ian1964 10,416 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 THEY'VE been lauded as heroes for making a huge sacrifice. Steven Naismith, Steven Davis, Allan McGregor and Steven Whittaker have all agreed 75 per cent wage cuts. Fair play to the Rangers players. I'm not sure I would have done the same. This kind of gesture isn't witnessed too often in football. Some will argue the salary reductions have been forced upon them. But the players still deserve massive credit for agreeing to them. Like you and me, they have families to look after. They have bills to pay, they have all manner of financial commitments. But before we go all misty-eyed at this rare gesture of selflessness, let me tell you one thing. They will ALL be away from Rangers in the summer. I don't know where they'll go, but they'll definitely go. I'm not saying that because I suspect there's been any deal struck between the players and the Ibrox administrators. It's just common sense that they'll leave and play somewhere else next season. Take McGregor, one of the best keepers in the land. Say, for argument's sake, he was on £25,000 a week. After the late-night crisis talks at Murray Park on Thursday, that's been slashed to £6,250. You're not telling me that the likes of Bolton, Newcastle or Swansea couldn't take his wages back up to £25,000. In fact, they'd pay him even more than he was originally on if they thought they could lure him south. The vultures from the Premier League will be circling already. Hovering over Gers' carcass to see what they can pick off. They'll view Naismith, McGregor, Davis and Whittaker as players they can grab. Just watch out for their scouts flocking to Ibrox between now and the end of the season. The players' agents will be rubbing their hands in glee. Yes, their clients have had to take a short-term hit. But the long game will see them head south for greater riches than they have ever earned at Ibrox. The agents will be working triple time now to get the players big-money moves. And there will be no shortage of takers for those top men. Even promoted clubs like, say, West Ham, Southampton or Reading would crave the experience that the likes of Davis, Naismith, McGregor and Whittaker would bring. These guys are internationals who have played in Europe and starred in so many big games. They have been fine players for Rangers over the years. They won three consecutive SPL titles before this season's spectacular financial collapse. They've experienced little other than success and they've got trophies and medals coming out of their backsides. They have put in a real shift for the club and taking a massive pay cut is a huge sign of what Rangers means to them. But that doesn't mean they'll hang around next season. I read someone earlier this week claiming players don't play for money. What a load of nonsense that is. Yes, they play for the love of the game and they play to win. But they also play for the noughts at the end of the salary. That's why guys on £100,000 a week will agitate to get to a club which will pay them £200,000 a week. When the big offers are dangled in front of players, they are simply impossible to refuse. That's the way it is in any walk of life. And that's why it's inevitable that these four â?? and maybe some others, too â?? will quit Ibrox in the summer. It's just one more nightmare scenario that Gers supporters must get their heads round. The current crisis remains an incredible story, with so many twists and turns. This week alone Rangers have been threatened with a potential 30-point penalty at the start of the next SPL season. They've been warned they could be kicked out of next season's Scottish Cup if they don't pay a debt to Dundee United. And it's certain they won't play in Europe for the first time in 32 years because they won't meet UEFA criteria. For me, they deserve EVERY punishment that comes their way. They've not just broken one rule â?? it looks they've broken almost every rule in the book. So they can expect to have the book thrown at them. And I've no sympathy for them at all. Just because they are a massive club with a fantastic sport, a great stadium and terrific history, shouldn't spare them from penalties. Previous regimes have brought all this on the club. Too many people have been deceitful and sly in the way they've gone about their business. The club will now pay a high price â?? and so they should. Losing these four stars will be just the tip of the iceberg. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54andcounting 0 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 If the clubs down south are 'hovering' over our star players then why are they still here? If Rangers were full of class players they'de be gone right now. Basically we have 'decent' players who are capable of beating the scum to a title, that's all, just decent capable players in the mighty SPL. Kenny Miller was 'prolific' for us, so was Kris Boyd, but where are they now? Miller could have won a cup down there but blew it, Boydie didn't even get that far. The SPL is a feeder for dire 2nd tier english clubs that are shown on the beeb late at night. I remember a Rangers side destroying a very fine Bayern Munich mob away with ease 40 years ago and the english couldn't buy those players until Rangers said when. Unfortunately time has moved on and the days of quality, real quality at Ibrox left us way back when Murray's purse became empty. If we lose those 'greats' of the modern era, we'll just simply pick ourselves up and move on as usual. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Firstly you are wrong John we are not barred from Europe until March 31st so that is only probable and not yet definite. Secondly you forget three of the players you mentioned are Rangers supporters with a Rangers heart and a new owner will mean new mindsets. A change is as good as a holiday as they say. Thirdly they still have contracts which Rangers hold and as far as I have read they have only had added that they can walk away if Craig Whyte returns. So everything you say is far from being a fact and to be honest nobody takes the jealous crap you present as fact serious anyway. Thankfully we knocked you back as you fit in better with the scum. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bears 0 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) I totally blanked any Tim crap since this started, in fact i rarely read anything to do with them, period. I know Lennon is the manager, Lawell owns them or summit like that and Scott brown plays for them. that's it. I block and unfollow Bears on twitter that RT them a lot. But because i'm human and a total utter hypocrite i've been seeking out the "nucleartimplosion" that happened yesterday, and love it!!!! Edited March 10, 2012 by Bears Retardation 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumshie RFC 0 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Don't have any doubt that they all may be away in the summer but it doesn't take away from the tremendous gesture the players have made. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Does anyone really think that Davis, Naismith and McGregor will be around come the start of next season? I don't. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest superrcooper7 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Does anyone really think that Davis, Naismith and McGregor will be around come the start of next season? I don't. I was thinking the same with possibly the exception of Naismith. (maybe blind hope) I can't really see to much wrong with what Hartson has said apart from the bitter ending. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggordy 0 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 New owners = new players contracts = new wages ??? I don't think new owners would want to diminish the playing staff and therefore make us weaker. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
juffery 0 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Does anyone really think that Davis, Naismith and McGregor will be around come the start of next season? I don't. I think it really depends on whoever the new owner is. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
True_Ger_1872 2 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Is it not temporary wage cuts until the end of the season, at which time their normal wage will resume? Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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