A Summer of discontent

[Super_Ally 0]

A summer of discontent:

 

As I whiled away the close season this weekend watching a rather uneventful stage 9 of the Tour de France, my brother exclaimed “I bloody hate the BBC, they never have any news about Rangers” whilst perusing their website.

 

It is a complaint familiar to any Rangers fan reading through the numerous popular bluenose forums available to choose from in cyberspace. Almost as soon as Nacho’s stunning Cup Final goal secured the double, the achievements have been forgotten and Rangers have hardly graced the back pages since.

 

The Scottish sports pages have been dominated firstly by Celtic’s embarrassing manager chase as we were told they secured their first choice man, after openly courting several other targets, and secondly by Mowbray’s attempts to rebuild a failing side. The lack of activity at Murray Park, at least as reported in the press, has many bears worried that we will not press home any advantage gained by last season’s double winning exploits and automatic Champions League qualification.

 

One bear at least is not worried, at least not yet. The greater professionalism in not conducting all our business in public that Smith appears to have returned to the club, whilst perhaps frustrating to fans suffering through a quiet close season and eager for rumours, is reminiscent of the experienced manager’s first dominant stint in Govan.

 

It is also worth noting that the need to strengthen the squad is not as pressing as it was last season, nor indeed as pressing as it is for Celtic. The Kaunas debacle and the refusal to splash the cash until it was too late have no doubt led to the current state of concern pervading through the support. For reasons never fully elucidated, we did not stump up the money for Davis nor other summer signings in time for the Champions' League qualifiers and the repercussions of that miscalculation will be felt for seasonss to come, on the bank balance, on the field and in European rankings.

 

Thus, it is understandable that some fans are anxious over an apparent lack of activity in the transfer market. This concern is only heightened by the fact that Celtic have already brought in former Dundee United goalkeeper Zaluska and striker Fortune from Nancy. However, as previously alluded to, Celtic’s need is greater. They have the Champions League qualifiers to navigate - more perilous than ever under the current format - where they could get past the likes of Arsenal or Lyon to join us at Europe’s top table. Their qualifying campaign begins on the 28th of July and they will be eager to avoid the same fate we succumbed to last season.

 

By contrast, our season does not begin until the 15th of August. We can afford to take our time in the transfer market. We do not need to rush into transfers. The transfer door only opened at the start of this month and there is still a long way to go before the competitive action begins for Smith's squad.

 

Of course our reluctance to dive into the transfer market as of yet will also have been dictated by a meagre transfer budget and a need to get rid of the dead wood. Players we would like to see leave or who are out of favour with the manager will need to be moved on before we can bring anyone in. Ferguson, McCulloch and Adam are on decent wages and could bring in vital transfer funds. However Smith needs to trim the squad and the wage bill to keep our finances at a manageable level and so no one will likely come in before transfers out are secured.

 

We are in need of a left midfielder who can cement a first team spot and a centre back to challenge Weir and Bougherra. We should not, however, be panicking and agonising over our lack of transfer dealing merely because our nearest challengers have already made moves to strengthen their team.

 

Do not misunderstand that statement. I am not advocating any kind of downsizing by the hierarchy, or imagining we can afford to stand still. I am merely attempting to remind those frustrated by a lack of Rangers news in the gutter press that League success and automatic Champions League entry has given us a bit of breathing room this summer. We do not have to dive into transfers that may or may not prove shrewd business at the start of the transfer window. We have bought ourselves time and can afford to be patient in our business dealings.

 

The excessive press coverage from the East End demonstrates the state of affairs over at Parkhead. The fawning on the BBC website of a routine victory over a poor Australian side was particularly embarrassing. The vanquished foes, Brisbane Roar, also fell to defeat against a Japanese Youth team earlier in their pre-season.

 

Don’t let the summer heat aggravate you, nor the media’s reluctance to report on the Scottish Champions. Sit back with a nice cold drink and enjoy the upheaval over at Parkhead whilst Rangers again go about their business quietly. Look through the official site and the photos of the players returning for pre-season training and the fantastic shape in which the likes of Novo, Whittaker and Adam have returned to the club.

 

Trust in Walter in spite of the silence emanating from the club. Remember the quiet, self-assured way the club conducted business prior to securing the SPL title at Tannadice and in his previous tenure at the club, whilst Celtic continue their public grandstanding much as they did prior to bottling the title fight this season. Thank the Lord Martin Bain isn't making crazy claims that Allan McGregor is the 'best goalkeeper in Europe'. Peter Lawwell certainly has had his share of XXXX this week!

 

To conclude, there is still a lot to be decided this summer in the transfer market and the time to worry over the state of the squad for next season has not yet arrived.

