We normally don’t talk about on-field stuff on SFM, but given the over-optimistic coverage of the prospects of TRFC (particularly in the ESJ © The Clumpany and DR) it is worth noting that since they beat Celtic on penalties in last year’s Scottish Cup semi final, they have played in four huge games which were real barometers of progress ;
- Hibs in the Scottish Cup Final: 2-3
- Celtic in the Premiership: 1-5
- Aberdeen in the Premiership: 1-2
- Celtic in the League Cup Semi-Final: 0-1
On each occasion, they have failed the test, not only by failing to get a result, but by being second best in most on-field departments.
The point is not one of wider Schadenfreude, or even an in-depth critique of the abilities of the team or manager, but of how the TRFC board and the MSM, in falsely inflating their side’s prospects, do a disservice to TRFC fans. Aided and abetted it seems by the manager who – even allowing for the positive spin managers need to put on things post defeat – is refusing to accept reality.
We often talk about turnover as the yardstick by which performance can be (roughly) measured. If that were the only yardstick, one would expect TRFC to be right up there with Celtic. But it is more complicated than that. For Celtic and TRFC, there are massive overheads (e.g. stadium costs) that have to be dealt with and taken out of the equation before Glasgow apples can be compared with Aberdeen and Edinburgh varieties.
Even allowing for that it seems pretty clear to me that TRFC have more disposable income (for spending on players and contracts) than Hearts or Aberdeen for example, but the gap is now not as great as raw turnover figures would suggest – and the margins are probably slim enough that they can be easily blurred by managers at other clubs who have a good grasp of tactics, an eye for a player, and a proper understanding of football psychology.
To compound the problem for TRFC, there are two rather large eggs in the TRFC transfer basket which are now cracked or broken. A dangerous waste of resources in fact. Whether it was Warburton or King who went to the market for Barton and Kranjčar is irrelevant. More relevant is the reason marquee signings like these were made.
Once a manager is recruited, you stay out of his domain
Yes, Barton’s signature in particular has used a huge chunk of the already scant budget, and that is a real blow to the manager’s planning, but the real problem is that the club has deliberately pushed fan expectations skyward, all of which is counter-intuitive given the rough calculations in the preceding paragraphs. More worryingly for Rangers fans, the board’s own expectations for the playing side are unrealistically high – and given the business expertise contained therein, puzzlingly so.
TRFC is a focal point for tens of thousands of people. The people who run the club are also influential opinion formers and how they set the tone for those thousands is important.
Tub-rattling, dog-whistling, and the WATP mentality have been employed almost exclusively thus far in the ‘journey’. All of which may have rallied the troops and provided a welcome injection of funds, but it also antagonised almost every football fan in the country who wasn’t a Rangers follower. And in view of how those funds (including the £21m IPO) seemingly disappeared into the ether, did it really help the club realise any ambitions going forward?
TRFC are looking up at the north face of a financial Eiger today
I can’t help feeling that had they been replaced with humility, some regret, and gratitude to those who smoothed their path into the leagues, then the view from the club deck would a lot more attractive today than it is.
The journey could have been an expansive one bent on winning friends along the way, clearly differentiating itself from the Murray era, and carrying assurances that the new Rangers would never treat the game in Scotland as shabbily as its predecessor.
Seems intuitively obvious to me that a mission statement like the following would win hearts and minds;
“The latter-day custodians of Rangers have destroyed our club and shamed its traditions of sporting integrity, fair play, and honest endeavour.
“However the ethos and identity of our club will not be allowed to slip into obscurity.
“We will build a club worthy of the traditions of sporting integrity and fair play. It will be open and accessible to people of all colours, creeds and nationalities,
“It will be a long journey, but it is one which we relish, and one which will in time restore Rangers to the upper echelons of the game“
Managing expectations realistically with a ‘we are thankful to keep the Rangers name alive’ would have played better with the bears.
I don’t believe there is a football fan in the world who wouldn’t sign up to that had they found their club in the same circumstances as 2011 Rangers. I don’t believe that Rangers fans are any different either, but the problem is that their moral compass is being calibrated by people whose past records make them least qualified for the task.
Instead of a plan to win Scottish football over, we got boycotts, victim-hood, denial, and that wonderful new oxymoronic idiom, post-liquidation. Really though, it should all have been so different.
Water bills notwithstanding, TRFC are looking up at the north face of a financial Eiger today, but they chose to climb an Eiger instead of a Munro, and they sold false hope and snake oil to the fans on the way.
They have no money with which to recruit players of sufficient quality to challenge at the top. They are facing a massive bill for repairs and maintenance of a stadium that has atrophied under six or seven years of neglect. They have similar infrastructure problems at their training ground. They need to build a scouting infrastructure which currently consists of one man and several local volunteers. Their income from merchandising is non-existent due to a testicles-drawn dispute with Sports Direct. They owe several millions of pounds of soft loans which they cannot convert to equity because of that same dispute, and the people they have gone back to again and again for top-up finance have ever shortening arms and lengthening pockets.
.. we understand the value that Rangers can bring to the to the Scottish game and we want it to be realised.
Miracles of course do happen, perhaps in the shape of a magician manager who can get them access to European cash almost immediately. Unless that comes to pass, there is no way forward for Dave King and his board, other than to make peace immediately with Sports Direct and actually stump up the cash he promised two years ago; cash he promised to bridge the resources gap which is widening by the week.
A widely accepted wisdom in many football boardrooms these days is that the main recruitment priority of any board is an excellent manager. A really good manager can make a team out of ordinary players, but a poor manager will have difficulty sculpting a winning side from even very good players. So in a club with limited resources, it makes sense to spend a major part of your budget on a very good manager.
