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  1. gisabeer

    hemdani

    i will be absolutely gutted if we sell him, especially if he goes for the coppers being offered. This guy is a quality player, the kind we have been crying out for for countless seasons and after so many duds clambouring round Ibrox you would have thought we would be looking to hold on to such a player. Not so. It shows a real lack of ambition by the club when we let one of our best players leave. Its a step backwards from where we want to be and it flies in the face of what we are trying to achieve. I just hope it doesnt come back to haunt us.
  2. Stumbled across an old thread bumped on FF detailing the Rangers and Celtic squads of as of 1/9/06 (Age in brackets): It makes grim reading now although there was a lot of confidence in the squads being evenly matched at the time, at least accodring to FF. Considering first the goalkeepers. With it taking a while for AM to cement his place as our number one and with erratic early season form, Celtic were stronger in terms of their no. 1. We had the better backup but due to Boruc staying relatively injury and suspension free squad strength never told in this position. Onto the defence. Bardsley was no better than Hutton early season and Hutton only took the jersey due to discipline problems from Bardsley. Hutton became the best right back in the country, but by this point the Tims had the league wrapped up. At the start of last season Celtic probably had the edge at RB, with us becoming strongest here at the season's end. Neither had a decent replacement. At LB we have the better player on his day. Smith is superior to a fairly decent Naylor. However Smith has injury troubles and I would give Celtic the nod for the LB position on last season's squads. Again a lack of a decent replacement is noted. With PLG's squad Celtic easily had a stronger pairing at CB with capable cover. Walter has taken the initiative here. We are now far stronger here but more of that later. Looking at the midfielders listed in that squad we looked to have by far the better first picks in Hemdani, Fergie and Clement versus the likes of Lennon, Jarosik and Gravesen. However our lack of strength in depth is obvious looking at the squad list. Having said that, for reasons still noted in the current set up it did not pan out with us being stronger in this position. Then, as now, we lacked pace, a bit of steel and are devoid of creativity. despite stronger individuals they seemed to have a better midfield unit. Looking at the "attacking midfielders" or wide players. They were stronger again. I don't see much between Adam and "poty" Nakamura but they were stronger on the other flank with better replacements. Ignoring Sebo (sorry) our forwards looked stronger. JvoH and Zurawski were perma-injured (new word?) and Miller and Beattie are mince. Again not sure our individual quality shone through. Boyd won top scorer but we missed out on the big prizes. So this time last year, squad analysis was done on the above squads. General consensus was we matched up well but PLG's superior management would shine through . I beleive I was of similar opinion. In summary, on paper they looked stronger in goals, that pretty much held true. Their stronger looking defence held up to that supposition too. Our stronger looking midfielders did not perform better as a unit. Neither set of strikers covered themselves in glory although Celtic's forward line can bathe in the glory of winning trophies and progressing in Europe. The fact that so many bears ended up with egg on their faces for the bold predictions made this time last year should serve as warning. However I am going to fly in the face of my own comments and predict that (on paper at least) we appear a far stronger squad than this time last year: Goalkeepers Mcgregor is established as number one with experience of playing for the Gers and European exprience. His ability to come for cross balls has improved, although many still worry about him in that respect. We have got rid of Letitzi (a wasteful purchase in the first place) and got rid of the dead weight Klos became on the wage bill. Owing to AM's improved confidence at being No1 and improved play and with Carroll and Smith in for Letitzi and apast it Klos I would argue our first pick and back up options have improved. Left back Papac was signed as a CB and that may well prove to be his best position. However playing LB he has improved over the season from a PLG reject to a player many are happy to deputise for Smith. If Smith regains fitness and with Murray as further back up I would say we are better covered here than this time last year. Right back With Hutton's vast improvement here instead of Bardsley we are definitely stronger. No room for anymore red mist momments though Alan. Whittaker should prove a better back up than Bardsley. Centre Backs What needs to be said here? What an improvement. Weir and Cuellar (a potential POTY and signing of the season) start with capable back up from Webster, Broadfoot and Ehiogu. The major difference from the PLG era. Left Midfield McCulloch if he ends up on the left he will strengthen the team. Adam did well at LM for my money last year, contributing goals and a dead ball threat. He needs to kick on from there with a vast improvement on recent performances necessary. With Beasley in too, the options are there for LM. An improvement on last year for this bear. Right midfield An undoubted weakness for us. Will Whittaker prove to be the man to fill that hole. McCulloch has filled in here although has been bought for LM or up front. Novo and Burke have filled in, sometimes well, sometimes not. Neither are the long term answer. An opportunity for Whittaker to make the position his own. Time will tell if it's an improvement on last year. Centre Midfield The only major change occured in January with Thomson replacing Clement. Clement may go on to be a stronger performer, but for Rangers KT is the better choice, he wants to play for us not just for one man. McCulloch can fill in here if needed increasing cover. As touched on earlier, in this case the stronger individuals (compared to Celtic) does not equate to a stronger whole in terms of the midfield unit. As stated we lack pace, dig and creativity. Debbte rages as to how to include the quality individuals of BF, BH and KT into an effective Rangers midfield. One of Walters big problems at the momment. Forwards Boyd needs to rediscover the goalscoring touch. When he's scoring he's our main and only real (CA aside) goal threat. A wee rest may do him good, however Sebo-esque backing might do wonders for the player too. Many want to give Sebo a chance, others want him sold. Walter says we wont pay anyone off and noone would pay a fee for him, so we continue to hope he comes good, but I have my doubts. Darcheville is not as good as Prso at his peak, but that is not the Dado we saw last year. Novo is a useful replacement who still lacks composure and a decent touch but is held in high regard for his work rate. If Boyd is off form we are very weak upfront, not much has changed from last year then. As I say it is clear there has been a vast improvement in squad depth across all playing positions. Some major improvements have occured since PLG's era in quality as well, notably in defence. However the improvement in quality has not been enough for some fans, with no "star" names brought in this summer. According to SDM we will have one or two more to come to complete this squad. It looks a lot stronger on paper, but on the field two main issues seem to arise. The lack of pace, creativity and obvious first picks in central midfield. Secondly, where the goal threat comes from one Boyd is not banging them in. The next step is to compare this year XI to that from the other side of the city. (Sorry for a long and possibly boring post, but seeing the aforementioned thread on FF tonight sparked a lot of thinking for me).
