Walterbear

"During such a difficult period, we also extend our thoughts to all other football clubs (EXCEPT RANGERS WHO WE TRIED AND FAILED TO KILL) who are affected by these events and facing such uncertainty. We realise the hugely damaging effect these circumstances will have on clubs of all sizes across Scotland, Europe and beyond“

I’m not up to date with these institutions. I’ve supported Rangers since I was a toddler and wasn’t terribly engaged with loyalist (or republican) organisations at that age although I was brought up in a mixed Glasgow family and I hated all the krap (particularly aimed at my mum from the catholic side), so I do understand the key social questions here. A key question for me is ‘Do the Orange Order still prohibit members from marrying catholics?’ . I’m not into appeasement as a strategy as that has failed but if the OO can be perceived as sectarian or prejudiced against one group and this fellow is a leading member then the appt is a mistake for the reasons JM highlighted. Happily to be politely advised what the current reality is as I genuinely don’t know.

Meanwhile Celtic response is to send their captain out to claim the title. Rancid club.

Coefficient points are awarded for games played already. I don’t see how they can or should be ‘unawarded’. Leagues are to be determined by games played in the future and won or lost when the season fixtures are complete. The only way celtic could be awarded the league is if they have already secured it which they haven’t and if exceptional rules are agreed by participants. If celtic were awarded it whilst not mathematically secured what happens with teams packed together in the relegation zone? You couldn’t just relegate the team at the bottom when the music stopped playing. A football season is something with a beginning, middle and end over 9 odd months. Some teams do better at the beginning some in the middle and some at the end and must be given a chance to complete fixtures and amass as many points as possible. We could win our game in hand and beat celtic twice with 4 points remaining difference between the teams and 6 games unaccounted for in that calculation. If it can’t be completed with no clear winner obvious it must get binned. Sporting integrity and all that.

It was pretty clear. To come out of this SG needs to change not just some of his players but perhaps those closer to him that he brought up from liverpool. We are not preparing well enough domestically. If he sticks with the same mgt team we will make the same mistakes. He needs to be ruthless if he sees they are part of the problem.

Agree with most of that DB but at the start of the season we were physically asserting ourselves. We had changed from a team being bullied to winning first balls. Everyone was saying the same. We’ve now reverted to being a soft touch in certain games. Maybe the season is just too long for this squad. Celtic haven’t played well but they have 2 or 3 players who grab the games by the scruff of the neck and drag their team through. The refereeing may also be knocking the spirit out of players. It can’t be easy to know they should be on level points and a lot of their effort is undone by blatant cheating. Every week there is another example. A stonewall penalty disallowed before Hearts similar claim (tho Naismith apparently handled first) and the clearest second yellow for handball you will ever see.

Catch 22 is we have to get his transfer fee up. It will have crashed since Xmas. It’s possible his advisors have got to him. The Rangers fans have been brilliant to him but I think many have had enough. He was 20-30m talent at Xmas. We’ll be lucky to see £15m now, especially if SG keeps him out. . FWIW I suspect until the league is mathematically gone Gerard will put a line under this and say he has been punished. Gerard knows he needs money to have any chance of bolstering this squad with the talent required. I’m assuming Gerard himself perseveres.

SG is.

Wouldn’t argue with any of those 3. Defenders can’t constantly give goals away, Davies great player but twylight, Morelos - need the cash and he misses too many games.

We’ve got better technical players than Hearts. The fact this team haven’t worked out how to beat SPFL dross suggests they don’t have the right attitude against inferior players. I saw players trying tonight -almost too hard- but they were utterly hopeless and disjointed and didn’t trust one another. It’s odd because even getting to pro level requires a winning mentality but this lot as a group lack genuine self belief whereas the scum have that in bucketloads. Losing the LC final in the way we did is looking highly significant. Clear out needed.

And McRorrie.

It was me and Morelos has badly let us down once again. I don’t share Craig’s view which seems to be that he can pick and choose when to justify his bumper wage packet and that he doesn’t have to take more responsibility than others with less talent on less wages. Tonight Alfredo has massively contributed to a cup exit and in the process wiped millions off his transfer value and slapped the people who pay his salary in the face. He has also badly let down the manager and his team mates.

Tonight certainly seals the argument that this squad isn’t good enough for Rangers Rick. It’s really now a question of how many we can get rid of without starting from scratch. I hope SG takes this challenge. You don’t get through 2 EL campaigns in the manner we have without some good players but SG has to get rid of 3-5 regulars or the entire squad will start to lose faith in him. Quite how he goes about that is tricky with almost 3 months of the season left.

