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8 + mins of highlights

so bad i thought he was mark lawrenson

Danny Murphy giving Craigan & Walker a run for their money in worst co-comms on tv category. Nauseatingly dull and has added not a single bit of insight all game.

Sincerely, I hope Brighton and Hove Albion allow the numerous RSC representatives access to Shane Duffy, to award him their Player of the Year trophies?

Agreed. To use an awful bit of jargon there does seem to have been a shift in vertically integrating the whole operation since Gerrard and Beale etc came in. The players we are looking at now are pre this era. Perhaps just optimism on my part but I do suspect if they understand the importance of it for senior players - ala Wright - it’s hopefully permeating all levels. If it isn’t the introduction of the Colts will quickly show the need for it.

Boy George was THE sperm bank in Montevideo.

Can I stay at your house?

? I am determined not to let @Gonzo79 finish bottom.

Advocaat's 3rd season was a bizarre shambles. The capitulation to O'Neil and the inability to transition the squad in the face of tighter finances convinced me that Advocaat was really just a good-time manager, something he went on to reinforce wherever he went. In my opinion, although McLeish undoubtedly benefited from inheriting many of Advocaat's signings, what he achieved in the face of severe financial stringency was actually far more of an achievement than anything Advocaat did.

I see a clear difference between Advocaat the coach and the performances of the teams he managed. Given the money he had at his disposal he would have had to be completely useless not to put a decent team together. In fact many of the players he signed went on to provide Alex McLeish with much of the success he achieved as manager. However, while there's no doubt Advocaat was a decent manager, I never felt he got the best out of the money he spent. I thought his man management was always on the brink of conflict and there's little doubt his Dutch community created deep divisions in the dressing room and the way he treated players like Amoruso, Amato, etc was deeply regrettable. Rangers achieved some good things with Advocaat at the helm but nowhere near what we could and should have.

It's just guesswork but I don't think an average of £1.5k is ridiculous. We'll soon find out, either way.

Has it failed?

I have just noticed that this is styled a 'megathread'. At risk of accusations of pedantry, is it not a hawser? Or at least a rope? (Tarriness optional.)

Hopefully a positive sign on what we were discussing.

Oops! I missed that video piece... I agree, but they don't have to be built like Herman Munster, just be well proportioned. The Spain first team has Ferran Torres (21) and Pedri (18) at the moment, who are not big at all, but they are quite strong and able to compete physically. OK--The Spanish U21 side will run rings around us through their superior technical ability, but they are still appear to be more developed physically, even if they are smaller. (Of course, sample size will come into that too. ) If it is diet -- or at least, a large part of it is -- then I'd like to see our Academy being more stringent and hands-on with dietary requirements with our youngsters, from a young age.

You’re right. They did a whole video section on it last night. Yeah - it is odd. I can only think it’s historic diet and genetics. Look at the Nordic countries. But for us being so close. Without wishing to be politically incorrect there’s also a greater proportion of black players in England, which by objective metrics do tend to be bigger and more muscular, which raises the median size and stature, but you’re still right. It could also be sample size. The Venn diagram that allows intersection between talent and size may be bigger, the bigger the country. However, you think of a country like Spain. Hardly giants. I still think it’s the generations of principally chips and no vegetables.

Rousseau, I believe Kelly is a product of Port Glasgow? It's just a boys' game, splashing around in fever puddles, Buckie for breakfast by the optic and, your sustenance parameters are all contained on the shelves of Greggs. Seriously, in my professional life, this topic was often raised. Recruits from inner city/industrial areas compared poorly to lads raised in more rural settings. The Dutch went from being Europe's smallest, under nourished nation in the 40s-50s-60s to being the epitome of Sparta in the 70s-80s. I worked with the Dutch Royal Marines on a number of occasions and they were superb specimens. I served in the Netherlands and the country was then characterised by soup restaurants and fast food was mostly pickled herrings alongside pokes of chips with mayonnaise. Port Glasgow must introduce street food stalls hawking miso soup, oily fish and, freshly prepared aioli.

Poor diet time to ditch the pasta and feed them up on mince and spuds with dough balls washed down with stout .

Are we all jumping on my Stephen Kelly bandwagon now? He is a good metronome, I think; good passer, controls the tempo, and is quite lively. He could be a really good player. He needs to get some porridge in him, though! On a serious note, why are our youngsters so small and slight? Compared to English youngsters, of the same age-range, our lads are tiny! Someone like Billy Gilmour compared to someone like Reece James is scary, or even Bukayo Saka, who looks like he's bulked up this summer. I'll always prefer technical over physicality, but they need to be able to cope at the higher level of the game.

A decent workout and if McCall keeps the Jags playing in that style they should do well in the Championship.

Think that's the Uruguayan full-back, mate.

I thought the lad, Stephen Kelly was impressive in the second half. Good tempo, always supporting, comfortable in possession, only tackled when the move broke down and, played a couple of passes too.

On my meander through this morning's papers I notice Ajer is supposed to be moving for £12 million now if that's in any way correct and we were stupid enough to to accept £10 million for Morelos then I would say the board should be horse whipped.

Nuno to Spurs is a good move however its stinks of 6th choice desperation from Spurs. Rafa to Everton is also a good move, he will do better then Ancelotti. The latter wasnt the right fit, he is more of an elite manager to win things with top players rather than build teams. The Everton fans have to accept him. The Palace one is weird though - dont think Vieira is the right man to go there - it could be another De Boer situation.

Commentator even mentioned the cheers for Helander. Yeah, been a frustrating championship for our players, just hope they all return fit and healthy.

In my lifetime, I think Rangers played our best football under Advocaat - those first two seasons we looked incredible. Given the finances available to him and his ability to bring in Dutch talent, that shouldn't be surprising and as Bill said, we probably should have done better, albeit our showings in Europe were decent.