bmck

What does everyone think of Ally McCoist's public acknowledgement we need players quickly? Obviously it's pretty much common knowledge and this'll help other clubs hold out for a higher fee than we are perhaps willing to play. Does publicly playing it up worsen this situation - showing our hand a little too much - or do you reckon it's pretty much immaterial what he says?

Me and Gav tore into the side and the result after the Lotte match, and were utterly hung by almost everyone on here for over reacting - we were mocked and ridiculed and everyone told us results in these games don't matter, it's about fitness.

 

Now you lot have gone absolutely ape following the Bochum humiliation, completely flying in the face of what you said before. The only one who still seems to be sticking to his guns about fitness is Ian, so while I disagree with him, fair play for his lack of hypocrisy.

This is insane. Have you even read the thread? Everyone is pretty much of the same position as they were after that game and calscot is far from agreeing with you. These games are primarily about fitness and it's certainly not the time for your sort of reactionary nonsense about the results. Who's changed their mind?

Put a brave face on it all you like but the season starts in 12 days and the squad looks nowhere near ready for the new campaign. There's still time but not a lot of it and the prospect of Weir and Broadfoot in central defense is increasingly looking like a dreadful possibility.

I don't think there's any doubt that the prospect of a Weir / Broadfoot defense is nothing short of terrifying. We scraped by last year in a situation where Boughie made up for Sir Davie's lack of pace, and Sir Davie's experience and positioning shored up for Boughie's, albeit less than usual, enthusiasm and stepping forward. The current setup has a pensioner (albeit a ridiculously good one) having to make up for both Broadfoot's lack of pace and the fact that he's generally not that great - not to mention injury prone. It's not the kind of rear guard a championship winning team is built on. That said, you'd expect Bougherra to be a first choice and I don't doubt we'll get some sort of centre back in - preferably more than one.

As I was saying, though, the main thing I'm worrying about is not signings or results - it's about whether Ally's going to be able to make that hard to quantify step up and make a side already used to winning all the time, win for him. While we can say for certain that they haven't so far, the fact that they're just two weeks into training makes it all difficult to judge properly. We're all in flux until we see what kind of manager Ally truly is in a few weeks. I'm shocked and a little worried to find out that it's only 12 days till the start of the season - I hadn't realised it was that soon. We need things to start happening quickly.

Totally agree regarding the defence. I think the fitness thing is largely just that people are out for a kick about that improves levels. They're not out to be overly competitive at this stage. Broadfoot and Weir is a nightmare defence, but I reckon Ally knows this better than anyone. We have Boughie hopefully, and any other signing - or better yet, couple of signings would turn these games into primarily a chance-creation problem. To be honest I'm still most worried about midfield, as I'm fairly sure defence will be sorted as a priority.

jinxxxxed double jinxx touch wood etc.

After two successive defeats in pre season, Alistair McCoist has had to endure by himself the first small experience of pressure since his succession of Walter Smith in the managerial hot seat. The outgoing manager made clear the simple task awaiting all those who occupy that lonely position where the buck stops, stating simply that as Rangers manager ââ?¬Ë?youââ?¬â?¢ve got to win all the timeââ?¬â?¢.

Ranking third in the club�s table of appearances, and first in the goal scoring charts, the new manager is undoubtedly familiar with this simple demand of life at Scotland�s most successful club. For the first time, however, the full weight and complexity of this concise imperative rests squarely and solely on his shoulders.

On the more rational continent, pre-season is about fitness and experimentation. This is the primary concern of the manager who was at pains to point out that the team is not yet two weeks into training and was keen to maintain a sense of perspective. In his first outing against German Fourth Division side Sportfreunde Lotte the manager made seven changes at half time, including the introduction of youngsters McMillan, Hutton, Fleck and Hemmings.

While going on to lose the match, the manager could take positives from the full 90 minutes played by the returning Broadfoot and the movement and power of youngster Hemmings. However, in his second outing against Bochum, the defensive frailties of a team more closely resembling that which secured Rangers� third title in a row were exposed as the team was beaten convincingly.