Sensible stuff by and large but if we accept the physical peak argument (and it may or may not be true), then the mgt can analyse through significant scientific data the club collects on each individual. Given a 3 week break and availability of data you would expect batteries recharged and whatever adjustments are needed on an individual basis to ensure they renew fresh. The cause if you agree with the premise, is not that players are reaching a physical peak and can’t do more. The cause is that we are doing or not doing something during these winter breaks that doesn’t regain their physical (and/or mental) peak. That’s down to the non-playing staff. I’m not convinced by the premise. It’s simpler. We have our best player off form (or unavailable), some key injuries and sloppy individual performances. Tiredness does not explain the fact we have dominated the games we have dropped points in. We have outrun these teams. It doesn’t explain the inability of a CH to head/blooter a high ball away from danger when that is his only option. I suspect there is a combination of lack of experience and some lack of depth of quality, but all of that is explained easily by the fact we were never going to catch up with Celtic so quickly (especially with the wasted Pedro year) unless someone dropped £50m into our bank account. Overall significant progress is being made. Patience is Rick Roberts conclusion. I’d agree with that, and anyone wanting rid of SG has no viable alternative and in any case he’s improving us considerably on and off the park. Be careful what you wish for.

Bit selective there mate. I said “RIGHT NOW I’d take a player with 20% less talent.....” on the basis he would be on the park every game. Of course salaries are relevant. People on higher salaries are expected to contribute more to any organisation than those on lower ones. Some are are questioning the contributions of some of our players and they are entitled to. We pay their salaries. Nothing to do with lashing out and bogeymen.

But you seem to think it is bluedell. Speculation mate. His salary and form is not speculation.

How about he sticks the ball in the back of the net. That’s the best response to racists and sneering journalists and I’d hazard another guess is that he knows that. He’s been fighting far greater prejudices simply because of his upbringing and where he’s from than Scottish tabloid ignoramuses or a few scum fans and he’s prevailed. He could pay for his family to come here without even thinking about it. Maybe he does? Maybe he’s in constant contact as Latinos tend to be? Too many excuses being made for him right now. He rightly gets our praise the vast majority of the time. Right now he deserves a rocket up the erse from the gaffer (not us during a match for sure). He’s constantly making wrong decisions or not finishing well. Those are football issues. Anyone who thinks Bill Leckie or Keith Jackson cross his mind when the ball is at his feet or even in training doesn’t get the mentality of driven, confident, aggressive, egotistical footballers. When he missed that chance to make it 3-1 SG was livid with HIM. SG didn’t start bleating about off field issues or talking about racism. We’ve quite rightly criticised refs this year and we’ve all supported Alfie against the haters. Let’s not make fools of ourselves by not recognising we have a major football issue with our team at the moment, wr have an issue with Alfie’s football, and the answer lies on the training ground, on the pitch on a Saturday and most probably in the transfer market in the summer. SG needs to get these players playing or the transfer values will go down and less funds will be available for strengthening. Right now I’d take a player with 20% less talent than Alfie who can play 50 games a season. If you are paid a fortune and you’re playing rubbish then you are a target for the manager and any of these other excuses need binned. It’s a losing mentality to keep making excuses.

I’d hazard a guess he isn’t reading scottish newspapers or worrying what Spiers, English , Stewart, leckie and the rest say about him. That’s probably in our heads more than his. His pregnant partner can’t be a major issue and the fact he has a great job is better situation than many of his young fans living in Glasgow housing schemes on rubbish pay, or lower middle class struggling with a mortgage and who have families on the way. The only thing I buy that is affecting him is refereeing and he’s paid a fortune so needs to deal with it. My take on it is he is simply off form which happens to every player and it needs fixed pronto. He can start by not getting suspended from matches. It’s no coincidence we are failing at the exact time he goes off the ball and following his extended leave in Colombia. I love he guy and he has inspired me and I’ve given a fair few quid to his charity on that basis but he owes every fan a performance every week and he needs to understand that and get back to his best. No excuses.

How do you know it’s affecting him? SG has already said it isn’t. Playing football and going to work might help him (excluding refereeing issues).

True. But he’s paid 30k a week?

Losing the LC is starting to look more significant.

Gerrard got that badly wrong. No need to change when we are going through our best patch of the game leading 2-1. Morelos used to lead the team he now looks half hearted. Kent is predictable, Katic flogged 2 goals, Tav not creating anything. The malaise is running right through the team. Hopeless. We need 3 out 3 in at least. This squad isn’t getting 55 this year or next.

True. Their defending of Aribo goal and a few other instances suggested that.

Wonder if they play such a high line at home? If so there’s def an opportunity for hitting them on the break. Tricky balancing act required. Sit in and they will stuff us. Go toe to toe and I think they will outplay us if first hour at Ibrox anything to go by. If we can repeat the Porto away tactics we have a good chance but suspect we need 1 or 2 goals. Can’t see them not scoring.

The thing about Hagi wasn’t just his skill and goal contribution but he cajoled the entire stadium and transformed the feelings around the stadium and beyond.