I think there has been an appreciable shift of opinion amongst fans of TRFC recently.
Unlike the ‘invest: speculate to accumulate’ rhetoric featured in the press and by ex-players, the ordinary fans are coming to the realisation that there is no quick fix. There are even murmurings that there may never be a fix which involves their club becoming a competitive force.
Poor management of fan expectations has long been an accusation levelled at the TRFC board by SFM. It is possible though that many fans are beginning to manage their own expectations rather better. There are certainly justifiable criticisms of the manager, Mark Warburton, but alongside that is a realism about the limitations and constraints that he is working under.
There is a rather misguided, and possibly not accurate assumption that another liquidation for a team out of Ibrox would result in having to start ‘yet again’ in the bottom division; but in fact there is a growing acceptance that consolidation in the top league is a much better solution than gambling on huge borrowing simply to stop Celtic adding more notches to the goalpost.
Could it be that the fans are about to do the job that the board haven’t had the balls to do –accept the gap between themselves and (at least) Celtic, and settle for mediocrity on the field as a short term price to pay for continuity?
During the 1990s, in the middle of the Murray/BoS fuelled spending spree, and with Celtic in the doldrums, it seemed to many Celtic fans that their club would never be able to bridge that gap. Of course they did, but at the emotional cost of losing the exclusive 9IAR record.
TRFC now find themselves in pretty much the same position, but their road to bridging the current gap is a more difficult one.
There are similarities of course. Like the Celtic of the 90s, Rangers have major infrastructure challenges to meet. Celtic had a stadium to build, Rangers have Ibrox (and Auchenhowie) to fix and improve. Both required massive investment to improve the team, although I would argue that Rangers have a steeper hill to climb in that area.
Unlike RFC of the 90s, Celtic’s accrued wealth has nothing to do with an intravenous hook-up between their bank account and the chairman’s pals at the bank. Their baseline advantage over the current Rangers predicament is a combination of a stadium which holds 10,000 more fans than Ibrox, no debt, a burgeoning cash balance and the current inflow of European cash.
The Euro cash and the cash balance could be depleted, but the 10,000 extra seats won’t.
It also seems difficult to imagine how TRFC can obtain seed capital – even if they were inclined to gamble – given the combination of barriers to achieving that;
- They have a PLC with no stock market listing
- They have NO executive directors on the PLC board
- The current chairman is a convicted criminal, convicted of offences involving money
- The current chairman and vice-chairman are both directors of a previously liquidated club, and therefore associated with the financial mismanagement which brought that about.
- In that climate, sponsorship deals are hard to come by. Major sponsors want to be associated with stability, success and integrity. TRFC don’t tick many boxes in that regard.
- Banks do not lend to football clubs. Pre Murray/Masterton, football clubs were cash businesses with modest overdraft facilities to cover modest cash-flow peaks and troughs. The banks have returned to that model. 1987-2007 was the exception, not the norm.
- They are at war with a powerful and substantial shareholder in Mike Ashley.
- There is still litigation pending on more than one front which could even call into question the ownership of the club’s assets.
- They are in debt already (estimated at around £15m).
- The current onfield situation may require yet another write-off in terms of contracts.
Any one of those bullet points could be enough to derail any plan to get to the top. In combination, there may even be an existential question to answer.
That is why the fans are starting to look a lot smarter than the board, and ultimately the good sense of the fans may well help the board to find a way out of their current dilemma.
But even with realistic expectations from the supporters, is it possible that they can find a way? Is there for instance someone with a magic wand or bag of cash who could come in and turn it around? Perhaps, but who would risk money on a precarious venture like a football club when one of the most powerful businessmen in the country is in dispute with you?
In order for serious inward investment to happen;
- Ashley has to be reconciled with the board (needs King and Murray to go).
- The debt has to be written off .
- The new investor(s) has to be given control of the club (and this would perhaps require another 75% special resolution where current shareholders would be asked to vote to dilute their own influence).
- If they achieved that (and it is a pretty big if) the new investor cash would go into the club’s bank account – not used to pay off the debt – and they would be free to pursue new and better sponsorship deals, improve the merchandising contract with an onside Ashley, and add new revenue streams.
Even then, any new board would need to see the infrastructure challenges as paramount. Having one eye squinting in the direction of Parkhead will blur the bigger picture.
Their priority should be to reduce the losses (whilst increasing wages for better players), fix the stadium and the training ground (both in need of repair and improvement), build a scouting and youth infrastructure, and free up a (relatively modest) wad of cash to improve the playing squad.
In defence of the current board, the challenges facing them are almost vertical in incline. No matter how skilful they are, nothing other than someone with a barrowload of cash and a very long term outlook can put any kind of fix in place.
£50m might buy the debt and equity, and repair the stadium, but progress requires on-field improvement. It also needs stability, and therefore Ashley’s cooperation. The price of that is the head of Dave King.
Rangers will bring in more at the gate than Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs, but they have a considerably higher cost base than those clubs. With better players, recurring costs will be even higher – much higher.
To square this circle, however unpalatable it appears to be, peace has to be made with Ashley. That is the key to being able to embark upon a journey that has any chance of success. Otherwise, the clocks will have to be reset to 2022, and the end of the SD contract, before progress can be made.
