JFK-1

To my knowledge there has never been any EPL interest in him and you can be guaranteed that if they had ever come in with an offer like this one he would have been gone. They're patently looking for something more than a 'stare'

I had my first look over at Kerrydale st in months and the first thing I looked at was a discussion about league fixtures for 2018/19 which they started the day before the fixtures were announced. I don't suppose too many of you will be surprised that the first 16 posts on it were about Rangers. This was the 17th post Hilarious but of course they ignored that and kept right on obsessing about Rangers. Saw another that amused me. To which another responded. ?

I think we can read into it that they're fit enough to play 90 minutes of professional football and much fitter than we are but in Gerrard's view not as fit as they could be. I have seen players running out of gas and effectively slowing down as the second half progresses. If we're going to be playing the high intensity Liverpool style that's hard to maintain for 90 minutes if you're not as fit as you possibly can be. And if indeed that is the way we're going to be playing which as yet is still an unknown i'm going to be interested to see if it pushes any opposition into the realms of exhaustion in the last quarter or so of the game. Because they're going to have to keep up with that high intensity if that's how we play it.

I had a look at a Liverpool forum after the arrival of Beale with Gerrard. Though most wished him luck some were mightily pissed off that he had bailed out in their view as apparently he had only recently arrived and they rated him very highly.

Well there you go. If he can make little sourpuss smile he can do anything. ? And I agree, Morelos is looking super fit but i'm hoping to see all of them looking that way. They're going to have to be fit if we're going to be playing the high intensity Liverpool way.

He's been been raiding Liverpool for his back room staff and you would imagine he would extend that to asking the sports science department there to recommend some quality people. I suspect that this venture is every bit as important to SG as it is to us so he will be going above and beyond to get every detail right. We all know where his ultimate ambition lies and he would do that ambition no good at all if he doesn't excel in this post.

Who would give them anything for broonaldo? He's contracted till May next year. I suppose somebody might take him on a freebie as a sort of stocking filler.

Maybe a side effect of having a lot of free time and money.

Tav has himself the beginnings of a walking art gallery.

Apparently the result of a merger.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Saints_F.C.

To be fair it is being marketed by the founders trail and early Rangers strips from the founding period had no red in them. This strip for example was used from 1879 to 1883 and looks very similar to the scarf. This is the earliest one to feature any red in it and was used from 1904 to 1907. This link shows all strips from the very first to the most recent. All Rangers strips

I often watch mostly away matches on youtube streams and other probably illegal sites and while I never actually take part in any chat on these sites it would astound you how many yahoos are there watching with a constant deluge of comments. This is happening even when their own team is playing at the same time and it's not unusual for them to outnumber our own. The obsession is mind boggling.

What can I say? Oh I know.

Germany has reached the last 8 in every world cup since and including 1954. Obviously a major upset for them but apparently the reigning champions have gone out at the group stage in 4 of the last 5 world cups.

Hmmm. The worst mistakes. Ok who farted?

I don't foresee there being any off field problems with Flanagan. Everybody who knows him including SG who knows not just him but his family stress that this was completely out of character and I just can't see the boy allowing anything untoward happen again. He had his moment of madness as all of us have he took responsibility and learned from it. He's marrying the girl in question who even at the time didn't lodge any complaint about him. The cops became involved because the incident was caught on CCTV. He's not going to be out on the town around Glasgow looking at women in any way at all. I'm excited about him being in the squad and have no worries about him. All of our players get media grief in one way or another. It's part and parcel of playing for Rangers.

One more thing he probably likes "very much" about Morelos. Judging from what we have seen coming out of the training camp in Spain recently SG wants 'fighters' in his team. And Morelos indisputably falls into that category to the extent he sometimes verges on taking it a step too far.

I too want to keep Morelos as i'm fascinated to see how he performs after a break and with better support all around him.

Ever wondered if Stevie is such a smart operator that if he has what could be a valuable asset but he doesn't really see that asset fitting into what he wants to do he will still say that I like this player very much indeed. The purpose being to make any potential interested party think hey he really wants that player in his team so we're going to have to come up with major money to prise him away.

Some clues that it's not going to be a straight 'plan A' for every game in comments by Gerrard talking about Jon Flanagan in this article. Gerrard on Flanagan

