UEFA Club Licensing. – To Comply or not to Comply ?
On 16 April 2018 The UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) adjudicatory chamber took decisions in the cases of four clubs that had been referred to it by the CFCB chief investigator, concerning the non-fulfilment of the club licensing criteria defined in the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.
Such criteria must be complied with by the clubs in order to be granted the licence required to enter the UEFA club competitions.
The cases of two clubs::
Olympique des Alpes SA (Sion Switzerland )
and
FC Irtysh (Kazakhstan)
are of particular interest to those following the events under which the SFA awarded a UEFA License to Rangers FC in 2011 currently under investigation by the SFA Compliance Officer because
- The case documentation tell us how UEFA wish national associations to apply UEFA FFP rules
- The cases tell us what might have happened to Rangers FC in 2012 had they not gone into liquidation and as a consequence avoided the same type of sanctions that UEFA applied to Sion and Irtysh.
FC Sion (Olympique des Alpes SA)
Here we are told how the Swiss FL and then the UEFA CFCB acted in respect of FC Sion in 2017 where a misleading statement was made in the Sion UEFA licensing application.
Full details can be read at
but this is a summary.
In April 2017 the Swiss FL (SFL) granted a licence to Sion FC but indicated that a Disciplinary case was pending.
In July 2017 the CFCB, as part of their licence auditing programme, carried out a compliance audit on 3 clubs to determine if licences had been properly awarded. Sion was one of those clubs.
The subsequent audit by Deloitte LLP discovered Sion had an overdue payable on a player, amounting to €950,000, owed to another football club (FC Sochaux ) at 31st March 2017 as a result of a transfer undertaken by Sion before 31st December 2016, although the €950,000 was paid in early June 2017.
Deloitte produced a draft report of their findings that was passed to SFL and Sion for comment on factual accuracy and comment on the findings. Sion responded quickly enabling Deloitte to present a final report to the CFCB Investigation Unit. In response to the Deloitte final report Sion stated:
“il apparaît aujourd’hui qu’il existait bel et bien un engagement impayé découlant d’une activité de transfert. Ce point est admis” translated as
“it now appears that there was indeed an outstanding commitment arising from transfer activity. This is admitted”
What emerged as the investigation proceeded was that the Swiss FL Licensing Committee, after granting the license in April and as a result of a Sochaux complaint of non-payment to FIFA, had reason to refer Sion’s application to their Disciplinary Commission in May 2017 with regard to the submission of potentially misleading information by FC Sion to the SFL on 7th April 2017 as part of its licensing documentation.
Sion had declared
“Written confirmation: no overdue payables arising from transfer activities”, signed by the Club’s president, stating that as at 31 March 2017 there were no overdue payables towards other football clubs. In particular, the Club indicated that the case between FC Sion and FC Sochaux regarding the transfer of the player Ishmael Yartey was still under dispute.
The SFL Disciplinary Commission came to the conclusion that FC Sion had no intention to mislead the SFL, but indeed submitted some incorrect licensing documentation; the SFL Disciplinary Commission further confirmed that the total amount of €950,000 had been paid by the Club to FC Sochaux on 7 June 2017. Because of the inaccurate information submitted, the SFL Disciplinary Commission decided to impose a fine of CHF 8,000 on the Club.
Whilst this satisfied the SFL Disciplinary process the CFCB deemed it not enough to justify the granting of the licence as UEFA intended their FFP rules to be applied.
Sion provided the CFCB with a number of reasons on the basis of which no sanction should be imposed. In particular, the Club admitted that there was an overdue payable as at 31 March 2017, but stated that the mistake in the document dated 7 April 2017 was the result of a misinterpretation by the club’s responsible person for dealing with the licence (the “Club’s licence manager”), who is not a lawyer. The Club affirmed that it never had the intention to conceal the information and had provisioned the amount due for payment and that, in any case, it has already been sanctioned by the SFL for providing the wrong information.
The CFCB Investigation Unit accepted that the Sion application, although inaccurate, was a one off misrepresentation and not a forgery, (as in intended to deceive ) but that nevertheless an overdue payable did exist at 31st March and a licence should not have been granted.
Based on their findings, the CFCB Chief Investigator decided to refer the case to the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber and suggested a disciplinary measure to be imposed on FC Sion by the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber, such measure consisting of a fine of €235,000, corresponding to the UEFA Revenues the Club gained by participating in the 2017/2018 UEFA Europa League.
The CFCB Investigatory Chamber submitted that it was appropriate to impose a fine corresponding to all the UEFA revenues the Club gained by participating in the competition considering the fact that FC Sion should not have been admitted to the competition for failing to meet one of its admission criteria.
The Adjudicatory Chambers took all the circumstances (see paras 91 to 120 at http://tiny.cc/i8sxsy ) into consideration and reached the following key decisions.
- FC Sion failed to satisfy the requirements of Article 49(1) of the CL&FFP Regulations and it obtained the licence issued by the SFL not in accordance with the CL&FFP Regulations.
- FC Sion breached Articles 13(1) and 43(1)(i) of the CL&FFP Regulations. (Documents complete and correct)
- To exclude FC Sion from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next two (2) seasons (i.e. the 2018/19 and 2019/20).
- To impose a fine of two hundred and thirty five thousand Euros (€235,000) on FC Sion.
- FC Sion is to pay three thousand Euros (€3,000) towards the costs of these proceedings.
Comment in respect of the award of a UEFA Licence in 2011 to Rangers FC.
It is now public knowledge that an actual liability of tax due before 31stDecember 2010 towards HMRC, was admitted by Rangers FC before 31st March 2011.
This liability was described as “potential” in Rangers Interim accounts audited by Grant Thornton.
“Note 1: The exceptional item reflects a provision for a potential tax liability in relation to a Discounted Option Scheme associated with player contributions between 1999 and 2003. A provision for interest of £0.9m has also been included within the interest charge.”
The English Oxford Dictionary definition of potential is:
Having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future.
Which was not true as the liability had already been “developed” so could not be potential.
This was repeated by Chairman Alistair Johnson in his covering Interim Accounts statement
“The exceptional item reflects a provision for a potential tax liability in relation to a Discounted Option Scheme associated with player contributions between 1999 and 2003. “ where he also added
“Discussions are continuing with HMRC to establish a resolution to the assessments raised.”
This could be taken as disputing the liability but In fact the resolution to the assessments raised would have been payment of the actual liability, something that never happened.
In the Sion case it was accepted the misleading statement was a one off misrepresentation, but at the monitoring stages at June 2011 in Ranger’s case the status of the liability continued to be misrepresented and in September the continuing discussions reason was repeated, along with a claim of an instalment paid whose veracity is highly questionable.
The Swiss FL Licensing Committee did at least refer the case to their Disciplinary Committee when they realised a misleading statement might have been made. The SFA however in August 2011, when Sherriff Officers called at Ibrox for payment of the overdue tax , did no such thing and pulled up the drawbridge for six years, one that the Compliance Officer is now finally charged with lowering.