Another widely accepted wisdom in boardrooms (even if not always followed) is that once a manager is recruited, you stay out of his domain.
The boardroom at Ibrox is not awash with wisdom it seems. First of all they put their faith in a manager with little or no experience in the game. That may well have worked out with a bit of good fortune, but does anyone really believe, after his disappearing act in the wake of the Cup Final defeat and his absence at the Barton signing conference, that Mark Warburton is master of his own domain?
If not, does the ‘come hither’ curled finger of fate attached to Jimmy Traynor’s hand at last week’s press conference convince you?
I would guess that there are at least half a dozen experienced managers with a track record of success who would relish the challenge of putting TRFC on the map at the opportunity cost of a Barton for example. Instead it seems – if the rumours are true – that Warburton’s autonomy was breached so that said Joey could be hired to boost ST sales.
No group of fans is entitled to expect success. Rangers fans, and Celtic fans, have historically come to expect that very thing. It is understandable to some extent, but it should never be confused with an actual entitlement to success – and that is what the board at Ibrox are selling to the fans in return for their cash – which as we have seen is not being converted to the promised on-field successes.
the ‘come hither’ curled finger of fate attached to Jimmy Traynor’s hand should convince us that Warburton is not his own master
To a large extent, I think some of the online comments in fan sites in the wake of the Celtic match have been sensible and mature. Reality amongst Rangers fans is at last beginning to bite, and that can only be a good thing for TRFC. Rangers fans are beginning to understand that too many liberties have been taken with their loyalty to and love of the jersey. The problem for the fans is that whilst they come to terms with what may be a realistic timetable and roadmap towards success and parity with the top clubs, the current board and their chums in the press are invested in having them believe the opposite.
Already the cheerleaders in the red tops are proclaiming their ‘gulf-denial’ credentials in the hope that enough fans will be convinced of it. The problem is that the fans know the gulf exists – and not only that does exist, but it is unrealistic to expect it not to.
The Level5 effect is wearing off. In the past five years, £21m quid in investment, £6m in loans, and five years worth of ST sales have all come and gone. Will Rangers fans really do those sums, observe that in each of the four milestone matches mentioned at the beginning of this article there is nothing to show for it, and agree that there is nothing to concern them?
Rangers fans will no doubt call us obsessed to produce an article like this – about them. But football is uniquely interdependent – we all need each other. It is a game where we benefit from the traditions, the colour and the fanaticism of rivals. The fact is that we understand the value that Rangers can bring to the to the Scottish game and we want it to be realised.
Sadly though, the current people in charge at the club are people who revel in making war on fellow clubs and business partners as well as the national broadcaster and BT Sport. They have also failed to deliver on promises of investment and success to their own fans, and escaped press scrutiny of that failure. Whilst they are there, we see only division in Scottish football with no coming together possible for generations.
I believe that the vast majority of fans who love Rangers, like the rest of us, have had enough of a war on too many fronts to count. It’s time to make peace – with everyone. Football in this country can’t be fixed until that happens.
With a current manager vacancy at Wigan Athletic, was their scout at Ibrox last night taking a very close interest in the home team’s dug-out activities? Surely it couldn’t be a case of Level 5 be mounting a campaign for fresh blood in the TRFC coaching staff without the expense of a pay-off?
UPTHEHOOPSOCTOBER 27, 2016 at 09:14
Someone has posted a tweet on another forum where the official Rangers TV commentator complains that it is not a level financial playing field.
——————————————————————————————————————————-
But, but ,but………It’s no our fault !….Celtic are skint, It’s the holding company that is loaded.
Test
My above ‘test’ post shows a statenent apparently from Sons of Struth, that well trusted news agency, it could well be accurate but one thing interested me, and that is the claim that the writer has a journalist friend who phoned Business Stream to get this information yet obviously didn’t publish it.
So, a journalist carries out an investigation, of sorts, into rumours about TRFC but doesn’t do any more than provide a TRFC blogger with means to debunk the rumour. Just how many TRFC stories are filtered in this way? Just how many journalists are providing this backhanded PR service. Oh, and why didn’t the journalist just contact the club, I’m sure they could have provided him with sight of the paid invoices, too?
BILLY BOYCEOCTOBER 27, 2016 at 10:20
With a current manager vacancy at Wigan Athletic, was their scout at Ibrox last night taking a very close interest in the home team’s dug-out activities? Surely it couldn’t be a case of Level 5 be mounting a campaign for fresh blood in the TRFC coaching staff without the expense of a pay-off?
_______________
Strange how a manager who has suddenly become exposed as a failing manager, is, at the same time, seen as a target for a club in England, desperate for a manager who can turn around a failing team! Add to that that he is failing with the second highest, by some ‘gap’, budget in Scotland and his credentials to turn around Wigan, without outspending all their relegation avoidance rivals, must be extremely questionable.
http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/business/about-us/governance/scottish-water-structure
http://www.watercommission.co.uk/UserFiles/documents/AS_080111%20Grant%20Letter%20to%20Business%20Stream%20Scanned.pdf
Additional information.
Having previously supplied all of Scotland’s properties with water, Scottish Water split its non-domestic arm off to serve the fledgling market. The newly formed company, called Business Stream, acted as the incumbent non-domestic water and waste water supplier serving 100% of organisations in the country. Its market share continued to remain extremely high until it began to rapidly lose customers in 2013. With the announcement that its owner, the Scottish Government, will be switching to another supplier in 2015, Business Stream’s market share stands to drop below 50%.
A Scottish Water subsidiary is set to expand its presence in the English market after buying Southern Water’s non-domestic business.
