"Some Rangers fans need a wee reality check - the Ibrox club is still on the up"

[ian1964 10,513]

RANGERS fans have been urged to give Pedro Caixinha more time to prove himself as manager of the Ibrox club following the painful back-to-back defeats to Celtic.

 

Caixinha has been heavily criticised for both his team selection and tactics in the wake of the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final and Ladbrokes Premiership losses.

 

But Drew Roberton, the general secretary of the Rangers Supporters Association, believes the Portuguese coach, who was only appointed in March, must be allowed to bring in his own players.

 

Roberton has also insisted that Rangers have, despite the disappointment of the record 5-1 reverse to their city rivals on Saturday, still made progress during the 2016/17 campaign.

 

"I think it would be foolish to pass any judgement on the manager just now," he said. "We need to see what he does in the transfer window in the summer and then next season.

 

"I think many fans maybe need a wee bit of a reality check. We have just spent four seasons in the lower divisions. We have only come back into the top division this season. "You have to be realistic in your objective. It looks like we are going to finish high enough up the league to secure a European place and we have also reached the semi-finals of both of the cups.

 

"I know that some people will take the view that that isn't good enough for a club like Rangers. But I think you have to look at where the club has been for the last four years. "I understand that every Rangers fan would have hoped for a better season, but I don't think what they are going to achieve this season is disastrous."

 

Roberton added: "I do think that on Saturday and in the semi-final there was bemusement among many of the fans about the team selection and the game plan.

"Everybody is obviously disappointed. It is hard to take. I don't think fans would have been so upset if they had seen a display with a bit of promise.

"But, at the same time, we have got a guy in charge of the team who has only been there for five or six weeks. He's not had a lot of time to properly assess what what he's got.

 

"I would like to think the vast majority of fans will take that on board and say: 'The club have decided this is the man for the job, let's get behind him'. "I think you have to give him a transfer window to get his own players in and impart his own ideas. We can see how they go from there.

 

"He hasn't got a lot of options open to him until the end of the season. His hands are tied in terms of the players he's got. "I do think most fans would have liked him to set his stall out a bit differently on Saturday. We need to look at our approach in certain games. "You are always going to get knee-jerk reactions or adverse comments after disappointing results - particularly ones against your city rivals. But I think you need to be a bit more objective.

 

"We have just come off the back of four seasons where we were playing at a far lower level. The game in the top flights is faster and more physical.

"I'm quite sure that the vast majority of Rangers fans were well aware that winning the league just wasn't an option this season.

 

"I am sure they would have liked us to finish second or at least a bit closer to the current league champions. But, for all that there have been some disappointing results, we're still on the way up.

 

"It took us two goes to get out of the Championship. I think to get a European place and get to two cup semi-finals is not a bad first go. You have to put it into perspective. "The time to get upset is if things aren't looking any better this time next season."

 

Thousands of Rangers fans left Ibrox early in disgust on Saturday - something that is unprecedented in a game against Celtic.

 

But Roberton is hopeful that supporters, who bought 43,000 season tickets last summer, will get behind Caixinha's side in large numbers in the 2017/18 campaign.

 

"It is important that they get as many as possible," he said. "Fans are fickle. Perhaps there might not be the same number who boy seasons tickets. There might be a small drop off. But I would like to think they would support the team in large numbers again."

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/15258715._Some_Rangers_fans_need_a_wee_reality_check___the_Ibrox_club_is_still_on_the_up_/

[der Berliner 3,357]

What fans need urgently are some definite statements of intent by the Board of how they plan to get us to the next level. Statements followed up with action. Thus far this year, the Board left themselves open for various attacks, cheap or serious ... and have yet to reply.

[trublusince1982 243]

We have still never been notified of the business plan or the reference points. Until we do the board are not being transparent and are failing to engage the customer.

[Darthter 542]

We have still never been notified of the business plan or the reference points. Until we do the board are not being transparent and are failing to engage the customer.

 

Companies don't normally release their business plans, even to shareholders.....why should RFC be any different???

[der Berliner 3,357]

Companies don't normally release their business plans, even to shareholders.....why should RFC be any different???

 

It is curious that also the press seems to pick on this occasionally. Anyway, what people want to hear are some plans about what will be improved ... even though we all know that no matter what is being said, people won't be satisfied.

[trublusince1982 243]

Companies don't normally release their business plans, even to shareholders.....why should RFC be any different???

Because they have too. It's as simple as that. By business plan I was referring more to the plan for the football club rather than the business

[Walterbear 557]

We haven't qualified for Europe yet and whilst that would be a good achievement in context there are now worrying signs. The evidence has been there for quite a while that progression is stalling and our rivals are accelerating. High level plan was clearly stated to challenge for the title. That is not happening with the current levels of investment. It would s incumbent on the Board to tell us how they are going to respond to these changed circumstances.

[Darthter 542]

Because they have too. It's as simple as that. By business plan I was referring more to the plan for the football club rather than the business

 

The Club don't "Have too" do anything of the sort.....bottom line is, if the club did release some kind of statement, there would be a (Large) section of fans that would still not be happy & continue to criticise. If they were to say "we are looking to bring in 5 x £1m players".....folk would say "Why not £1.5m or £2m??" "why limit it to 5". Or if they were to come out with a definition of their footballing vision/strategy, folk would complain "It's too similar to MW & that didn't work" etc.

 

On the flip side, if it was a fairly generic statement about future plans, folk would complain that it's too vague & they want details....

 

It's really a no-win situation for the club.

[MacK1950 2,258]

We are where we are at moment,looking like a top3 finish which I would have accepted before season started.

Worryingly PC has a squad,mostly inherited from Warburton,the majority of whom are not a good enough standard and tied up in long term contracts.To cancel contracts and shift them on,as most are unsaleable,is going to take a huge chunk out of any budget available.

Therefore,unless PC can work miracles,I can see another season of discontent.

A bit negative but I still have renewed my season ticket as "hope springs eternal"

[Darthter 542]

Worryingly PC has a squad,mostly inherited from Warburton,the majority of whom are not a good enough standard and tied up in long term contracts.To cancel contracts and shift them on,as most are unsaleable,is going to take a huge chunk out of any budget available.

 

I think one possible saving grace with any players possibly moving on, is that we don't have a ridiculous amount of cash tied up in them - with the exception of Garner. Most were free, or low transfer fees. Wages will not be massive either. Hopefully that will allow some English Champ or league 1 teams to buy them.