The case of FC Irtysh of Kazakhstan is set out in full at http://tiny.cc/y9sxsy and is a bit more straightforward but is nevertheless useful to compare with events in 2011 in Scotland.
Unlike Rangers FC , FC Irtysh properly disclosed that they had an overdue payable to the Kazakhstan tax authorities at the monitoring point at 30th June 2017. This caused the CFCB Investigatory Unit to seek further information with regard to the position at 31st March
It transpired that Irtysh had declared an overdue payable at 31st March but cited their financial position (awaiting sponsor money) as a reason for non payment to the Kazakhstan FA who accepted it and granted the licence. The outstanding tax was paid in September 2107.
The outcome of the CFCB Investigation was a case put to the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber who agreed with the CFCB Investigation Unit that a licence should not have been granted and recommended that Irtysh be fined the equivalent of the UEFA prize money, (that had been withheld in any case whilst CFCB investigated.)
The CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber however decided that a fine was not sufficient in sporting deterrent terms and ruled that:
- FC Irtysh failed to satisfy the requirements of Article 50bis(1) of the CL&FFP Regulations and it obtained the licence issued by the FFK not in accordance with the CL&FFP Regulations.
- To withhold four hundred and forty thousand Euros (€440,000) corresponding to the UEFA revenues FC Irtysh gained by participating in the 2017/2018 UEFA Europa League.
- To exclude FC Irtysh from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next three (3) seasons (i.e. the 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons). This sanction is deferred for a probationary period of (3) three years. This exclusion must be enforced in case the Club participates again in a UEFA club competition having not fulfilled the licence criteria required to obtain the UEFA licence in accordance with the CL&FFP Regulations.
- FC Irtysh is to pay three thousand Euros (€3,000) towards the costs of these proceedings. “
The deferral was because unlike Rangers FC, FC Irtysh had properly disclosed to the licensor the correct & accurate financial information required, so the exclusion was deferred for a probationary period of (3) years.
Comment in respect of the award of a UEFA Licence in 2011 to Rangers FC.
From the foregoing it could be deduced that had Rangers FC qualified for the Champions League (or European League) and not gone bust as a result and so not entered liquidation BUT it became public knowledge by 2012 that a licence had been wrongly and possibly fraudulently granted then
- Rangers would have been fined the equivalent of their earnings from their participation in the UEFA competitions in 2011
- At least a two year ban from UEFA Competitions would have been imposed, but more likely three in view of repeated incorrect statements.
- The consequences of both would have been as damaging for Rangers survival as the real life consequences of losing to Malmo and Maribor in the qualifying rounds of the Champions and European Leagues.
Karma eh!
Interestingly in the UEFA COMPLIANCE AND INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY REPORT 2015 – 2017 , the CFCB investigatory chamber recommended that both the Kazakhstan FA and Swiss FA as licensors
“pay particular attention to the adequate disclosure of the outstanding amounts payable towards other football clubs, in respect of employees and towards social/tax authorities, which must be disclosed separately;
Would the same recommendation apply to the Scottish FA with regard to their performance in 2011 and will the SFA responses thereafter to shareholders in a member club be examined for compliance with best governance practice by the SFA Compliance Officer investigating the processing of the UEFA Licence in 2011?
This would be a welcome step in fully restoring trust in the SFA.
slimjimMay 1, 2018 at 10:56BIGBOAB 1916 MAY 1 10.43 I take it that Rangers will be fined for not giving an interview post match. How much?
Sorry mate are you asking me a question or are you putting me down as that been my quote, if latter you might be best reading my quote at 10.43 no-one has mentioned any fine.
Admiral Murty of the Galactic entity Sevco will be remembered for the man who was the first, when in command of Sevco to, to take points off Celtic, a bit like when Armstrong, another Galactic pioneer, landed on the moon, the occassion never quite sank in until years had rolled by.
Nothing much at Court today.
I checked the sheets on the notice-board for all the judges sitting today. No mention of the CG case.
So I was free to wander into Lord Doherty’s court. It was on his sheet that the TOP’s petition appeared, along with a few other petitions.
I sat from 9.30 to 10.00, listening to some other case ( about a contract). Lord Doherty pronounced his decision, and left the Court room.
I spoke to the Clerk, who checked that the TOP petition was on his screen for Lord D to deal with, and that it was about DK/RIFC.
He could not tell ( i.e he didn’t know) the terms of the motion seeking interdict, but said that Lord D wouldn’t deal with the various petitions in the Court room, but just by himself as routine desk work, no attendance by lawyers being necessary.
He suggested that I go down to the Petitions Office to see if they could tell me any detail.
I did that, and the same young man with whom I had dealings last time, said he couldn’t tell me anything.
So, no further forward, speculation-wise.
But have a read at this:; “Yesterday saw businessman Paul MacKenzie sentenced to 10 months imprisonment after he repeatedly breached an interdict against him.An interdict, the Scottish equivalent to an injunction in England, is a court order which prohibits a person from acting in a specific way in breach of another’s legal rights. If an interdict is breached, possible punishments imposed by the court include a fine or imprisonment”
https://www.macroberts.com/breach-of-interdict-a-cautionary-tale/
It might be that obtaining interdict is the easiest way for the TOP to threaten jail for DK, and the quickest way to have the threat translated into action ( rather than try to have him arrested and tried for ‘contempt’)
And note that Lord Doherty jailed the guy, even though he had no previous record!
BIGBOAB MAY 1 11.24
It was a question.
slimjimMay 1, 2018 at 13:19BIGBOAB MAY 1 11.24 It was a question.
Well, in that case, no idea if they will fine them, even if its in the contract. I would, however, put a bet on at footballs other sponsors, that its a certaintity, that the SFA will probably do nothing.
I’ll just leave this here.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/premier-league/ranked-the-10-most-depressing-teams-to-support-in-britain-right-now/ss-AAwy3rR?ocid=spartanntp#image=11
SLIMJIMAPRIL 30, 2018 at 21:47
There were decent players on both sides . Maybe I’ve got a thing about refereeing , but the ref was poor and lacked control . Nothing to do with the big decisions he made , more the amount of dissent allowed from both sets of players and his lack of control at the set pieces – not measuring out the 10 yards and letting the wall move forward, letting players kick the ball away , etc . Well done to both teams , especially TRFC , for some of the best football seen at Firhill for a wee while .
PADDY MALARKEY MAY 1 14.14
I agree with you regarding last nights referee. Seemed to lack authority from the start and the players soon noticed they could do what they liked.
A lot of the credit for last night should go to Craig Mulholland who has overseen a total revamp of the entire academy structure. Some very talented players coming through from the U12s right up to the Development squad.
JOHN CLARK
MAY 1, 2018 at 12:35
Nothing much at Court today.
…
But have a read at this:; “Yesterday saw businessman Paul MacKenzie sentenced to 10 months imprisonment after he repeatedly breached an interdict against him.
…
And note that Lord Doherty jailed the guy, even though he had no previous record!