However there is no chance it can go on that long. Rangers fans may be increasingly less demanding in what they expect, but they will need to see some signs – and not just words – that a plan is in place.
The board are getting ready to throw Mark Warburton to the hounds (the MSM lapdogs have already been armed with poison pens to effect that). This will buy them some time, but not enough.
We’ve said it before, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’ll say it again;
For Rangers to have a fighting chance of competing at the top of football, King needs to be gone. If he does go, half of the barriers preventing the club raising cash are dismantled.
So is King’s departure a price worth paying? If he really had Rangers in his heart, he would say ‘Yes’.
Smugas, I laughed out loud at this: “the club (Celtic PLC) are solid. No attachment whatsoever. No siree. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Nowt. ” Bollocks!”
NEEPHEIDMARCH 5, 2017 at 09:45 1 Vote
Rangers shareholder Mike Ashley plans £30m takeover bid to see off Dave King and retake control of Ibrox club
———————–
That won’t go down well with fans.Remember this.
Mind you, that was tame in comparison to the expletive-strewn invective directed towards Mike Ashley in the pitchfork-like gathering
outside the main door of the stadium in the 45 minutes leading up to kick-off.
The tea-time moves by Dave King to remove the current Rangers board members David Somers, James Easdale, Derek Llambias and Barry Leach by way of an EGM had done nothing to quell supporter rage over the willingness to give Ashley security over Ibrox and Murray Park in return for a £10 million loan available to them from larger shareholder groupings without these conditions.Despite the Antarctic conditions, an impressive turnout of around 400 descended on the barracked-off front door entrance in response to the call from the Union of Fans to vent their feelings over Ashley’s latest brazen, line-crossing manoeuvres.
After chants of ‘sack the board’, ‘we want our Rangers back, get out of our club…you thieving b******s, get out of our club’, sights were set on the Sports Direct (‘’yir havin’ a laugh’) owner. With venom and volume, the fulminating throng struck up cries of ‘fat Geordie b*****d’ before a realisation struck among some of those doing the growling that Ashley is from Buckinghamshire, just north of the River Thames. Rapidly then Geordie was dropped for Cockney, before they moved on to simply calling him a ‘w****r’, and from their segueing into exhortations for the Easdales to ‘get tae f***’.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/rangers/farcical-scenes-abound-in-insurrection-at-rangers-1-3664258
HIRSUTEPURSUITMARCH 5, 2017 at 10:09,
“For all of the clubs that are companies, there is no distinction whatsoever between shareholder/member/owner and operator/Club.”
This would entail that the SPFL were either lying, or ignorant of their own rules, when they confirmed a Sevco admin event would incur a 25 point penalty as a “second offence”. I would personally lean to the glib and shameless end of that dichotomy, given the individuals involved.
“And just to say again, I’m completely perplexed as to how Brechin City can be listed as a shareholder of the current SPFL when it is neither a person nor a corporate body.”
You make a good point here. I can only think that they choose not to list Joe Bloggs as a shareholder for the sake of the person’s own privacy.
Wee joke, … don’t know if it’ll be allowed.
(((ring))) (((ring))) ((ri ….. Hullo Hullo, Stuart Robertson M.D. speaking, …. ehhh ello ello sturtee, zees eez wee Padre Pedro here re zee beeg job at ibrokes, … fgs, whit dae you waant noo clown ?? …. well sturtee, eets like zeees , I know mees offer it too low last weeks, but me eez weelin to give yee £300 grands and no pay mee for lettings me be zee manager of zee tribute actors pleez … ohhh ehhhh, Pedro good buddy kin ah ring yi right back ??. brrrrrrr
(((ring))) … Hullo Hullo Dave, … yir never gonnie ‘n believe this ……………
with the negative press today towards Pedro Caixinha, by ex ibrox players and managers to me it looks like this appointment is not going to happen any time soon
HirsutePursuit
March 5, 2017 at 10:09
And just to say again, I’m completely perplexed as to how Brechin City can be listed as a shareholder of the current SPFL when it is neither a person nor a corporate body.——————————————————————————————————————–
Under the chairmanship of David Will, the then Scottish Football Association Vice-President and a future Vice-President of FIFA, ?
To follow follow on from above;
– £300K to get the TRFC job? Mibbees Pedro is a RRM after all?
&
– Level42 uninvolved / unpaid looks believable going by today’s MSM p!sh.
Feel sorry for Murty if he is in charge against CFC.
But who knows, it’s a funny old game and he could become a RRM hero overnight! At least nobody expects TRFC to get anything out of this game.
Does anybody think the compliance officer will be looking at Foderingham’s offence as the match officials missed it ? Is it in his remit ?
StevieBCMarch 5, 2017 at 15:47
____________________________________________________________
Ah! But what if Beaton is the referee though??
As if you didn’t already know, Ashley won’t be making any bid for TRFC.
Firstly, there are the dual ownership rules to consider
Secondly, he doesn’t need to do so in order to protect his interests, which lie in enforcing his contracts.
There is no plan to bring in extra finance to TRFC – only the debt for equity swap which is currently being avoided like the plague.
That should be the real newspaper headline. Why no share issue with preemption rights intact? Ashley story is yet another squirrel
Just caught this BBC Headline: “Large fire breaks out at Govan scrapyard”http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39174652 ….
It couldn’t be ‘you know where’, could it?
PROHIBBYMARCH 5, 2017 at 19:36
Just caught this BBC Headline: “Large fire breaks out at Govan scrapyard”http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39174652 ….It couldn’t be ‘you know where’, could it?
============================
It’s in a scrapyard very close to Ibrox.
BIG PINK
MARCH 5, 2017 at 19:09
=================================
Exactly, they could have a share issue any time they wanted, selling to existing shareholders. Converting existing debt to equity at the same time.
If it’s not happening one has to suspect that there is no desire to convert their money into shares in a worthless PLC.
I hope the water supply to the hydrants hasn’t been interfered with!
BIG PINKMARCH 5, 2017 at 19:09 3 Votes
As if you didn’t already know, Ashley won’t be making any bid for TRFC.
Firstly, there are the dual ownership rules to consider
Secondly, he doesn’t need to do so in order to protect his interests, which lie in enforcing his contracts.
There is no plan to bring in extra finance to TRFC – only the debt for equity swap which is currently being avoided like the plague.
That should be the real newspaper headline. Why no share issue with preemption rights intact? Ashley story is yet another squirrel
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I totally agree, but I do wonder who is releasing all these squirrels, none of which enhance King’s Messiah status.
Somebody is briefing against the Castlemilk born billionaire. The three bears? The Easdales? Maybe King briefing against himself as part of an exit strategy? Something is going on, that’s for sure.
Anyway, the ESJ has now joined in the Pedro fun. They are stating with great certainty that it’s a done deal, which will be unveiled in 48 hours. We’ll see.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/15134564.Pedro_Caixinha_has_already_been_told_he_has_got_the_job_as_Rangers_head_coach/?ref=mr&lp=8
NEEPHEIDMARCH 5, 2017 at 20:26 Anyway, the ESJ has now joined in the Pedro fun. They are stating with great certainty that it’s a done deal, which will be unveiled in 48 hours. We’ll see.
===============================
He may well be their new manager, who knows. However, the media are asking us to believe he will give up £2M a year for say, £350k at Ibrox. Add to that they say he will pay £300K out of his own money to make it happen.
UPTHEHOOPSMARCH 5, 2017 at 19:59
PROHIBBYMARCH 5, 2017 at 19:36 Just caught this BBC Headline: “Large fire breaks out at Govan scrapyard”http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39174652 ….It couldn’t be ‘you know where’, could it?
============================
It’s in a scrapyard very close to Ibrox
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
What a coincidence
A burning scrapyard next to a burning scrapyard
That’s what they get for putting Regan and Doncaster in charge of the “insurance job.”
Seriously, one thing I did notice today. The return of the transparent draw bowl!
Morning all. I think this week will be very busy in the TRFC fake news department. The Ashley story will continue to run and there will be a big production number if a new manager arrives.
The match with Celtic will also provide a badly needed raising of the noise floor, although that could backfire depending on the result.
As of now, the TRFC/RIFC board have been powerless to raise the money they need to do more than just stand still. They know that the current situation is simply unsustainable. My guess is that this would explain the Ashley story. The non-King faction on the board are looking to soften the fans up in advance of them appealing to Big Mike for help.
I have no way of knowing whether any appeal would be heard sympathetically, but I think it is the correct play. What has to be sold to the Rangers fans is the reality that even a tough bargain with Ashley is better than the existential threat that increases daily as long as the current regime stays in control.
Might also be worth their while considering that a successful TRFC is of more value to Ashley than one languishing in mediocrity.
Whilst I agree with the general point BP you also argue the same applies to Newcastle.
NEEPHEID
MARCH 5, 2017 at 20:26
I totally agree, but I do wonder who is releasing all these squirrels, none of which enhance King’s Messiah status. Somebody is briefing against the Castlemilk born billionaire. The three bears? The Easdales? Maybe King briefing against himself as part of an exit strategy? Something is going on, that’s for sure.
—————————————————-
Not squirrels, but ferrets (of the ‘reverse’ variety):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_ferret
It may just be down to circulation wars/numbers: the ongoing DCK narrative has stopped working/selling/getting sufficient clicks, so try another angle & see if sales/hits increase in the short term…
Ooops. Apologies BP. Should read you could also…
However what should be noted is that Newcastle in the Championship are still attracting an average crowd of 51,058 in a 52,354 capacity stadium.
What Ashley needs is a solid and loyal support with folks filling stadiums and buying merchandise regardless of league position and trophies in the cabinet.
I suspect this, as apparently being a non football supporting Southerner, was one of the reasons he chose Newcastle on the basis of the loyalty of fans and their desire to put on a club shirt etc.
His involvement in T’Rangers will be based on similar factors. He may not have factored in the Bears propensity to self harm but my guess is he is still happy with the apparent water tight deal he has, albeit income for him and the club itself could be higher if more folks bought shirts etc.
You know when someone says something that makes their agenda clear…
Note: the spelling and grammar belong to one Keech Jackson at the DR.
‘Yes, King’s board is far from perfect. But nothing should enhance the popularity, credibility and reputation of the current regime more than the dark shadow of Bike Mike on the front steps of Edmiston Drive.’
He forgets to add, of course, that nothing would enhance the TRFC bank balance more than the arrival of ‘Bike’ Mike and his men in the Ibrox boardroom! While the popularity of the current board might rise with Mike Ashley’s reappearance in the Ibrox farce, I cannot see how it could enhance their credibility and reputation; for, if they win, ie Bike Mike goes away, it will have cost them money and they’d still be in the same position they are in now, with mounting court cases to come and one against the man they’d just ‘sent packing’ on his Mike Bike, no doubt!
Hence my comment WOTTPI.
To what extent could you ‘milk’ Rangers by funding them to be perennial also-rans. Would the cost benefit equation of that be better than funding the return to the top myth? You could convert the myth into reality of course but his experience at Newcastle doesn’t lend itself to that particular avenue being chosen apart from, possibly, in cup competitions. (But then he didn’t have the liquidation Ctrl+Alt+Del facility at his disposal in England of course!
)
As I frequently scream at the radio which I acknowledge is a disturbing new trend they don’t NEED to be a close second (relative to 1st) they just NEED to be a comfortable 2nd (relative to 3rd). What costs would they save by slackening off the chase (and I mean financially, obviously the PR would continue unabated and, apparently, on a voluntary basis anyway) relative to what income would be forgone?
History also tells me that uber dominant sides don’t tend to continue to be uber dominant. Despite some ill advised claims of hovering casinos instead they tend to simply up the dividend and reduce the transfer budget until such time as your competition re-engages whilst you remain just out of reach. That in itself tends to increase your own bottom line once more and if they benefit too what’s not to like?
Im no sports conglomerate CEO but it strikes me that would be the better, more cost effective holding position for an Ashley led TRFC whilst he awaits some kind of TV euro league bail out that puts EPL-level value back into his brands (Sports Direct and TRFC).
BBC Highlights
Am I imagining this or has it always been so?
I always thought that highlights of a match were simply a cut and paste job from the full live video and live commentary on whatever channel was showing the match
Not so for the TRC Hamilton match
The comments before and after the Goalie handling outside the box and the Garnier boot in the backside are distinctly different from what I remember being said e.g. No mention in the commentary of the pause after the foul was whistled followed by a decision by the Ref to speak to the linesman before giving JG a yellow card. In the live video the Linesman is 20yds to the left of the incident when it happened and at least 30yds to the right and running fast while he is being spoken to by the Ref
Do the BBC create a running commentary of their own for matches screen on Sky?
Or is this just old age again?
BBC Highlights
Am I imagining this or has it always been so?
I always thought that highlights of a match were simply a cut and paste job from the full live video and live commentary on whatever channel was showing the match
Not so for the TRC Hamilton match
The comments before and after the Goalie handling outside the box and the Garnier boot in the backside are distinctly different from what I remember being said e.g. No evidence in the commentary of a pause after the foul was whistled followed by a decision by the Ref to speak to the linesman before giving JG a yellow card. In the live video the Linesman is 20yds to the left of the incident when it happened and at least 30yds to the right and running fast to the right while he is being spoken to by the Ref
Do the BBC create a running commentary of their own for matches screen on Sky?
Or is this just old age again?
Sorry, hit send too quickly. Meant to add at the end…
that of course it also helps if you’re working an 80-20 money split model where CFC and RFC* take 80% of the cash (roughly 40% each to match their fan bases) that that nice compliant Mr Doncaster comes up with a cunning ruse whereby the 20% ‘scraps from the table’ are further diluted into a plucky second thanks for trying prize that reflects their efforts at overcoming number 1. Nice for the 2nd place club and as above it also benefits the otherwise increasingly complacent, lethargic winner. But it does precisely nothing for positions 3 through 12.
Who would come up with a such a ridiculous wheeze!
So, it looks highly unlikely that TRFC will have a new manager in place before Sunday – never mind a Director of Football.
Murty will have to do the best he can, with what he has available.
And if/when a new manager arrives, then Murty’s own position could be [?] in doubt – as a new broom likes to bring in his own people.
So, now would be the best / only time for Murty to negotiate with an advantage?
Demand something now – in writing / in triplicate / witnessed by several lawyers – before the CFC game.
Like an improved contract for x years, or at least a significant, one-off bonus payment for holding the fort temporarily ?
…with the implied threat that you will do walking away, immediately.
But, if the ‘rangersitis’ runs deep, then Murty will just do as told, and accept whatever from the Blue Room.
If TRFC loses, then it will be all Murty’s fault anyway…
If you are at risk of being always remembered as “that numpty Murty who lost us that cup game against Celtic X-0”, then you may as well be fully recompensed for shredding your reputation in the game, whilst doing TRFC a huge favour.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-football-s-sectarianism-denial-exposed-in-report-1-4384322
I’m sure that the Press Officers at the SFA & SPFL are currently drafting their rebuttals (not!).
Steviebc -you forget the Kingco interpretation that any implied walking away means that you are resigned several days after – I guess immediately after the Celtic Match when your resignation will be with extreme prejudice.
Had a few pints with John and some of his TRFC – supporting mates last night , and they are of the opinion that the new manager should be given the same team budget as Aberdeen so he can show his mettle by beating their league position , before being entrusted with the warchest . A much more sensible outlook, in my opinion .
Eye catching headline from the Scottish Sun;
“METHOD MAN Pedro Caixinha plans to follow the example of Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho and bring methodologist to Rangers”
You would think that it’s a done deal then, as Pedro is now discussing the detail around his ‘imminent move to Ibrox’
But his quotes have been rehashed from an interview, 2 YEARS AGO;
“…And, in an interview when he was manager of Santos Laguna in Mexico two years ago…”
Pretty desperate stuff, even for the SMSM.
oh dear. I take it Spiers and Jackson haven’t had ‘the memo.’ They’re asking Richard Wilson to justify Xinha(sp) and so far he’s come up with “He’s different”
Had to laugh. Wilson went on the offensive asking “have any of you spoken to anyone in Mexico?” (And just as an aside lads, as journalists don’t you think that might have been an idea?).
But to his credit Jackson replies “Have Rangers?”
PADDY MALARKEYMARCH 5, 2017 at 18:15
Does anybody think the compliance officer will be looking at Foderingham’s offence as the match officials missed it ? Is it in his remit ?
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Don`t see why not.
TV evidence can be ignored when it suits
For Example.
SFA website
Compliance update: Meekings
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
The Compliance Officer has issued the following Notice of Complaint: Alleged Party in Breach: Josh Meekings (Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC) Match: Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Celtic (Scottish Cup) – Sunday, 19th April 2015 Disciplinary Rule(s) allegedly breached: Disciplinary Rule 200: In that at the above match you did deny the opposing team an obvious goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball Fixed Suspension offer: Yes – one match (within the Scottish Cup)
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Judicial Panel outcome: Meekings
Thursday, 23 April 2015
Alleged Party in Breach: Josh Meekings (Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC)
Match: Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Celtic (Scottish Cup) – Sunday, 19th April 2015
Disciplinary Rule(s) allegedly breached:
Disciplinary Rule 200: In that at the above match you did deny the opposing team an obvious goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball
Outcome: Notice of Complaint dismissed and no suspension applied.
GOOSYGOOSYMARCH 6, 2017 at 20:05 10 Votes
Given his previous bloody nose, that’ll be a “naw” then .
StevieBC
METHOD MAN Pedro Caixinha plans to follow the example of Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho and bring methodologist ⛪to Rangers”
I get the feeling that the peeple won’t take to kindly to one of these new fangled religious cults being introduced to the establishment! what next before you know it they’ll be signing a Catholic manager, players wearing green boots and wee Nicola as guest of honour when they unveil the new roofs ??
Since it’s quiet, ……
Can you imagine the interview of Padre Pedro for TRFCL 2012 job ??, …
Bloo room: …. knock knock, ….come in Pedro, …
Good morning Pedro, nice to see you my good friend, … I’m Dave, and this is Mr Robertson, Mr Murray, and Mr Parks, … ello ello evree bodys, eet’s very nize to meets weet you alls, … Well Pedro, I’ve good news for you, … yi’ve goat the job, …. oh muchos gracias hombre King you weel never regrets zees, … Ok Pedro, now that’s over, there’s that little matter of you giving us £300 grand for giving you the job, …… £300 grands for zee jobby ??? … eez you feekeeng mad ??? …… yeez wonna £300 grands from me ??? …. mama mia !! … pleez stick zee jobby where eet hurt. … Adios amigos, me see you in zee court !!! ….. me’s ofskis.
In a week when we await the fates of Sevco and Rangers both on and off the park the SMSM are going into interstellar overdrive. Last night’s BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound actually managed to out-lamb Radio Clyde in its staunchness. Kenny McIntyre was joined by Graham Spiers, Keith Jackson and Richard Wilson. So far so staunch but in accordance with the rule that you’re inquorate without an EBT Beneficiary Stephen Thompson joined in on the telephone. In common with every other EBT Beneficiary who has rocked up on Radio, TV and in the press he was asked zero questions about EBTs.
Following the sad news of Billy McNeill’s ill health and the sadder news of Tommy Gemmell’s death I noted Brendan Rodgers expressed the view that the Lisbon Lions should have Knighthoods bestowed upon them. I think that this is one of the few occasions Brendan Rodgers has got the mood of the average fan wrong. My view is that the majority of fans have less of an appetite for adding to the number of persons who can put “Sir” before their name than they have for the removal of the entitlement of one person who already does.
If the outcome of the EBT Appeal is as it ought to be I look forward to wall to wall press interviews with Mr David Auchenhowie.
Even if this were not so I also get the feeling that men of the standing of Stein, Fallon and Mochan and each and every one of the men on the park that day would have little or no truck with any trinket or bauble the Honours System has to offer.
Celtic do not have the same Level of neediness to issue Statement upon Statement but I think this time one is called for.
The Statement would be a blatant plagiarisation of the Treasure Of The Sierra Madre /Blazing Saddles and would be best delivered by Bertie Auld.
“Knighthoods? We don’t need no stinking Knighthoods!”
I may be confused but was big Jock not awarded or appointed a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) and I believe may well have been knighted if not for that intercontinental cup match against racing club I may not have known the great man personally but I believe he probably would have accepted.
LUGOSIMarch 7, 2017 at 09:24
‘…..“Knighthoods? We don’t need no stinking Knighthoods!”.’
________
We surely don’t, LUGOSI, but we got a brammer in SDM!
Latest DR keech, from Keef;
“…And while [Pedro’s] appointment hangs in the balance the club’s hunt for a director of football is also dragging on far longer than anticipated.
…
Sources [Level42?] say Wilson is now highly unlikely to be talked into leaving his position at St Mary’s leaving Rangers to consider alternative options, including Spurs star-finder Paul Mitchell who last night left his post at White Hart Lane…”
======================================
Absolute b*llox, again, IMO.
So we are led to believe that TRFC are happy to rather hastily appoint a relative unknown, foreign manager, and then later appoint a Director of Football ?
What if it later becomes painfully obvious that the DoF will not/cannot work with his direct report – who wasn’t the DoF’s choice anyway ?!
I’d wager on Murty to the end of the season, unless they can get in McLeish or someone else on the cheap/pro bono until May.
[And the quoted odds of a TRFC win over CFC @ 7/1 look tempting, but a draw ‘could’ be achievable – if they park the Park’s of Hamilton bus across the six yard line, and time waste / feign injury at every possible opportunity ?]
And does Keef never ask any questions of “his sources” ?
I can’t get my head around some of the stories (and they seem to be just that) which appear in the SMSM.
Take the Barrie Mackay Leipzig story. The only two explanations that I can arrive at are that either;
a) The journalist was given a bum steer by someone ‘in the know’ that they trusted was giving them a juicy exclusive
b) The journalist knew that they were writing absolute rubbish but wrote it anyway – but I can’t get my head around that. I can’t accept that a journalist would put their name to something that they knew had no chance of happening (professional integrity and all that) or is that just me being completely naive?
It now looks like history is repeating itself now with the Caixinha story. Again, either someone gave the journalist another juicy ‘exclusive’ or it’s another example of knowingly printing rubbish.
I just don’t get it… In an environment where the sales of traditional newspapers is dwindling, why would you print fantasy stories? It’s just meat and drink to all the internet bampots who can use these stories as another example of how people are being failed by the SMSM.
And equally, I don’t believe the stories that these stories are being generated at a certain Level. Again, why would any self-respecting journalist just copy/ paste stuff that they know would be untrue?
Or does it all come down to money? Is there some financial benefit to writing this stuff (they do say that the simplest explanation is usually correct).
Answers on a postcard…
THE_STEED
MARCH 7, 2017 at 15:06
“…
Again, why would any self-respecting journalist just copy/ paste stuff that they know would be untrue?…”
============================
Think you may have just answered that conundrum yourself, The Steed.
Could it also be the grabbing of anything available, whilst in the death throes of an obsolete news medium ?
…or simply that the Scottish sports ‘journo’s’ are just not that bright?
I blame the schools.
STEVIEBC
And does Keef never ask any questions of “his sources” ?
because his source is jim traynor
SHUGMARCH 7, 2017 at 10:13
I may be confused but was big Jock not awarded or appointed a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) and I believe may well have been knighted if not for that intercontinental cup match against racing club I may not have known the great man personally but I believe he probably would have accepted.
=====================================================
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Jock+Stein+-+Why+no+Knighthood%3F
This link is worth a read.
What worth is a Knighthood anyway? You can get one for throwing over 100,000 miners and steelworkers on the financial scrapheap. You can get one for fleecing the Bank of Scotland out of hundreds of millions that was never paid back. However, you can’t get one for what big Jock achieved. Worse still, you can have the prefix ‘Sir’ put in front of your name by many of the Scottish football media even though you have not been knighted at all. What you can’t have though is the status of greatness Jock Stein holds in history.
UTH,
sorry. Don’t understand last bit. To which non knighted Sir do you refer?
@ SMUGAS:
‘Shur’ Wattie d’Cardigan…
SMUGASMARCH 7, 2017 at 19:01
UTH,
sorry. Don’t understand last bit. To which non knighted Sir do you refer?
================
Many football writers often describe Walter Smith as ‘Sir’ Walter Smith. I saw Graham Spiers do it very recently. Personally I believe were it not for the fact Jock Stein was never knighted that Walter Smith would almost certainly have received one. I don’t think his achievements merit one, but he is tailor made for such an honour in so many other ways.
I genuinely have never seen Wattie described that way.
Smug as
Here is one example, maybe not quite what you were alluding to but an example none the less.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/arise-sir-walter-smith-german-1072000
Regarding the upcoming Glasgow Derby, I hope there is no trouble. Hope Bobby Madden has a good day. And I honestly want to see how old Clint Hill is going to manage against Moussa Dembele. Should be interesting.
One for next week’s diary
James Doleman @jamesdoleman Supreme Court hearings are streamed live here https://www.supremecourt.uk/live/court-01.html … We can all live tweet the Rangers Tax case!
I cant wait on the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling. If this doesn’t go the way I think it should I will be devastated. It’s not simply a Rangers thing. They were tax cheats. I paid tax for nearly 50 years. But yes they had an advantage over every other club in Scotland. I read elsewhere tonight that Stephen Thomson who lately ridiculed Brendan Rodgers received £3k pw into his bank account. In the normal running of things this should have cost Rangers £5k. But they had no advantage? (LNS)
PAT BYRNEMARCH 7, 2017 at 23:47
Smug asHere is one example, maybe not quite what you were alluding to but an example none the less.http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/arise-sir-walter-smith-german-1072000
====================================================
Here is another recent example from Twitter. The most common way I’ve seen it described in the past is ‘Sir’ Walter.
Let this sink in in 7 days this is in court
I’ve been a little bit distracted this last couple of days -daughter-in-law rushed into hospital, with ensuing panic and bewilderment. Happily, out of danger now, and panic over.
And I can catch up on the blog.
And I particularly caught up with the fact that I have not yet received a reply from UKAD (Uk anti-doping) to my questions to them.
So, I have sent this email to them:
” Dear UK Anti-Doping,
I wonder when I might receive a reply to my email of 15 February , receipt of which was acknowledged on the same date with an assurance that it would be referred to the ‘appropriate team’?
I, of course ,appreciate that with so many Sports now having the integrity not only of individual competitors but of their very ruling bodies, questioned, there must be a severe strain on an under-funded watch-dog agency.
However, I would not have thought that to answer such simple questions as I asked would require much in the way of bureaucratic effort or time.
Those questions were indeed simple:Did the Scottish Football Association ever receive funding from UKAD, and if so, has that funding been discontinued, and if so, on what grounds?
Yours in the need to ensure that Sport is Clean….
[me] ”
The point of this is that it appears to me that the SFA , trying to defend their utter failure to check routinely on a proper and proportionate scale whether players were using drugs to enhance their performance , lied in suggesting that their funding from UKAD had been cut.
I believe that they never had any funding from UKAD.
I know that they lied in creating the Big nonsensical Lie that TRFC are the Rangers of 1872.
I know that they lied to UEFA to ensure that SDM’s Rangers got an unentitled chance( which they blew) to get a few million quid to try to save that b.s.a.rd cheat’s skin.
I believe that they will resort,and have resorted, to all kinds of chicanery and cheating devices to ‘defend’ themselves.
We have all read their weasel words.
We have seen the arrogance of the blazers in virtually asserting that Scottish Football is so clean that drug tests aren’t needed, and their whining that their ‘funding’ from UKAD has been cut so that their drug-testing capacity has been weakened.
As I say, I believe that they never feckin well ever had funding from UKAD in the first place.
And I expect UKAD to confirm that.
And show the SFA yet again to be prone to lying.
And that’s the thing: if an organisation lies once, in effect it lies forever.
The SFA as a Sport’s legislative and regulatory body, is a busted flush.
It cheated and lied to help a cheat and a liar, and continues to lie to help other cheats and , note, a particular g..b and sha.m.l.ss liar.
Apologies in advance: can’t help myself!
Latest mince from Keef;
“Rangers target Pedro Caixinha takes charge of RESERVES in desert as compensation wrangle stalls Ibrox deal
…
But [Pedro] was still holed up on the Persian Gulf last night having agreed to take charge of today’s Al-Gharafa’s reserves for a game against league rivals Umm Salal…”
================================
Cutting through the BS, and the “But our source said…”, it simply looks like Pedro is just continuing with his normal, managerial duties at his own club.
And you would think that Keef would have learned his lesson when he copy/pasted ‘wealth off the radar’ ?
If you keep repeating the same mistake expecting a different outcome…
StevieBC
Surely him carrying on normal duties until Friday is just indicative of him having resigned on the preceding Monday no?
SMUGAS
MARCH 8, 2017 at 15:53
StevieBC
Surely him carrying on normal duties until Friday is just indicative of him having resigned on the preceding Monday no?
======================================
D’oh!
You are of course – absolutely – correct SMUGAS.
Still trying to get my head around TRFC’s unique style of resigning / sacking / recruiting.
Dave King “Naw Paul, that’s no what ah meant. Ah said, dae ye huv any suggestions fur catarrh !!”
“Dunfermline have had three points deducted and a result reversed after fielding an ineligible player in a Development League match…………….
it seems that the SPFL are taking a much harder view of fielding ineligible players than the SPL and SFA.From 2001 until 2011 Rangers (IL) were paying the majority of their players through an EBT scheme which hadn’t been registered with the football authorities. Despite multiple breaches the club was fined £250,000 with no points deduction or results reversed.
According to the rules all details of player payments must be registered with the SFA and SPL.”
(Joe McHugh, video Celts)
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11788/10794957/ally-mccoist-slams-new-rangers-role-of-director-of-football
Ooffftttt !!!!
PORTBHOYMARCH 8, 2017 at 20:52 Walter Smith, Jose Mourinho or Alex Ferguson….Dear God.
