bluebear54 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 A big issue, Hildy, is that some of us seem all too happy to regard ourselves as the "black sheep" of Scottish football. The behaviour of Celtic fans this season has been nothing short of bigoted and thuggish. Yet you certainly won't hear Celtic fans regarding themselves as "black sheep." Nor will you see any slurs in the media. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Not sure the Atlantic League is the way forward. At very best it would act as a precursor, or even a reason for Man U, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich etc to make their own version and we'd be stuck in the "Thursday Cup" equivalent forever. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hildy 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Ally, those clubs don't need to create a new league. They are well-served by what they already have. Rangers needs a richer environment in which to participate, and it will never be the Scottish domestic set-up. If nothing changes, we will be marginalised from the big time indefinitely, so change is not just desirable for Rangers - it is essential. We have to explore alternatives. The Atlantic League is one. Within a European context, there may be others, too. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Ally, those clubs don't need to create a new league. They are well-served by what they already have. Rangers needs a richer environment in which to participate, and it will never be the Scottish domestic set-up. If nothing changes, we will be marginalised from the big time indefinitely, so change is not just desirable for Rangers - it is essential. We have to explore alternatives. The Atlantic League is one. Within a European context, there may be others, too. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk They don't need it. But if Rangers, Rosenborg, Ajax and Fenerbahce etc formed a league what would stop the sort of sides I mentioned following suit? The potential money involved would be ridiculous and money drives sport (certainly football) these days. It's not about what they need, it would be what they want. And then we would be in the same boat, in the inferior competition wishing we were in the new Champions League. Not sure what alternatives they are, just one way I would see any Atlantic league playing out. And to be honest that would be best case scenario. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueflag 378 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 No English grounds? I can't believe that. Everybody tells me how fantastic Old Trafford is. Old Trafford is on that list 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hildy 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I see no indication that the Milans and Juve would prefer a superclub alternative rather than playing in the Italian League, but even if they did, and if they got together with other top clubs, it would not be a bad thing from our point of view. Finally, we could get out. We are in a graveyard right now. Anything that happens which enables a worthwhile exit has to be seen as an opportunity for betterment. At some point a change will happen. It's in our interests for that change to come quickly. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,219 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Rangers could easily arrange a number of prestigious friendlies to start with. Start of with some "lesser" lights of the Championship or below of ages past, make it some sort of Cup with four teams involved over a certain number of weeks and see what sort of coverage it will attract. At first, we need to get the support into the ground and generate interest. Everything on a European scale will have the hawks and vultures of UEFA looking over your shoulder. Unless they cannot get a hold on any money involving this, they will do all they can to block this and issue bans and threads and whatnot. Seen it all before. They behave like the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages: anything that goes against their will is scorned upon and gets you a visitation from the Inquisition. Getting out requires a destination. The English Leagues don't want us ... for the simple reason that we pose a serious threat to their own members' attempts to get to the Golden Bowl. There will be no European League or Scotto-Scandinavian one either. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy steel 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Hildy, I've been arguing for almost a decade that clinging to the baggage of the past will slowly see us driven beyond the pale. Part of the reason I prefer a single owner is that s/he will generally be less interested in the baggage, indeed see it as the block to investment and progress it undoubtedly is. And part of the reason I fear fan ownership is that the first order of business for some would be to order new seats for the Govan so it could be a giant Union flag. If you could persuade me that fan ownership meant leaving the baggage behind I think I would jump at it. Sadly, I think it would mean the exact opposite. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy steel 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Rangers could easily arrange a number of prestigious friendlies to start with. Start of with some "lesser" lights of the Championship or below of ages past, make it some sort of Cup with four teams involved over a certain number of weeks and see what sort of coverage it will attract. At first, we need to get the support into the ground and generate interest. Everything on a European scale will have the hawks and vultures of UEFA looking over your shoulder. Unless they cannot get a hold on any money involving this, they will do all they can to block this and issue bans and threads and whatnot. Seen it all before. They behave like the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages: anything that goes against their will is scorned upon and gets you a visitation from the Inquisition. Getting out requires a destination. The English Leagues don't want us ... for the simple reason that we pose a serious threat to their own members' attempts to get to the Golden Bowl. There will be no European League or Scotto-Scandinavian one either. To be scrupulously fair, lest anyone looking in think we might be a teeny bit anti-RC, anything which went against the will of Johannes Calvin when he was running Geneve, or against the will of the Covenanters during the Killing Time here at home, didn't exactly pass without comment. Intoleranz ist Intoleranz. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hildy 0 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) Hildy, I've been arguing for almost a decade that clinging to the baggage of the past will slowly see us driven beyond the pale. Part of the reason I prefer a single owner is that s/he will generally be less interested in the baggage, indeed see it as the block to investment and progress it undoubtedly is. And part of the reason I fear fan ownership is that the first order of business for some would be to order new seats for the Govan so it could be a giant Union flag. If you could persuade me that fan ownership meant leaving the baggage behind I think I would jump at it. Sadly, I think it would mean the exact opposite. Firstly, Andy, I think we do ourselves a disservice talking about baggage. There are certain aspects of the nature of the support that may seem out of place now which not too long ago were deeply rooted within it. That's not to say that things don't need to change, but let's not trample on those who followed the club in previous times who were more forthright in their expression. As for the Union Flag across the seats, think of it this way. There was a time when the monarch decided everything. The idea that anyone else could have a say was thought to be crazy. Gradually, though, a relative handful of people were given the vote, and society didn't collapse. Then more people were given the vote, and after a while women were given it, too. Now we're about to have schoolchildren having a say in the coming referendum. The more democracy has spread in society, the better it has become. It might not be perfect, but empowering the masses hasn't weakened countries. Instead, it has civilised them. What have we to fear from ourselves as Rangers fans? A fan-owned club will allow members to vote for an overseeing committee and a president, but the club will still be run by professionals - accountable to us. Look how upset fans become when the manager doesn't wear a suit. We understand the importance of image, and we know too that images of flags across the seats would be a step too far. I want my opinion to matter, but I can live with being outvoted - as long as every member has just one vote. If we have a hundred thousand members, tiny factions within the support won't matter. If countries can get by with every citizen having an expressed opinion on who should govern, why can't Rangers? Edited February 8, 2014 by Hildy 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.