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The last seven days have been interesting ones for Rangers fans but not in a good way. In fact, when we lost in Sunday’s Viaplay Cup Final, my attention wasn’t automatically taken up by that defeat (after all the game looked lost after just five minutes of us standing off Celtic). Instead, it was the bigger picture that was grabbing my attention. Earlier in the week, Rangers Academy lead coach Brian Gilmour took an under 18 side out to compete in the fifth edition of the Mohammed VI Football Academy Tournament. The games were live on YouTube and I was able to watch most of them. OK, we were up against some good teams (Real Madrid, Lyon, Marseille, Fath Union Sports and the impressive Mohammed Academy side) but with only one win from our five matches, I am not sure the trip can be considered a success. There were some possible explanations for the poor results – the travelling, the heat and the poor artificial surfaces will not have helped – but the general lack of quality was worrying. Very few players stood out (even Lovelace or Rice who have been involved with the first team lately) and, as much as it can be difficult or even unfair to judge players on a small sample of 2x30min half matches, I was not impressed. There seemed to be no obvious strategy to our play, which certainly mimics that of our Men’s team. My mood was not helped further on Friday night when, in a pre-cursor to Sunday’s Old Firm non-contest, the Women’s side were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Celtic in Airdrie. Now, women’s football in Scotland is not overly easy to analyse with a huge gulf between the three top Glasgow sides and the opposition. Hearts and Hibs do seem to have improved over the last year or so but generally, the league is always between Glasgow City, Celtic and Rangers with our side looking to retain their title from last season. Unfortunately, despite Friday’s loss to Celtic being our first of the campaign, four draws already have put us on the back foot in our title defence. With just two games left until the post-split fixtures begin, Rangers are seven points behind leaders City and in third place behind Celtic. Although I will concede to being a casual observer, progress does not seem to have been made this season. Moving onto Saturday and even our B team – although riding high in the Scottish Lowland League – could not win. Worse, they were humbled 3-0 away to mid-table Berwick Rangers. Of course the B Team cannot be promoted from their division but are now behind Spartans in the table and will be overtaken by Celtic B should they win their game in hand. More informed commentators than me have been concerned by the standard this season and it seems there are few players showing the quality they’ll need to catch the eye of the first team manager. Sunday afternoon does not need much in depth discussion. As touched on above, a cursory look at the first five minutes of the game told an early story. Rangers stood off Celtic, could not keep hold of the ball themselves and certainly did not seem capable of causing them many problems despite the usual big pre-match words. Fortunately, for us, Celtic were equally poor for much of that first half but when they did start to move the ball around, we struggled badly. Whether it was down to fitness or just common, garden laziness, various players were unable to match Celtic’s enthusiasm or athleticism, never mind the basics of making a 5-yard pass. As has often been the case this season, we did show some spirit to grab a goal back but the damage had been done and we never really looked like scoring an equaliser with Celtic also missing two sitters late on. Post-match, fan reaction has been understandable with everyone from the manager and players to the board receiving criticism – some of it reactionary but many points also valid. For my part, I decided to wait a few days before putting my thoughts to print. I was extremely angry after the game – not because I felt we were going to win but at the way we lost. First and unlike many other supporters, I did not mind the starting line-up. Yes, leaving out Raskin was perhaps a surprise and Cantwell was unlucky as I had him MotM above Raskin v Livingston the previous week. But the manager explained his thinking on that and it was reasonable – the same XI had hammered Hearts just a few weeks previously so surely they’d be able to apply the same level of commitment and effort to Celtic in a Cup Final? The answer was a resounding no. Whether or not Lundstram and Tillman were fit, neither contributed whatsoever and along with Glen Kamara’s now usual half-hearted efforts, the essential midfield battle was lost. This meant we often sat too deep and certainly did not support our attackers or force Celtic back often enough. Morelos’ continued appalling lack of conditioning ensured they could keep a high line and our threat was minimal with both Sakala and Kent well off form. Indeed, it can be argued only Allan McGregor got pass marks in an individual sense as defensively we also struggled badly with Goldson and Davies both unable to mark any Celtic player closely enough and Borna Barisic failing to stay goal side of his man once again. Meanwhile James Tavernier, threw in his usual Old Firm display of appearing busy himself but in actual fact failing to marshall those around him. His words about needing to work harder after the game really stung given many of the players are so far off the pace nowadays, it’s clear that they don’t feel hard work is necessary. For the manager’s part, I would imagine Michael Beale would not have slept well on Sunday night. Yes, he may still feel the XI he selected was adequate but in retrospect perhaps Raskin and Cantwell – his January signings after all – should have started the game. Furthermore, the changes he made through the match were questionable. Why did he wait so long to change a midfield that was not functioning and, why did he take off Morelos just as Rangers seemed to get him into the game? No matter the answer to these questions, Beale should have the very least learned a valuable lesson on Sunday. It