Silence is deafening...

[Danny 0]

I have to say one aspect of this summer has left me feeling very disappointed.

 

We have brought in one of the most respected young coaches in the game, a coach players almost universally look up to and admire. A coach with great clout in the game and a great reputation.

 

Even without a budget, we expected some truly inspiring names to join us. Hell, we were linked with players like Kallstrom, Dhorasoo, and Givet to name just 3. But since our glut of acquisitions like Sionko, Svensson and Clement, we have been linked with absolutely no one, despite PLG stating we still need more players. We haven't made any one signing of the gravity we expected given the coaches name and pedigree. No big names have been signed by us. Sure, we had fantastical speculation like Zidane for a while, but nothing to really get the juices flowing has materialised.

 

And then today we hear Celtic are in for 2 genuine world talents in Timoschuk and Venegoor.

 

I have to say if PLG's revolution has let me down in one area, it's been the lack of exciting transfer speculation and actual acquisitions.

 

We have signed good players, and we seem to be building a team around individuals who will make a good solid unit.

 

It's just a wee bit of a let down that we've not brought in any exciting stars. Remember the excitement when we signed de Boer, for example?

 

I thought PLG's name would alone be enough to get us some major players. It just hasn't happened.

[Trailio 0]

I suppose i feel the same but I am still optomistic about the season ahead regardless of who they sign.

 

Someone once said it is about picking the best team, not the best players and I am confident PLG will have us playing as a team again this season.

[Koeman 0]

This situation is a farce.........

 

Murray has bought a Ferrari and has decided not to put petrol in it.

 

Last January, Eck was told he had £5m to spend on bringing in a few players for the Villarreal game. So in January, after being promised £5m, only £150,000 was spent as we had made £250,000 by selling Stevie Thompson.

 

Add to that the money from the Champions League run which you could be talking about the £10m mark, the money from the JJB deal and there must have been money from Umbro as well. So why has only £1.2m been spent so far? It's obvious that we need to add to our squad. A striker, Left midfielder, Right back and you could possible argue that another Centre Back and Goalkeeper are needed. Remember, this squad of players minus Letizi, Svensson, Sionko, G.Rae and Clement (possible 1st team players) finished in our lowest position in god knows how many years.

 

So much for the mass exodus that was reported eh?. So its only Watterreus, Kyrgiakos, A.Rae and Lovenkrands that have gone so far.

 

It's funny to look back at posts from the end of last season with most of us expecting at least 4 big name signings in the mould of Kim Kallstrom. Now we are struggling to get the money together to get Sebo.

 

We have the chance to bury Celtic this season and with a few more quality signings it could be come a dead cert.

 

Let's just hope that Le Guen is this magician that we all hope he is and get this group of players who were gutless in the exteme last season playing decent football becuase without Murray and Bain's help, its looking like its going to be one hell of a job.

[Laudbertz 0]

I think next season when we're back in the Champions League is when we'll be a couple of 'big' players come in.

 

PLG is playing it very cautiously at the moment in his signings given that he doesnt have as big a kitty as we thought he was going to have.

 

Thats not to say the signing we have made arent enough to cut the grade at Ibrox and in the SPL.

 

Svensson and Clement seem to be excellent captures and could be the makings of a solid team.

 

I have more confidence in Svennsons abilities than i ever did in Soti's, himself and J-Rod have gelled quite well in only a few games, and i cant wait for Clement and Barry to get a game together too!

 

Rangers had a good foundation of players last year, the problem was half Eck's fault (yes only half) and half the players fault for their attitude in alot of the games.

 

DM and MB are to blame as well..... but thats a whole other thread thats been covered many a times.

 

At the moment im happy with the signings but we do need extra cover in a few area's before the transfer window closes.

 

Im more excited about this league campaign than i have been for a while and i cant wait for the competative games to get under way.

[Frankie 8,148]

Also, as much is it is frustrating to us we still have Klos, Malcolm, Bernard, Andrews, Ricksen and Fanfan all at the club with a combined wage of around £90K per week. A lot of wages and bonuses there.

 

Until we get rid of those guys it doesn't make financial sense to bring in new players.

 

Let's break down the last few months finances:

 

I'd say £10mill CL money and £18mill JJB money. The Umbro money won't be as much as £6.5mill but let's say £5mill.

 

So that's £33million in one year. Now take say £20million to get the debt down to under £10mill. Another £2million for Bar 72, that then leaves us with about £10mill to play with for this season.

 

However, we don't have the CL money for this year and without it last year we would have made a loss previously, so it doesn't make sense to spend £10million on players while we already have at least 5 on a combined £90K per week still to get rid of.

