there that you trusted and players that you believed could win you the league. In the first to 50 season where we won on goal difference, we gained significant points tally and scored in the region of 100 goals (that is without checking any of the records). Those two teams had players playing in the correct positions, players that had ability, skill and agility and they were up against the 2nd most successful Celtc manager / team ever. Cammy F

Yip, Mr Moonbeams has his eye on a nice Summer Villa in the South Of France. Cammy F

Celtc have more support from their fans? have you read any Celtc websites? Have you heard them complaining about the standard of football being played by Celtc? Have you watched Celtc games on TV (home and away) and viewed the vast empty seats? At home, their fans are as vocal as ours, that's to say, not very. Away from home, they are more vocal, but that has implications on what you can and can't sing. They haver free reign to sing songs celebrating terrorist whilst we can't mutter a childrens song in fear of having a points deduction. Being in debt doesn't mean that we can't be better than them, in fact, it be argued that we should be better than them as we are outspending them in the transfer market. If players are coached properly and coached to play the game correctly and have a splattering of decent players, they should be playing to a better standard than we are playing to. We have been 2nd to Celtc for seven out of the last nine seasons in the SPL. We haven't faced them in a final for 6 years (excluding Sunday) but they have won as many trophies as we have over the last decade and completely battered us in the SPL over the same period of time. Only Alex McLeish was capable of winning the title against them (twice). There are so many basic things wrong with our club, that is the furstrating and most gauling thing about this mess. many of the problems are basic and easy to fix but we have a Chairman who has washed his hands of us and doesn't care about Rangers. It could be argued that he has 'surrendered'. Cammy F

No probs Craig - whatever you think is best. Cammy F

‘Hatred (or hate) is a word that describes intense feelings of dislike. It can be used in a wide variety of contexts, from hatred of inanimate objects (e.g. vegetables) to hatred of other people, or even entire groups of people.’ Was I the only one disappointed at the media and general all-round furore that greeted Wayne Rooney’s comments that he ‘hated’ Liverpool Football Club? This statement was published on the official Manchester United website in an in-depth interview with the player. Rooney supported and broke through the ranks at Liverpool’s neighbours Everton before being transferred to Liverpool’s deadliest rivals. Is it any wonder that he has a dislike for Liverpool? This hate from the red half of Merseyside will have ingrained into Rooney whilst growing us as a ‘blue’ and I’m betting that the Liverpool support would be more annoyed if Rooney stated that he didn’t hate them. Football rivalry has been around for over a century and whilst not being entirely healthy, it is what makes football special and creates the passion that sees millions flock to football stadiums all over the world on a weekly basis. As a Rangers fan, I hate Celtc, in fact, I despise them with every fibre of my being. Why, well, they are our fiercest rivals, nothing more sinister than that. I have family and friends who support Celtc and who have no issue with my dislike of their club. They have the same intense dislike for the club that I love. I find that harder to believe, how could anyone hate The Rangers! The worrying issue regarding Rooney’s comments was the reaction to them in the media. Wayne Rooney is a professional football player who is plying his trade at the top of his profession. Should that make him above statements about hating Liverpool? Again, I certainly hope not. Would I be concerned to read that Artur Borac and Neil Lennon hate Rangers? Off course not. Would I lose any sleep over it? Off course not. There is a tendency in society for people finding offence where this is none. As Rangers fans, we have first hand evidence of this but we are up against an especially sensitive type of ‘mopery’ where even the children’s song ‘hokey cokey’ is considered sectarian and out of bounds. I hope that we haven’t entered a stage in our culture where every sound-bite is scrutinized to the ‘n’th degree’ and criticised, just for the sake of criticism. Rooney’s comments were withdrawn from the Manchester United website in the aftermath of them being projected into mainstream media outlets and the backlash that these comments caused. However, I believe that Liverpool answered Wayne Rooney in the best way possible, given the result on Saturday. The flip side to this argument is the hatred shown by certain fans that has nothing to do with football, but so-called politics that attach themselves to supporters of certain clubs. In the week that Rooney’s comments caused so much discussion, supporters of a certain club openly flaunted the death of two British Servicemen and the severe injury of innocent bystanders without a peep in the mainstream media. It is time this country got its priority’s into perspective and instead of defending any off the cuff comment that they fear will upset some minority and look at where the real hatred and where the real problems lie. http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Cel...zza.5081563.jp