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Thanks for the latest Court Report JC.
And that is a real eye-opener.
UK courts seem to be increasingly reluctant to jail anybody these days – and if they do, it’s typically for an absurdly short sentence.
e.g. commit murder = plead guilty to culpable homicide = 10 year sentence [or less] = 5 years served with good behaviour = possible even earlier release with an ankle tag.
So, 10 months for a first offender – and for non-violent acts – is surprising, IMO.
Mibbees King will be considering to stay far away from the UK in future…?
StevieBCMay 1, 2018 at 15:33
‘…Mibbees King will be considering to stay far away from the UK in future…?’
_______________
This is where the question of extradition arrangements or lack thereof between the UK and South Africa arises.
If interdict is granted , and King still persists in refusing to take all reasonable steps to do what the Court order and Top required of him, TOP will have to press for his arrest.
He couldn’t then risk coming into Britain ( or, under the European arrest warrant procedure, into any member state of the EU): he’d be nabbed at passport control.
And I think it would be likely that the Crown Office would be urged to seek his extradition from S.A., ( which, if the SA Constitution allows it, they would probably be happy to agree to).
It’s too important a matter both for the TOP and the Scottish Courts, to allow King to dodge any penalty for defying both of them.
But perhaps King will accept that he would not be doing himself any favours by breaching interdict, if such is granted: and find a way to make the ‘offer’ and stop poncing about like some Don Quixote, tilting at windmills.
Paddy Power✔@paddypower
Graeme Murty has stood down as Rangers manager.
“Not arsed, pal. They’re f*cking dead anyway,” he said in a statement.
4:54 AM – May 1, 2018
=====================
Paddy Power✔@paddypower
Steven Gerrard is currently on his way to Ibrox, ignoring the dozens of ‘what the f*ck are you thinking of??’ texts he’s getting.
5:21 AM – May 1, 2018
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/05/01/the-murty-mess/
The ‘sacking’ announcement says they offered Murty a return to his role with the under-20s. Would that have the potential to save them paying him off if he chooses not to take that role again?
SlimJim
A lot of credit to both coaches ., but given the way CFC and TRFC hoover up the available talent , more credit to the wee teams who compete in the leagues against them .
Get treated like sh!t…for trying to help out your employer who is in a bind, [twice].
Sends out all the wrong signals both externally – and internally.
Which staff members would want to ‘go the extra mile’ for such an awful employer?
Dignity my @rse!
If as has been suggested elsewhere that agent Murty was not allowed near the dressing room before the game or during the halftime talk then who gave the instructions to the team ? (could it have been one of the guys now in charge for the last 3 games). If Sunday was the last straw for those in the blue room of dignity that’s a laugh dignity my E+++ why did they sack agent Murts ? his set up in the last game lost less goals. Sorry to all you Celtic minded folks but a 4th place finish for sevco and Motherwell to win the cup is my hope lmfao.
PADDY MALARKEY MAY1 17.46
Don’t have much knowledge about the Celtic team tbh. I do know they spend on average around 100k per age group, so a considerable investment.
One of the Rangers players from last night was signed for a fee of £38k when he was just 14.
Nice to see 1872 out and about in the community and supporting their local charities. A pity about Chris Graham been paid out of supporters money i wonder if funds ever go to other places you cannot just take over haunts and start taking money form the punters now can you?
CLUSTER ONE JANUARY 1, 2018 at 13:17 19 1 Rate This I hope 2018 is good to you all. ——– The appointment of jimmy Nicholl as assistant manager to Mr Murty is a strange one. We have been told that Mr Murty is in charge until the end of the season.What happens if a new manager is brought in? will he not want his own assistant manager? Has JN maybe been told the job is his? why else would he take a job that he may only be in for a couple of months.
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CLUSTER ONEJANUARY 7, 2018 at 11:37
25
0 Rate This
And if the new manager that comes in?what am i saying it will be Jimmy Nicholl.(you heard it here first)
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Ok can i claim that as an exclusive before anyone else calls it?
Seems the Stevie G deal is done .
SHUG
Alex O’Henley @OHenleyAlex1m
Steven Gerrard tells BT Sport he plans to have more talks with Rangers on Thursday.
SHUG
MAY 1, 2018 at 18:54
Seems the Stevie G deal is done .
::
::
TONY
MAY 1, 2018 at 19:07
Alex O’Henley @OHenleyAlex1mSteven Gerrard tells BT Sport he plans to have more talks with Rangers on Thursday.
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To quote Winston Churchill:
‘Now, this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.’
On Thursday, Gerrard & his associates will start to renegotiate anything & everything that has been agreed to this point. The result on Sunday & Murty’s removal (whether he co-operated or not) today completely change the landscape & actually strengthen Gerrard’s bargaining position.
Gerrard & Co. knew TRFC were desperate. Now, they know exactly how desperate that is. He holds all the aces. If he’s truly interested, I’m sure he’ll play them well.
See this is what happens when your aunt’s uncle knows a guy who works with a guy who knows a woman who knows the moose that lives in dave kings auld hoose who knows the squirrel that frequents ibrox tells you something.Lol
Jingso.Jimsie
May 1, 2018 at 19:23
_________________________________
With respect, please don’t ever quote Churchill. He was a very bad bas****.
I wonder where all this leaves Lee Wallace & Kenny Miller. Their suspensions have dragged on a bit as it is.
So what would they have to sort out.
Personal Terms
Management Team
Transfer Budget
Player Wages Budget
I’m sure there will be no issues with those and the new manager will be announced on Friday.
I have to ask again though, and I know it’s tedious, where is the money going to come from. As it stands it seems that debt is the only way. Certainly in the short term, as it is unlikely a share issue could be put together in short order.
Got it.
The existing creditors have decided that they don’t want repaid in worthless shares. They have therefore decided that they won’t do the conversion, in the hope that one day the club will be able to repay them with actual cash.
They will therefore have a share issue and the funds will actually go to the club. 100m shares at 25p would bring in £25m, minus expenses, paying off Close, money to see out the year etc. Let’s say that would leave £17m. There’s your transfer budget, and money for additional wages to attract the better players.
Now all you need is someone who does actually want to buy the worthless shares for 25p each.
“When you are in a hole, stop digging,” as no-one ever said at Ibrox. The TOP has today taken out an interdict against it’s chairman. They are over twenty million in debt, with no possible means of ever getting back on an even keel let alone starting to repay debt and their solution is to ignore all of the above and pile on mountains of debt. We have seen this movie before.
SLIMJIMMAY 1, 2018 at 17:58
I know absolutely nothing about either club’s youth set up or associated costs , but the numbers you quote just serve to highlight the imbalance in Scottish football finances . Some clubs couldn’t afford that £38k for a seasoned pro, let alone a child . And it wasn’t that long ago that there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when TRFC were priced out of transfer deals not too far removed from that figure . I also suspect that the wee clubs may be spending a greater proportion of their income on youth development than CFC and TRFC .