is beyond clear now that much of his squad are not up to the challenge. Of course, some deserve praise for winning 55 and taking us to Seville but at Rangers, you are only as good as your last pass and, for many, their time has clearly come and gone. I don’t actually think there’s much point in naming who should leave as I’m not so sure there are many who should be staying (other than those new to the club). The problem with a scorched earth policy though is removing upwards of ten players requires serious funds and the Rangers board rarely look keen on spending the kind of money that delivers the necessary quality. Not to mention, Ross Wilson’s recent work in the transfer market is inconsistent at best. For example, if we take Malik Tillman as a success and a necessary purchase (something our fans and myself often change their mind on), then it will take £5m. At the same time, we need to replace our goalkeeper, add quality midfielders and sign a variety of attacking players unless we finally negotiate contracts with Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos – two players who still split opinion on their worth. Do we really have the financial ability to make wholesale changes? What risks are involved? If we look at last summer’s signings alone then it does not inspire confidence. Lawrence and Yilmaz have hardly featured because of severe injuries; Matondo now seems to have completely disappeared after being continually injured early on anyway, whilst Davies and Colak have also been unavailable for long periods. That is the best part of £15m spent on minimal return. Do we gamble more- last season’s Europa League Final run and this season’s Champions League group stage appearance will have topped up the coffers along with income from the sales Bassey and Aribo but other outgoings for CapEx projects may have swallowed up some of those monies? Where do we go from here then? I have seen plenty rants on social media along with several mainstream articles of merit asking questions, demanding change and even protests being suggested via other forums. After losing another trophy to Celtic, that is understandable – especially in such a now familiarly meek fashion. The problem is there are very few solutions being suggested and I am afraid I cannot outline anything obvious either – not without the usual bland caveats about finance and context. For what it’s worth, I do think this season has been an unusual one. I cannot remember a Rangers team having so many injuries to so many key players. That has been a contributory factor – not an excuse, but a valid point worth raising. However, it needs to be explained and solved. I have seen conspiracies about fitness department cuts and software being used instead, questions about capable medical staff leaving, players talking about a lack of pre-season and much more but there is clearly an issue somewhere. An issue that needs action and a solution. Quite simply we cannot have someone like Kemar Roofe – an expensive acquisition and key asset starting just 42 games across the best part of three seasons. If it was just one player, then you can suggest bad luck but when it is several then there is clearly a systematic problem. Ultimately, season 2022/23 has gone. We will hear the manager and his players talking about the league and trying to stop a Celtic treble by retaining the Scottish Cup but in the grand scheme of things that will only matter in the context of Michael Beale delivering tangible change on the field. Nevertheless, he will need help elsewhere. As discussed our youth system is struggling, the women’s team is not doing as well and the B team exercise appears less than obvious in a practical sense. Meanwhile our players are unfit and we have obvious issues in the medical department. Who bears responsibility for these issues? Can they be reversed or is it time for change? These answers lie in the boardroom and it will be interesting to see how our board – after a timid AGM late last year – react to Celtic winning at least another two trophies. As it stands, criticism of the directors can be found online at least but it remains somewhat unorganised. With no credible fans group of note any further swell of disapproval make take time to appear but supporters will become more vocal without meaningful improvement on the pitch. Off field, we have seen some infrastructure improvements around the footprint of the stadium. For all its criticism in terms of the investment scale and timing, New Edmiston House is excellent, the Blue Sky Lounge very good and other similar projects welcome (if not the Albion housing sell-off). However, fans will rightly point to their own input into all of these costs and the continued financial contribution needed to fund them. From the ongoing difficulties around MyGers, to the commercial activities that seem to be incessantly requesting our cash, there is only so much goodwill to be found when we are not winning on the park. Replacing a board and key investors isn't something easily done but they cannot be immune from criticism and I'm surprised we have heard nothing from Stewart Robertson in recent days. As such, I would suggest the next three months are vital for the club. Irrespective of who wins what, it has to be demonstrated that the manager, the Sporting Director and the board recognise what needs to be done with a renewed pathway to success outlined. This period will see some Rangers careers ended but also the chance for some to begin and others to be renewed. Results on the park will reflect that to some extent but communication and clarity will help too. Especially when they club will be asking hard up fans to renew their season tickets in short order. Do you have £500+ spare? In conclusion, our captain was right to say much hard work is to be done. That starts now and anyone who is not interested in keeping fit or applying themselves should be left behind – no matter who they are. Let us identify the passengers and, just as importantly, let us identify those capable of leading us forward. That leadership is needed more than ever and it has been sorely missing since Sunday. Who will step up?

