Little General 80 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Telegraph.co.uk Blame the bank, says Rangers manager Walter Smith as he looks for his players to bounce back from defeat Rangers manager Walter Smith believes that Lloyds Banking Group constitutes a bigger threat to his clubââ?¬â?¢s chances of winning a third successive title than Neil Lennonââ?¬â?¢s Celtic. They may trail their Old Firm rivals by four points after losing 2-0 to them at Ibrox last weekend but Smith is in no doubt that the financial constraints he is being forced to work under can only undermine Rangersââ?¬â?¢ prospects of triumphing at home and abroad. Smith, who will turn 63 next month, is in his final season in charge and has had to contend with the interference from Lloyds (the clubââ?¬â?¢s biggest creditors) for the last two years. However, he accused the bankers of short-termism and pointedly noted that it was their profligacy ââ?¬â?? on a far greater scale than that indulged in by Rangers owner Sir David Murray, although they bankrolled that as well ââ?¬â?? which has brought the global economy to its knees. At a time when he has guided Rangers back into profit for the last three years, significantly reducing the clubââ?¬â?¢s debt in the process, Smith believes he is due a little respite from the number crunchers who continue to treat him with the distrust normally shown to those applying for a first mortgage. ââ?¬Å?I feel as though the whole situation is a bit unfair from the football side of things,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?We do need a bit of help. You had the situation a couple of years ago when some boys put the banner up saying 'We Deserve Better.ââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬Å?Of course, they meant the supporters but at times you have to look at it from our side and realise that we also deserve better for what weââ?¬â?¢ve done: and by that I mean in comparison to clubs of similar stature. ââ?¬Å?There obviously isnââ?¬â?¢t a long-term view, they are only looking at it from a short-term perspective. Whether we think itââ?¬â?¢s fair or not it doesnââ?¬â?¢t really matter because weââ?¬â?¢re not getting any kind of reaction anytime we ask: therefore we are well and truly in the hands of the bank. ââ?¬Å?We just need to get on with it. Of course, the ironic aspect, not just for Rangers but for everybody, is that the banks are telling us what we can and canââ?¬â?¢t do. Maybe someone should have done that with them a long time before they started [the credit crunch].ââ?¬Â The bankers have informed Rangersââ?¬â?¢ chief executive, Martin Bain, that they would not be allowed to reinvest any fee received from another club should one their players be sold during this transfer window. ââ?¬Å?It becomes a concern when you have to keep asking the same group of players to keep on delivering,ââ?¬Â said Smith. ââ?¬Å?Thatââ?¬â?¢s when you need a wee bit of help. Unfortunately, we are not going to get that help. ââ?¬Å?We canââ?¬â?¢t afford to bring in a loan player or anything like that. Thatââ?¬â?¢s the situation weââ?¬â?¢re in. Itââ?¬â?¢s an unfortunate one for our club but the bank are dictating the policy overall. Thatââ?¬â?¢s what we have to put up with. ââ?¬Å?If we transferred a player we might not get all the money and we have been told that. If someone left it would give us the opportunity to bring someone in on a similar wage. ââ?¬Å?But transfer-wise weââ?¬â?¢ve been told thereââ?¬â?¢s no certainty we would get the money. The wage would obviously allow us to bring someone in but if we donââ?¬â?¢t lose a player then we wonââ?¬â?¢t be bringing anyone else in.ââ?¬Â Smith also pointed out that the decision to accept or reject any offers for his players would be taken by Lloyds and not by Rangers. As his relatively small squad prepares to do battle in the Co-operative Insurance and Scottish Cups and the Europa League while also having to contend with a fixture backlog in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, the veteran is concerned that his resources will be stretched to breaking point. ââ?¬Å?This season was always going to be a big ask for all of our players,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ve handled the first half extremely well, allowing for the fact a few games have been postponed due to the weather. ââ?¬Å?Now we find ourselves in a situation, after the turn of the year, that if we win those games in hand we go back to the top of the table. Considering the Champions League games, the size of the group weââ?¬â?¢ve got and other things, that would still be a fair achievement. ââ?¬Å?We have to remember that but we need to get a good reaction following the Old Firm defeat. Weââ?¬â?¢ve taken a little knock in the Old Firm game and youââ?¬â?¢re always worried about a possible hangover from that. ââ?¬Å?This is big test of character from my players but theyââ?¬â?¢ve shown in the last number of years that they are able to dig deep. If weââ?¬â?¢ve had a setback in the past theyââ?¬â?¢ve always come back from it. We have enough experience.ââ?¬Â Did Walter not slate the we deserve better campaign:confused: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totti 0 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Little that comes out the club makes sense. One minute the bank control us the next we are ok financially and control our own future. One thing though is if we weren't in such a mess financially we wouldn't be in a position where the bank can control us. Considering we have at least on 2 or 3 occasions hit near financial meltdown after inefficient expenditure you can understand the bank being hard. The bank is a nice excuse for the incompetent board/owner though. So blame the bank? Well erm no, blame the club 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
metlika 0 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Blame the owners is the most accurate I'd say. Strange time to have a dig at the bank I'd have to say from Walter but is this a way of saying sorry but we wont buy anyone and if we sell players we still wont invest and end up with 12 first team players with experience. The bank has restricted us considerably and you have to wonder how the bigger revenue clubs get away with it compared to our poultry debt. Lloyds are treating us like a source that they will strain every penny out of not matter the ramifications or the success on the pitch or the history of the club. SO I slight agree with Walter about blaming them. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim White 0 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Walter Smith believes it is 'unfair' that Lloyds bank are refusing to allow Rangers to sign players. More... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbernauldGers 0 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 What the hell is going on? I'm getting to the point i cant beleive a word that comes out of the club. One day we have this, 2moro we will have Rangers are in full control? Plus, the debt for the size and turnover of our club is really not that bad. Is anybody else thinking something else must be affecting us? Other than the tax thing. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
H1ndy 0 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 puzzles me how hearts, hibs , aberdeen and kilmarnock are all looking to strengthen but are probably in worse situation than us debt wise. i know it not bank fault we in this position but surely they can give us sum leeway regarding signing players , im pretty sure if we make champ league again this year they will get more money off the debt? i just hope a takeover is in the offing 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbr 1,247 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Absolute shambles , and Wattie has to take a smuch of the blame as anyone , he is very apt at these rants , cue AJ coming out to calm the waters later on 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gers4Life 0 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Hopefully AJ will know the American guy that just scooped �£280 million dollars on the lottery and get him on board 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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