 

http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=807&Itemid=1

[Frankie 8,150]

Yeah, too many people are getting overly worried about a lack of news.

 

Holidays and an extended break this summer means we do have the luxury of an extra couple of weeks to plan ahead.

 

In saying that, I'm still a bit worried that we appear unable to move on the dead wood which leaves us prone to late bids on the cheap as well as a lack of time to bring in any new players.

[pete 2,499]

Yeah, too many people are getting overly worried about a lack of news.

 

Holidays and an extended break this summer means we do have the luxury of an extra couple of weeks to plan ahead.

 

In saying that, I'm still a bit worried that we appear unable to move on the dead wood which leaves us prone to late bids on the cheap as well as a lack of time to bring in any new players.

 

That's what worries me as well Frankie. Has Adam left yet or is he still hoping for an extension at Rangers.

[Super_Ally 0]

That's what worries me as well Frankie. Has Adam left yet or is he still hoping for an extension at Rangers.

 

He's still hoping for an extension and with our current financial restrictions I would be inclined to keep him.

 

We all agree the need to move on players is the biggest concern but I still think we are a couple of weeks away from panic stations. All business does not need to be conducted in the first weeks of the window, though waiting til the last minute is not a wise idea either.

 

Had another from the darkside rubbishing my post on the main site. Only issue being he missed the point completely. He was arguing there are no news stories emanating from Ibrox because there is nothing for the press to report. Missed the point that I wasn't having a go at the press for ignoring us and the whole article was about telling Rangers fans not to start panicking just yet for our lack of activity and the fact that we have earned ourselves a bit more time. :devil: Unfortunately the bugger's never come back once you respond to them.

[ian1964 10,413]

That's what worries me as well Frankie. Has Adam left yet or is he still hoping for an extension at Rangers.

 

CHARLIE ADAM has been told to make a decision on his move to Blackpool.

 

Seasiders manager Ian Holloway claims Rangers midfielder Adam has been ignoring his phone calls about finalising a switch to the Championship side.

 

Adam spent part of last season on loan at Bloomfield Road and Holloway has now agreed a �£500,000 fee with Gers.

 

But he fears Adam is still hoping a bigger club will swoop to sign him.

 

He said: "He's ignored our calls. He's blamed it on his agent and it seems like he is stalling.

 

"Whether he is waiting for his agent or another club to come in for him, I'm not sure.

 

"If I could meet him I could sell him this club and my plans. I'd explain we can help him get into the Premier League.

 

"He needs to know how much the town loved him, but I can only do so much without talking to the lad.

 

"And I have a horrible feeling someone else might nip in."

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2531023/Blackpool-boss-Ian-Holloway-fears-Charlie-Adams-is-stalling-on-a-move.html

[Super_Ally 0]

Looking at some transfer news today drew something to my attention:

 

Rangers:

In:

 

Out:

Hemdani - Freed

Dailly - Freed

Smith - St Johnstone

Webster - Dundee Utd (loan)

Ferguson - Birmingham �£1mil??

Assorted youths

 

Celtic

In:

Zaluska - Free

Fortune - �£3.8mil

N'Guemo - Loan

 

Out:

Hartley - Bristol City

Vennegoor of Hesselink - Free

Nakamura - Espanyol

Balde - Free

Doumbe - Free

Cuthbert - Swindon (undisclosed)

 

__________________________________________________________________________

 

Of the transfers that really matter, i.e players leaving who were first team regulars or players joining Celtic have lost Hesselink, Nakamura and Hartley and replaced them with a goal shy striker in Fortune and an unknown loan signing in N'Guemo. Zaluska has joined the squad but they can't play all 4 or 5 keepers at once.

 

Along with brining in a brand new management team who are perhaps not as clued up on the club, the squad and Scottish football as the previous manager, the fact that any transfer in has inherrent risk involved and right now the clever money would be on Celtic being slightly weaker in overall quality. Of course the recent changes on the field and in the dugout may prove to be excellent, or they may prove insufficient to cover what they are replacing. On current transfer activity, the latter looks more probable.

 

Celtic have spent around �£7mil or so and received no fees for departing players.

 

Rangers have lost a 3rd chocie keeper (no loss perhaps), utility man Dailly and invisible men Webster and Hemdani. In addition it looks like Fergie may leave.

 

I would argue we will not notice the absence of Hemdani, Webster and Smith and indeed the lack of Dailly in the squad as a go to man for any position might force Walter to utilise a youth player who may prove to be of greater quality. It could be argued Dailly's departure weakens the squad, but I woudl argue any impact will be negligible (and may well allow us to fund a better quality replacement).