I still think it was a worth while signing and I see value in the loan to buy route. A full USA international at 21/22 is always worth a punt. Many critical of the clubs transfer approach (including me) but i think loan to buy is a very good option for us.

He was never a centre back and it's a shame for him that most of his appearances for us were in that position.

Lundstrum has made an arse out of it suggesting it is one game where we didn't turn up. We've been living this for most of a decade.

Good appointment, hopefully he continues where he left off at Aberdeen, and cements Dundee Utd's league position.

Excellent assessment and the only thing I disagree with @Frankie is your surprise at the hind and go seek champion hasn't made an appearance or statement. I was speaking to an old Bear after Sunday who said we are weak, timid, slow, turgid and unfit. Those adjectives apply both on the pitch and in the Boardroom.

Yes please !!

Correct decision from the club. Best of luck James, you can always say you played for the best club in the world and gave 100% every time you pulled on the famous blue jersey.

Agree....if half the players that were fielded on Sunday showed the same effort that James put in every time he pulled on RFC shirt we would have won the first trophy of the season. Best of luck James back at NYCFC.

All the best to James Sands. He may not have won a contract, but he gave us 100% effort.

I don’t know about the Boardroom but it’s an accurate description of the team’s play. I was expecting Tillman to ask the celtic defenders if they were ready yet and would it be ok to kick the ball towards their goal.

THAT Eric Smith. Scored the winner in the eighty-eighth minute in a Scottish Cup tie in 1960 against Elgin City at Borough Briggs. Divers had got the equaliser four minutes earlier, City having led from the sixty-fourth minute. Damn them both. I was at Tynecastle that day with thirty-six thousand others. You can imagine the roar when the half-times went up, ‘Gers and Jambos alike greatly amused by the nil-nil.

Many years back an old timer used to sit next to me in the stand performances were awful and with five minutes left he would give me a nudge and say the stuffs not there and he was correct now these times are back the club is in a free fall from top to bottom we don’t have money we don’t have the players th deliver entertaining winning football and I don’t have any faith in the coaching and scouting setup I don’t know the answer och well it won’t be long to Cheltenham

Hopefully it will be a profit, if we don't have other one-off costs coming out the woodwork, but could be a negative cash flow.

This was my exact thought, the returning players, specifically Souttar and Yilmaz are returning in positions we have been stronger in under Beale.....