HOMUNCULUSMAY 1, 2018 at 20:00
So what would they have to sort out.
Personal TermsManagement TeamTransfer Budget Player Wages Budget
I’m sure there will be no issues with those and the new manager will be announced on Friday.
I have to ask again though, and I know it’s tedious, where is the money going to come from. As it stands it seems that debt is the only way. Certainly in the short term, as it is unlikely a share issue could be put together in short order.
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Unless there is more money to come from an as yet unknown source I reckon the pattern next season will be an all too familiar one. The season ticket and merchandising money will be gone by November and soft loans or secured borrowing will be required to see out the season.
UPTHEHOOPSMAY 1, 2018 at 20:42
Lets not forget that the ofishul accounts said T’Rangers already were needing £3.2m over and above their known income streams for season 2018/2019.
You have to assume that with decent corporate governance the sums that lead to that figure must have included an allowance for a rise in ticket prices, a prospective better kit deal etc etc.
We now know that Close Bros will expect their cash to be repaid from the season ticket money.
If Gerrard does come in and brings a half decent backroom staff then cost goes up.
Same if money is splashed on players. I doubt getting rid of deadwood and bringing in the type of calibre Gerrard will be looking for is a break even situation.
Costs will rise beyond what they are at present, which while unknown at this stage is likely to show another loss for this financial year.
Its all very well saying money will be found but from exactly where?
However I wouldn’t be surprised if some kind of rabbit is pulled from the hat once more.
wottpiMay 1, 2018 at 21:35 However I wouldn’t be surprised if some kind of rabbit is pulled from the hat once more.
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Phil’s reliable sources will let us know Shirley!!! You know, developing stories, rugger guy etc etc.
What we do know is that even finishing 2nd next season is not the target? Need to be back where they belong and stop Celtic in their tracks so no half measures on signings. Big budget required! Where the feck is it coming from? Need to be a big rabbit WOTTPI! Will SG be on board? Not if he is set up to fail so where will the dosh come from if a big chunk of 2018/19 season book income is already committed? Developing story.
And if TRFC finish high enough up the League and if they are given a licence and they negotiate umpteen rounds in far of places relying on their existing squad or one where the players do not know each other and if their potential marquee manager arrives in time to do all that starting in July and if they reach the Europa League stages and if they go on to win that giving entrance to the Champions League and if they progress through umpteen rounds to get to the Group stages all will be well
I believe the above is the published strategy of TRFC in at least some of the forthcoming five years.
All of that seems as likely as me becoming the next president of reunited Korea.
I find it interesting that folks ‘inside’ the game like pundits Michael Stewart and, earlier tonight, Jim Duffy both say T’Rangers need money but just can’t see where it is going to come from.
Yet at the same time ‘reporters’ just go along with the Ibrox PR blurb without following up with any difficult questions.
Hell even over on the Bears Den the T’Rangers fans are now asking those types of questions.
One wonders what is the current size of the gullible audience the red tops and others are catering for by continuing to keep their head in the sand.
paddy malarkeyMay 1, 2018 at 20:38
—-
It’s a small point, but 15 years ago Hearts paid £30k to a teenager to take him from a lower league club. Surprised me at the time, but that’s what happened.
The one that always got me, whilst the fans are sitting there reading about managers knocking back the job and managers beeen sacked and no stability and and the chaos they accept things like:
19th FebruaryRangers directors enjoy salary hike despite club posting rising losses Martin Williams Senior News ReporterThe overall pay packages of the Rangers’ two executive directors has risen by more than £60,000 in total on the year before, while the club made a net loss of £6.7 million last season.
BFBPUZZLED
MAY 1, 2018 at 22:11
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I assumed their figures for next year were predicated on no Progres in Europe.
Suppose there is a market for anything and plenty of gullibles who wil see an appeal to a wrapper.
I’m in Hull at the moment. Visited the memorial to Mick Ronson, one of Bowie’s Spiders from Mars. Afterwards went to see a ‘Banksie’ then dropped in to the nearby – and excellent – Whalebone Inn. The guys in there were all Hull City fans. I got chatting to one guy who has supported the team for 48 years but refuses to buy a season ticket for the first time ever this year (the price has doubled from £500 to over a grand this year.) I quipped at one point that I assumed that there were in fact no talks between McGregor and Sevco re him returning to keep goal for them. He told me categorically that I was wrong, talks had indeed taken place but came to an abrupt halt when the small matter of wages was discussed. Sevco dont have the money.
MACFURGLY
Were HoM destitute at the time ? In any financial straits ?
The financial gap between Celtic and Rangers isn’t something that can be filled by investors .
The numbers are so vast only a benefactor , who is prepared to write off their gifts , could provide a level platform
Based on the audited accounts of both to June 2017 the scale of the challenge for Rangers is very clear.
In addition the financial year to June 2018 will show a very significantly increased gap, as Celtic grow revenues, whilst receiving a 2nd half year boost to profitability from the Van Djik sell on fee.
Rangers meanwhile made disastrous decisions on recruitment which has increased costs and asset purchase for no benefit whatsoever
Celtic bring in £16 Million a year more than Rangers in gate receipts and hospitality. With Rangers already at maximum season ticket sales , there is no prospect of Celtic not maintaining a significant advantage
Celtic bring in £31 Million a year more than Rangers in the Broadcast and commercial area. Much of this is Champions League payments, which Celtic will have exclusive opportunity to access again for 2018-19
Celtic have mature well defined multiple channels for merchandising. They also have the benefit that success brings to this category. Rangers by contrast have D list kit suppliers , fans groups competing for the blue pound and no mature channel operation
What is required to compete
A manager of similar ability to Brendan Rodgers
A squad with a starting XI who could get a game for Celtic
That means spending at least an extra £1 M a year on a manager , and even then you need to get lucky
It means signing 11 new players . With an average wage of £1 million a year each and a transfer budget of £25 Million
So you need to increase wages by at least £12 million a year and fund a £25 million transfer budget . Given the wages need to be covered for 3 years , someone needs to commit to a circa £60 Million cash injection and that’s before funding the existing shortfall
That’s why INVESTORS aren’t the solution. The return on investment potential is negligible. Far more likely that you lose it all. The risk factor will deter any serious investor. RIFC have had 5 years of losing money and failing to meet shareholders expectations . Rangers need a benefactor. The problem is they have needed one for well over a decade and no such individual has appeared.
2018-19 at best might bring in EL group revenue of possibly £7 million . Therefore if Rangers get in a top class manager and spend as outlined the best they could hope for would be a £17 million loss to the year ended June 2019. However fail to make the EL Group stage and the loss could be well over £20 million. The notion that you can fund the required spend by selling existing squad players is absurd.
If they don’t win the league at the new managers first attempt then they face the same losses for the following year. No responsible board could contemplate that risk without the cash to cover it being IN PLACE , not based on a promise or a PR stunt.