I don't think we were ever likely to sign him on a permanent basis and I don't think the majority of fans would create a backlash given that we know the facts. We are skint, Valencia are on the brink and will be wanting �£�£�£�£�£ for any players moved on. I also don't think this is the reason he isn't being played on a regular basis. I for one would prefer to see us getting 2 brilliant seasons form Aaron where he helps us to silverware then returns to Spain. As it stands, we aren't seeing anything of him and he could actually be recalled at the end of this season. IMO, just another lost opportunity and it gives clubs the perception that we don't give loaned players a chance hence potentially hindering any furture loan moves. Cammy F

But I haven't given up the ghost - I'll be at all our remaining games (health permitting) giving 110% support spending money that I don't have HOPING against all hope, praying to all the gods, not just mine, that we win the league. As others have said, hope is all I have, no conviction that we'll win the league and no confidence in our players and management. I am lot of things varying from loyal, stupid, dedicated, passionate, vocal, outspoken, supportive. Doesn't make me a surrender monkey nort does it make me gutless. I'll be at Ibrox on Saturday as part of The Blue Order doing all in my power to get behind our team. I'll be singing from the 1st minute to the last minute no matter what the score or level of performance. I leave my moaning et al to forums and fanzines! Cammy F

Yet, they are STILL 3 points clear of us and now have the momentum after defeating us on Sunday. Nobody has claimed that they are unbeatable (maybe Walter holds that belief tho given his tactics in the last 3 OF games, where we've failed to score a single goal) and a decent Rangers team would be out of sight now. Given our form, what gives anyone the belief that we can win more games than them from now until the end of the season? I have no doubt that both teams will lose games in the run in but unless our manager approaches these games in a positive manner then we aren't going to catch them. We are continually 2nd in a two horse race - simply not good enough. Cammy F

Cal, but you aren't taking into account how we approached the cup final and how we failed to play to OUR strengths and expose THEIR weaknesses. That isn't the fans fault, no matter how you spin it. We are only in contention in the SPL and Scottish Cup as there is only really two teams who can win all three domestic trophies. Rangers and Celtc dominate the Scottish Game and will in the vast majority of cases win the trophies. It would take something exceptional for Rangers and Celtc not to win these trophies, so when they come head to head as they did on Sunday, it is a case of being positive and trusting and backing your players to better the opposition - Walter Smith didn't do that, and he hasn't done that in his last three encounters with Celtc. The reason so many fans are negative is due to the product on the pitch. We are woeful and haven't showed any true form in the SPL this season - the only games that stand-out as being what I would call acceptable are Celtc away 2-4, Hibernian away 0-3, ICT home (first half) 5-0, Hamilton twice and home (2nd half after they were reduced to 10 men) 7-1 & 5-1. That's about it. So the negativity isn't the fans fault, and how can you say playing in front of 50,000 passionate supporters every week is like being a man down? Our home form has been pretty decent this season, it's on our travels that we've struggled - kn=inda blows your latest fans fault theory out the window. Cammy F

Yip, the clubs a mess from top to bottom, but hey, but some of our fans are willing to blame a section of the loayal fan-base (who paid anything from �£25 to �£33 for a ticket on Sunday. Add that to travel expenses, a few pints, a programme at a fiver, a pie et al) do we deserve better, maybe not eh? Cammy F

Exactly - in this forum's previous guise, I said the same after BOTH our last minute SPL title victories. I urged the fans and the club not to get too taken away with those victories. Even then, the signs were there that these were merely papering over the cracks. I take no glee looking back and saying 'I was right'. The same will happen this season if we win the SPL. I hope to all the gods, not juist mine, that we do win the SPL title, but that is all I have is hope. I have no conviction in us winning the league. We have thrown away too many opportunities and this will come back in haunt us IMO. He have handed the momentum to Celtc and it'll be hard to get that back. The only way I can see us winning the league is another last day turn-around as I don't believe that our players / management team have the bottle to establish and then build on a lead. Cammy F