Will be interesting to see what Yilmaz can do under Beale

Apparently Souttar, Yilmaz and Matondo all back in training with the squad with the first two in with a chance of featuring next weekend against Raith Rovers.

Well done Frankie. I noted the run of results throughout the Club's various teams also and had intended to write something about an unacceptable situation. The magnitude of the situation and the necessary conclusions to be drawn put me off. It had to be done.

We made a loss last season. We may well make a loss this season, or at least see a negative cashflow. I'm not sure where cash to gamble will come from, unless it's from the current, much-maligned directors, but they've given every indication that we need to be self-sustainable going forward. Here doesn't appear to be anyone else queuing up to fund us. The pre-season issue is huge. We're suffering from that. It's also not helped that a few of our players seem to have fallen off a cliff in regards fitness. I fear we have seen the best of Tav and Lindstrom. They look a shadow of the players they were last season, and in Tav's case, every season since he's arrived. The RIFC board do need to come out with something. At least when Murray was in charge, he'd always have a soundbite available as to where the club was going. They're too quiet. I'm not sure how much decision making power Robertson actually has, and whether the real power is further up the tree, as it was with Murray. I've seen a lot of people calling for us to get rid, but I'm no sure what that'll achieve.

I have absolutely no interest in what they have to say. Do your talking on the pitch. Still scunnered about Sunday and those two are definitely prominent in the firing line.

Maybe about time as they have spent so many years just aiming to finish mid-table,so will get kick up their a***s that's needed.

I remember playing alongside him at the Glasgow green one Sunday for Eric Smith’s pub team him and Jimmy Reilly and some twat informed the sfa and both got a warning and a fine think it was eight pounds, good times back then a couple of cases of screw tops at half time and another couple at time up I got he haw being a tea total person .

Seems sensible, doesn't really fit in here as a defender or a midfielder. I'm sure will be a good player elsewhere. https://www.rangers.co.uk/article/james-sands-departs-rangers/1PmGXCNTEfFWr0AgnDyAmf RANGERS Football Club can today confirm James Sands has returned to parent club New York City FC. The United States international joined Rangers on-loan in January 2022 and went on to make 41 appearances for the club in both domestic and European competition. Sands featured for the Light Blues in the 2021/22 Europa League final and played his part in last season’s Scottish Cup run, as Rangers lifted the trophy for the first time in 13 years. He has also made a contribution to this year’s run in the Scottish Cup, with the winning goal against Partick Thistle in the last round of the competition. Rangers Manager, Michael Beale, commented: “I would like to thank James for his time at Rangers. He was a well-liked player in our squad and I enjoyed working with him on a daily basis. I believe he will go on to have an excellent career. “The opportunity to return to NYCFC for the start of the MLS season, where he will be a key player in their squad, was something that we felt was correct for all parties. Everyone at Rangers wishes him well moving forwards.”

Never worked out good luck to him back in America.

Ah. Bobby Bluebell, who takes great delight in singing the Bluebell's The Patriot Game with lyrics such as: Come all you young rebels And list while I sing The love of one's country Is a terrible thing It's barely two years since I wandered away With a local battalion Of the old IRA

He was unlikely to be a first pick but I thought he was a more than useful squad player who could fill in for other players in lesser games I can’t remember what the fee NYCFC were asking but it did seem rather high & didn’t think we’d be willing to pay it

It was kinda cool seeing an American (Tillman doesn't count) play for Rangers again. I was really hoping the guy would pan out. BUT...thems the breaks. Taker easy!

Another of those versatile players that are never quite good enough to play in their own preferred position. To be honest, he never looked like he'd make the grade with us. Certainly had some decent elements but was generally unconvincing.

I don't understand this merry-go-round in Scotland. Clubs just seem to pass around the same rubbish players and failed managers between themselves.