  3. Murray tips Celts to retain the title By Ron Scott SIR DAVID MURRAY fully expects to spend well in excess of Ã?£10 million on new players before the transfer window closes. Yet the Rangers chairman admits Celtic remain favourites to win the title. ââ?¬Å?They have won the Championship for the last two seasons and the bookies have made them favourites this time, too,ââ?¬Â he conceded. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s difficult to disagree. ââ?¬Å?But we must make a serious challenge and be there or thereabouts. We canââ?¬â?¢t afford to be so far behind Celtic again.ââ?¬Â Rangers have already spent around Ã?£5 million on new faces, but Murray insisted, ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢re not finished yet. Weââ?¬â?¢ll make at least two more quality signings, if not three. We definitely want another top-class striker.ââ?¬Â Rumours Murray played down rumours in France that his club are about to sign 30-year-old striker Daniel Cousin from Lens for Ã?£1 million, and re-iterated they wonââ?¬â?¢t be increasing their Ã?£1.5 million bid for Kilmarnockââ?¬â?¢s Stevie Naismith. Heââ?¬â?¢s determined not to break the clubââ?¬â?¢s wage structure. ââ?¬Å?Meeting the Ã?£4.4 million transfer fee to Hibs for Scott Brown was not a problem. But we were not prepared to pay the Ã?£25,000-a-week heââ?¬â?¢s reputedly on at Celtic,ââ?¬Â said Murray. ââ?¬Å?Before you know it the deal ends up costing around Ã?£14-Ã?£15-million by the time you add on wages for a five-year contract. ââ?¬Å?We must have parity in the dressing-room. ââ?¬Å?Young Scottish players coming through can expect to earn between Ã?£2000 and Ã?£3000-a-week, rising to Ã?£6-7000 if they get a decent run in the first team. ââ?¬Å?By the time theyââ?¬â?¢re regulars, the figure is between Ã?£10-12,000, going as high as Ã?£16,000-a-week with bonuses. ââ?¬Å?The key is to reach the Champions League proper. Thatââ?¬â?¢s where the club makes money and the players earn huge bonuses.ââ?¬Â Revealed Rangersââ?¬â?¢ financial figures will be revealed this week and itââ?¬â?¢s anticipated they will show a debt of around Ã?£12 million. But Murray insisted, ââ?¬Å?Our debt is totally manageable.ââ?¬Â He has now entered his 20th year as chairman, and admits he wonââ?¬â?¢t go on for ever. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ve won 13 titles in these 19 years, but some time Iââ?¬â?¢ll decide I donââ?¬â?¢t want to do this forever,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve been on the dancefloor with a couple of interested parties, but Iââ?¬â?¢ll only sell my legacy if Iââ?¬â?¢m convinced the future of the club is in good hands. ââ?¬Å?There is no point someone having to beg, steal and borrow to buy the club then having nothing left to invest. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m re-invigorated since Walter Smith returned and I remain committed as proved by the money being spent.ââ?¬Â
  4. I hope he at least has a good idea, or is prepared to change things and is not afraid of dropping the "certs" Ferguson and Boyd.
  5. By Calscot http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=458&Itemid=2 A very positive, yet realistic, take on our current new signings. Great stuff! :cheers:
  6. Press release Woo hoo.
  7. McGregor Hutton Weir Webster Papic Hendami Fergie Thompson Beasley Boyd JCD -------------- IMO, the above team is a long way short of being thought of as Champions material and will struggle to overcome a decent and well organised European outfit. We still require at least 5 new signings - a left back to cover Smith, a centre half, right midfield player, a quality/ creative midfield player and a centre forward. I don't mean 5 'squad players, but 3 'first teamers' and 2 squad players. Over to you flim-flan man Cammy F
  8. now, we've all been put under the impression that murray and bain will be delivering a few quality players this close season. as someone said, the statement that we don't want to spend all our money on one player, brown, implies that there is at least 4 million odd to spend. the general figure that has been bandied about in the press was ten million. but you sceptics think that perhaps neither will be realised. that there may even be a chance we get to the beginning of the new season without bringing any new faces in, or, at least, till after the qualifiers. this would, of course, gutting to all the players that came out to the press and stated their desire for more quality at the club, and would be contrary to all the promises made, but i get the impression that some people here think that, despite this, nothings going to happen. so, for those people, my question is 'how do you think david murray's going to portray this fact that we havent spent anything to the fans?', or 'how is he going to get away with it?'. yesterday the labour justice dude came out with a plain faced announcement that they would be releasing 25k prisoners early, despite, in an interview a few weeks earlier saying that it wasn't supposed to saying not one would be released early, and to do so would be 'wrong, wrong, wrong'. do you think murray's just going to do such a barefaced turnaround, or is there going to be something more subtle at work? cynics, lets hear ye.
  9. Gribz

    Squad Cover

    Just running through each position for the team and IF (big if) the Beasley and Faubert transfers went through we would only be maybe a right back and keeper away from having good all round numbers. GK - McGregor / Robinson and possibly Graeme Smith to come in as back up? The fans are split on whether this is good enough or not, but whatever happens we have the numbers there again. Its just my opinion but id prefer a keeper with higher quality to come in. RB - Hutton is a hands down starter but Lowing hasnt nearly had enough games. He may make the step up next season but someone with a bit more experience may be the better option and allow Lowing out on loan for a season. This the the one position we need another body. LB - Smith / Papac / Murray - plenty cover, we could even release Murray. CH - Weir / Ehiogu / Broadfoot / Svensson - Plus Papac and Hemdani can fit in and Webster may sign on along with either Cuellar or Todd - enough cover there but a long term partnership needs to be resolved. Centre midfield - Ferguson / Hemdani / Thomson / Buffel? - 1 or 2 injuries would see us in a bit of bother here and Buffel is still not confirmed to be staying nor is a centre midfielder unless he is infront of diamond which is unlikely to be played. Would Quashie be a good signing here? Wingers - Burke / Sionko / Adam / Gow - They are the 4 currently on the books but Beasley and Faubert would be great additions and allow Sionko to leave making Burke and Adam good back ups. Novo can also play there. Strikers - Darcheville / Boyd / Sebo / Novo / Lennon - Every team needs 4 and we have that at the moment although Sebo and Novos futures still not confirmed. It may be we add here but time will tell. Young Lennon could make the step up this season. Gow can also play there Conclusion - So I would like a keeper as a priority. Weare linked with Danny Mills at RB, this could be a good loan signing if it could work that way to allow the development of Lowing. We are ok for numbers at centre half but age is against a few of them and there isnt a long term partnership, although I dont think its a top priority this season as Weir easy has this season in him.
  10. I'd have have a few changes in the top 10 anyway. Where's Alec Cleland, GAry Bollan and Dave McPherson?
  11. CammyF

    Guilly

    Just on SSN there that Guilly is available for �£1.2M pounds and Craptic have made an approach. Not that I am expecting him to end up at either half of the OF, but a genuine quality player on the market for the same money as SN. Cammy F
  12. Becks is expected to start tonight for England against Brazil. Personally I think its the right move as he is still a quality right midfielder. Take away all his fame and he is Englands best RM with lennon coming in 2nd. Bentley, Pennant, SWP are all also in there for the right sided place. The person id drop is Lampard. Id play a midfield of: Beckham____Gerrard___Carrick___J Cole
  13. Like he said he would of liked to get Brown but he cost far too much and we can get a few players for that type of money
  14. This season possible first chioce team if all fully fit: MacGregor - free Hutton - free Weir - free Ehiogu - free Smith - free Burke - Free Ferguson - effectively free Hemdani - free Adam - free Prso - free Boyd - 400K ------------- Total - 400K -------------- This season possible 2nd team: Klos - 700K Murray - Free Svensson - 650K Webster - 650K Papac - 1M Novo - 450K Thomson - 2M Rae - 250K Sionko - Free Buffel - 2.3M Sebo - 1.8M ------------ Total - 9.8M ------------ 2nd team cost about 25 times more than the first! Team lately: MacGregor - free Hutton - free Weir - free Ehiogu - free Papac - 1M Novo - 450K Ferguson - effectively free Thomson - 2M Hemdani - free Adam - free Boyd - 400K ------------ Total - 3.85M ------------ Quite a cheap team to have been doing so well lately... But it shows we definitely have to spend to get some quality. Next season? MacGregor - free Hutton - free Weir - free Webster - 650k Papac - 1M Ferguson - effectively free Thomson - 2M Hemdani - free McCulloch - 1.25M Darcheville - free Boyd - 400K ------------ Total - 5.3M ------------
  15. At times this season its been absolute pish and even verging on the unwatchable. So imagine my surprise today when I turned over and the picture quality was excellent. I'd thought about cancelling my subscription for next year, but if they can keep this up then I'll reconsider. Obviously it would be great if they started broadcasting in HD, but I can't see it somehow. Yet another reason we shouldn't have told Sky to get stuffed.
  16. http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=412&Itemid=1 After another soulless performance at Ibrox yesterday, it was disappointing to note that once again the three essential virtues in the title above were missing from much of our team. Right from the very first minute it was obvious that yesterdayââ?¬â?¢s game would be a pedestrian affair. Killie may have had a fairly offensive set-up but they played mainly on the counter from a defensive outlook. Rangers, meanwhile, again opted for the 4-2-3-1 formation that has been such a hit and miss this season. Certainly no-one can argue that against the bigger sides that formation seems to work pretty well. Even with Le Guen in charge we had some good results against European opposition as well as against the bigger domestic teams. However, itââ?¬â?¢s also pretty obvious that when we come up against more defensive outfits, we struggle with only the one striker. We just arenââ?¬â?¢t flexible enough when it comes to reacting to opposition formations. In saying that, we could employ any tactic we like but if we continue to go into games without the necessary mental qualities, we will always struggle to match teams who do possess them. That explains why we have lost many games this season to supposed sub-standard opposition. Of course, the Falkirkââ?¬â?¢s, Caley Thistleââ?¬â?¢s and Kilmarnockââ?¬â?¢s of this world are not better than Rangers. Nevertheless, when we fail to match the spirit of the underdog, we will not secure the points. After an excellent result and impressive display against Celtic last week once again our appalling lack of consistency was evident. We simply appear to lack the motivation and discipline to achieve this imperative goal. Given the fact that Walter Smith is renowned for having fine man-management skills that is extremely worrying 5 months into his new tenure. The negative signs are all there and have been now for a number of months ââ?¬â?? going on years. From some players being obviously unfit to others simply not applying themselves on the park; one must question the club discipline. Yesterday saw one of our greatest sons being remembered with what we all thought was a flawless minuteââ?¬â?¢s silence (none of that applause nonsense thankfully!). It is with extreme upset and disappointment though that after the match I quickly found out that two of our players couldnââ?¬â?¢t even take a few seconds out of their comedy routines to respect Kai Johansenââ?¬â?¢s memory. Both Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd ââ?¬â?? supposed big Rangers fans ââ?¬â?? preferred to share a private joke as the rest of the stadium (including the excellent Killie fans) stood in silence. Inexplicable behaviour from senior players which this fan cannot understand. Now, some fans calling for them to be sold is perhaps going a few steps too far but this disgraceful episode is another own goal from a set of players who, with each passing week, appear to isolate themselves further from the very people who pay their wages. At a time where the club are asking (and mainly receiving) the highest possible standards from the support, it seems the players canââ?¬â?¢t (or wonââ?¬â?¢t) match these minimal requirements. Ergo, I hope to hear about suitable punishments and apologies from the players involved. Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd have had decent seasons. McGregor has grown into the goalkeeping number one position very well and Boydââ?¬â?¢s goals are one of the main reasons we managed to secure second place. Both are now international quality players. However, simply having the practical qualities should never be enough to assume the job is done. Unfortunately, too many people at Rangers Football Club (and particularly the players) are simply just turning up and not applying themselves fully. Every Rangers employee should conduct themselves with the utmost standards of pride and professionalism whilst showing the kind of passion that should never be taken for granted. If anyone at the club canââ?¬â?¢t provide those minimal values then quite simply they are not good enough to be part of the Rangers. I sincerely hope as the end of this unacceptable season ends; every person at Rangers appreciates that second best will never be good enough. Whilst expectations have to remain realistic itââ?¬â?¢s not unreasonable to expect much, much more from our football club. Pride, professionalism and passion should be the foundations Rangers careers are built on. An occasional glimpse is not enough.
