McCoist has sights set on challenging Celtic......

[ian1964 10,386]

.....for the Premiership title in 2015-16

 

Ally McCoist last night declared that anything less than Rangers challenging for the Premiership title in season 2015-16 will be unacceptable.

 

The Ibrox club will compete in the Championship next season having won back-to-back titles and are hot favourites to pave their way back to the big time with a third successive crown.

 

However, the source of the club’s long-term financing remains shrouded in uncertainty, with would-be investor Dave King so far being kept at arms’ length by the board.

 

King’s willingness to underwrite the £50million he believes is needed to compete with Celtic has chimed with a fan base who are behind his plan to only release season-ticket money to the board if certain conditions are met.

 

McCoist yesterday expressed his hope that dialogue could yet see all parties arrive at a satisfactory solution.

 

But, come what may, the Rangers manager refutes the notion that the aim of a first season back in the top flight could be consolidation.

 

‘No, it’s not an option,’ he stated. ‘We know it goes with the territory here, you are expected to win the vast majority of games and you’re expected to get promoted and get back in the top league as quickly as possible.

 

‘So far, these boxes are getting ticked although there have been one or two hiccups along the way, which we always said there would be.’

 

Asked if he intended building a team capable of challenging at the first time of asking, McCoist continued: ‘Yes, it’s important. We’ve never made up the numbers at all. No matter what league we’ve played in or where we’ve played, we’ve always believed we’ve had a chance of winning the competition and I don’t see any reason why that should change.

 

‘In fact, it shouldn’t change and it can’t change.'

 

On Thursday, Rangers chairman David Somers issued a stern warning that the proposed season ticket stand-off could cause untold damage to the club.

 

Speaking after the publication of the interim financial results, Somers said the withholding of money could risk the club’s ability to ‘continue as a going concern.’

 

McCoist has repeatedly taken a neutral stance in the ongoing spat between the board, King and the fans, but yesterday he admitted to having serious concerns about what Somers had said.

 

‘Of course that would worry me, as a supporter and as a manager,’ he added. ‘That would be a concern for everybody who has anything to do with the club. If the chairman feels that has to be said, it is probably an unpleasant reminder to everybody involved at the club that we have a long, long way to go.’

 

Notwithstanding the possible return of King to Ibrox, McCoist believes he and the board are on the same page as far as a shared vision for the future of the club is concerned.

 

‘I’ve said all along that we need investment to get back, there’s no doubt about that,’ he continued.

 

‘Graham (Wallace, the chief executive) and the board have said that, too, so it’s good that everybody feels like that and shares that opinion.

 

‘Where the investment comes from we will have to wait and see.

 

‘In the meantime, it’s good everybody agrees investment is needed.

 

‘For us to get back to where we want to eventually be, we will need investment.

 

‘We lost millions when we lost all those players. To get back to the standard of where we were, investment is needed.’

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2591972/McCoist-sights-set-challenging-Celtic-Premiership-title-2015-16.html

[Gribz 743]

I like Allys ambition but I think all realistic Rangers fans would settle for consolidation and 2nd place in our first year back especially with what fans are reporting back on a weekly basis. Anything more is a bonus and excellent.

 

If we had set out a new footballing philosophy and were playing terrific stuff then yes we could be challenging.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Couldn't agree more. We are rangers we must be the best

[Gribz 743]

Couldn't agree more. We are rangers we must be the best

 

Yeah but do you think Ally could do that in the first season.

 

We will be back in the long term to remain the most successful club but I am not so sure Ally can do it especially in the first year back.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Yeah but do you think Ally could do that in the first season.

 

We will be back in the long term to remain the most successful club but I am not so sure Ally can do it especially in the first year back.

 

With the right backing he probably can. Without it certainly not. No one could.

[ian1964 10,386]

With proper backing I don't see it as too big a problem to challenge the BHEASTS!, they are hardly Barca!

[the gunslinger 3,366]

and if he cant we replace him. one things for sure theres no point puting a new manager in place then asking him to beat celtc with the current squad or worse.

[ian1964 10,386]

Barry Ferguson: Never mind £50m.. I know cheaper ways for Rangers to stop Celtic winning 10-in-a-row.

 

BARRY insists Rangers need to set-up a proper scouting and youth set-up if they want to close the gap on Celtic.

 

THERE was nothing worse as a Rangers player than picking up your paper and seeing your biggest rivals celebrating the day after they’d won the title.

 

Trouble was there was just no escaping it.