Edinburgh-based Business Stream said the deal would create the UK’s third largest non-domestic water supplier.
Yes was going to add the Business Stream is the commercial arm of Scottish Water.
Why are SoS responding to this story anyway? I thought he had left twitter?
I am not suggesting the SoS statement is untrue, but it not completely accurate, as, according to it’s website, Business Stream is a ‘Scottish Water Company’. So, the claim that the club have not paid Scottish Water for some time because they pay Business Stream instead leaves the journalist’s investigation, or the way SoS chose to report it, somewhat lacking. Whatever the reality, TRFC have either been paying their Scottish Water bill, or they haven’t. They haven’t been receiving a supply from anyone else!
Afternoon all.
Whether the water bill is paid or not,I would find it strange that a public Utility Company would openly discuss a customers account with a “journalist”.
WRT the journey & the potential for TRFC to play European football next season,it may be worth noting that a few on Twitter,the likes of Barcabhoy etc,say this should be impossible due to the club consistently breaking UEFA FFP rules.Some even estimate that a cash injection of some £40-50m would be required to correct the financial position before TRFC would meet FFP criteria.
I’m sure the SFA/SPFL are aware of the situation & standready to enforce any applicable rules.
Business Stream Ltd is owned by
Scottish Water Business Stream Ltd
Which is owned by
Scottish Water Business Stream Holdings Ltd
Which is owned by
Scottish Water Horizons Holdings Ltd
Which is owned by
Scottish Water Ltd
A tad disingenuous Mr Strewth.
Watched Mr Warburton;s post – match interview . The tone and body language did not look healthy – TRFC’s answer to CFC’s RD ? Reminded me of this
Nobody heard him, the dead man,But still he lay moaning:I was much further out than you thoughtAnd not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larkingAnd now he’s deadIt must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always(Still the dead one lay moaning)I was much too far out all my lifeAnd not waving but drowning.
Stevie Smith
Soon be statement o’clock, as Joey Barton enters the big (brother) house
https://twitter.com/BBCAlLamont/status/791640765554360320
CORRUPT OFFICIALOCTOBER 27, 2016 at 15:11
I note Joey was wearing the club suit & tie for the meeting. Nice touch but I fear he is for the sack given the black brogues!
To follow follow on from above.
Couple of headlines from the DR.
1) Yesterday, someone managed to interrupt the gardener for a few words of wisdom on being a successful football manager;
“Ally McCoist says Mark Warburton deserves to be given time and money to be a success at Rangers”
2) And today Warburton – who couldn’t tempt a club in the summer – is now hot property;
“Mark Warburton to Wigan Athletic? I’ll drive him down to England myself – Hotline”
All the indications are that the TRFC manager is leaving soon.
…if you simply accept the p!sh you read in the DR.
Level42 are so obvious – do they actually get paid for these planted stories ?
StevieBCOctober 24, 2016 at 17:29
Good effort Tris.
The opportunity for Peace to break out was in 2011/12, when most fans, IMO, would have been open-minded about aiding a contrite, humble new Rangers.
<CUT>
======================================
I’m not sure about that, as so much has happened in the intervening period.
No 5WA, no LNS etc is a lot to try and remove from the memory to go back five years with no hindsight.
What we were reading on RTC and PMGB was describing stuff that had happened that couldn’t be excused with just a few words of contrition.
The Cat NR1
Stewart Regan on “Cross Border Leagues”.
http://www.scottishsupporters.net/stewart-regan-backs-plan-for-new-cross-border-league-set-up/?utm_content=buffer6c248&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Stewart Regan backs plan for new cross-border league set-upDate: 27th October 2016
The chief executive of the Scottish Football Association has said he believes Scottish clubs should play in a cross-border league, saying the situation “has to change.”
Stewart Regan, who serves on a UEFA working party exploring the possibilities of a cross-border competition, said he believed the move would have both footballing and financial benefits.
“There is a recognition that we have to change,” Regan said. “We are in danger at the moment of keeping perpetuating the Champions League brand as the answer to everything.
“It has been a fantastic success, but there are signs now emerging that it is peaking. I think people will get bored with Champions League predictability, particularly in markets where your own country isn’t represented for long spells in the season.”
Earlier this month, FC Copenhagen CEO Anders Horsholt confirmed that talks over an international league involving the biggest clubs in Scandinavia, Scotland, the Netherlands and Belgium were taking place.
The idea of an “Atlantic League” — which would involve clubs such as Ajax, Celtic and Rangers — was first suggested in the late 1990s and has been revisited periodically.
Regan said Scottish clubs dropping out of Europe before Christmas could be part of a cross-border league in which they played teams from other countries in the same situation.
A Champions League place could be on offer for the winners, with the format involving groups of teams from six countries.
Regan said a cross-border competition would “keep the dream alive” in Europe and added: “You need to play at the highest level you possibly can. That’s why cross-border gives us a chance to play against better teams for longer.
“If we are out of Europe by Christmas, that’s half a season. If Scottish clubs have a chance to play against big clubs from other nations, then they are going to perform better in the longer term.”
Well, that sorts that out.
Alasdair Lamont @BBCAlLamont 10m10 minutes agoGlasgow, ScotlandMy understanding is that Joey Barton remains suspended by Rangers following today’s meeting.
First sentence from TRFC website on Warburton’s presser today;
“MARK WARBURTON insists the demands and expectations of the Rangers support are to be understood given the club’s previous success…”
http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/warbs-understands-demands/
==================================
Did you spot the typo ? Should have read…
“MARK WARBURTON insists the demands and expectations of the Rangers support are to be understood given the previous club’s success…”
The Govan outfit really needs to add a proofreader to the payroll.