He always wanted to be a Rangers player a good man and a nice person

"Balance"? "Balance" is the new buzz word at PQ. RAB Cosgrove was taunting listeners with it, "Bobby Bluebell of the Bluebells is in the studio today, since this is the BBC and we must have balance we have two members of the band, Tide Lines who support Rangers". Bobby aka Robert Hodgens is the tall, long haired speccy frontman from the 80s/90s beat combo, the Bluebells. Robert laments their choice of name, "the grief we've had over the years". Bobby is just another long term Sellik supporting mate of RAB's. He told us during lockdown, "ah miss my regular coffees with Bobby Bluebell". RAB had Rangers supporting mates too; three of them but after 2012 they accepted Rangers are not the same club and gave up their season tickets. Balance allows for fantasy on a number of levels. Bobby, like so many other long term green'n'grey hooped horrors, is in with the PQ bricks. Regularly, Bobby is credited with providing ambient tones on documentaries, nature shows and, dramas. The creation of BBC Scotland's second channel has been very good financial news for RAB's fellow travellers. Thus, Bobby leaving one PQ studio to sit beside RAB in another with two other guys off the street is presented as, "Balance". Why doesn't RAB do the full Rangers Tax Case Blog nostalgia and get on Bobby's former bandmate, Lawrence Donegan? Of course, RAB has pleaded live on air for Rangers supporters to forget all about the Rangers Tax Case Blog on several occasions; however, at the weekend, he continues to bang on about succulent lamb and Jim Traynor. There's RAB's idea of balance. The Producers are always in on the jokes, they do not call in pretending to be Hearts supporters from Newton Mearns anymore to lambast Rangers; no that type of balance is now a no-no at Auntie Beeb. Prompting Tam the Token to read out an e-mail from Dave Ross hail hailing from the Admiral Bar in Bothwell Street is another type of balance. Dave Ross is one of a triumvirate owning the Admiral Bar, the other two names retreat into the shadows. The pub is closing because the building containing the Howf is being redeveloped. All RAB's long term BIG Sellik supporting mates have taken to their newspaper and fanzine(the National) columns to lament the bar's passing. Downstairs at the Admiral quickly became thePQ in-crowd Gang Hut. Phil McFournames held monthly briefings to packed breathless audiences. Kevin McKenna's column for the Herald and National was meeting in the pub with Gerry Braiden and Monsignor Tom Connolly(Scottish RC Press Officer) where he described the impending closure, "as akin to the death in the family". "Balance" echoed into Sunday, BIG Dick hosted the Final coverage where he introduced Pat Bonner then, "we require balance and Neil McCann is here too". Throw in Wullie Miller and Liam McLeod, you have the usual AberTic production. I was listening as the TIFO displays were revealed, Big Dick described the Rangers supporters offering as a crest and a capped supporter. He proclaimed he had no idea reference the Green Brigade's contribution? It was a depictation of a white phoenix arising from the flames ie, "out of the ashes arose the Provisionals". In a week where the IRA attempted to murder a serving Police Officer during a football coaching session, BIG Dick pleads ignorance and Pat cannot inform him and, all those Producers who stood downstairs in the Admiral cannot help him either? This must be the New Balance? If it fits, wear it with pride. PQ continually praise the actions of the Green Brigade, only last week RAB was in throes of excitement over their Douglas Ross banner. "Balance" must involve Chris McLaughlin, he reported on the nine O'Clock Sunday morning clashed between the Green Brigade and the Union Bears. Chris brought more new balance to the story in that he omitted Police Scotland had allocated Saturday to the GB to lay out their latest homage to the Provos and, the UB were given Sunday morning. Why the GB were marching down past the Rangers end at such a Sunday morning hour was not explained. I agree with the rest of Chris McLaughlin's sentiment in that Police Scotland will seek evidence to arrest all involved. Of course, the Balance comes at the Procreator Fiscal's office; remember, they have loads of previous for losing evidence against the Green Brigade? PQ Balance - it makes you feel quite dizzy.

Rain doesn't give you the cold matey, same way as sitting on your arse in an armchair doesn't help change anything.