 

Now, if we can take the annual Umbro money and the annual JJB money and hopefull some annual CL money for the next 3 years that will give us around £10-15million to play with each season. Some of that will reduce the debt further and keep us breaking even and some will buy a few more players.

 

But any realistic person can see that without further investment (either by DM or AN Other) we simply don't have the money to spend tens of millions on players and wages.

 

That's not a defence Of Murray (whom I detest) but simply a realistic take on the situation. I repeat I'm as frustrated as anyone else, but we have to look at the whole picture no matter how much the final drawing might not be to our likening.

[Super_Ally 0]

Let's just hope that Le Guen is this magician that we all hope he is and get this group of players who were gutless in the exteme last season playing decent football becuase without Murray and Bain's help, its looking like its going to be one hell of a job.

 

Even the "inept" manager that is AM managed that exact feat with Advocaat's team. Getting a squad of players who were underacheiving to play to their potential. The quality of the squad then and now may be different but the point remains the same. Sometimes all taht is needed is a freshness, a new challenge, a change of manager to get more from a player.

[Wija 0]

I think next season when we're back in the Champions League is when we'll be a couple of 'big' players come in.

 

PLG is playing it very cautiously at the moment in his signings given that he doesnt have as big a kitty as we thought he was going to have.

 

Thats not to say the signing we have made arent enough to cut the grade at Ibrox and in the SPL.

 

Svensson and Clement seem to be excellent captures and could be the makings of a solid team.

 

I have more confidence in Svennsons abilities than i ever did in Soti's, himself and J-Rod have gelled quite well in only a few games, and i cant wait for Clement and Barry to get a game together too!

 

Rangers had a good foundation of players last year, the problem was half Eck's fault (yes only half) and half the players fault for their attitude in alot of the games.

 

DM and MB are to blame as well..... but thats a whole other thread thats been covered many a times.

 

At the moment im happy with the signings but we do need extra cover in a few area's before the transfer window closes.

 

Im more excited about this league campaign than i have been for a while and i cant wait for the competative games to get under way.

 

As last season goes to show, it is not a guarentee that we will get there. Humiliated by Hertz and Hibs at Ibrox and in Edinburgh....

 

I do however feel this Manager we now have is not only a very good tactician but also very thorough in all aspects of being a Manager. Something that Eck unfortunately did not have.

[Laudbertz 0]

As last season goes to show, it is not a guarentee that we will get there. Humiliated by Hertz and Hibs at Ibrox and in Edinburgh....

 

I do however feel this Manager we now have is not only a very good tactician but also very thorough in all aspects of being a Manager. Something that Eck unfortunately did not have.

 

Its never a guaruntee i know.... but i fully expect us to be back in the CL next season, and for as long as PLG is out manager.

 

Last season was one of the worst i have ever witnessed as a fan considering how far in advance we knew the title was out of our hands.

 

Like you say, PLG is miles apart from Eck and the squad of players we have, IMO, are more that capable of winning the SPL under him.

[colshy18 0]

i`m kind of glad you opened this can of worms danny.

 

it`s been in the back of my mind all summer and i`ve been waiting, and waiting and waiting but nothing has materialised.

 

i`m sure given the choice leguen would have liked to have brought a few big names in and we certainlyhad the chance to move for some you mentioned.

 

i`m kind of worried that if we have a bad start that they`ll all want to steer clear and well` have to do it the hard way.

 

i`m very puzzled with the non signing of a big-ish name and would certainly like one still.

 

the comparison koeman made of the ferrari is a fine one and i hope it`s not one in which murray keeps the ferrari in the garage away from show too as i think we should still try get a quality signing.

 

leguen may not be wanting to rock the boat so early with murray but i`m staggered murray hasn`t ok`d a big move with the quality of manager we`ve got.

 

i hope this isn`t another big balls up from our chairman!

[Trailio 0]

I'm not so sure we actually have to out and buy a so called 'big name' other than for prestige points over our rivals. IMO big names cost big money which we don't have, and there's no guarantee they will produce the goods, ie Flo, Capucho etc. I would much prefer for PLG to search for the players that have the potential to become big names. He worked in a similar way a Lyon where the likes of Essien, Govou and even Juninhio were pretty much unknown before. I've already read reports that Clement could be the next Gio and thats what is making me excited.

 

He is looking for certain players to fit his mould and is slowly building a team which he thinks will be a formidable force over the next three years. I believe there is money available but IMO PLG is spending wisely without blowing it all on one big name