SSN reporting that Barton has been suspended indefinitely.Also saying there are no plans for further meetings.
A cynic might think that they know they can’t sack him and can’t afford to pay him off.They’ve tried to save face by claiming he’s suspended but in reality he’s now on gardening leave.20 odd grand a week for nearly 2 years.
Jeezo, the ” Garden” is gettin’ a good seein’ to. Just in time to check Ally’s begonias!!!!!!
CHRISTYBOY
more like be gone ya “””” in bartons case
You see, I don’t get this. Regan will criticise UEFA for concentrating on the big money leagues for the CL saying how unfair it is for the ‘smaller’ nations, then they do exactly the same by naming their ‘big’ clubs as being the ones they would see playing in their new setup
In their short history of expensive failures, the signing of Joey Barton is, for them, far from TRFC’s worst! He may, however, be their biggest regret. The man likes to talk, and he might be more expensive to silence than McCoist was!
scottcOctober 27, 2016 at 19:39
‘…You see, I don’t get this. Regan will criticise UEFA for concentrating on the big money leagues for the CL saying how unfair it is for the ‘smaller’ nations, then they do exactly the same by naming their ‘big’ clubs as being the ones they would see playing in their new setup’
_______
Yes, scottc, Regan’s utterances are self-contradictory in a way that betokens an unprincipled, ad hoc, reactive attitude on the part of the SFA which, as a’national’ body supposedly serving the whole of Scottish Football,should be in their pitching for balanced and equitable sporting competitions, rather than trying to devise competitions that favour money-making potential , rather than sporting merit, as the qualifying criterion.
In the interests of absolute fairness, may I say that on Sportsound this evening, Warburton got a real kicking from all three panellists ( with the excitable McIntyre being now devils’ advocate, now counsel for the defence).
The panel ( English, Speirs and a player ( or former Rangers player whose name I missed and whose voice I couldn’t quite place) slated his weakness re Barton ,and Traynor’s insulting PR ineptitude( English); his 11 signings of basic, work-a-day players ( Joe Garner £1.5M worth of not very much, and no resale value, as against Dembele’s cost of £ 500 000 and present success plus huge potential re-sale value ( the player guy) and Warburton’s inability either to satisfy the impossible aspirations of fans or to get them to tone down their expectations that a middle-league-table team shoud be a serious challenger for second, never mind first, place(Speirs)
And on the Barton thingy, I think I heard McIntyre ask ” Will Barton stay ( and play) if Warburton goes.?”
Speirs, to be fair, didn’t burst out laughing, but exclaimed that the idea of Warburton going to Wigan or anywhere else was just a load of guff.
I began to feel a wee bit sorry for Warburton for there seemed to be NO readiness to have a go at the dysfunctional board(s).
However, towards the end, there was some implied criticism of the glib-and-shameless promiser of war-chest and oodles of dough to buy players. (First time I’ve heard King’s name on that programme for a wee while)
I doubt if any other Board, ANY other board of anything, has ever been so uncriticised.
Almost as though horses heads might start being found in people’s beds.
To go from being afraid simply of not getting some lamb from the Big Cheat, to possibly fearing that you might be in some way positively ‘punished’ by persons from the land of the springbok is a bit of a journey.
But, it seems, the intrepid SMS hacks are finding it quite esy, in the main.
Rumour has it Joey Barton was offered a 1 year contract at Burnley on £35k a week. That would have earned him around £1.75m in one year rather than around £2m over two years in Scotland. He would also have been playing at a far higher level, in a far higher profile league. Making it more likely to get a lucrative deal to got to the USA / China / Middle East in the final years of his career and extend his playing / earning time. It may even have helped him get more into punditry or even management.
Why did he move to Scotland, I can only assume he knew he was past it and would be shown up in England. I know he is not the oldest player still doing it but he has played in positions and in a style which tends to take it out of a player earlier. Or more cynically, it added a needed chapter to his book and got him a lot of publicity just when it was being released. He certainly acted in a manner which courted controversy / publicity.
Perhaps a bit of both.
Warburton Post Match Presser
I think someone should be pointing out to him, and the board, that we are The Rangers. We don’t do second and we certainly don’t do 5th. The whole lot of them are out of their depth.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Talk about hard of thinking?
Looks like it will take at least 10 humpings this season for the penny to drop
From the Bears Den on last nights game at Ibrox v St Johnstone
23 hours ago, kanjo said:
There is far too much at steak to not consider our options. That tonight showed me that we will not not be finishing in the European spots. That would set us back yet another year which we simply cannot afford to do given we’re already one year behind.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
the Booler said
Agree. Team needs BEEFED up.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
the glesca humour
you cannae beat it
HomunculusOctober 27, 2016 at 21:32
‘..Or more cynically, it added a needed chapter to his book and got him a lot of publicity just when it was being released. ‘
_______
I suspect he has an agent who, in however feeble a way, has studied how Beckham’s agent managed to create an off-field superstar: while you are still ‘recognised’ by the media as some kind of personality, cash in on the fact.
Given the venality and exploitative nature of the clubs, I think I side with any player who tries to gain the maximum profit for himself out of a contract with utterly unscrupulous, hard-eyed , lying sharks.
Much better than flogging yourself to death in the far East as an ageing footballer who has reached his absolute use-by date!
Viva the Joeys of the football world!
JOHN CLARK
OCTOBER 27, 2016 at 23:33
Viva the Joeys of the football world!
=====================================
Sorry but I find it difficult to accept positives about someone who beat up a teenager in a drunken brawl and served time in prison for it, stubbed out a cigar in a youth players eye during a Christmas night out and continued punching a team-mate who was already unconscious, during a training ground brawl, until other players intervened.