 

I’d go into training the next day and it would be on the TV, radio – everywhere you looked there would be a reminder.

 

Rangers fans would have found it hard to stomach going into work yesterday morning

as Celtic celebrated a third successive title while their fans continue to sing about making it 10 in a row.

 

I used to try to bottle up the disappointment that next day and use it to spur me on for the following season.

 

And I would imagine me and my Rangers team-mates in those newspaper pictures holding that trophy.

 

I suppose that’s part of the problem right now and makes it even worse for everyone connected with Rangers.

 

They can’t do anything about it next season. It was the same last season and this season.

 

Unfortunately that’s just where my old club are at right now. That’s the sad reality.

 

But they just need to continue with their aim of completing the journey through the leagues and getting back into the top flight.

 

The earliest point Rangers can do anything about it is in two seasons by which time Celtic will be on four in a row.

 

So they’ll have six years to stop them making it 10. It’s simple. But how quickly can they halt them and what will it take?

 

A lot will depend on the financial state the club is in and what kind of budget Rangers have when they get to the Premiership.

 

If the money is there then there’s no reason why they can’t challenge right away.

 

And Dave King had his say on that very topic earlier this week when he estimated it could take up to £50m . We’d all love £50m to spend on players but Rangers would be crazy to spend that kind of cash.

 

Of course, there is going to be money needed to invest in the squad but I’d much rather see funds injected into two key areas – as player recruitment and the youth set-up would serve the club better long term.

 

What Rangers really need is a foundation that will bring stability to the club for years to come after the turmoil they’ve been through in the past couple of years.

 

I was shocked to read Ally McCoist saying he operates without a scouting network.

 

But I know someone else who is in the same position. Me! No one was in place when I took over as Blackpool manager but I’ve quickly realised scouting and player recruitment is the most important area of the club.

 

I had to rush into making the signings I’ve made so far because I had little time before the

window shut.

 

If I’m doing this in the future then I’ll take my time to watch players more and carry out checks on their character.

 

As it stands, I only have people who can spy on our next opponents but no one in place for player recruitment.

 

We don’t have anyone up in Scotland for example, where I believe there’s a lot of talent.

 

I’m in the process of discussing this with the chairman and trying to implement it.

 

And Rangers must look at that area and the youth set-up at Murray Park rather than just the first-team squad.

 

Our youngsters are doing really well this season and I have two – Harrison McGahey and Mark Waddington – training with us full-time just now.

 

They are only 17 but in a year or two they’ll be good enough for the first team if they progress in the right way.

 

I was a youth player myself and know how important it is to bring through your own guys and take an interest in them.

 

I’ve promoted them in the past four or five weeks. They haven’t been on the bench yet but are getting valuable experience.

 

You could build a team for £50m that would challenge for the title but it’s about long-term sustainability for Rangers now more than ever.

 

Yes, that kind of money might help in the short term but you have to look to the long game – and that applies to Rangers more than any other club right now.

 

I’ve read Ally talking about how important a recruitment system is.

 

And it’s one of the reasons Celtic will have such a head start on Rangers when they finally meet again.

 

But how successful they are in that department in the next couple of years could

determine the type of gap that will need to be bridged.

 

You can’t deny Celtic did brilliantly in getting Victor Wanyama and Gary Hooper and selling them on for big profit.

 

But it’s hard to keep doing that and finding suitable replacements. Will Celtic still have Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk in two years? If they don’t you can be certain they’ll have been sold for a big profit again because they’ve been key men.

 

But if they lose players such as that then, depending on the replacements they bring in, you’d have to say Celtic would be weaker.

 

It’s hard to know the ground needed to be made up because we don’t know how strong the Old Firm squads will be.

 

But throwing £50m at it isn’t the only answer for Rangers as they prepare to challenge their rivals again.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/barry-ferguson-never-mind-50m-3294188

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Yeah but do you think Ally could do that in the first season.

 

We will be back in the long term to remain the most successful club but I am not so sure Ally can do it especially in the first year back.

Absolutely not a chance. Lennon is no Jose Mourinho but he's far better than McCoist, plus they have way more resources than us

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

and if he cant we replace him. one things for sure theres no point puting a new manager in place then asking him to beat celtc with the current squad or worse.

Anyone who watches our games knows that McCoist is not a manager. There is absolutely no point keeping him and we are just wasting time. It's not like Ally's some young manager that might suddenly get better, he's 51 and has been a coach for ages. He's not going to get any better. Ally is actually older than Jose Mourinho!