Steven Gerrard: Jon Flanagan will learn from his mistakes and get his career back on track at Rangers JON FLANAGAN let his family down and let his club down. Most of all, he let himself down. The night of December 22, 2017 is one the 25-year-old will forever regret, and one he will forever be remembered for no matter where he goes or what he achieves in his career. But Steven Gerrard believes Flanagan will have learned his lesson and will emerge from the most difficult period of his life, both on and off the park. And he will help him. The former Liverpool defender was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend, Rachael Wall, in January. He was handed a 12-month community order and 40 hours unpaid work after admitting the offence. Last week, he was given a two-year deal by Rangers as he became the seventh, and by far the most controversial, signing of the summer for boss Gerrard. It was a move that split supporters and sparked a public debate as Flanagan’s football ability was put to one side while his character and credentials to be a Rangers player were questioned. Gerrard would surely have asked a few himself before he decided to bring his former Anfield team-mate on board. It is to the future, and not into the past, that Gerrard is looking. He said: “Jon gives us options in the full-back area. He’ll come and fight for both the right and left back positions. We had two out and out right backs last season and the concern was always if one got injured or suspended. “We had to make sure there’s quality in those areas to cover. Being on a free, Jon was a no brainer for me because I know him very well. “I was aware of Flanagan when he was at the Liverpool academy and Brendan Rodgers moved him up very quickly because of his performances and consistency. “He was around the first team for a couple of years while I was there so I’ve worked with Jon very closely and I know the character, I know the boy. “I’ve had a conversation with Jon and told him he needs to get back to that level. It’s in there, he’s capable. He’s had a frustrating couple of years on the pitch and the issue he had off the pitch which he regrets immensely. “I’ve got an advantage to many other people in that I know the character and the values of the family who I know very well. “They are a family from Liverpool and I know their beliefs and values because I’ve known them for over a decade and I know this was an isolated incident and big mistake. “From my point of view that I was disappointed at the time for him because I knew it wasn’t him. Jon has held his hand up and was very remorseful. “I know he still regrets it to this day. That was the key for me - knowing the kid is going to learn from it and that it won’t happen again. That’s the confidence I’ve got in him. “He needs to get back to focusing on his football, his form and getting his career back on track. He’s very keen to do that.” In the eyes of Liverpool Magistrates Court, Flanagan’s punishment fitted the crime after the late-night incident last year. The Court of Public Opinion is still passing judgement, though. He was condemned by Liverpool ‘in the strongest possible terms’ and his return from a loan spell at Bolton proved short-lived as he left Anfield at the end of the season. His arrival at Ibrox hasn’t exactly been well received by supporters but Gerrard is confident the former England cap will let his actions on the park define his Gers career. He said: “There’s a few doubters in there and a few people who will judge him on the incident but Jon has to win those fans back over with his performances. “I have no doubt and every confidence that when these fans see Jon - a lot will already be aware of him - and type of player he is then they will like what they see. “For me, there’s a lot of things Rangers fans want to see in a defender. They want to know if you’re a winner, will run through a wall for them, empty the tank and give every bit of blood, sweat and tears for them. “I can guarantee Jon will do that and I’ve got every confidence he can win them over because he’s exactly what this squad needs if you look at the player’s strengths.” It has been a priority for Gerrard to bolster his defensive ranks so far this summer as he looks to address the issues that blighted Rangers last term. James Tavernier and Declan John were mainstays of the side that ultimately fell short once again as the Gers finished third in the Premiership and were left empty handed in the cup competitions. Now Flanagan will give his former Reds mentor a different option as he takes his first steps into management. Gerrard said: “If you look at our two attacking full backs they are very good at what they do but in certain games we’ll need to go a different way. “We can’t just attack and go gung-ho against every single team. Sometimes we’ll need to stiffen it up and go a bit safer and Jon gives us that option. “I’ve played with him as a right and left back in a back four but also seen him do a job in a back three either side of the central guy. “We will use different formations as the season goes on. Being a right footer, if Jon was picking the team I’m sure he’d put himself as right back in a four but he’s well aware of why I’ve brought him in. “Some of the challenges I’ll be giving to him will be different. He hasn’t come in to fight for Tav’s place of Declan’s - he’s come in to be an important squad member and do the job I ask him to do. “I know he’s a winner and experienced in terms of playing in front of demanding crowds and atmospheres so it was a no brainer on a free contract.” http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/16310668.Steven_Gerrard__Jon_Flanagan_will_learn_from_his_mistakes_and_get_his_career_back_on_track_at_Rangers/

Yes very interesting. I like seeing him basically telling them that I have played at the very highest level and I can watch you out there and instantly tell you're not giving 100% with "little crazy jogs" just going through the motions. You better be going at it full blast every minute out there. "get it into your heads, NOW"

Gerrard knows him well so I will trust his judgement until given reason to think otherwise. A 2 year contract seems a shade short for a 25 year old. I'm guessing Flanagan is looking to earn himself another EPL contract as soon as next Summer which is fine by me. He will have to impress to do that and at the end of the day even our manager has one eye on a return to the EPL with Liverpool.

I get the sense that all this digging around trying to find the most tenuous connections which are then used to paint Rangers in a negative light amounts to concern that Gerrard might actually construct a good team and prove to be a master tactician/motivator. And you can be guaranteed they wont let us win even if we win. If Gerrard were to defy all their scoffing and predictions to take the league at his first attempt it wouldn't be down to him being a good coach and team builder. It would simply be the fault of the yahoos/Brenda somehow incompetently throwing it away.