ââ?¬Å?Obviously Iââ?¬â?¢m disappointed by the result and particularly disappointed at the standard of goal we lostââ?¬Â he said. After a disappointing opening 45 minutes of the second game, the visitors created little in the way of chances. McCoistââ?¬â?¢s only real attacking option was to introduce John Fleck up front, pushing Steven Naismith out wide. This did little to reverse Rangers attacking fortunes, and as the match progressed the increased home pressure forced the concession of three soft goals.

The media focus, and the managerââ?¬â?¢s response to it, has centred on the need for new players to offer depth and competition in these positions. McCoist is unlikely to acquiesce to the reactionary narrative that these results are significant reflection of troubled early days, but he may be quietly pleased that his need for new players remains in the spotlight. McCoist, however, remains confident ââ?¬â?? ââ?¬Ë?We will get what is required. Itââ?¬â?¢s blatantly obvious we need to get players in, but we arenââ?¬â?¢t going to start panickingââ?¬â?¢

As might be expected, McCoistââ?¬â?¢s calm is not shared by all. The view from the forum is typically less restrained. On one hand, those wary of the lack of signings and perturbed by the results are sharing the mediaââ?¬â?¢s focus on the squadââ?¬â?¢s inadequacy, and are seeing an ominous future reflected in the pre season present. Some have questioned the playerââ?¬â?¢s commitment, and are worrying if Allyââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?previous persona of being a ââ?¬Ë?good guyââ?¬â?¢ and jokerââ?¬â?¢ has undermined their will to win.

Others are keen to point out that wielding any sort of big stick two weeks into pre-season training would be reactionary and disproportionate for a side who such a short time ago showed an iron will against considerable odds to win the league for the third time in a row. They share McCoist�s view that the only thing reflected in our early performances is growing fitness and the widely acknowledged need for new players.

McCoist sensibly will not worry overly much about the results, and the complexity of transfer interaction will continue to frustrate both him and the fans ââ?¬â?? no doubt with increasing theatricality as the opening game and European deadlines loom. However, as the fans concentrate on the necessary drama of transfer activity, and are divided along lines drawn up by the media, it is possible that the opening games reflect a more subtle and general problem than has previously been discussed. A problem whose very obviousness has obscured it from view. .

In the virtues of his long apprenticeship and the inheritance of a small talented squad of those used to playing and winning together McCoist has a solid core of both experience and resources on which to build. However, this sort of solidity affords little flexibility. McCoist does not have the luxury of the revolutionary fervour of regime change and the freedom to experiment that this brings. The same fans who show their consternation at any loss, as Walter Smith predicted, are similarly worried that Ally does not seem to have changed from the defensive formation favoured by the previous manager.

The large shadow, small squad and pathological demand for success given McCoist on his appointment afford little scope for him to impose himself on his squad comprehensively. Both the situation and personnel the new manager has inherited has made a story of small, steady and incremental change his only option. For McCoist to impose himself as he must he will necessarily have to make changes, and in doing so to contradict his mentor and the players who played, above all, for him.

The real problem facing Ally McCoist appears not to be the inevitable signing of players or the often irrational demands of pre-season results. His will be judged on how he sparks life into the robust, efficient and successful engine of which he is the grateful beneficiary. And how well he provides the spark that was previously lit by the benefactor. With the fever of revolution in the corridors of power at Ibrox, and a new optimism and expectation in the wider support and community, Ally McCoist faces the rather more sombre task of making the squad which is his inheritance truly his.

