ian1964 10,486 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Walter Smith returned to the Rangers hot seat three years ago this month with both a short-term plan and a vision for the future. But he didnââ?¬â?¢t envisage the club being run by the bank and being told not only would he be unable to buy new faces after a certain period, he could also be forced to cash in on star players to help ease the clubââ?¬â?¢s crippling debt. So the fact Rangers currently find themselves seven points clear at the top of the SPL, having won four trophies and reached a European final during his second tenure, simply highlights the fantastic job Smith has performed. Indeed, despite that success and the strong position the team find themselves in as they approach the second half of the season, the Ibrox gaffer says his side still arenââ?¬â?¢t at the level he would have expected them to be at after this amount of time back at the club. When he returned to the job to take over from Paul Le Guen, steadying the ship was his initial target, but he has managed to do that and a great deal more. However, after three eventful years, he is taking nothing for granted. He said: ââ?¬Å?Things still arenââ?¬â?¢t at the level Iââ?¬â?¢d expect them to be at after three years, but there are circumstances which dictate that to be the case. ââ?¬Å?It hasnââ?¬â?¢t been quite as straightforward in that respect as weââ?¬â?¢d like. For example, we havenââ?¬â?¢t bought a player now for 18 months. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ll not get one this month either so when the season finishes, that will be a period which will extend to two years in August. Thatââ?¬â?¢s unusual circumstances at Rangers. ââ?¬Å?When you consider that, a lot of credit should go to everyone whoââ?¬â?¢s been here. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve knuckled down and while weââ?¬â?¢ve had some disappointments, theyââ?¬â?¢ve overcome that. ââ?¬Å?Things didnââ?¬â?¢t go the way we wanted them to go in Europe this season and we didnââ?¬â?¢t handle ourselves nearly as well as we did the previous time when we were competing at that level. But domestically, we seem to be getting back on course against now.ââ?¬Â Smith, of course, would be the first to admit he couldnââ?¬â?¢t have managed to turn things around without the assistance of Ally McCoist, Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant. For McCoist, it has flown in. Speaking in the Rangers News, he said: ââ?¬Å?I canââ?¬â?¢t believe it has been three years, I really canââ?¬â?¢t. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s been a whirlwind but it has been fantastic too. ââ?¬Å?There have been some massive ups and downs, but thankfully at this moment in time there have been more ups I think. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve cherished every minute though.ââ?¬Â For McDowall, winning the title at Tannadice was the highlight. He added: ââ?¬Å?For me, clinching the title was unbelievable. In fact, I didnââ?¬â?¢t really believe it until I was in holiday in Florida. The pride I felt was impossible to describe.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/three-years-on-smith-vision-blocked-by-bank-s-handcuffs-1.996551 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisabeer 409 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 think it was the kunaus result that put paid to your vision of the future walter, and its also a factor to why the bank is on our backs too. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotter 0 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I think it was Murray. I still say WS wanted the players in before the Kaunas game and Murray wanted to gamble. Given that you are oft criticising Walter's practical nature, do you really think he was the one up for chancing it? I don't. Well done Walter. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,199 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 think it was the kunaus result that put paid to your vision of the future walter, and its also a factor to why the bank is on our backs too. That is a very good point actually... Not sure if Walter was totally to blame - after all some of the funds for other players weren't released until after that loss; representing a huge financial gamble (which paid off in part when we won the SPL) - but Smith would do well to acknowledge his own faults when looking to apportion blame for our inability to buy new players now. I think most of us can agree we're playing pretty well right now but it is vital we don't lose any players if we're to keep a squad capable of retaining the title. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashcannonball 0 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 (edited) What are the fiscal handcuffs that have been put in place......"you have reached your facility limit, the circumstances for increasing that previously agreed limit which you still have and are servicing, are at this time and in the present climate not advantageous to either party" ?. Hardly handcuffs a simple fact of financial reality would be a better expression. ETA the money wasted by WS is another matter. Edited January 7, 2010 by wabashcannonball 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 What are the fiscal handcuffs that have been put in place......"you have reached your facility limit, the circumstances for increasing that previously agreed limit which you still have and are servicing, are at this time and in the present climate not advantageous to either party" ?. Hardly handcuffs a simple fact of financial reality would be a better expression. ETA the money wasted by WS is another matter. Both are synonymous in the current economic climate. The "financial reality" is that increasing and indeed in many cases even just extending, credit facilities is very difficult, which is not dissimilar to being handcuffed. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,367 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 What are the fiscal handcuffs that have been put in place......"you have reached your facility limit, the circumstances for increasing that previously agreed limit which you still have and are servicing, are at this time and in the present climate not advantageous to either party" ?. Hardly handcuffs a simple fact of financial reality would be a better expression. It's obviously a lot more than that, as has been explained by the Chairman and discussed numerous times on here. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashcannonball 0 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 What the real chairman said, the one who pulls the strings. For the record", said Murray, "I will repeat that I am totally prepared to sell the club. "Price is important but it is not the most important factor, as long as you hand it over in the best interests of the football club. "Before I stepped down I made it clear we will not sell any of our prime assets while we are fighting for the league. "Rangers is no different from any other business. Lloyds has given us a facility and we are no different from a household or a business. The club must work within that. "We collectively must run our football clubs within their financial means. If people don't like that, well, they are not living in the real world. I think you will find that every other football club has gone the same way." Murray expressed frustration at the way the club's affairs has attracted ferocious speculation, most of it, he insists, well wide of the mark. "I find it amazing that a football club like Ipswich can have a greater debt than Rangers and it doesn't appear on the radar. Preston lost �£10 million," he added. Reports that Lloyds has moved in to run the club have particularly irked him. "I approached Donald in June. I thought he had skills we didn't have. Donald was a pal of Alex McLeish, so we knew him through football. He's helping me with change. He'll help to teach an old dog new tricks." 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 It still constitutes handcuffs, suggesting otherwise is naive. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashcannonball 0 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 It still constitutes handcuffs, suggesting otherwise is naive. So the whole world is in handcuffs, you either take the real powers word or you don't simple choice. I suspect he has the relevant facts at hand, that will do for me. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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