  17. Lads, the following is a new column I'm thinking of starting - the idea is basically just to keep an eye on the media and summarise the different approaches to their reporting of the news to try and get a more balanced picture. I'm undecided how worthwhile it is, so I'd welcome your thoughts for improvement or indeed if its just a waste of time: Mediawatch ââ?¬â?? the signing of Darcheville Introduction to the column for first time readers In this regular column Iââ?¬â?¢m going to cast a skeptical eye over our friends in the media. Itââ?¬â?¢s a poor manââ?¬â?¢s attempt to de-sensationalise newspaper jargon to get at the news underneath. Iââ?¬â?¢m certainly not free from bias ââ?¬â?? to paraphrase Wordsworth Iââ?¬â?¢m a ââ?¬Å?[Rangers] man writing for [Rangers] menââ?¬Â ââ?¬â?? but Iââ?¬â?¢m going to do my best to be free from the tendency towards sensationalism and spin we so often encounter when we have the misfortune of reading the papers, and try my best to be a suitable antidote for those tired of reading the same old nonsense in them. Where theyââ?¬â?¢re good, I shall even praise them! Daily Record Thereââ?¬â?¢s nothing quite like the signing of a new player to whip the tabloids into a frenzy. None moreso than the Daily Record. Every single hint of a fact that points to the playerââ?¬â?¢s tendency towards Ronaldo-esque greatness is not only highlighted, but made the central point of the article. Iââ?¬â?¢ll save you the hyperbole, the main points of the article are as follows: ââ?¬Â¢ Rangers handled the affair well, according to the Bordeaux president ââ?¬Â¢ Darcheville is a 2-3 million rated player, according to the Bordeaux president ââ?¬Â¢ The Bordeaux president only offered him a one year deal ââ?¬Â¢ Weââ?¬â?¢ve signed him on a two year contract ââ?¬â?? this fact, and the lure of playing in a foreign league in front of large audiences, he says persuaded him These facts are joined together with the usual references to who he turned down, both in the past (Liverpool) and in the present (Monaco/Bordeaux) to increase our sense of having captured someone important. The fact that he has only netted 37 goals in 5 seasons is played down by explaining Walter Smith is after his for his rocket-like pace and subtle touch ala Prso, which Walter rather more understatedly explained by saying: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve been to France a few times to see him and there is no doubt in my mind we are getting a quality player capable of doing a great job for us.ââ?¬Â But these are small points. Despite there being evidence of the usual signs of hyperbole the largest part of the article is made up of quotes, and the Daily Record is generally at its best when sticking to things people having actually said. You can read the article here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=gers-have-got-a--pound-3m-hitman-for-free%26method=full%26objectid=19076077%26siteid=66633-name_page.html The Herald Darryl Broadfoot paints a slightly different picture of the signing, as you would expect from a broadsheet. He sets the focus on the fact that this is the third time weââ?¬â?¢ve attempted to sign Darcheville. Perhaps in an attempt to palliate the sense of sensation in the tabloids, his main points are largely concentrate on his, according to Darryl, negative history. The main points being: ââ?¬Â¢ Previous attempts to sign him broke down at the negotiation stage (note Darryl is unwilling, like the Record, to claim that it was because we didnââ?¬â?¢t have enough money, even if it is the case) ââ?¬Â¢ He used to be fat ââ?¬â?? earning unfavourable comparisons to Ronaldo in France ââ?¬Â¢ He didnââ?¬â?¢t do too well at Rennes ââ?¬Â¢ Or at Forrest ââ?¬â?? the manager branding him a waster ââ?¬Â¢ His next manager, at Lorient, also considered him selfish and wasteful ââ?¬Â¢ The manager after that liked him. He scored 25 goals in two seasons. ââ?¬Â¢ He then moved to Bordeaux from whom we signed him: the support apparently never liked him because he stated his intention to make tons of money So, we see a perhaps intentionally bleaker side of Darcheville in the Herald ââ?¬â?? and though I tend not to like the trend in broadsheets to see pessimism as essentially the same thing as ââ?¬Ë?high browââ?¬â?¢ journalism, it provides good foil for the happy clappy image presented in the Record. You can read the article here: http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.1387462.0.0.php Conclusion All in all thereââ?¬â?¢s not too much to complain about today, and I hope this summary, and the contrast between the two approaches, has been in some way beneficial towards an understanding of our new signing. The following video is some of Darchevilleââ?¬â?¢s finer moments:
  18. So what's the thinking? I say, unless we sign someone spectacular to replace him then he should be our number one left midfielder next season. He may be lacking in pace, but with a pacy left back behind him (Stevie Smith) that shouldn't be a problem. His tactical and match awareness is coming on well, he delivers a decent dead ball and scores goals. I honestly think, if WS sticks with him, in a couple of years we will have a top quality left midfielder at the club.
  19. One would be forgiven for thinking this Saturday was considered an exciting day because of the last Old Firm game of the season at Ibrox. After all, thousands of us will descend on our spiritual home to once again support our team in one of the worldââ?¬â?¢s greatest derbies. Unfortunately, word reaches me that, among us after an enforced period of ââ?¬Ë?gardening leaveââ?¬â?¢, shall be the one and only Graham Spiers ââ?¬â?? ex-ââ?¬Ë?Heraldââ?¬â?¢ Chief Sportswriter and new ââ?¬Ë?Timesââ?¬â?¢ columnist - well the Scottish version (with itââ?¬â?¢s, erm, ââ?¬Ë?compactââ?¬â?¢ readership anyway). Ergo, considering the SPL title has already been won and lost, perhaps all the excitement will occur when reading Spiersââ?¬â?¢ pre and post match musings? Itââ?¬â?¢s been a while since weââ?¬â?¢ve read this charlatanââ?¬â?¢s brand of half-truths and ill-informed rhetoric so can Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s self-appointed sectarian sheriff make a valiant return at the place where he made his name (and essentially lost his job) singling out Rangers as the sole perpetrators of sectarian offence in Scotland? The stench of hypocrisy will of course be evident as Spiers cheers on his favourite ââ?¬Ë?remarkable human beingââ?¬â?¢ Neil Lennon who will play in his last Old Firm match. Spiers has always had a lot to say about the bigotry problem but does strangely prevaricate when it comes to the double standards of the Scottish mediaââ?¬â?¢s best-loved victim. One rule for some and one rule for another certainly applies when one considers Spiersââ?¬â?¢ partiality (or lack of). Itââ?¬â?¢s also very interesting to note the Scotsport (yes, that high-quality football analysis show!) pundit has also spent the last few months writing a book about the Paul Le Guen saga. As if we werenââ?¬â?¢t all tired enough of what happened in the first half of this season, it appears in ââ?¬Ë?PLG ââ?¬â?? Lââ?¬â?¢Enigmaââ?¬â?¢ (Mainstream Publishing) our favourite failing hack will discuss why the Frenchman couldnââ?¬â?¢t succeed at Ibrox. Despite no official status and little or no relations with anyone at the club or Monsieur Le Guen, Spiers feels the need to bore us with his usual variety of self-appointed opinion based on little knowledge of how the game works. A ââ?¬Ë?Samuel Johnsonââ?¬â?¢ prize winner or car boot sale door stop? You decide! So what can we expect from Spiers in his new book and more importantly his new job at ââ?¬Ë?The Timesââ?¬â?¢? Well, ever since his ââ?¬Ë?Scotland on Sundayââ?¬â?¢ days in the mid 90s Spiers has enjoyed putting the boot into our club. From scurrilous attacks on club legends like Jock Wallace, Davie Cooper and Bill Struth to unfair and inaccurate ramblings about the support at large, Spiers wrote article after article on sectarianism and specifically Rangers. Some argued these articles were necessary to remove the problems we faced. However, the intensity and frequency of the pieces when compared to clubs with similar problems just wasnââ?¬â?¢t conductive to such a valued campaign. If one looks at some of the language in the Spiersââ?¬â?¢ archive, the conclusion can be reached that this wasnââ?¬â?¢t a man attempting to fix a problem, but more a coward throwing insults in favour of sensationalism. I donââ?¬â?¢t think many Rangers fans have ever denied the challenges we face as a support but surely itââ?¬â?¢s the responsibility of the critic to offer solutions to help us successfully face these challenges? Itââ?¬â?¢s also imperative that we are not singled out in order that the whole problem of bigotry is attacked ââ?¬â?? not just one part of it. Unfortunately, Spiers has never done either to any great extent. Yes, heââ?¬â?¢s taken part in one conference about the subject (no solutions offered though) and yes, he has written the odd article about other clubs; but never once to the same extent as his regular attacks on Rangers. As such, can we expect any different this Saturday? The problem of bigotry and discriminatory singing is still part of Scottish football. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ fans though have made huge strides in the last year and have successfully removed much of the problem chants from the away support. They have done this not because of the likes of Spiers and his ilk but in spite of them. Meanwhile, the clubs with similar dilemmas that Spiers has chosen to minimise or even deliberately ignore, still have their problems. From sectarian and terrorist sympathising songs from Celtic fans, to songs about the Ibrox Disaster from Aberdeen fans, to racism from Motherwell fans, to homophobic chants from Hearts/Hibs fans; bigotry is still rife in the SPL from many clubs out with Rangers. This summer will see a new SPL rule introduced to punish clubs for such singing. This may go some way to helping remove these problems but only if the rule is applied across the board and from a neutral perspective. The questionable Scottish media will have their part to play regarding this and Graham Spiers (love him or loathe him) will be at the forefront as usual. Will we be reading an informative, impartial and accurate Graham Spiers this weekend? I genuinely hope so but I also doubt it. After all, these valuable virtues donââ?¬â?¢t always help make journalistic careers. But, as we saw when Spiers was sidelined at the Herald, not having them can also end and/or limit said careers. Whatââ?¬â?¢s it to be, Graham? http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=402&Itemid=1
  20. Jarosik tempted by Tottenham move Jarosik has played for Sparta Prague, Slovan Liberec and CSKA Moscow Jiri Jarosik has suggested that he would be tempted by a return to the Premiership, with Tottenham reportedly interested in the Celtic midfielder. Speaking about a possible move to White Hart Lane, the Czech international said: "Tottenham are a superb team, playing still around fifth place. "The stadium is also always sold out, and many big derby games are played. "I can see only positives there. But I don't want to go into details, we shall see after the season has finished." The 29-year-old was signed in June 2006 from Chelsea, after a loan spell with Birmingham City and, although his experience was rather mixed at Stamford Bridge he refuses to rule out a return to London. "I read it in the newspapers," he said of the rumours. "The Scottish league is not bad. 60,000 people come to each of the Celtic games, but the Premiership is something else. "You play in full stadiums against very high-quality opponents. We shall see after the season. "I am glad not to have been forgotten in England. I am an experienced footballer, I already tried to play in England and I will not be expensive." Jarosik clinched a Scottish Premier League winner's medal on Sunday as Celtic claimed their second consecutive title. And his success means he has now won league medals in a record four countries - Czech Republic, Russia, England and Scotland. Nonetheless, despite the title race being effectively over long before Easter, he insists it was never a foregone conclusion. "Everybody knows it was not easy, as the season was long," he added. " I can compare this Celtic team to the Sparta Prague side of the past which had only the highest objectives, ambitions and expectations." Never really set the heather on fire for them and I'm not surprised he's moving on. Must admit I was worried when they signd himas he is a player I always liked down south. So if he goes, Graveson goes and as has been reported on Radio Clyde this am Lennon is leaving, looks like some midfield rebuilding for them.