—————–
Clearly, I do not want the club to go down the route they did before, through administration and liquidation, but at that particular time I know for a fact the debt they had at the club was manageable……..oh dear God.
Cluster OneMarch 8, 2017 at 21:39
PORTBHOYMARCH 8, 2017 at 20:52 Walter Smith, Jose Mourinho or Alex Ferguson….Dear God.—————–Clearly, I do not want the club to go down the route they did before, through administration and liquidation, but at that particular time I know for a fact the debt they had at the club was manageable……..oh dear God.
__________________
No doubt the debt was manageable, but not for Rangers! If Celtic had had the same attitude to financing success, I’m sure they, too, would have found it unmanageable.
It would appear Mr McCoist believes that it is only as a result of their death that Rangers are awaiting the result of their appeal in a massive tax evasion case, and so would not have had to find the money to meet that as well as the umpteen million they already owe! It’s as if he’s been asleep for the past 6 years and has just awakened thinking it was only Craig Whyte’s mismanagement that led to the liquidation of Rangers Football Club!
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11788/10794957/ally-mccoist-slams-new-rangers-role-of-director-of-football
There is definetly something wrong with their fans still believe in fairies. Minty gave them moonbeams,Warbo had his magic hat and Ally is suggesting DOF might have to use his magic wand.
I think the new mangager will be in place next week and will be the guy in the image
PORTBHOY
MARCH 8, 2017 at 20:52
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11788/10794957/ally-mccoist-slams-new-rangers-role-of-director-of-football Ooffftttt !!!!
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It`s now just over 2 yrs since McCoist gave TRFC 12months notice of his resignation
And
Since he didn`t serve the full notice period it`s very likely his compromise agreement included a gagging clause
So
What`s interesting about this interview is the timing of his attack on the Board.
Has a two year gagging clause expired?
If so
Is his book ready for publishing ………….with the inside story about to be trailed in the English press?
Or
Is he a front man for a PR campaign to oust the current Board?
Either way
McCoist could be setting himself up as the go to man for the English media for informed opinion about the TRFC situ
McCoist? Who cares what he has to say. “Who are these people?” Lies lies lies – and it was proven! And the resultant provoked disruption against Raith Rovers. Despicable man. Even TRFC fans have little time for him now. As some have said, go back to cheap time telly.
BIGBOAB1916MARCH 8, 2017 at 22:33
I’ve not seen a Lionbrand chapéu mágico yet , but early days . I think we need a rule that treats managers/coaches the same as players, in that there should be a window where you can bring in a new one, rather than the free-for all we have now .
One would also have expected the critical comment to McCoists “where’s the money” conundrum
Because you spent it beating Montrose et al!
Shoorly no’ !!!
https://i.imgflip.com/1l2ddm.jpg
Scotsman
Pedro Caixinha to be named new Rangers manager on Friday
Rangers will announce Pedro Caixinha as their new manager on Friday but he will not be in charge for Sunday’s match against Celtic. The Ibrox club’s bid to bring Caixinha to Scotland has been protracted affair but he has now been granted permission to join Rangers by his current club, Al-Gharafa of Qatar. Compensation is still to be agreed, however, and caretaker boss Graeme Murty will remain in charge for the Celtic game
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
For TRFC to announce a new manager on Friday they have to agree compensation before the time of that announcement on Friday
The timing of that agreement requires the cooperation of Al-Gharafa. Therefore for the above statement to be truthful TRFC must have already agreed with Al-Gharafa that they will reach an agreement by Friday at the latest.
This is nonsense
Setting a deadline for an agreement is bad for both parties. When it does happen it has generally been imposed by a 3rd party
TRFC could only guarantee to reach an agreement by a fixed date if they are committed in advance to accepting Al-Gharafa terms as they stand now
Likewise
Al-Gharafa would not guarantee to reach an agreement by a fixed date since that weakens their negotiating position
So the report is untruthful
What`s the truth?
Assuming genuine negotiations are actually taking place about genuine compensation that will actually be paid
Then
Where are the pictures of an earnest TRFC Director jetting off to Qatar to clinch the deal?
Are they really suggesting they can negotiate with Arabs over the phone?
Nope
There is a problem agreeing the amount of compensation and /or how it will be paid.
This problem will not be resolved until next week at the earliest
It may never be resolved.
But Hey Ho
That’s another week gone by without pitchforks at the door
So most likely what we are witnessing is yet another exercise in deceiving the gullibilles
……with the full cooperation of the SMSM
Seriously guys, … and Ms Brodie, ….
Is this same ghuy t’rangers have been chasing for a while now ???
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/696218/watch-rangers-manager-pedro-caixinha-congratulate-celtic-brothers-title/
https://twitter.com/ClubSantosEn/status/594619398112968704
I do not think he will be arriving anytime soon his credentials will send them potty.
https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/594619204080259072/pu/img/53GRqHY4gBBWrJr5.jpg
http://www.theoffshoregame.net/sfa-admits-it-did-know-about-rangers-unlawful-tax-avoidance-scheme-at-time-of-nimmo-smith-inquiry/
From “The Offshore Game”.