Rick Roberts

1 hour ago, compo said:

On a good night to be a rangers fan we even got to eventually see the channel four report on historic sex abuse the next days' papers  carry reports of our fans making a fool of themselves by singing the naughty songs with reference to the pope when will they ever learn probably the night we play a game with no fans 

On a similar thread, there's a few songs doing the rounds mentioning the UVF. Why aren't we changing the words to Rangers orientated lyrics?

This is a real blind spot for us and there's a stubbornness/ignorance that's being easily used against us, time and again . 

Scottish football is falling into the same traps with Stewart. Like Hartson and Sutton, someone is winding him up and telling him what to say and when to say it. And the BBC are providing the platform. 

After his ban every time-served sevcoholic was out in his defence. A picture or two of him at a celtic event and he's now the saviour of Scottish football. Pitiful stuff. 

14 hours ago, Walterbear said:

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. 

The peak argument is perhaps simplistic for football. They wont intentionally aim for that in the same way, say, Olympic athletes do. But thru workload they may end up there. December would've been all players revving to the max for a long period of time. A ball of nervous energy that wouldn't be sustainable. A crash of some sorts had to happen and their form and immune systems are probably still in the bar at the hotel. The other human factors will be contributing and cyclic. But you're right that it's all a big mix of different components and no one thing. 

I do think recruitment is going to come under the spot light if things don't improve. Kamberi and Hagi look very promising but the question has to be why only in January? And as you said lack of experience and lack of depth of quality - we have players still around that are just not good enough and are realistically never going to contribute anything. 

1 hour ago, Bluedell said:

It's been ongoing for almost 40 years. Whilst there's  a lot of people involved, you'd have thought that at some point during that time that there would have been a period that there wasn't a live investigation going on where there could have been a public enquiry.

Rotherham had a public enquiry and then subsequent prosecutions? 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p084mxzv

If you're a masochist then you can listen to this drivel from Tom English and Darryl Broadfoot as they debate the SFA's disciplinary system.

The Keatings incidents is highlighted and is held up as an example as to why the system is not fit for purpose. Fair enough. You will be amazed at how they manage to not mention any other injustice or inconsistency of the system (i.e. Griffiths getting of scot free stands out a mile). 

Rangers and celtic are lumped together as one entity in this. We should stop "bleating" and do something to improve the system. It's overlooked that the system has been a closed celtic shop since 2011 and Rangers have suffered greatly. 

The only explanation is that they are up to something here? Possibly dismantling or rejigging the system on the back of a decisions involving Rangers?  

It's pretty damning that it's Alex Thomson that's being allowed to set the narrative for this news. 

No-one else has seen fit to pick it up and drive it forward. Even with the victims pleading for exposure. No politician or politically motivated lawyer or editor has seen (or been able to see) any mileage in this. 

Culturally we are so toothless and down-beat, to the point that celtic are able to stage-manage a global scandal at the time and manner of their choosing. 

12 hours ago, Gonzo79 said:

A major gripe for me is our willingness to settle on a 1-0 scoreline. 

 

We keep doing it.  1-0 and we're happy to drift along.  It's not good enough.  We don't have good enough defensive players to do it, for starters.  Secondly, we don't convert enough chances of our own to do it. 

 

Our main rivals are humping other teams regularly, so why can't we do it?  Even if we can't, why are we happy to sit on a 1 goal margin?  

It's baffling, especially when considering some of the epic siege action against Ufa and others in the Europa qualifiers. 

43 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

If we have another trophy-less season then for me this does become a discussion we should have. I remain bewildered that Ojo and Barker remain at the club and Jamie Murphy is sent out on loan, or that Jordan Jones, a player who must be comfortable on the Rugby Park surface can't even get on as a sub. Gerrard has given us some great moments and, until January, was on a steady upward trajectory, however since the Celtic match we've been abject and the management team need scrutinised for that. What's really concerning is we seem to have made the same 'mistake' two seasons running, we head off on a winter break and come back like a different side. The energy and fluidity has gone, our shape disappears, our midfield can no longer control a match and most damning of all we've no heart or fight, the opposition know they can hurt us if they hang in long enough. We don't seem to be learning from our mistakes and that's poor management. A concern about Gerrard is his ability to manage players that aren't top professionals, that aren't brilliant trainers or laser focussed. This is the Scottish league, not the Champion's League, the manager needs to be able to get the most from his players, he needs to be able to get performances from 'average pros' too. 

 

I'm not yet ready to throw in the towel for this season, it's going to be hard but there will be twists and turns to come. But Gerrard shouldn't be beyond questioning or criticising, but for now he needs our support and should get it.  

Perhaps Gerrard could do worse than bring in some experienced help? To his management team, that is. 

16 minutes ago, plgsarmy said:

To be honest I just see Turnberry rather than Trump.

I see a board happy to sort out jollies to fancy golf courses rather than deal with some real issues just now. 

Also, I take it the club wont make any real money out of this? 

4 minutes ago, stewarty said:

The club seem to have got into the habit of letting Club1872 fill the vacuum created by their lack of public commentary.   

 

 

I think we'd be happy for that if Club1872 were used more and let of the leash a bit more too. 

11 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

That's the one that has scunnered me more than any other.

 

The custodians at Ibrox are doing a good job in some respects but are f*cking useless in others.  They're never slow to throw the support under the bus.

One that i couldnt believe was Murdo Fraser and Stewart Robertson meeting recently. Not the meeting, i'm glad they're meeting, but Fraser tweeting they were discussing things including sectarianism.

We know sectarianism in football in general is a sham. A hand grenade lobbed to us by celtic. We know this. It just seems so naive to accept this grenade. 

3 minutes ago, Bluedell said:

These are small amounts that add up over the course of a season.

 

We'll never know if Celtic would have got full points if Griffiths had been sent off or if we would have won if Cosgrove (and other Aberdeen players) would have been booked early but the league title is/was tight and these small margins can make the difference between dropping points or not (or stopping offside goals in cup finals).

 

If a Celtic player had done what Jamie Hamilton did yesterday, does anyone seriously believe that he would have been sent off? Not a chance.

 

There are different rules applied to clubs and to players, and it's making Scottish football a joke.

 

It annoys me to hear people say we should have won anyway. It's not possible for a team of our resources to play well every week. We're going to have off days. The difference is that when we have one the ref gives the opposition every assistance by allowing carte blanche fouling, or time wasting etc whereas Celtic can do whatever they want and not get sent off, and sending the opposition players off at any excuse.

 

We're going to end up losing players and the management team once they realise that the game is rigged in Scotland and it's only possible for one team to win the league.

 

 

 

 

There's something that is beyond doubt, Celtic have been ruthless and relentless in infiltrating every area of football, and often at Rangers expense. And in each case their objective is clear and unapologising, to look after celtics interests.

The press we maybe expect some nonsense and even laughed at it for a while but it is beyond doubt and to a worse degree than we wanted to admit. There's been years of denial on this.

We know the SFA is rigged. The faces and votes are why they are there tell us that. Mike Mulraney, Neil Doncaster ffs. It's a closed shop at the moment.

Gordon Smith (who was forced out btw) told us how the sectarian battle was lost with UEFA. Relentless politicking and we didn't have a clue. 

The recent mask-slipping at FARE. Dynamite. Yet where are the club? 

Last year with the compliance officier. F*cking hell. 

The youth referee and his tweet on Defoe.

Do we really expect that this one important area would be left untouched and pure? 

I'll happily rather be paranoid and wrong. Then dignified and watch us being f*cked over in plain sight. 

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

The Griffiths one at the weekend is probably the most inexplicable. It is the most blatant red card you will ever see, not to mention cowardly intimidation of a man lying on the ground. Morelos got a straight red for a retaliatory kick at McKenna's shinpad which didn't even make him flinch. He got another straight red for a flick at McKenna as they tangled. It wasn't clear he even achieved contact from the replays. Griffiths pulls a man to the ground and stamps on him right in front of the referee. To add insult to injury the referee books Gogic who comes to the aid of his teammate and pushes Griffiths away. Absolutely astounding, he did well to push him and not punch him. There is no stronger argument for bias than the comparison of those incidents. 