He will be all too aware that this isnââ?¬â?¢t something that comes in flowing football pre-season, or even imagination capturing signings. These things, like fitness and match practice, all form part of a task that is harder to define, report on and worry about ââ?¬â?? he has to make a side used to winning all the time, win for him. On leaving Walter Smith warned that ââ?¬Ë?all that matters is that you create an environment that wins matchesââ?¬â?¢, and what we see reflected perhaps more than anything in these opening matches is the new managerââ?¬â?¢s realisation that while ââ?¬Ë?you need a lot of help to do that but, as managerââ?¬â?¢ he is now the man ââ?¬Ë?at the helm of it allââ?¬â?¢. McCoist points to the future and the first the first game of the season as the only true indicator, while the fans and the media are left to dissect the present according to their own fears and hopes.

bmck has just creamed his Y fronts at the thought of academic referencing :fish:

I feel bad about it, too, as mrs craig spent so much time picking them out for me! :fish:

I think the overall attitude of the statement is great - and welcome However, i thought that lifting a quote from a pretty poor movie certainly doesn't make the statement better. My point is that if the quote was original, it was a brilliant thing to say. But it wasn't, hence my comments which are just my opinion.

You've also made your opinion clear and that's fair enough. But no thanks, I don't intend to fuck off elsewhere.

Mate, not to rain on the parade, but the quote didn't originate with the film. It probably originated with an American republican in hte 70s or something. Like many of these things, it's wide enough to enter general circulation.

Have to say, though, gersnet tries to be a place of more considered discussion - never thought we'd get to the stage where we expected academic referencing. I propose the Harvard system.

It was Diouf. So he spits on a fan x 2 and spits on a player but he's "a good guy" because he done nothing wrong up here.

He was a good guy whilst he was here. He's done bad things in the past, he done good things here. Doing bad things doesn't make you a bad guy forever.

Diouf was perfectly fine in his time here. Didn't let the club down whatsoever. He's had a bad past, who cares.

^ Gav.

This can only be good news as in some small way, it may avoid Rangers fans in silly arguements that can easily get out of hand if they feel no-one else is defending them. I hope these lies can be exposed and they are in turn put in the dock, where the full glare of their bigotrous feelings are up for viewing.

This is perhaps the most important point right at the heart of everything.

He's saying that because we play in Scotland?!?!?!?!

 

I'll reiterate my point again - we don't have a huge history in Scotland AND europe.

Ridiculous point - you just twisted what he was saying to talk us down. We're the biggest team in Scotland, Real are the biggest team in Spain. I'm sure that's broadly all the point that was being made. He's moving from a small club to a huge club.

Yes! My first unsung hero / Rangers great! Still have a couple of Rangers - McEwan's Lager - jerseys with his No. 3 on the back. Matter of fact, we always had some solid if unspectacular fullbacks, Robertson, Wright, even Clelland spring to mind.

That bloody goal!

Didn't even try, but nice one anyway mate!

 

It's funny when they try to hide pictures and the link is in the page source...

It's even worse than that. If you're quick enough you can copy and paste before they hide the div tag. An utter joke - someone was paid for that.

5 Jul 2011

Rangers director of football Gordon Smith is confident more players will join Juan Manuel Ortiz in heading to Ibrox.

The Gers hope to conclude a deal with the Spanish winger, below, that will see him become Ally McCoist’s first signing as manager.

McCoist has been frustrated in his attempts to add to his squad this summer, with deals for Tomer Hemed, Craig Conway and Neil Danns all falling through and swoops for David Goodwillie and Lee Wallace hanging in the balance.

He is finally set to land his first capture and it will not be the last as Rangers step up their recruitment drive.

Smith said: “Ortiz is a player we’ve been looking at for a while. We believe he has something to offer. All being well, we’ll conclude talks with him and he’ll become part of the squad.”

He added: “We were tipped off about Ortiz some time ago and our scouts were very impressed when they checked him out.

“When everything is signed he will join up with the lads for the two games and training sessions in Germany.

“Then we will move on to recruit other targets as soon as possible.”

Ortiz is a product of the Athletico Madrid youth academy and expected to pen a three-year deal with the champions today.

The 29-year-old said: “I almost signed for Rangers two years ago. It has taken me two years to get here, but I’m delighted I’m here at last. Hopefully the talks will go well and I will sign.