I believe that those who have given up on the SPL title, myself included have done so on the evidence of performance on the pitch. Losing to the team bottom of the SPL on two occassions. Not having a settled team nor formation and we appear to deviod of anything resembling tactics. Our last SPL victory was different as we had players that we could believe in; Novo, Prso, Ferguson, Shota, Martvin Andrews et al all rose to the challange and we were impressive in the run in that season. As for the fans, witness the away games at Aberdeen (3-1 victory) and Dundee (2-0 victory, goals in the last minutes of the game), where the fans roared the team to victory. Our manager is a surrender monkey and he has proven this over the course of the season. Changing his tactics and formation away to Aberdeen as a direct result of Aberdeen scoring 4 goals against Celtc the previous week from set-pieces. He has then changed his tactics twice against Celtc in games where they have been there for the taking. His decision to play negatively in a domestic cup final was the last straw for many fans. Our Custodian however is the biggest surrender monkey, sitting in his ivory tower allowing everyone and their dog to have a go at us whilst supporters of other clubs get away with supporting terrorist murders and the likes. I'll be there on Saturday as I always am, supporting my team, singing until I lose my voice (as I do every week) supporting the establishment that means the world to me - surrender monkey and gutless? Cammy F

Yip, I'm a surrender monkey - spending money I don't have following Rangers to the ends of the earth, upholding the traditions set by the likes of Struth, Waddell and Wallace. I have followed Rangers week in, week out for over 25 years witnessing them play at places like Dumbarton, Clydebank, East Fife, Forfar, Ayr, Inverness et al, within crowds of ~3,000 and at Ibrox when there were less than 10,000 there. I have witnessed dark periods in our history and came out of those whilst follow following. I went along in those days 'hoping' Rangers would win the league, but knowing that they wouldn't. That is the same feeling I have at the moment. There is loyalty and BLIND loyalty, I can't see Rangers winning the league this season (or for the foreseeable future) due to many reasons, all well documented above. If that makes me a surrender monkey and gutless, then guilty as charged. Cammy F

Yip, and we are really going to get offers to take the likes of Adam, Gow, Webster, Weir, Velicka, Hendami et al off our hands Cammy F

FFS we HAVE TO CUT THE WAGE BILL - we can only do that BY SELLING PLAYERS. Jeez, maybe I'm wrong, maybe someone will wave a magic wand and all our woes will disappear and the moonbeams will lighten up the sky........... I'll bet money that Boyd, Novo, Boogie and McGregor will be sold in the summer. Cammy F

I deem them sh1t as neither are capable of stringing more than 3 passes together, neither can defend properly, neither have truly outstanding players and neither in my opinion are being coached properly. So losing to Kanuas is the sign of a true European standard? Only getting one single point away from home in the CL group stages is the true standard of a European team is it? The standard of football on offer in Scotland is woeful, there is no passing and movement, there is little concept of the basics of the game (that doesn't including lumping the ball as far as you can in the direction that you are pointing). I really don't care about Celtc, but here is a list of things that make us sh1t; Strikers who can't head a ball, can't win the ball in the air and can't score headed goals Midfield players who instead of passing and moving, pass and stand still (or move backwards) Continually playing 40% of our team out of position (4 centre-halves in the back four, a centre midfield player wide right, anyone picked at random to play left wing (except a left winger) and perm any 2 from 4 up front) We can't retain the ball from a throw-in We can't defend set-pieces We can't utilise set-pieces to our advantage - I'm sure that I read somewhere that we have had over 280 corners this season and scored for a whopping 3% of them We can't get crosses into the box on a consistant basis - they either hit the first defender or they sail harmlessly out of the park. We can't shoot Now, that is a list just off the top of my head. That has nothing to do with fees of players, its just the fucking basics - we can't get those right, what chance have we got Cammy F