Oh How Much Are They Hurtin'

[chilledbear 16]

http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Aidan-Smith-Dashed-dreams-at.6776167.jp

 

When Rangers opened Murray Park I think fans of other clubs must have feared the worst. While their teams were having to make do with bibs and cones and dog poo and grumpy parkies and desultory minibus journeys in search of wet-weather alternatives, some very un-Scottish phrases like "state-of-the-art" and "high-tech" were being applied to a training complex set to propel the Ibrox club over the hill and far away.

Oor fitba is no longer a level playing field. This was the moan from fields rutted and bumpy. The spirit-level wasn't exactly bubble-set before, but Murray Park would give Rangers an outrageous advantage. All the best young talent would want to be th

ADVERTISEMENTere. They would be hothoused in optimum conditions and come out the other end all bearing the most chillingly effective of the classic Rangers characteristics - Brian Laudrup's winged ankles, Der Hammer's dynamite shooting, John Greig's vast backside, Willie Johnston's bandy-legged swagger, DJ's towering headers (perm optional) and Big Lorenzo's supreme self-confidence, even after once again overhitting a simple dink so it winded a ballboy 70 yards away. Lots of Greig-sized bottoms squatting on us, squashing the life out of us - that was the Orwellian future. But, as usual in the SPL, the reality has been somewhat different.

 

The Rangers team which has just won the title was not entirely made up of pure Murray Park product. I don't know about you but I half-thought by now it might have been. I guess that's our consolation: Rangers haven't quite been able to grow their own. Their big players in 2010-11 have included Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker (already SPL-established when they were signed), David Weir (older than some parkies), Steven Davis (could be playing in a better league), Kenny Miller (already gone) and Nikica Jelavic (won't be long now). In other words, a typical, non-indigenous Rangers line-up from any recent season.

 

Almost ten years ago, BBC Scotland screened the series Blue Heaven about a bunch of kids aged 14-16 who were already playing the game with cockiness and, in some, cases, devilment. They seemed like prime Ibrox material. Murray Park would nurture and develop them and make dreams of Copland Road End adulation come true.

 

In the reality style of these programmes we got to meet mums and dads and, where they had them, girlfriends. In the case of David Ford, we got to meet all of his uncles who would pile into his dad's caravan parked at the bottom of the garden and bedecked in the red, white and blue. There were lots of images on the walls of a figure on horseback, probably historical, 17th century, and I thought the uncles might be equestrian fans - but no, they were Rangers aficionados. And because he was wee and carrot-haired and played on the wing we all wanted Fordy to make it.

 

Last week's Blue Heaven - Where Are They Now? caught up with the intake

[chilledbear 16]

Only one, Jordan MacMillan, remains at Rangers but is still waiting for his break. Charlie Adam's doing all right, isn't he? Yes, but not in the light blue. Jordan, loaned out to Wrexham, said of Murray Park: "You don't realise what you've got here u

ADVERTISEMENTntil you leave - your stuff washed, your food, everything." Charlie, below, does his own washing at Blackpool and we saw him hoist a team-mate on his shoulders to retrieve a ball from a roof, but as his manager Ian Holloway said, he's trusted and wanted - basic aspirations.

 

Some have tattoos now, quite a few have kids. Most seem happy, even John Johnstone, for whom it was such a blow to be told he wasn't quite good enough - indeed especially John, now playing juniors but, importantly, still being cheered on by his dad. Fordy, though, didn't make it. "Gutted." Then his dad died. He works for Asda now and the caravan lies empty, a portrait of the Queen on the floor.

 

Fordy said of the Murray Park experience: "They don't prepare you for the fall." Jan Derks, ex-head of youth development, admitted this was a problem. Rangers can justifably claim they're relatively new to the business of bringing through their own players, that they're still learning.

 

The Ibrox Frankenstein, complete with deranged Colin Stein leer, is still in development. (Phew)

[boss 0]

Their pain is wonderful - poor Aidan...

[biggordy 0]

Whaurs McGreegor for starters.

 

Their first team squad 2010/2011 numbers about 37.

Non Scottish players numbers about 31.

Non Scottish "management team" 100%.

 

Aidan needs to give lemmon some advice in how to coach young players.

[gisabeer 409]

Wales v scotland

 

McGregor

McCormack

Adam

 

All Played in the starting 11 with Hutton a key fixture in the team when fit.

 

All came through murray park. Something missed in the way off article.

[Zappa 0]

You get as far as reading 'By Aidan' and you know it's going to be an article full of bitterness and hurt.

[Guest Dutchy]

There is something twisted about that whole article, maybe even deserving of some police attention on the basis of slander, but I'm half joking there as I know that would never happen. Unless Whyte is considering asking this authour for his sources and opinions. Or indeed if he's just a closet 'novel writer', just waiting to burst out of journalism.

 

I watched that Where Are They Now program and found it very intresting, so much so I was thinking I'd like similar progs on all the other clubs 'purpose built' facilities, following following Rangers lead.

 

Aidian then may understand the success rate from these types of establishments, that was clearly and constantly expressed throughout the program. I don't expect to see all the other teams in the SPL with these training complexes have too much a bigger return. Although their standards are below Rangers FC.

[Super_Ally 0]

A thread where so far I find myself in agreement with all the gersnet views.

 

Bitter, twisted article that either deliberately ignores the success stories or is just plain factually incorrect.

 

At any point did anyone claim simply building Murray Park would allow us to leave everyone in our wake? I don't remember that.

[calscot 0]

There's probably better teams that you could make from Murray Park graduates but here's a not bad one:

 

MacGregor

Hutton Ross Wilson Smith

Burke Adam Ness Wylde

McCormack MacLean

[26th of foot 5,832]

Aidan Smith is a Hibby, who penned a tome about supporting Hearts for a season.

 

Oh, wait a minute, he also revealed his old man was a Sellik supporter and he was too, until his middle teenage years.

 

Aidan is a product of his conditioning, he suffers from the effects of multi social and economic deprivation so prevelent in Edinburgh's New Town.

 

Aidan's alma mater is Fettes College; yep that one, attended by Tony Blair and SDM.

 

Aidan talks sh1te.