  21. Anyone know a good site for getting t-shirts printed. Decent quality with pictures and slogans. Just one-offs as well, not wanting large batches.
  22. Some of you will already have received your season ticket renewal notices this week. As usual, it comes with an accompanying letter from our esteemed chairman. Just in case you can't isolate the truth from the spin and the smoke, have a look at the results of our BabelFish translation of the letter. Dear customer/bigot, I am writing to you after a regretfully disappointing season draws to a close, yet once again Rangers supporters have continued to demonstrate unwavering allegiance during another year of me taking your money and investing none of my own huge personal wealth or time into the club. Incredibly, despite our awful performances on and off the field we still manage to keep season tickets high ââ?¬â?? even I am surprised at how loyal you guys are. Just in case though, hereââ?¬â?¢s another 3 new (and low quality) strips for you to spend another Ã?£30 per person on. That should really test your allegiance. The immediate priority however, is bolstering the first team squad and I am committed to backing Walter because no-one will buy this club off me yet. This will enable him to mount a challenge for 2nd place next season and to secure Champions league qualifier participation ââ?¬â?? if we can get past Hearts, Hibs and our friends from the North East in the SPL. Donââ?¬â?¢t the Ultras from Aberdeen back their team well when they are here? In order to achieve these objectives we will need to strengthen the squad, but it is vitally important that we continue to operate within our financial means, which in an increasingly competitive market will require prudent management. As such, we have been working extremely hard going through all the DVDs, videos and letters from our agent friends to ensure we spent the least amount of money while making sure the names are strange enough to call them the next Laudrup, Albertz or Gough. Walter has also made it clear that players, both new and existing, will have to earn their place in the Rangers first team squad. On the field commitment, spirit, quality and pride isnââ?¬â?¢t necessary on match days but as long as we donââ?¬â?¢t get beat you guys will be happy surely? Off the pitch we continue to rely on voluntary fansââ?¬â?¢ organisations ideas ensuring all revenue streams are maximised to facilitate the required investment in the team and the stadium. That being said, we will not be increasing season tickets by a substantial amount next season. Just enough to emotionally blackmail you into another year while getting the most out of you. Following a pricing review we have decided to rationalise our prices across the stadium, stand by stand, to ensure that your season ticket continues to offer value for money. Well, value for money in the sense of you pay to get in and thatââ?¬â?¢s about it. Isnââ?¬â?¢t Andy Cameron a hoot? I am determined as ever to ensure success (no buyers yet?) and I am confident that next season we will fight to regain 2nd place and to ensure we can beat the odd Israeli team by a few goals to appease my European ambitions. Thank you for your continued and loyal support for the club ââ?¬â?? sign the form now or my lads from the protest last year know your address. Yours Faithfully Sir David Murray Chateaus Routas oops Rangers FC. PS: Stop singing those sectarian songs ââ?¬â?? (MediaHouse)
  23. Played 10 Won 8 Drawn 2 Lost 0 For 19 Against 3 Clean sheets 7 Points 26 Now extrapolate that over 38 and the 33 games: Played 38, 33 Won 30, 26 Drawn 8, 7 Lost 0, 0 For 72, 63 Against 11, 10 Clean sheets 27, 23 Points 98, 85 Now I know it's not that simple but it's obviously championship winning form and if we'd got Walter in at the beginning of the season and had these kind of stats we'd be at least 7 points ahead of Celtic and talking about "grinding out results". The remarkable thing is that Walter is doing this with a squad of players that have failed to win a trophy in two years, have gained some of the worst records in Rangers history and has only had a few players of his own choosing. So while the football might be bad at times, take heart from the results at the moment. Now is probably not the time to grumble about poor football especially when the results are rolling in and racking up the points - we'd have taken this kind of football for the last one and a half seasons. Phase one is stopping the rot and the leaking of goals and points using mostly the inherited squad with a few extra players brought in on a modest budget - I think that is being achieved with great aplomb. Phase two will start this summer and will be about improving the quality of the team and providing a sustained challenge for the title as well as CL qualification. Once we have achieved a level where we are consistently challenging for the league - wining it at least every second season, and doing well in the CL, then maybe we can think about producing a much more watchable football. That will be phase three and four. Have patience.
  24. got mine a few hrs ago its fOOkin magic quality is amazing... Del. UP all night loyal.