The things is I think we all expected it. Now whether that feeling is imagined is a separate point. .

The numbers are incredible. I haven't looked elsewhere or at other teams so cant say how far from normal they are. I'm guessing if "anyone but celtic" had those stats we'd have seen them by now.

As clear as they are, they don't even tell the whole the story. Griffiths incident and plenty more from like it from that lot. Some of the unchecked brutality from Motherwell, Aberdeen, Livingston, Hibs in recent seasons cant be found in the statistics.. 

17 hours ago, Bluedell said:

It seems that we're going to have to deal with SD next season, I think. 

Was that from one of the court cases? 

What was the original link to Elite? Was it thru Hummel or elsewhere?

On 18/01/2020 at 13:56, Gaffer said:

I've just watched the Celtic game back and have a question.  What powers are open to a referee and how do they come to a decision like yellow carding Morelos for his 'gesture'?  The reason I ask this is because it's clear that the referee didn't react at all at the time.  So, when did he yellow card him?  Can a referee yellow card him an hour after the game when he's been influenced, or does it need to be done at the time?  I really don't understand this.  I can understand how the SFA can (and will) use its powers, but how can Morelos be given a third yellow card for that incident?  It seems utterly bizarre to me.

I think a lot of Clancy's actions and decisions need explained.

There was a situation in yesterdays Liverpool game when Salah was away on the wing.  The linesman waved his flag in a more frenetic manner, signalling foul play??? The ref booked the defender. Which fits with usual practise. It looked identical to one Bolingoli got away with on 29th. 

The CO is a joke. I'm glad the club is going after them. But again, its time and energy wasted fighting fires. This should've been killed with fire in the summer. 

I would like to know clubs options if foul play or interference can be proved on SFAs part? There must be a higher power interested in corruption. 

Gerrard spot on as usual.

One point that's annoying is that so-so incidents in a game from over year ago are still getting oxygen. 

"The Parkhead club have also been angered after Ryan Christie was hit with a three match ban but no action was taken against Morelos over clashes with Christie, Scott Brown and Anthony Ralston in a game last season".

15 minutes ago, buster. said:

Question for @26th of foot if I may...

 

In recent weeks, I´ve picked up on what I think is a slight change in PQ output when it comes to us.

It´s not a fair balance, but an attempt to take the sneering/hate out of the voice when expressing their bias.

 

I´d cite Big Dick as the main exponent of this modified approach.

 

Is there anything in this or is it my imagination ?

Although not BBC - I'd thought that of Andy Walker on occasions this season. Almost like he'd been biting his tongue from the first whistle. Mind you, he never once managed the full game, and his performance for the Motherwell game was as bad and biased as anything i'd heard, including Sutton. 

17 hours ago, ian1964 said:

 

It's only when you hear the difference between the two situations that the reality of the situation hits home.

Their stance is mental. 4 years and counting now. It is EXACTLY the same drivers that are acting at FARE (which we can now prove).

They are miles from levelling the field. And how can those 4+ years of prejudiced exclusion ever be repaid? 

Always good to hear him talk about Rangers and his experiences. No specific questions, but general views on our last 10 years and all the goings-on would be interesting. 

I guess also, opinions on the SFA and Hampden, pin-point problems and failings and give ideas going forward. 

Straight-out denial seems to be the defence of choice. Which is a bit strange as he's clearly singing along, at least for some of it. I'm assuming Tam is one of his pals.

Any media coverage on this yet?

It is the equivalent of fenian. Simple as that. The excuses they use for hun could easily be used for fenian, probably more so. Why would we really be singing against catholics with a team full of catholics? And yet they managed to get one categorised as racist in euro competition and cause us no end of concern, damage, money and time. It's maddening how bullshit and upside down it all is.