ranger_syntax 3,767 Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 38 minutes ago, der Berliner said: Season's over, next season looming. Had a look at the European games and since we enter in EL Qualification round 1, it looks like we'll face 4 rounds of game before we might enter the Group Phase. All neatly set up by UEFA to make sure the big leagues get as many participants in there as possible. July July 12: First qualifying round, first leg July 19: First qualifying round, second leg July 26: Second qualifying round, first leg August August 2: Second qualifying round, second leg August 9: Third qualifying round, first leg August 16: Third qualifying round, second leg August 23: Play-off round, first leg August 30: Play-off round, second leg Inbetween, we'll have the World Cup, so should we attract players from there, they won't be around till late July, I would assume. That's 8 weeks from now on till the first qualifier. We should be targeting the third qualifying round. Anything less is a failure. Anything more is a bonus. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC 150 Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 On 13/05/2018 at 16:45, Gaffer said: I'll give you all 4 weeks of no football and you'll be wishing the season was still going. Even the upcoming World Cup isn't enough to satisfy the need to watch the gers. I hate the close season. It's too long, and the speculation on transfers this year especially with drive us all crazy. I reflect on the fact that if I had been born to different parents, or in a different part of the world, I might have ended up supporting another team. So, no matter how bad things are at our club, at least I wake up every morning a bear. I thank my lucky stars for that! I used to always feel like that. Now I wish the close season lasted for years. Scottish football makes me ill, as it is seriously bad for your mental health and sense of anything decent. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rousseau 9,370 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 On 13/05/2018 at 16:45, Gaffer said: I'll give you all 4 weeks of no football and you'll be wishing the season was still going. Even the upcoming World Cup isn't enough to satisfy the need to watch the gers. I hate the close season. It's too long, and the speculation on transfers this year especially with drive us all crazy. I reflect on the fact that if I had been born to different parents, or in a different part of the world, I might have ended up supporting another team. So, no matter how bad things are at our club, at least I wake up every morning a bear. I thank my lucky stars for that! 4 Weeks? It's been two days and I'm like... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 20 hours ago, craig said: I don't think that is true at all. Looking at yesterday's game. Were we inept ? Yes, for the 1st 25 minutes and last 15. However, would we have been inept had the ref a) not given their soft penalty after 10 minutes or b) sent Allan off for an absolute howler of a challenge, which could have been a career ender or c) given us a blatant handball decision ? Reality, I suspect, is that had those decisions gone the other way - and lets be honest, b and c were stone-wall - then we would more than likely be lauding Rangers coming back from 3-0 down to win 6 or 7 vs 3 or 4. Instead we are bemoaning our ability to defend, our ability to see games out etc. I don't think that you can suggest poor refereeing doesn't play a factor in how we play. The fact we literally are inept - and no reasonably minded person can deny that - is clearly the main reason for our ineptitude. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannochsidebear 2,311 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 Well good riddance to bad rubbish that was season 2017/18. I used to hate the close season in years gone past, and that was when it lasted nearly three months. Now that it is only about 6 weeks before pre-season games start for us with our first game 60 days after our last, I despair that it is not long enough. The fact is, that for a match-going supporter, it has become a real chore to go and watch us these last six years since admin. I have follow followed everywhere apart from the piggery during this time, been to a lot of new small grounds during our "journey" and endured no end of humiliating results, from Stirling in 2012 to a 5-1 home defeat to the filth, with notable stops in Alloa, Raith Rovers diddy cup final, and of course, the worst result in our entire history, Luxembourg. For balance, some highlights include Warburtons first few months when we blew everyone away playing great football before opponents worked our system out, the cup semi penalties win, a couple of good wins v dolly, and eh thats about it. I have missed some games this season due to tv fixtures (didnt go to midweek long journeys like Dingwall & Aberdeen), work commitments and choice (piggery) and the one huge difference I find between going to the game and watching it on tv is that I dont feel the pain of a poor performance/defeat anywhere near as much if I wasnt at the game as I do if I am in the ground watching it. When the game is done, I switch off the coverage and get on with life. I find when I go to the games we have the discussions on the bus on the way home, and we are a passionate group of guys that have been going to games together for the best part of 30 years, and we can debate it, dissect it, and sometimes we generally agree, and sometimes we dont. But we never fall out because we know we are all Bears and all hurting the same, and we are always there again on the next trip with hope that this time we will see the real Rangers turn up and give the opponent a damn good thrashing. Deliberate match-fixing and cheating referees aside, to have come third with a budget many times that of Dolly and Hibs is a total embarrassment. Any players or staff taking bonuses, contractual or not, for this seasons efforts, should be named and shamed right out of our club. So we have to look forward to 2018/19 and another new manager, another set of players, and another set of excuses for the first two months or so about giving time to settle in. We just cannot afford that again. I know it is logical that this is what should happen, but we simply must hit the ground running, both domestically and in Europe, to avoid the possibility of us having groundhog day this time next year. If we lose to a complete minnow in Europe, and fall behind early in the league then this manager's reign will be like his predecessor, short, expensive, and painful. We must focus completely on our first 6 weeks of matches, and ensure we do enough to progress in Europe towards the play-off round for the group stages which is where we should expect to find our first proper side and be the underdog, and also domestically we must win every single game against the bottom 6, and win 80% of home games. This should be easily achievable given the gulf in resources between us and the bottom 6 in this league. Doing this will ensure we are clear of the pack and not looking at Dolly and Hibs for a Europa spot fight, but ensure we are in a genuine title fight. Its a big ask to win the title in the first season, but its not impossible as our opponent are hugely overrated with a manager who will implode under pressure, which will surely come via European defeats again this Autumn, hopefully compounded by us in the early title race. For now, I am just happy this season is over, and its a World Cup year which always makes the summer go quicker. Have a great close season Bears, by golly have we earned it! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacK1950 2,231 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 Personal article with some good points,however it strikes me to be a glass 1/2 empty attitude. I took out my season ticket when the journey began and also have had some disappointment but on the whole keep my glass 1/2 full attitude and look now to the start of a new journey. As for the little grounds it was great to see some of them and even better to accept the kindness shown at many of them. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinstein 294 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 (edited) 19 hours ago, ranger_syntax said: We should be targeting the third qualifying round. Anything less is a failure. Anything more is a bonus. depends on who we meet I think. Burnley and Sevilla are in the 2n'd round....don't fancy our chances against them. Leipzig as well but I don't know how good they are....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018–19_UEFA_Europa_League Edited May 15, 2018 by colinstein 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rousseau 9,370 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 18 minutes ago, colinstein said: depends on who we meet I think. Burnley and Sevilla are in the 2n'd round....don't fancy our chances against them. Leipzig as well but I don't know how good they are....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018–19_UEFA_Europa_League I'd say Leipzig are better than the first two you mentioned. Really enjoy watching them. Just reached the Europa League Semi-finals, losing out to Marseille (?). 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC 150 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 21 minutes ago, colinstein said: depends on who we meet I think. Burnley and Sevilla are in the 2n'd round....don't fancy our chances against them. Leipzig as well but I don't know how good they are....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018–19_UEFA_Europa_League All of their players are better than any of ours, I would reckon....so let's avoid! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC 150 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 2 minutes ago, Rousseau said: I'd say Leipzig are better than the first two you mentioned. Really enjoy watching them. Just reached the Europa League Semi-finals, losing out to Marseille (?). That was Salzburg 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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