Even if , and it’s the remotest of possibilities , somebody out there is prepared to launch £60 M at Rangers, the reality is that wouldn’t get them as good a squad as Celtic or as good a manager. There is more than ample historic, current and publicly available data for anyone to come to the same financial conclusions i’ve reached here.
The problem for Rangers is that their fans, or many of them, think instant success is possible. They think it’s just a matter of “someone” providing the cash.
The bigger problem for Rangers is that even if the “cold day in hell “ event occurs and they get hold of a huge gift of cash, Celtic are so well resourced that they could easily put themselves well beyond Rangers once again
The reality is that a far better plan is to employ a smart young manager and sign as many of the best young players that your budget will allow, whilst breaking even. That way a team could grow together, profits on the sale of the best of the young players could be reinvested whilst positioning yourself for any slip Celtic may make.
Which almost certainly means that this won’t be the route Rangers take……at least not with this board
BARCABBHOY:
Thanks for a perfect analysis of the reality of running a football business in the 21st century without the ability of a parent company to receive nearly £1 billion!!!!!!!!!! in loans from a compliant, disreputable bank manager.
The only solution I can see is for RIFC to write off all debt owed by TRFC and sell TRFC s a going concern.
TRFC is unlikely to attract much of a value because:
Ibrox (the main asset) is a liability going forward given the running, upkeep and repair costs
The assets secured on the Close loan
“Murray Park” has little value
TRFC is a parochial, West Coast of Scotland business with a limited market appeal
I am of the opinion that there is no way for this business to survive in it’s present form and I look forward to the day that it’s existence as a focal point of a zeitgeist of subservience to the British “Empire” is consigned to the annals of history.
But that’s just my opinion.
BARCABHOYMAY 2, 2018 at 00:20
=========================
The use of the words ‘investor’ and ‘investment’ by Rangers fans and the media is tiresome in the extreme. The ‘benefactor’ they once had was the then Scottish owned Bank of Scotland, as well as choosing to unlawfully help themselves to tens of millions that should have gone to the public purse. If someone is really willing to throw £50m at them that they didn’t care about losing, I doubt Rangers primary managerial target would be an untried under 18’s coach, albeit a big name in football. For his sake I hope he has got good advisors, because anyone doing due diligence on Rangers would quickly establish the true state of the finances. The various pundits in England spouting about the move being a ‘no brainer’ for Gerrard are clearly ignorant of the facts, and think only of a Rangers that Graeme Souness joined. Aside from the bank support that Rangers had at that time there was huge untapped commercial potential in terms of season tickets and merchandise. Also, Ibrox was a relatively new stadium, requiring little or no investment (oops…there’s that word again!). Things these days could hardly be different. If Gerrard really wants to get someone to look under the bonnet, he might decide his managerial career should start somewhere else.
https://twitter.com/TheClumpany/status/991562514348593154?s=20 “The Takeover Panel has been granted a court order which also forbids any attempt by Mr King’s South African-based Laird Investments from making the mandatory offer… without a third party confirming that the funds to support it are there”
Upthehoops: “The various pundits in England spouting about the move being a ‘no brainer’ for Gerrard are clearly ignorant of the facts”
to be fair to Alan Shearer (that is probably the first time I have ever written that) he did stress “if the finance is in place the move is a ‘no brainer’” but then he let himself down by talking some p1sh about there only being one team he has to beat, Celtic. Which for a professional footballer/pundit is hugely disrespectful but totally in character.
Morning all.
Catching up on this mornings story in the Herald wrt TOP & Mr King.Maybe i’m getting a bit mixed up but the article says this:
“The Takeover Panel has now received what the courts have described as “certain orders” on April 24. ”
As this was 8 days ago is this article maybe referring to possible decisions taken last week(unstarred motion)& yesterdays hearing was for something else,or a continuance of same.
Am I even making sense?.
BarcabhoyMay 2, 2018 at 00:20
‘..There is more than ample historic, current and publicly available data for anyone to come to the same financial conclusions i’ve reached here. ‘
_____________________________
Yes, indeed there is, Barcabhoy.
But there wasn’t any kind of readiness on the part of the SMSM to tell the ‘support’ the basic commercial truths and point up the financial crisis ( as opposed to the ‘football’ crisis in terms of challenging Aberdeen and Hibs for second place, let alone aiming to stop ten-in-a -row)
Only now are people on BBC Sportsound apparently being allowed to ask ‘where is the money to come from?’ without being immediately headed off that topic, as the very disappointing Jonathan was when he was warned off an ‘unacceptable topic’ in mid-sentence over his ear-piece !
Like the truth about TRFC Ltd not being entitled to claim, whether for sporting achievement purposes or for marketing purposes, to be the ‘Rangers’ of 1872, the significance of the financial situation has been ignored, as has the whole shameful nonsense of RIFC plc having as a Chairman a deceitful wretch who, as the leading member of ‘concert party’ is justly being pursued through the Courts in a precedent-setting assertion of its powers by the TOP.
Meanwhile, the other culpable-through-complicity body, the SFA, must not be allowed to let the ‘investigation’ by the CO into alleged irregularities in the sphere of UEFA licence grants quietly disappear.
It’s more important that the SFA be called to account than that a club in financial distress goes to the wall.
Scottish Football can sustain the loss of a newish club ( it happened with Gretna!).
It cannot sustain the lack of Integrity which makes a nonsense of sporting competition.
Re TOP/King
So he has to have verified funds in a UK Bank’s escrow a/c before submitting a share offer – the next question have the TOP put a timescale on this ? Failure to meet a TOP date with an offer would result in what ? Cold shouldering for DCK but also where does that leave the other members of the concert party ? Will they be asked to pony up if DCK fails to ?
Re. Barcabhoy’s figures.
Funnily enough on Superscoreboard last night they played a clip from an interview with Kris Commons who stated that it would take in the region of 50,60,70 million for TRFC to catch up with Celtic. Much in line with Barcabhoy.
KC’s figures were roundly derided by a caller and the pundits. Indeed Roger Hannah claimed it would only require 12-15 m to give a new manager a chance. They only need about 4 good players to make a team out of their squad.
So all is well, panic over.
Heard in a shopping mall from one not very prosperous looking old fellow (certainly not as well turned out as Jack and Victor) to his buddy “I was offered 20p for my Rangers shares by Dave King complete waste of time when they are worth 28p, all this doing is costing the Club money for accountants lawyers and a’ that”
At least three errors there and I guess errors which will be common among the emotionally driven shareholders.
If King breaches the interdict another visit to the Court of Session might follow all adding to his avoidable legal and other costs.
Is there such a thing as a delusion management expert for one is needed down Ibrox way?
The belief that TRFC is the biggest club in Scotland and the world’s most successful needs debunking among their supporters. Their potential income is structurally less than Celtic’s both physically and financially. Celtic Park is a whole St Johnstone or St Mirren Stadium bigger than Ibrox and I venture to suggest that the extra capacity generates marginal revenues much more than marginal costs both in terms of ticket prices and in secondary spend. Perhaps there are even volume savings in the marginal costs.
I suspect that some aspects of the TRFC culture would make responses to their marketing spend less favourable than other club’s and that response diminishes over time without something new to offer.
Spend less than comes in, give it years and things will stabilise at the natural perhaps even optimal level.
JIMBOMAY 2, 2018 at 08:57
I am continually surprised by the lack of understanding how the Scottish game works from those are supposedly qualified to be given air time to discuss such matters.
As I have debated with Homunculus before I believe McInnes to be a bit of a bottler when it comes to his performances against T’Rangers. I for one would have hoped the Dons could have skelped the Ibrox club more than thaey have over the last two seasons.
However as Homunculus says, you can’t be too hard on McInnes being he has managed to get his team to second spot and to cup finals and they are currently sitting pretty in second spot this season with a few games to go.
However like the T’Rangers run of initial result after Murty, a half decent and well managed squad should be able to build up wins and a good points tally against the teams in the lower half of the league.
However, while it may have a team brimming with confidence, when it comes to the crunch its the head to head record against the best and those closest to you that will win the championship or secure a cup win.
It is the results against the rest of the top five that ensured Celtic won the league this season.
People are kidding themselves that a handful of players will make a huge difference at T’Rangers, unless those four are Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Salah.
Are my Hearts any more of a threat to the top given the additional of the likes of Berra, Lafferty and Naismith? No there hasn’t been much change at all.
Commons is wholly correct that money required for one, let alone four looks like it is currently outwith the Ibrox club’s finances. Yet many in the SMSM are still very slow to call them out.
Meanwhile Radio Shortbread has just said T’Rangers should know tomorrow re Gerrard. That’s not my reading of the situation. I believe talks will continue with Gerrard and his advisers looking for concrete assurances and nailing things down.
If it is not statement o’clock tomorrow night then I suspect things will fade away a la the McInnes debacle.
To loose one target is unfortunate to miss two…. well what message does that put out?
I’ve received an email reply to my further BBC complaint about Reporting Scotland’s reference to ‘Rangers’ holding company going into liquidation’ and have been asked to provide further evidence of judges/lawyers and other official bodies dismissing the concept of an immortal, metaphysical club.
Unfortunately I’m a bit of a technophobe and I can’t seem to locate the small library of documents and links I’d built up on the Rangers* saga and I’ve had limited success in finding such details on the web. There are many third party reports on supporters sites and blogs, but it’s almost as if somebody has wiped the internet clean of damning evidence in the form of official quotes.
I’d be eternally grateful if anybody who has kept a record of such matters would post them here, or via a Personal Message. Many thanks in anticipation.
HIGHLANDERMAY 2, 2018 at 10:27
Maybe instead of concentrating on T’Rangers you could ask about the BBC’s own corporate history by way of comparison.
The current British Broadcasting Corporation is not the same organisation in terms of legal personality, as the earlier British Broadcasting Company despite a basket of assets being transferred between the two via the Post Master General (Duff & Phelps)
BB Company = Rangers
BB Corporation = T’Rangers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Broadcasting_Company
However it appears that the BBC are equally guilty of claiming the history of dead organisations as their own.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/zxqc4wx
HighlanderMay 2, 2018 at 10:27
I’ve received an email reply to my further BBC complaint about Reporting Scotland’s reference to ‘Rangers’ holding company going into liquidation’ and have been asked to provide further evidence of judges/lawyers and other official bodies dismissing the concept of an immortal, metaphysical club.Unfortunately I’m a bit of a technophobe and I can’t seem to locate the small library of documents and links I’d built up on the Rangers* saga and I’ve had limited success in finding such details on the web. There are many third party reports on supporters sites and blogs, but it’s almost as if somebody has wiped the internet clean of damning evidence in the form of official quotes.I’d be eternally grateful if anybody who has kept a record of such matters would post them here, or via a Personal Message. Many thanks in anticipation.
___________________
Good work by you, Highlander, though, sadly, I am as bad at the IT stuff as yourself and have no pointers to the information you require, but might suggest that when you do reply that you ask them for the BBC definition of a ‘holding company’, which is, of course, a limited company that holds the shares of another (or multiple) limited company(ies), and not some undefinable form of a ‘club’.
PS there’s three flat earthers on GMTV at the moment, total fruitcakes, and their arguments are very reminiscent of the same club pushers. The earth is flat because everybody else is wrong!
Sadly, despite laughing at the fruitcake notions of their guests, Paul and Holly didn’t ask the killer questions like, ‘if the earth is flat, how do you explain how it’s possible to circumnavigate the earth?’
Just as the SMSM never ask where the undefinable club has been for over a century, or for someone to show the records of the club that was held by the ‘holding company’, somehow the questions that could end an argument are never asked.
As so often happens when I think of the OC/NC debate, something different pops into my sieve like brain, and it’s just occurred to me that this ‘holding company’ nonsense flies in the face of the ‘hearts and minds’ notion. To hold something, it must have form, be it physical or legal, but how can you hold something contained in the ‘hearts and minds’ of people? As I said, though, what ever line of argument the same clubbers use, the entity they claim existed (even though it was never, ever mentioned before) is undefinable.
Sorry for bringing up the OC/NC debate, but it just isn’t going to go away any more than the flat earth nonsense will end until people stop believing things just because they want to believe them.
wottpiMay 1, 2018 at 22:27
Wottpi, like you, I can’t understand why journalists seem prepared to make themselves look stupid over this rather than draw the conclusions we all can. A couple of nights ago, I watched Michael Grant on the 6 o’clock news slagging Rangers* for the delay in the Gerrard thing coming to a conclusion and questioning if he was the right man for the job. Both fairly understandable points of view.
He finished the piece by slagging them further with ‘I don’t understand why they haven’t just gone out and got a manager’. This from an experienced journalist, yet he refuses to draw the obvious conclusion that they can’t afford to. Even if he isn’t allowed to rely on the rumours we do (McInnes, McAllister, McGregor turning them down due to lack of funds), surely he can look at the trading losses, King’s need to shell out re TOP, no share offer etc and know why they can’t just go out and get a manager. He must be able to do that!!
He must know what he said makes him look stupid/incompetent etc yet is prepared to do that rather than explain what the problem appears to be. Why?
I’d like to see a realistic sustainable 3 year plan at my club. forget the ‘going for 55’ next season. Let 2018/2019 be a year of stability. A decent top 3 finish, a reduced wage bill, a blooding of youth and a purchase of some ‘rough diamond’ type players. No pressure to be winning every week and no big name marquee signings. 2019/2020 should be putting together a decent string of results and lengthy cup runs. Again no pressure to beat Celtic or to win a cup, but a solid second place (and assuming we are in it – no more embarrassments in Europe). Again lets stick with youth and lower cost players with potential. Spend within our means and with a settled team start to see some decent results. Only then, in 2019/20 with hopefully the same settled team and manager do we sign a handful of decent players in key positions with the ultimate aim of stopping 10IAR. Anything less than this will see not on 10IAR but 11, 12, 13 who knows! We can’t possibly expect to throw in a new manager with that team – even if some investor plumped £50m in money doesnt guarantee success if not spent correctly – and straight away challenge next year.
wottpiMay 2, 2018 at 11:04
‘..The current British Broadcasting Corporation is not the same organisation in terms of legal personality………
…………However it appears that the BBC are equally guilty of claiming the history of dead organisations as their own.”
_______________
Absolutely first class,wottpi!
Highlander
May 2 1027
i would think, since the initial reference to a Holding company was by the BBC, the onus should call on that organisation to furnish evidence of the said company’s existence.
perhaps they could quote Company house registration number, VAT registration number, etc etc.
Paul Murray and Barry Scott have left the Rangers board.
A few years back I got a phone call from a headhunter friend about a particular job from a new client.
He was frank about the fact it was working for a company with a successful semi-retired, owner outwardly non-involved but in reality still very hands-on and and maverick to boot.
It was honest up front and said it was a difficult post to the point of being impossible and there had been a history of three recent appointees with the longest lasting less than a year and all now departed.
But there was no doubt that it was a great package and IF it worked a good opportunity and stepping stone and career move.
As it happened I knew one of the three departees well and had links into the other two.
The most recent took my call and spoke only positively.*
It was a different story from the other two calls.
Long story short I didn’t take the job and that was the right thing to do.
My headhunter pal eventually didn’t place anyone (and in reality he was not the only one asked to find a candidate despite what he had been assured).
(* Years later I spoke honestly with asterisk man and his guarded positivity on the phone was because he hadn’t had his agreed settlement and thought it was “nightmare man” (his words) checking up on him).
I’m certain the current chairman of the holding company who own the club that Charlie started in 2012 didn’t just wake up one morning and decide to approach and appoint the ex England captain as manager because of a need for season ticket sales, pr value, column inches, football on the park and survival.
They all need to be ticked and addressed.
I guess there will have been a middleman or middlemen and an initial suggestion then lots of discussions.
The obvious issues of Gerrard previously having Celtic as his Scottish club and other aspects of his upbringing that mean nothing outside the gold fish bowl that is Glasgow will have been aired too.
There will have been big talk and money and stuff involved or promised.
I’ve read recently some of the Scottish keyboard bampots seem to think Gerrard’s agent Struan Marshall is a lifelong fan of both Rangers FC and Charlies’ 2012 club and that might have been the initial link to where we are.
And there is no doubt that there are lots of people in England and in the English MSM thinking Rangers 2018 is the same as it was when Mr Souness was signing English Internationals and reaching the last games of the then European Cup.
(Indeed they still get branded as the other half of The Old Firm even though they are so far off the pace as companies and teams).
To them all as rent a quote pundits (and in all honesty to me too) there could be a football experience benefit.
IF.
If Steven was to make a real go at Ibrox and topple the dominant Celtic machine then that would be a good stepping stone on his career path.
A first major step on his way to European glory with Liverpool.
The word if is the problem.
IF.
However like Roger Whittaker I don’t think IF is good enough to build a career on.
I say this without knowing the detail and indeed the offer and guarantees given by the club to Steven and his advisers but I am quite flummoxed about how the Rangers financial model will be able to afford to fund what would have to become a three year integrated Steven Gerrard programme.
This would require serious and upfront and immediate “overspend” or as our football journalists call it “over-investment” to just get started.
And yes a partnership with Liverpool might help but we all know Liverpool will soon find out the cabal of disunited board members and business ethics and practices that is Ibrox.
The take over panel shunned Chairman and the aftershocks of this may be also difficult to work with.
Any honeymoon will be brief.
Steven IF I were your agent I’d love to see you take my boyhood club to where I think is their rightful place.
It would be an income source to me.
But in reality even I might be smelling the coffee and ahead of any decision on “our” future I’d be looking to first doing some real due dilligence.
I’d start by speaking to the previous encombrants and other trusted and honest sources from your network.
The talk would be about today and where the club is.
No need to go and indeed it would be wrong to go back beyond 2012.
Mark Warburton and Ibrox hero David Weir would add value and insight about how they went from loved to shoved.
The Easdale Borthers, Mike Ashley or some of his team too.
So would Pedro, he’s not a stupid man.
Leave Murty till after his employment tribunals are over and he has been paid but speak to people who have seen how he has been used and abused.
Finally speak to moneymen who will look under the bonnet and don’t forget the wonga type loan and lack of a bank account.
And where will it take you.
To one big IF.
When you get there listen to the words of Roger Whittaker from a long time ago.
You won’t believe in If anymore
It’s an illusion
It’s an illusion
No you won’t believe in If anymore
if is for childrenIf is for children
Building daydreams
Steven
If you don’t take this opportunity another will soon come its way.
And just for Jimbo here’s a wee song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbfR2l0LzfI
Decent article in the Guardian….
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/may/02/steven-gerrard-foolish-manager-dysfunctional-rangers?CMP=twt_gu
Directors leaving the club/company. Could this be a precursor to a regime change? I offer nothing more than speculation here but given Mr Kings widely reported financial issues and an approach being made to Steven Gerrard the winds of change appear to be blowing through Govan.
DARKBEFOREDAWNMAY 2, 2018 at 11:12
I’d like to see a realistic sustainable 3 year plan at my club.
—————————————————————————————–
DBD, You are a decent bloke, but for the life of me, I can’t understand how any decent person can support a club that acts so indecently. (I won’t go on to list examples)
We have all said it, and I’m sure you will agree. The only sustainable option for Sevco is to spend a quid less than they earn. Until they begin to do that, their jaiket will always be on a shaky nail.
This board, or what’s left of it, are gambling, on very long odds, with your club’s future existence.
Companies House notifications for RANGERS INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL CLUB PLC today :
02 May 2018Cessation of Barry James Scott as a person with significant control on 2 May 2018
02 May 2018Cessation of Paul Murray as a person with significant control on 2 May 2018
02 May 2018Termination of appointment of Paul Murray as a director on 2 May 2018
02 May 2018Termination of appointment of Barry James Scott as a director on 2 May 2018
Scottish Football needs a strong Arbroath.
With those 2 gone from the RIFC board, that leaves King, Johnson, both Parks and Blair. Douglas Park just came back on board recently with rumours of a fallout with King surrounding his earlier step back. Rumours also surrounded AJ’s appointment in June 2017 that he was being put in place in case DCK had to step down due to TOP. I thought AJ was to be DCK’s stooge if he had to pretend to leave, but if King is to go (but stay) does that leave AJ for DCK versus the Parks? I believe Blair is a Kingsman but don’t know about Bennett. Anyone more aware than me making any conclusions about this latest move yet?
No information out yet as to why the two directors have resigned. I started to think what the reason/s may be. But the list was too long. I was getting a headache.
Darkbeforedawn
May 2, 2018 at 11:12
“I’d like to see a realistic sustainable 3 year plan at my club. forget the ‘going for 55’ next season. Let 2018/2019 be a year of stability. A decent top 3 finish, a reduced wage bill, a blooding of youth and a purchase of some ‘rough diamond’ type players.”
So whilst your three year plan is in place Hibs and Aberdeen will move into a position of greater strength as will Hearts and possibly killie should Steve Clarke hang around and get his grass park and play his brand of football, fans of the Ibrox club will not stand by and allow this which is why they are in the condition they are in, fly by nights will always promise the quick fix to gullible people, been happening since the days of snake oil salesmen.
“No pressure to be winning every week and no big name marquee signings. 2019/2020 should be putting together a decent string of results and lengthy cup runs. Again no pressure to beat Celtic or to win a cup, but a solid second place (and assuming we are in it – no more embarrassments in Europe).”
You would have to have all fans on-board but whilst you have rogue associations like 1872 it’s not going to happen, look at what happened the other day Chris Graham found out to be on a payroll from fans money, what about others Houston and louden funds no-one is wise to yet and lionbrand clothing squirrelling away money whilst claiming youth development, it’s easy to start a under 8 football team give it credence and watch the money pour in on a pretence.
“Again lets stick with youth and lower cost players with potential. Spend within our means and with a settled team start to see some decent results.”
How do you take control and buy out whats there you do not think what you are proposing is possible with the current board will cost to remove them and the bills will still be there and close and other hedgefunds with fingers in pies will still be in the background.
“Only then, in 2019/20 with hopefully the same settled team and manager do we sign a handful of decent players in key positions with the ultimate aim of stopping 10IAR.”
You have jumped to stopping ten in two years without addressing the main issues how do you get rid of all that’s contained in baggage and tied up interests, the priority should not be ten, ten is a squirrel, Celtic are just hoping to beat their own record of nine, there is no other team in Scotland alive who have achieved it. So stopping the ten will not be preserving an equalled record for the team you support they have never won a top title, this is what has to be accepted first all you do is feed the myth.
“Anything less than this will see not on 10IAR but 11, 12, 13 who knows! We can’t possibly expect to throw in a new manager with that team – even if some investor plumped £50m in money doesn’t guarantee success if not spent correctly – and straight away challenge next year.”
Exactly if 50 million cannot do it then forget about the visions of what you put forward, and 50 mill will not be gambled by anyone this side of the pond and for 50 mill to be turned around into profit for the investor would be one huge risk, not many risk takers kicking around, you see 50 mill down south is not a risk when the EPL and Sky can provide you with this back in one or two seasons, this take prudent business men and good managers and SG is merely an untested under 18 coach, Murty has the distinction of managing at a higher level, he had a under 20s and has witnessed first team management to his pearl.
Could Scott & Murray have resigned rather than stump up cash/take on the extra burden of funding Gerrard? Are RIFC/TRFC heading towards trading whilst insolvent? Would admin save DCK’s bacon with the ToP? (I suspect not)
Scottish Football needs a strong SMSM (for a change).
“Hong Kong-based businessman Scott only took a place on the board in December of last year.
He was reportedly one of the investors to contribute funds that enabled Rangers to pay back funds owed to Mike Ashley and lessen his influence on affairs at the club.” (STV)
I bet Barry Scott has a story to tell. What did he see in a mere 5 months before he chucked it? After throwing money at them. Wonder if his loan was repaid on departure.
CO, I couldn’t agree with you more. But a club has to have an ambition and I think challenging for the title in 3 years is a reasonable one. Aberdeen are only 10 points off the top, and that is with both a period of massive disruption before the Rangers games where they dropped 6 points in quick succession to us, and a manager who can’t seem to rise to the occassion of big games. Now what is their wage bill? I bet it is a fraction of ours, and their transfer spend last year was £173k (transfermarkt)vs what I imagine is £10m+ for us. They will almost certainly finish ahead of us in the league. This attitude of needing to spend to be successful is all wrong in my opinion, and throwing good money after bad each year is suicide. Since 2015 we have effectively tried to sign ‘big name players’, ‘go for 55’, realise we were overambitious, sack the management team, pay off the large earners and have a complete overhaul the following season and repeat! Forget hoping for the board to plunge more money in – for the next two seasons we should be looking to spend something like 50% of transfer fees recieved, use the rest to try and pay down our debt and then sign a couple of £1m+ players for a league challenge in 2020.
I groan almost every time I read the papers when our players are billed as £10m+ stars for the future (usually by our own PR) just to watch them not be able to live up to the unrealistic expectation and falter badly. Young boys like Docherty are already being written off by some because they aren’t instantly seen as a Barry Ferguson by their fourth game. If the club and the media would stop putting such unrealistic targets on the team, then the fans may give them a bit more time.
I think with the landscape of Scottish football, and the strength of Celtic, even if Abramovich bought us over and appointed Klopp as manager we still wouldn’t win the league next season, so lets accept that now and aim for 3 seasons time.
I’ll say this for you DBD, your aspirations are far more reasonable and realistic than most TRFC callers and pundits on Superscoreboard. Your big problem is not having a board with somewhere along the lines of your hopes and plans. A board who could sell that vision to your support.
But your board are selfish, egotistical, dishonest idiots.
You need someone like Fergus McCann who faced down a lot of criticism on his spending from Celtic fans who wanted to spend like David Murray. But he stuck to his guns.
Look at the spending of Pedro. Reckless & amateur. But costly. God knows what Dave King would give to Steven Gerrard. I’ll hazard a guess. Far too much.
If your club is to survive it’s time to start from scratch and live within its means, like it should have done back in 2012.
But you know that I suspect.
DBD, some of your suggestions for the future are commendable, but can I suggest that your club takes baby steps to start with.
For example, ‘going for 55’ will take a minimum of 55 years, so I suggest going for the one would be a good starting point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9GAkA7W5Qg
Re : Scott/Murray resignations from RIFC Board
They are both aligned to King (Murray especially) – is this an indication of a change in the Board’s composition ahead of King’s removal – be interesting to see if they are replaced & by whom .
And as Jimbo queried – did Scott get his loan repaid ?
All questions for our media friends to ask (not) .
DARKBEFOREDAWNMAY 2, 2018 at 12:51
CO, I couldn’t agree with you more. But a club has to have an ambition and I think challenging for the title in 3 years is a reasonable one.
————————————————————————————————-
Although you speak sensibly of a way forward, it is the “targets” that are the problem. What happens if they are not fulfilled?….Surely a more realistic ambition would be still to be around in three years time, and anything in between is a bonus.
I note you did say “challenging for a title”, and I take that on board, but is that not what, merely by playing, you are doing now?. Every game is a challenge. That is how fitba works.
In that respect, Sevco ARE challenging for a title…..Same as every other club, including Celtic.
When walking on stilts, being balanced is essential before taking the first step. Trying to run like a madman to recover balance is not an option.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FutIfeJrmIc&list=RDFutIfeJrmIc&t=3
When SG was offered the opportunity to take over at Rangers, did he realise it was the club he was being offered, not the manager’s job? ???