Re: Agent Joseph.
If I have this correct – a 34 year old player who has a history of lengthy bans / incarceration was offered a 2 year deal at c.£20K a week.
It seems fairly standard practice at clubs that players over 30 are only offered 1 year deals. IIRC, this even applied to Giggs at United.
Also, a player of age 34 should be offered a ‘pay as you play’ type deal where if you are banned / injured you only get a relatively modest basic pay.
It seems (?) that Barton is on full pay – and with win bonuses to add salt to this particular TRFC sore.
Barton will do ok financially from TRFC.
BUT it should raise some serious concerns amongst the bears about the business acumen of those at Ibrox who decided to recruit such a risky, older player – and on such generous terms.
You would think…?
Re Joey Barton.
I remain baffled at the number of media commentators who give Rangers credence by inferring they are just getting everything sorted legally before dismissing Barton with no pay off. I believe if they were able to do so he would already be gone. Graham Spiers was at it again last night but I have to take my hat off to Tom English who pilloried Mark Warburton for his general handling of Barton. English questioned why Barton was allowed to start mouthing off about Celtic people and be defended by Warburton rather than reigned in. Spiers was okay with Barton mouthing off, but said he had to match it on the pitch. My view is the media generally think it is okay for players to mouth off depending on who they play for, and which club they are mouthing off about, just like it has always been.
Overall though it would appear right now the only thing that would sort the problem of Barton’s contract would be for Rangers to have an insolvency event, but there is no chance of that happening at all – none whatsoever!
Re Joey Barton and English and Spiers on BBC Shortbread last night
I heard the bit of the programme where Mr Warburton was getting a bit of a doing for his problems in signing and managing his “problem” players.
I didn’t hear either of the journalists refer back to the situation when he was signed.
– i.e. When Mr W was on extended holiday, allegedly incommunicado and at the acute time when season books needed to be sold after a cup final disaster and some angry fans looking for the promised over investment.
I’d have thought the fact that Joey might not have been Mr W’s signing would have been an obvious possibility worth a discussion.
An insight into lots of potential avenues and stuff that would have made good radio.
Maybe Level 5 had already briefed their editor and or them not to go there.
Finloch,
As was the rumoured lack of cash. Spiers was beside himself to point out, more than once, that Rangers would in no way wish to pay out his contract. The very thought was appalling to him, never mind Rangers. But his reasoning (backed by his assumption that they could just dump Wharbs for free as well) seemed to be no more than Rangers = Good (and big, always big), Expensive-but-very-poor player = Bad therefore Joey and wharbs have to go. No contract law. No discussion on who signed the fecking contract and certainly no discussion on where the money was going to come from.
It amused me that they were having a go at Traynor at one point for his recent PR gaff. English tried to put it in words by asking (and I’m surprised the question got through given its alternative meaning
) Are they club they are on the pitch or the one they think they are?
Without listening back I recall Spiers and the unquestioning McIntyre unsurprisingly bursting into them desperately wanting to be the club that they want to be and…em..that…..was…….it….end….of.
To be fair I collected the kids at that point so I couldn’t hear any of the rest of it anyway
HomunculusOctober 28, 2016 at 00:43
‘…I find it difficult to accept positives about someone who beat up a teenager in a drunken brawl ..’
_______
As do I, of course.
I suppose I should have distinguished between viva-ing Barton personally and viva-ing those footballers generally who seek to make the most of their short-lived football celebrity, especially if their unscrupulous employing clubs have presented the rest of us with serious problems through their cynically exploitative practices.
For a multitude of reasons, new signings sometimes just don’t work out. There are numerous cases to point to. Each and every signing carries an element of risk, no matter how well researched the move is
However there is a bottom line, …………….If you can’t afford the contract offered, then don’t offer it.
The whole Barton thing is a shambles.
His signing went against the blurb Warburton gave us about having a happy and cohesive squad.
As discussed above the fact that he was posted missing during the signing gives the appearance that Joey was not his choice.
Joey may have got that vibe or indeed was fully aware of that fact and thus explains (while he probably didn’t need encouragement) his gallus behavour. i.e “I’m the boards choice not yours, I’m Billy Big Baws around here, you and your magic hat count for nothing”.
However senior players having words with managers and fellow players are part and parcel of the game and I doubt if any precedent can be found to say it is a sackable offense. Indeed if we are to believe in the ethereal entity myth a previous club captain’s stance and opinions were preferred over a then up and coming manger.
Joey can therefore play the board as well as Warburton by saying “I’m the boards choice – why do you suddenly want rid of me for such a minor issue and not wanting to honour my contract”.
Clubs like Celtic know how difficult it is to move out a stubborn player sitting on a a lucrative water tight contract.
Therefore, like Strachan had to do with Balde, the Blue Room need to get rid or suck it up as Joey looks like being the stickiest thing since Sticky the Stick Insect got stuck on a sticky bun.
PS
Similarly no precedent for T’Rangers players being sacked for betting offenses. So unless that is in his contract then Sticky stays put.
PPS
Does anyone think Joey is the type of guy who would sign up for a confidentiality clause on the cheap?
WOTTPI
OCTOBER 28, 2016 at 10:32
===============================
As I understand it Black was fined by the authorities and given a ban in relation to gambling on football matches. However that was for games in which he was a registered player for one of the teams. The majority of the ban was suspended.
For the other games he bet on, the huge majority, he was censured.
I am not aware of the club punishing him in any way. Though I could easily be wrong in that.
I personally think it would be extremely difficult for the club to use gambling as a reason to sack Barton. Unless there is now something specific in the contracts they offer players which is relevant to the situation.
Also worth mentioning that my recollection is that he was playing for Rangers and betting on the opposition to win or draw was he not? You would have thought the worst of both worlds. But no sacking or even meaningful suspension since I recall, like you, the majority were suspended, no?
£7,500 fine
10 game ban, 3 to be served, 7 suspended.
I think Barton’s gambling ‘crime’ might better be compared to that of the goalie, Simmonsen, who, if I remember correctly, got a one match ban for some bets not involving his own club. But, of course, it was handed out by the SFA and not the club, where both players (Simmonsen and Black) careers continued unaffected by their actions until the end of their contracts. Unless Barton has a clause covering gambling in his contract, I doubt very much that TRFC are looking to dump him on the strength of his gambling, though they may be adding it to whatever actually happened, or they claim to have happened, during the training bust up!
If Barton has been handed, as reported, a further one week suspension, then I suspect the club have given him notice of their intent to dismiss him with a week to discuss their stated grounds with his solicitor. Either that, or they are playing a game with him and will continue to call him in for weekly meetings to hand out a further suspension until he (they hope) just tells then to get to…
Afternoon all.
Daily Mail running with Barton being offered the chance to train with the development squad,to allow him to get fit for a possible free transfer in January.They “understand” that TRFC don’t think they have enough to dismiss the player.
Wee problem I see here is that Barton,supposedly earning £20k+ per week may,depending on what he’s offered,decide to sit where he is.He is,after all,at the tail end of his career.£20k for doing hee haw may be preferable to £30k for working(remembering that after PAYE & NI the difference would probably be less than 5 grand).
TORREJOHNBHOY(@JOHNBHOY1958)OCTOBER 28, 2016 at 12:38
Afternoon all.Daily Mail running with Barton being offered the chance to train with the development squad,to allow him to get fit for a possible free transfer in January.
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Maybe “free” to another club, but his silence won’t come free to Sevco.
Originally, I thought the main lure to Crumbledome was the two year contract, as opposed to the one year he had available.
Assuming a one year is all that would possibly be on offer for a “free”, that still leaves a year of his contract uncatered for..
It looks to me like JB is in a position to have his contract paid in full on constructive dismissal grounds, as his continued employment was made untenable by his employers, and there would be no gagging order with that.
There is only going to be one loser….It’s just a matter of the final score.
Played off the park, but can they keep the score down…….Sound familiar?
Just noticed that Scott Brown has reversed his decision to retire from ‘Scotland’ and will be available for the match against England!
‘Corrupt officialOctober 28, 2016 at 12:54
“…..It looks to me like JB is in a position to have his contract paid in full on constructive dismissal grounds, as his continued employment was made untenable by his employers, and there would be no gagging order with that.”
_____
I marvel at the way this blog pushes us to look up matters that we scarce had any previous interest or involvement in.
Just about an hour ago, I was reading the Citizens Advice stuff about unfair or constructive dismissal at
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/work/problems-at-work/employment-tribunals-from-29-july-2013/making-an-employment-tribunal-claim-is-it-worth-it/employment-tribunals-unfair-dismissal-claims/legal-tests/employment-tribunals-legal-tests-for-unfair-dismissal-claims-misconduct/
And reading that, I think that you’re dead right: TRFC haven’t a hope in hell of getting away with sacking Barton and satisfying an Employment tribunal that they were justified in doing so, and Barton has them by the short and curlies.
He will no doubt be thoroughly enjoying the situation.
And I am enjoying the clear evidence that Jabba is pretty useless as any kind of PR mastermind, that he allowed his paymasters to make such ar.es of themselves over a pretty mundane work-place occurrence.
I think the Board, whatever they do about the Barton case, should think about getting the services of another PR set-up.
Jabba has done them no favours whatsoever , but has helped them to make even bigger buffoons of themselves.
JOHN CLARKOCTOBER 28, 2016 at 13:20
“And reading that, I think that you’re dead right: TRFC haven’t a hope in hell of getting away with sacking Barton and satisfying an Employment tribunal that they were justified in doing so, and Barton has them by the short and curlies.
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For a club that can’t guarantee the safety of its own directors, in its own Directors Box, and TV pundits require burly bodtguards, Asking him to ever enter the stadium again, would be asking him to work in dangerous conditions.
“Forcing” him to accept a “free” is another fail., as the only way I can see them doing that, is by telling him, (or implying) he will never play again during his tenure.
http://www.mylawyer.co.uk/constructive-dismissal-a-A76056D76250/
CORRUPT OFFICIALOCTOBER 28, 2016 at 12:54
Funny enough was thinking the same myself.
Banning Joey from the use of training facilities appears to me to be a wrong move and one that, in this particular profession, can open up the employer for a counter claim of both constructive dismissal and also reducing the employee’s ability to secure alternative employment on the basis of a lack of fitness, especially given his age.
In today’s CoS action, Lord Brodie ordered Mike Ashley to pay half the SFA’s costs in the dual interest case.
This was the case in which Lord Brodie advised that the Court was not there for its skills in metaphysics.
WOTTPI
OCTOBER 28, 2016 at 10:24
…
As discussed above the fact that he was posted missing during the signing gives the appearance that Joey was not his choice.
Joey may have got that vibe or indeed was fully aware of that fact and thus explains (while he probably didn’t need encouragement) his gallus behavour. i.e “I’m the boards choice not yours, I’m Billy Big Baws around here, you and your magic hat count for nothing”…
===========================
Could you imagine Barton mouthing off if Souness was the manager at Ibrox ?!
As much as I don’t like Souness;
– Barton wouldn’t have dreamed of having a go at a manager with Souness’ playing pedigree, or character in the first place.
– if he had done so, Souness would probably have decked Barton immediately – and in a weird way that could have galvanised the squad – and everybody would have no doubts at all about who was the boss !
But again, IMO, this comes back to the d!ddies in the Blue Room.
Warburton was an available, free option.
He had about 18 months Championship management experience, and no top level playing career.
Appointing a known, volatile player with a big ego/mouth had already proved to be unmanageable – at several clubs – under highly experienced managers.
The Board signing Barton immediately undermined Warburton, and it was just a matter of time.
Maybe he should have resigned in the summer ? [And would have been in a strong negotiating position for a payoff IMO.]
And aside from the ongoing Barton circus: how do the rest of the squad regard Warburton ?
Weak and a lame duck ?
Not the best scenario when your results are disappointing and you have to help each other to improve…
Unless Barton has triggered some get out clause (for TRFC) in his contract, or the training ground confrontation involved a physical assault we haven’t heard about, then he has the club over a barrel, with the longer he goes without a proper training facility, one that was, no doubt, touted as top of the range during signing negotiations, strengthening his case and, perhaps, leading to a greater claim for compensation due to, as WOTTPI suggests, his deteriorating physical fitness and so future employment prospects.
It’s not the first time an Ibrox club has tried freezing out a player, and every other club, I’m sure, has done the same, but they really do seem to be making a mess of this one, with bad PR advice and their desire to appease the most militant bears no doubt the cause of their most recent expensive faux pas!
There does seem a greater than ever involvement at Ibrox and Murray Park by Traynor/Level5 than might be considered healthy by any other football club, or even by a local quiz team
StevieBCOctober 28, 2016 at 15:05
I somehow doubt Barton would have signed for TRFC if Souness was their current manager, basically for the reasons you suggest the legbreaker might employ in subduing someone like Joey! Barton is a bully, but Souness is an even bigger bully. I’m sure Barton would have, by now, slipped on a bar of soap – with no one there to witness it, leaving every other player at the club very careful their tongue doesn’t slip when heading to the showers
I see RIFC PLC is still a loss making business. That’s 4 in a row.
Key Figures:
Turnover £22.2m (2015 – £16.3m)Earnings before Interest Tax and Depreciation (EBITDA) (£0.1m) (2015 – (£6.9m))Loss for the year £3.3m (2015 – £7.7m)Operating expenses £24.9m (2015 – £26.8m)Average SPFL Home Attendances 44,359 (2015 – 34,556)Season Ticket 37,481 (2015 – 26,515)
HOMUNCULUSOCTOBER 28, 2016 at 18:22
================================
I take it the accounts are out then.
Lord Carloway has joined his English Judicial colleagues in strongly criticising Police Scotland and the Prosecutors in the Rangers Fraud trial. He went as far as calling their behaviour oppressive
That should set alarm bells ringing at Holyrood . I suspect it won’t though. We have become used to many journalists taking one eyed positions over Rangers. The one’s who work at commercial organisations are able to do so as long as that fits with their employers objectives. We are entitled to expect and generally get a fair broad range of opinion from the BBC .
if Police and Prosecutors though take a one eyed view , for any reason, even if it is because they support a particular club, then not only is it completely unacceptable it should be subject to a full investigation.
Yes and the AGM announced for 25 November.
The loss was much as I expected (around £2M), but the club has reported one-off costs of £286K relating to the £250K fine levied by LNS, impairment on the RRL interests of £522K and £310K for amortisation of loans (?)
Interestingly they appear to have paid the fine.
4. NON-RECURRING ITEMS
In 2012, the SPL raised proceedings against The Rangers Football Club plc (Oldco) in relation to the use of EBTs andfollowing a hearing in February 2013 a fine of £250,000 and costs of £150,000 were levied against Oldco. As part ofthe agreement to allow Rangers to participate in Scottish Football, there was a clause inserted where it was agreedthat Rangers would become liable and responsible for the imposition of any sanctions by the SPL for any breach ofSPL Rules and or articles by Oldco/Rangers FC (i.e. the £250,000 fine). The Club believed that the SPFL had, throughdocuments and actions, waived all and any right it may have had to insist upon payment under the clause, therebyholding the Club harmless in relation to the sanctions. This was disputed by the SPFL.
Within the current SPFL rules there is a provision (known as the offset rule) whereby if any amounts are due tothe SPFL, the Board of the SPFL are entitled to withhold amounts due to the Club up to the value of the amountoutstanding. The Board of the SPFL determined that it would impose the offset rule to recover the £250,000 finefrom the Club.
As a result of this decision, the Club invoked Article 99 of the SFA Articles seeking a determination by an ArbitralTribunal appointed by the SFA that the sum was not due to the SPFL. The tribunal was held in October 2015 andfound in favour of the SPFL and as such the Club was liable to pay the fine plus associated costs. The Club duly paidthe SPFL and the total paid during the year amounted to £286,000 and has been disclosed as a non-recurring costin the financial statements.
The accounts don’t seem yet to be on the Companies House pages .
I found them here, though:
http://rangers.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Rangers-Reports-and-Accounts-2016.pdf
33. POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS
Investor funding
In October 2016 the Group received £2.9m of funding from investors as detailed in note 1 to the financial statements
Outstanding loans of about £10m, cash at bank end June about £3m, no banking facilities. They are working on income as they receive it and the accounts acknowledge that they will need further loans during 2016/2017.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
The RIFC Group maintains cash to fund the daily cash requirements of its business. The Group does not have access to any further banking facilities.
There are interest-free, unsecured loans with investors amounting to £10.025 million, whilst the Group also has a fiance lease agreement totalling £0.1 million.
As at 30 June 2016, the Group held £2,958,000 within cash and bank balances.
The figures are much better than many of the doom merchants claimed.
Yes they are still losing money, and have secured further funding, but they have a big increase in deferred income for this season, up from £6.2m to £15.5M. The main part of deferred income is ST sales.
EASYJAMBO
OCTOBER 28, 2016 at 18:57
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They continue to make losses and rely on loans just to keep the doors open EJ. The current prediction, from the PLC is that will continue not just through this season (2016/2017) but potentially into the next (2017/2018) as well.
They are not losing as much as they used to, but debts are rising. Albeit to Real Rangers Men. The club is spending more than it’s earning, it’s that simple. They had to borrow money in October and will have to do it again in March. That will mean (PLC) debt of £14m or so, with the club owing the PLC what, over £30m now.
“At the time of preparation, the forecast identified that the Group would require up to £4.0m by way of debt or equityfunding by the end of season 2016/2017 in order to meet its liabilities as they fall due. Following the progression ofthe team to the Semi Finals of the Scottish League Cup, the funding requirement is now anticipated to be £3.75m.The fist tranche of funding amounting to £2.9m has been received from investors in October 2016, with further fundsforecast to be required in March 2017.
Further funding may be required during the 2017/18 season, the quantum of which is dependent on future footballperformance and European football participation.”
BarcabhoyOctober 28, 2016 at 18:31
‘…Lord Carloway ….criticising Police Scotland and the Prosecutors in the Rangers Fraud trial. He went as far as calling their behaviour oppressive..”
______
Has his lordship made a statement today?
We can see where the extra cash is going.
“Playing squad budget increased by 60% to £10.3m for the current season.”
John Clark October 28, 2016 at 19:11
BarcabhoyOctober 28, 2016 at 18:31 ‘…Lord Carloway ….criticising Police Scotland and the Prosecutors in the Rangers Fraud trial. He went as far as calling their behaviour oppressive..” ______ Has his lordship made a statement today?
====================
I don’t know what he has said, but, from his position as Lord President, if it is an open criticism of the Police and the Prosecutors, then it wouldn’t be a huge leap to believe that the remaining charges against Whyte will be dropped come the hearing in December.
Edit: I’ve found a link in the Sun
http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/7253197/span-classredbJudges2-Crown0bspan-Top-lawman-blasts-oppressive-Rangers-probe-raid.html
EASYJAMBOOCTOBER 28, 2016 at 14:59
thanks for update
Wrt the accounts basically stating that TRFC need European football next season:
Slimshady @Slimshady1961 44m44 minutes ago Glasgow, Scotland Read http://rangers.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Rangers-Reports-and-Accounts-2016.pdf … page 24, then read http://www.uefa.com/community/news/newsid=2064391.html …. Rangers fail UEFA’s FFP rules so no European football til 18/19
—————
Sorry.Link to accounts may not work.Here’s another:
http://rangers.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Rangers-Reports-and-Accounts-2016.pdf
Lord Carloway is not one to avoid controversy or to hide his views. He was instrumental in fundamentally changing the Scottish legal system, particularly in relation to the rights of accused persons and access to solicitors. He even discussed the requirement for corroboration in certain instances. He really has changed the landscape of the Scottish legal system over the last few years, and those changes are ongoing.
The fact that he had a go at the Police for allegedly breaching legal professional privilege, searching and seizing beyond the scope of their warrant and doing it in another jurisdiction is hardly surprising. If there is any suggestion that the Officer swearing the warrant misled the Sheriff who granted it then they will be in serious trouble.
EASYJAMBOOCTOBER 28, 2016 at 18:44
33. POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTSInvestor fundingIn October 2016 the Group received £2.9m of funding from investors as detailed in note 1 to the financial statements
==========================
“…Capital CommitmentsSubsequent to the year end, the Group contracted for capital expenditure on stadium improvements and groundsequipment amounting to £583,000…”
Looks like recognition of necessary stadium work – and one could infer then that there is no immediate Health & Safety risk wrt Ibrox, as an assessment of the stadium’s condition ‘must’ have been carried out recently ?
Sad News coming out of Celtic.
Keiran Teirney out for 2 months due to Ankle ligament damage sustained in training.
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 19s19 seconds ago Kieran Tierney out of action for two months: http://www.celticfc.net/news/11543
“…Notes to the financial statements (continued)
18. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES
GroupCurrent liabilities
Trade creditors 1,021 1,002
Social security and other taxes 2,659 1,498
…
The average credit taken for trade purchases is 31 days (2015 – 33 days).
Non-current liabilitiesTrade creditors 137 -…”
======================================
Quick scan of sum numbers;
– interestingly, looks like trade creditors are relatively flat at c.GBP 1M, [although new, non-current category is GBP 137K]
On the face of it, looks like trade creditors are being squeezed more than last year – but maybe not to levels we expected ?
[Although it is still a 15% uplift on trade creditors in total.]
– Taxes are up by c.GBP1.1M, [or up 77% uplift on HMRC payable ]
Delayed / disputed payments to HMRC outstanding ? Other reason(s) ?
It seems that Ashley through SDI is suing King, Murray and RRL. That case appears to have gone under the radar as it is a new one on me.
StevieBC October 28, 2016 at 20:31
– Taxes payable are up by c.GBP1.1M, [or up 77% uplift on HMRC payable ] Delayed / disputed payments to HMRC outstanding ? Other reason(s) ?
===============================
I noticed the increase in social taxes payable. That may reflect the increased ST sales with more VAT payable at the first payment date following year end.