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http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/king-maps-out-plan-for-the-future.117959899

 

The suspicion is that if the existing directors are unable to muster the votes required to hold on to power by conventional means they will attempt to do so unconventionally.

 

The savage personal attack on King contained in the statement to the AIM Stock Exchange on Friday underlined what many had long suspected; the power battle at Rangers is going to be a dirty one.

 

Nevertheless, King and his associates are already looking further ahead and formulating plans which they believe will enable the Glasgow club to return to the forefront of Scottish football if they do take control.

 

Appointing a permanent replacement for Ally McCoist by bringing in a manager who can rebuild the side and secure on-field success is at the top of their list of priorities.

 

Luring Rangers stalwarts back into the club to work behind-the-scenes in a variety of roles is also seen as important so the identity of the institution can be restored.

 

The fact no fewer than 12 members of the first team squad are out of contract in the summer is seen as an opportunity to substantially reduce a crippling wage bill that Charles Green, Brian Stockbridge and Craig Mather are largely to blame for.

 

"There is obviously an opportunity to have contracts terminated," said King. "We have to make some fairly significant changes to the footballing side. But before that it is critical that we get the right manager in because we are bringing a manager into a team that is obviously not equipped to compete in the Premier League and is really struggling.

 

"You would have thought that when Rangers were demoted they would have fairly comfortably come through the lower leagues into the Premiership and then maybe struggled for a season or two.

 

"But right now we are struggling to get out of the Championship. Given the need to balance budgets and just be more sensible about the way the money is spent, we are going to have to get a manager who has the capacity to identify and manage players.

 

"So I would imagine that the single most important decision will be identifying the right manager, who has all of these qualities. It really is someone who is more of a coach."

 

King revealed he would be willing to pay compensation to another club for their manager if the best candidate they identify is in employment.

 

He said: "If it was within reason, then paying compensation would be considered. I think everyone would accept that Rangers have to completely rebuild the squad. So the manager's role is so critical.

 

"One wouldn't easily take the second choice when a little bit of money would have got you your first choice. I think we have just got to get it right. There's too much money being spent around it that is key to that individual to not get that appointment right."

 

McCoist is currently on gardening leave while he serves out his 12-month notice period and could theoretically return in some capacity if King, Paul Murray and John Gilligan are appointed directors.

 

But King said: "My understanding is that Ally has expressed no interest in coming back even with regime change. The indications I've had from those who have spoken to him more recently than I have is that he thinks he is done and he really doesn't see himself as part of the future."

 

John Greig, Sandy Jardine and Walter Smith have all worked behind the scenes at Ibrox in a number of different roles in recent years and King would like to see a return to the days when Rangers men were involved in the running of the club.

 

Greig declined to take to the pitch along with the other members of the European Cup-Winners' Cup winning team when the Govan Stand was renamed in honour of his former team-mate Jardine back in August.

 

King said: "For me personally somebody like John Greig would be very important. I spoke to John when I was over here in November - just phoned him up and asked him how he was doing.

 

"There are individuals who are not welcome - because they are not supportive of the existing regime. But what we would like to do is connect with the past.

 

"Despite the difficult times, the history hasn't been lost. We already have Richard Gough showing support and to have people like John Grieg and Graeme Souness is going to be very, very important."

 

The Glasgow-born financier, who once ploughed £20 million of his personal fortune into his boyhood heroes, is hopeful there will be no nasty surprises lurking in the books if he does take over.

 

He said: "I think the circumstances of the club are such that there is a limit to how bad it can be. I can't imagine there will be a huge amount of creditors building up. I can't imagine that anyone has been lending money that we don't know about.

 

"The stadium we know hasn't been used as security.

 

"So while I think there will be some surprises, I think they might run into a couple of million, I don't think we are going to find a hole of £15 million to £20 million."

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Probably the best I have heard from king re future plans. If he can get control and runs the club properly with a good manager with realistic but ambitious plans then the money will just roll in as the fans return with money through the gate and willingness to invest . Thank god there is no talk of pumping 20mil into playing budget blah blah

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that was my fear with king that we would go back to the old school and their ways. Really dont want that. Its time for the new. New training regimes,new outlooks,new goals ,new barometers of success and new methods of recruitment and development.

Edited by trublusince1982
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Can you explain a bit ?:)

 

Nothing too surprising really. I thought Dave King would have bigger fish to fry at the moment than wonder how to sort out ambassadorial type roles within the corridors of Ibrox. With John on board he can start that kind of stuff immediately as that is basically John's forte. For example Sandy Jardine worked in sales for John at Scottish Brewers before he became an employee of the Club again, and John was instrumental in that from what I gather, as Sandy continued to ensure healthy relations between Scottish Brewers and the Club, to the point the were given offices inside the stadium.

He has been brought on board as the man with a finger on the pulse with regards to the feelings among the fans, and to develop marketing strategies that the fans can relate to (not semi-final t-shirts etc). From what I know of him he strongly believes in having 'legends' around the place in ambassadorial roles is a good start down that road.

I must admit that I agree with that approach. What I don't agree with is if their roles go beyond that, and we end up down an old tired road, but I don't see that happening.

I truly believe they know that a freshness is needed at a managerial and coaching level. John will be putting that across for sure. I believe this is purely from a marketing perspective.

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hope your are correct anchorman. Would be happy to see the likes of john grieg around the place again my only worry is the mention of souness. Do you think he would fall within that kind of role? my worry would be he would want a more hands on roll in regards to the football side.

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hope your are correct anchorman. Would be happy to see the likes of john grieg around the place again my only worry is the mention of souness. Do you think he would fall within that kind of role? my worry would be he would want a more hands on roll in regards to the football side.

 

 

had souness been our manager we wouldnt have the pussy arsed team were lumbered with now.

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