Hildy 0 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 We can talk about better coaching and better coaches as much as we like, but it's no more than wishful thinking. It is not going to happen. Rangers has been the rich kid in Scottish football for a long, long time, and it has mostly earned success with wallet power rather than exceptional professionalism, enlightened training methods and outstanding management. Now, with the club in a sorry state, it has a manager steeped in the old ways - but those days have gone. Our ownership isn't trusted, fans will not turn out as they would if the club was in good hands and the team will continue to be as exciting as a rush-hour traffic jam. We have no influence over anything at Rangers. We are customers who dream of a corner being turned even though the growing perceptive element in our midst knows that it won't be, and we are stuck with a management team that isn't rated and mostly isn't wanted. And if the present regime could afford to make the changes required, would you trust it to find the right people? Would you trust it to invest as it will need to invest to match Celtic and not be humiliated in Europe? Don't build your hopes up. It is going to be a grim experience watching Rangers in the next few years. Of course Dave King or AN Other could sweep in, but perhaps the most disappointing aspect of ownership alternatives in recent times is their willingness to stick with the old boys and old ways and hope for the best. The current lot has kept McCoist on; the Blue Knights had plans to keep him, King seems keen to give him money to spend and every other possible owner has hinted the same thing - McCoist to stay. Incredibly, Charles Green was the one guy that knew he needed to be replaced, but he never quite got around to doing it. Feel free to dream, because dreaming has no barriers to success and glory, but reality is going to bite very hard at Rangers from now on. Our best days have been and gone. Only a Rangers revolution can sort this mess out. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,231 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 You do need more than good ideas and setups in remote corners of the world ... or sending McCoist and Co. packing, to get real talent through from the kids to youth ranks. Or, to turn the argument around, what would you expect to happen in Scotland AND what do you envisage might come of it? A full generation of Müllers, Khediras, Schürles and Co in 5 to 10 years time? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,494 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Sorry I lost interest after I read second to Ajax. Look at the Dutch team and tell me how many came through the Ajax school. Ajax has had an upgrade recently but were classed the 7th club in Holland when Academies were screened. The Ajax myth has been a myth for years. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,145 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Sorry I lost interest after I read second to Ajax. Look at the Dutch team and tell me how many came through the Ajax school. Ajax has had an upgrade recently but were classed the 7th club in Holland when Academies were screened. The Ajax myth has been a myth for years. Well, you missed out on a fascinating article. After all, I don't think El claimed the Ajax school was the best per se but simply stated what others believe given shortly after you stopped reading, El did explain this stat by detailing a study carried out by The International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) in Switzerland which explains why the Ajax school is seen as successful. Obviously stats can't always justify claims but clearly youth development goes beyond how many youth players actually feature in the club's own first XI. For teams like Partisan and also arguably for Rangers and Ajax nowadays, it's an obvious source of ongoing revenue if invested in properly. That's the point El was making and it's certainly an extremely valid one. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,145 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 It's also well worth reading this report: http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/pdf/ds2014_abstract-2.pdf Obviously, to some extend the data on Hearts is somewhat slewed because of recent events, but it's worth reading anyway... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
neutralscot 0 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Interestingly, those hearts youngsters looked SPFL quality after 4-5 months experience. Obviously Levein will mess it up. Gary Locke is a coach that any club serious about a youth policy should look at. For any scottish club, selling young talent is essential. Look at Dundee Utd - recently sales over 2m for Goodwillie and Gauld. Their turnover was only 5.4m last year, so the sale of Gauld alone will boost their turnover by 50% or so. This is the equivalent of Rangers selling a home reared youngster for £9m every three years, and tbh, this is the benchmark for scottish clubs For me the best compromise to buying success and and yet still being a selling club would be to buy young potential but for high stakes, higher than celtic's policy for example. Be willing to pay 6m for the best young talent with a 12m+ sell on in 2 years always the goal. For it to work properly though, you'd always need european football and a more credible SPFL. The football environment has changed. Championship clubs are paying 11m for average players. No scottish club can win the CL anymore, until there is major league reconstruction that aids small nations. Scottish clubs need to balance taking advantage of inflated prices down south whilst keeping a competitive team that supporters will turn up to see. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Sorry I lost interest after I read second to Ajax. Look at the Dutch team and tell me how many came through the Ajax school. Ajax has had an upgrade recently but were classed the 7th club in Holland when Academies were screened. The Ajax myth has been a myth for years. Ajax are league champions and 18 of their squad went through their academy. So that doesn't really add up. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,231 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Interestingly, those hearts youngsters looked SPFL quality after 4-5 months experience. ... They won 10 out of 38 games, drawing 8 and losing the rest. They were bombed out of the SFA Cup 0-7 by the Yahoos in December and sneaked through to the League Cup Semi-Finals with sheer luck. They got their best "winning" streak towards the end of the season (end of March till early May), when the fat lady had essentially already sung. Those youngsters used most often were required out of necessity (much like we had to use them in our first year after admin) and playing against seasoned pros did help the development of some. We shall see soon enough how this SPFL "quality" will fare in the Championship. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
neutralscot 0 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 From 18th January their SPFL record was: 7 wins, 4 draws, 5 defeats. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Next season Hearts will be still playing these youngsters and our old, useless team will be one year older. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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