“I have met Ally McCoist but I knew him anyway from Rangers’ earlier interest. I have followed Rangers for those two years and it’s great to be here now.”

The winger, who is also known as Juanma, was an integral part of Almeria’s La Liga campaign last year but could not help them avoid relegation as they finished bottom of the Spanish top flight.

Almeria sporting director Alberto Benito said: “I can confirm we have had talks with Glasgow Rangers and have reached an agreement over a fee for Juanma. He has been with Almeria for four years and he is a very important player.

“He can play on the left or right-hand side of attack, but also defensive left and right. He is also very quick.”

Meanwhile, Rangers could also take Spurs pair Bongani Khumalo and Jake Livermore on loan.

- For those who can't circumvent the ET's ridiculous attempt at a paywall.

Anyone else think we really really need a central midfielder?

Can't believe Walter took over on my 7th birthday.

Outwardly stating what you hope doesnt happen. That old pessimistic attitude in the hopes that you can be very pleasantly surprised. I know it well

Don't say it out loud, because then it doesn't come true.

Zaps, I'll get back to this dude. But you're confusing authoritarianism with fascism. While all fascist culture are authoritarian, not all authoritarian cultures are fascist. We have no class-spanning myths of national unity, that animate people towards cults of national religious purity and strength - we have no equivalent of any of the most defining features of historical fascisms such as Hitler's or the rather different one of Mussolini. What we do have, which is what you describe, is a strong top down authoritarian impulse which is, only incidentally, also found in fascist cultures. It's also found in communist cultures. We are not a fascist culture in any sense, any more than we are communist. We're just not, or the word has no historical meaning. There are, however, strong authoritarian impulses - which is what you describe and mislabel fascist. I'll reply fully later.

Fascists pretending to be democrats is closer to the truth.

 

This particular definition of fascism is quite interesting -

 

"Fascism may be defined as a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victim-hood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints, goals of internal cleansing and external expansion." - Robert O. Paxton

 

Piece together the parts in bold and think about it....

That definition not only doesn't present fascism (which is notoriously difficult to define - where to even place fascism on a political compass is different, it's seldom far right), but doesn't reflect what's going on in our country. We are not obsessed with decline, humiliation and have no cults of unity, energy or purity. We're far too liberal to allow internal cleansing and we're anything but expanding. I agree with you that we're not a functioning democracy though. I think we're just a lazy democracy in a world where corporations are not subject to nations.

Don't understand why it would threaten autonomy, but a fair chunk of clever folk seem to think that's the case. I'm all for things, in general, that promote a cultural union - and this is one.

we are far too quick to grasp headline figures in papers and run with them

And in doing so we do nothing but strengthen someone or other's hands as the part they're inviting us to play in negotations that are frankly none of our concern. Leave them to it, I say.

Whilst this is true he is also, defensively, a nightmare. His defensive positional sense is often horrible. Is a potential match winner, who also is very prone to defensive mistakes, worth 20k a week ?

Personally, I'm not sure. I don't think Messi is worth 20k a week. Whether his worth it, from the perspective of Ally McCoist and the club, depends on how much we can afford and whether we think we can get a better player. Also, we are all working with figures that are largely paper talk. Don't get me wrong, if a player doesn't want to stay and starts holding the club to ransom they can GTF. All I'm saying is that there's a circus surrounding negotiations of contracts (remember Fleck?) that's all just a game that is best to let play out and form conclusions at the end.

I have no anger or sympathy towards any of our players - their careers are short and often will chase the highest money, that is just how the industry works. But still we all are, obviously, entitled to our opinion on the merits and demerits of our players.

I don't think I implied otherwise.

Whittaker is a potential match winner and can occasionally do things unusually well. His agent is paid to talk up his wages. It would be much better if this didn't play out in public but it's all part of the strategy. We should probably hold in the anger or sympathy until we know any of the actual details or the thing is concluded.