 

Ferguson is a player of undoubted class who has seen his best days and was mostly absent from the squad as we took the league. With Mendes, Thommo, Edu and Davis for midfield berths with other squad players able to fill in in extreme circumstances, it could again be argued we have not hugely depleted our squad. Can any club afford more options for the middle of the park anyway?

 

At this stage it is all hypothetical. We cannot know how it will turn out. However when you put it down on paper it appears the abundance of business being conducted at Parkhead is a bit of a myth:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangers_F.C._season_2009-10#Transfers

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_F.C._season_2009%E2%80%9310

 

Celtic are arguably weaker in quality and quantity.

 

Rangers are weaker in quantity, though the decrease in quality is up for debate.

 

Celtic are around �£7mil out of pocket and only treading water in transfer terms. Rangers will bank an extra �£1mil so far from transfers. Saved a fortune on wages and are arguably not that affected.

 

Whislt we all have to try and come to terms with the idea that we will not be conducting any great business (barring transfers out) the idea that we need only another centre back and perhaps a wide midfielder for the coming season looks a shrewd plan. Indeed if we could maintain the key players and fill these two positions we could be significantly stronger than last year on the field whilst making financial improvements.

 

Of course there is a long way to go in the transfer window. I only post this because the accepted wisdom, doggedly championed by all media outlets, is that Celtic are going from strength to strength whilst we are standing still or going backwards.

 

Based on last season's league table Rangers were the best squad in Scotland. On transfer business done so far it would be difficult to argue that has changed. Unless Celtic's signings settle in record quick time, you could argue we might even be marginally further ahead.

 

Of course Celtic's declining quality is not enough of a reason for us to stand still feeling smug and counting next season's trophies. We know where we need to improve and I have identified that above. The fact that we have a reasonable squad coming off the back of a succesful season and not having changed our manager obviously necessitates there will be more incomings and outgoings across the city. The mere fact they are conducting (marginally more) business should not be reason to panic. Especially when a reasoned analysis shows that this much hyped transfer business at the very best appears to have them every so slightly improved. For �£7mil + I would expect a lot more than that.

[Big Spliff 0]

where do you get celtic's �£7m mate?

[craig 5,195]

Celtic have paid 3.8 mill for Fortune and they had to pay 2.5 mill for Mowbray. So they stand at 6.3 mill, close enough to 7 mill.

 

Another thing to consider is that, were it not for TERRIBLE officiating last year, we would have won the league by double digits (we kept that thread going for a while on where the bad officiating assisted Celtic) but it surely can't be refuted that they got far more than their fair share of dubious decisions going their way.

 

We won the league by 4 points and the officiating gave Celtic AT LEAST 10 points.

 

On an even playing field with even officiating we won the league by at least 14 points last year.

 

That has us ahead of them as it stands. However, it seemed their biggest problem was scoring goals (end of season at least) and if Fortune brings them goals then it will be a closer league next season.

 

Of the players we have lost none of them contributed significantly to our season last year - and only BF was somewhat of a mainstay (Boozegate aside). Hemdani, Smith, Webster - none of them played a game. Dailly only played a handful of games but nothing major. Even if we lose Adam he only played 9 games too. If we lose Gow he never played either.

 

The only way you could even closely translate that into a decline is in numbers, but certainly not in quality, especially as none of them really contributed.

 

But looking across the city and they have lost 3 1st teamers in JVoH, Hartley and Nakamura. How many points was Nakamura worth with his late set piece goals to them (even though I didnt rate him) ?

 

They are not strengthened at all at this point.

[Super_Ally 0]

where do you get celtic's �£7m mate?

 

Same figures Craig used plus being too lazy to add it properly. Approx �£4mil for the striker, �£2.5 for Mowbray and I thought approx �£0.5mil for the backroom staff.

 

On paper, with the fact that they have a new management team and players may well need time to settle plus the loss of established players they have probably declined in quality at this momment in time (new signing may well prove good long term). But even if we are being kind and say they have improved marginally, is that improvement worth �£7mil???

 

Glad yourself and Craig seem to be somewhat in agreement. Was expecting to have to affix the helmet for the incoming.

 

I think too many of us believe the PR stream that Celtic are going from strength to strength and spending great fortunes on improving their squad. That kind of behaviour isn't exclusive to football. I guess if every different source you consult is beating the same drum you are going to be conditioned into thinking that is the case. (I'm sure Barry will have some far more insightful views on that). However, when you investigate the facts for yourself it just isn't the case.

 

I don't want to repeat myself too much more, but when you look at what they have lost and gained, on paper they look weaker.

 

Again, as I have already stated, there is plenty still to happen this transfer window, but lets not pretend that Celtic are somehow streaking ahead after having been an inferior team and now having wasted a Fortune. :devil: