Gersnet Analysis: Martin Bain - Incompetent, Unreliable and Untenable

[Frankie 8,150]

http://www.gersnet.info/fmrangers/newmain/110107.html

 

First of all I think it�s quite important that we keep an element of perspective in this article. Not many Rangers fans like Bain in a personal way and that can often cloud judgement when it comes to the job he does.

 

Martin Bain first joined Rangers in 1996 serving under former commercial manager Bob Reilly. At that time football was in the midst of a commercial explosion; TV money was high even in Scottish football and other opportunities were there to be grasped because of that huge media exposure. As a result, Bain ââ?¬â?? like other members of the commercial team ââ?¬â?? can say he was partly responsible for bringing in the large amounts of money to the club in those heady days.

 

Because of his relatively young age in those days ââ?¬â?? he was 29 when he joined the club ââ?¬â?? Bainââ?¬â?¢s potential was spotted early by the senior staff. Although not having a background in football his good work in the commercial arm helped him secure the (rather vague and general) post of ââ?¬Ë?Director of Football Businessââ?¬â?¢ in late 2002 ââ?¬â?? a year after being appointed to the Rangers board.

 

Of course that season really saw the Rangers financial downsizing begin in earnest. Although Mikel Arteta joined the club for a near Ã?£6million, Rangers fans started to see the influx of below average Bosman players such as Kevin Muscat ââ?¬Ë?complimentââ?¬â?¢ the squad. Alex McLeish was the manager and it was soon obvious that he, and Bain to be fair, would have a difficult job on their hands delivering success to the restraints of a club trying to ship excess baggage to attain an even financial keel.

 

To that end, they were reasonably successful. McLeish delivered 7 trophies and Martin Bain made some difficult decisions to ensure Rangers (as of their 2005/06 accounts) were back almost into the black. Of course both still suffered for their thankless work. McLeish couldn�t achieve real consistency, and, as the Ibrox Scrooge, Bain was the ultimate supporters� scapegoat of an unimaginative board and a chairman who had disappeared for a few years and lacked the ambition of his initial spell.

 

In February 2005, nine years after his first arrival at Ibrox, Bain was appointed Rangers� 4th Chief Executive. David Holmes was the first such employee and no-one can forget the club-changing work he did under the Marlborough administration. Since then, the club has had another 2 such CEO�s - Alan Montgomery and Bob Brannan (now the chairman of Dundee). Both perhaps had it easier than Bain working in less stressful times.

 

Unfortunately, it was around this time that Bain was starting to make mistakes that this high-profile job couldn�t afford. Dragan Mladenovic, Jose Pierre-Fanfan and Olivier Bernard were just 3 examples of players that had to be paid off their lucrative contracts. Meanwhile rumours of staff fall-outs were rife. Retail director Nick Peel, long time club secretary Campbell Ogilvie and Youth manager George Adams were all moved on in quick succession amid rumours of disagreements with Bain.

 

In more recent times, Bain has also been seen as incompetent in other areas. On holiday in the Alps while Paul le Guen and Barry Ferguson had their much publicised fall out and failing to get any sort of fee for players on the transfer list.

 

Bainââ?¬â?¢s biggest detractors point to the success of Celtic and specifically their CEO ââ?¬â?? Peter Lawwel ââ?¬â?? as the main evidence for his failure. Continuing and unacceptable media problems, continued transfer market underperformance and continued poor relationships with his staff and our fans are all a marked contrast to Lawwel ââ?¬â?? who has to operate under the same financial restrictions and in the same market as Bain.

 

In the last year we have seen 2 managers sacked from Rangers. The last 2 seasons have also delivered no trophies to our club. That is wholly unacceptable and that underperformance can be attributed to the mistakes and incompetence of Martin Bain.

 

Sure, could be argued that, in the same way as the departing managers, he has suffered from a lack of backing from a chairman who seems to lack the fight and ambition for the challenges we face. However, our now infecund owner can�t be sacked which leaves the right hand man he groomed for the job. Mistakes have been rife and success has disappeared.

 

Martin Bain should no longer be the Rangers Chief Executive. Now, is the time to make that change.

[Falkirk Jim 0]

I would agree with that

 

If we are getting rid of the deadwood and incompetent at managerial and playing level, why not board room level too?

[Gribz 743]

Yeah agreed.

 

He is a 2nd hand car salesman at best, nowhere near CEO material. He has never shown much professionalism in the job.

 

Id be embarrassed if i was him - taken a holiday instead of running a business with troubles at the time.

[Falkirk Jim 0]

Id be embarrassed if i was him - taken a holiday instead of running a business with troubles at the time.

 

Actually, when you think of it, he is only being normal ...... that is what these fatcats do! Just think back to the Farepak guy in his �£3000 a night hotel suite in Argentina!!

[gisabeer 409]

Bain has been virtually non existent since the story in the media about his financial dealings when he was buying a house in france. He also left a sour tatse in the hibs boards mouths when we signed murray. This in turn led to us losing out on riordan due to the fact that they didnt want to do business with us and by the looks of it brown as well. Murray would do well to rid us of this hinderance.

[buster 0]

you can´t blame him for the signings, can you ?

Eck asked for these players and if you buy an older, French player put them on a big wage then it´s a high risk strategy in which financially you´ll almost certainlly lose out.

If he´d said to managers, No...you can´t have him, he´d be accused of interference.

 

I´m no Bain supporter and the internal problems he seemed to cause has made him unpopular with just about everyone in and out of the club apart from Murray.

 

For me, the problem is there, DM owns nearly 92% of the club and his word is law for Rangers.

Bain suits his agenda, for now,........but does it suit the interests of the club, probably not.

 

After McDowell we could do with poaching Lawell aswell....he´s a c.unt but he´s good at his job.