  25. Whilst we were dominating Scottish Football in the early 90ââ?¬â?¢s, Rangers were ââ?¬Ë?richerââ?¬â?¢ than clubs like Manchester United and after our fantastic European adventure in 93, we were better placed to win the European Cup than teams like Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea etc. It can be argued that those ââ?¬Ë?bigââ?¬â?¢ English clubs were still adjusting to life in the ââ?¬Ë?newââ?¬â?¢ English Premiership and life back on the European stage after years of exile. However, we defeated the English Champions home and away on the way to the inaugural Champions League group stages and were only denied a place in the final by the corrupt French Champions. So what happened to this fantastic opportunity? Well SKY TV arrived and financed the EPL, UEFA changed the goal-post regarding the CL and the 3 foreigner rule, and IMO David Murray allowed Walter Smith to stay on as Rangers manager for too long and the team that drank together, stagnated together. After securing 9-in-a-row Walter Smith decided that he would leave Rangers the following season and if we are honest, it was torture watching that aging team limp towards what would have been a historic 10-in-a-row, Now the nostalgic and romantics amongst us would argue that that team/squad deserved the chance to etch themselves into history. However, after a season that started fantastically (who can forget the moody Italian Marco Negri scoring with almost every touch he had ââ?¬â?? well, it seemed that way, then weââ?¬â?¢d watch him sulk back to the half-way line!). I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but you have to ask why SDM allowed Walter Smith to continue even after he had handed in his notice. Looking back to Graeme Souness, as soon as Souness indicated that he would be leaving for Liverpool, SDM showed him the door and booked him a taxi to the airport. So, why did Walter Smith not get the same treatment? Would a change of manager after securing 9-in-a-row ensured that we would have continued our domestic dominance and recharge our European challenge as this had faded since the halcyon days on 92/93? Weââ?¬â?¢ll never know, but Iââ?¬â?¢m sure a change of manager would have seen a change in fortunes as the season draw to a close. Walter Smith, rightly or wrongly chose to stick with the mainstay of the 9-in-a-row team who were clearly running on empty. We actually had 2 chances to win the league that year and blew them both (losing at home to Motherwell and away to Aberdeen) after defeating Craptic twice in a week in the Scottish Cup and League. We were famously to lose the league and both domestic cups that season but perversely, that season was to give me the possibly the proudest moment in my Rangers supporting life. As we stood at Tannidice, the deposed Champions and the 10-in-a-row dream in tatters, knowing that the manager and majority of players would be leaving, we reacted ââ?¬Ë?the Rangers wayââ?¬â?¢. The fans stood to a man (woman and child) and sang of their love for Rangers and applauded the players/manager from the pitch. Rangers, dignified in victory and defeat. Now it is worth reminding ourselves that at this stage in our history, we were still financially sound ââ?¬â?? and that our bitterest (sic) of rivals were still recovering from being on the brink or extinction. We were, in all honesty, going into the 10-in-a-row season, 10-15 years ahead of them off and on the pitch - all that was about to change. IMO, this is SDMââ?¬â?¢s greatest crime, allowing such a change in such a short space of time. SDM must have known that our debt was about to spiral out of control and should have put measures in place to ensure that we stayed ahead of the game. To his eternal shame, he didnââ?¬â?¢t and all our current ills can be traced back to this point in our history. SDM appeared to have pulled of a mater-stroke by appointing Dick Advocaat as our new manager. DA signed a whole host of exciting players like Amato, Gio, Numan and erm, Bert Konterman! After a shacky start and a thumping at the hands of Craptic, DAââ?¬â?¢s team gelled and played some wonderful football that saw his reclaim OUR title and win a glorious treble. Plenty other domestic success came or way along with some very credible performances and results on the European stage. Everything in the garden appeared rosy, oh how we were mistaken. DA started to lose the plot and Craptic under a new regime (on and off the pitch) stole our thunder and DA had to fall on his sword. He was replaced by Alex McLeish, an appointment that had a lot or Rangers fans shaking their heads in disappointment. To AMââ?¬â?¢s credit, he managed to match Crapticââ?¬â?¢s 2nd most successful manager on the trophy count (including a treble) whilst having to sell our better players, reduce the wage bill and replace them with inferior quality. Any money we made was put to servicing the debt whilst our financially sound neighbours had money to invest in their team. However, we were offered a ââ?¬Ë?chink of lightââ?¬â?¢. Martin Oââ?¬â?¢Neill was leaving Craptic and leaving them in a min-crisis. We had snatched the league title from under their noses for a 2nd time and their aging squad was to be dissembled. This was an opportunity for us to strengthen from a position of being the champions, but again SDM refused to back his manager with the funds required to forge ahead to domestic dominance. Once again, we were left in our rivals shadows and AM was sacked and replaced by PLG. Again, we have hope but alas, it was to be false hope and SDM didnââ?¬â?¢t back his new charge with money either. So after 2 disastrous domestic campaigns, can our leader take a possible opportunity to put us back where we belong? Or will he once again, miss a golden opportunity? If the (strong) rumours are to be believed, Gordon Strachan will leave Craptic in the summer and return to a role in the EPL ââ?¬â?? most likely at Manchester City. Crapticââ?¬â?¢s form over the closing half of the season hasnââ?¬â?¢t been particularly good and only our woeful results under PLG have stopped us from mounting a serious challenge in the league and cups. So what will our esteemed leader do this summer? I think heââ?¬â?¢ll do what he has done in the last 5 summers, give his charge a minimum transfer budget to sign players who are expected to replace the ââ?¬Ë?betterââ?¬â?¢ players in our squad. The early indications donââ?¬â?¢t look promising, but surely a brilliant business man like SDM can smell an opportunity and would do what ever it took to put his ââ?¬Ë?businessââ?¬â?¢ back on top? I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t bet on it, this summer will be another missed opportunity for SDM and for Rangers. Cammy F
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