ascender

Foster never let us down during his time with us and I thought he was another player whose fitness and attitude was spot on. Ok, so not a world beater, but you need guys like that in your squad and our defence would be more solid with him in it. Is Andy Webster there to maybe pick up some flip flops he left in the sauna from before? Can't be any other reason for the wage thief to be at Auchenhowie surely?

So from talking to Jambos at work today they're all optimistic and excited about this bid and being debt free and it all being sorted quickly. Not to mention talk of bidding wars between rival consortiums and a rosy future....

With friends like these etc.....

How the hell have Hearts been allowed to wait until the close season though to go in to administration? Everyone knew it was going to happen and that they've effectively been insolvent for some time despite their protestations (lies) to the contrary. Are they really going to get away with this given how blatant they've been? Also it's funny (although not really given the bile from them on our situation) to see so many Jambos now claiming that a company behind a club doesn't make a difference to the football club itself and that they'll always be Hearts. Bunch of bitter short-sighted hypocrites. Although they also seem to be under the illusion that the SFA and SPL actually did all they could to help us...

Celtic can't lose either way. Hearts aren't a threat to them for the title (or more importantly CL revenue) and if they do get demoted, it could even be another step to Scottish football going part time and Celtic looking to get a way in to another league.

I'm still amazed that footballers over 30 are now described as veterans. I remember the days when a player's peak was generally considered to be 28-30, so given the improvement in sports science and training, not to mention the fact we're in spl2, I don't think this Is a bad signing. So long as we're not paying silly money, we're getting a proven spl player who is willing to drop a couple of divisions to play with us. We've all seen how tough div3 was, I really don't expect div2 to be much different tbh.

I thought the papers had been uncharacteristically quiet for a few days.. I'm surprised no-one has broken cover yet if there are a few keen on buying the club as I thought it was all building to that a couple of weeks ago.

This is something I touched on in another thread. It's fine having all the fitness coaches in the world, but if the players aren't doing what they've been told or aren't doing it with maximum effort, then its pointless. What was surprising when talking about this with the doctors is just how much of the gossip we've been reading is true - many professional players seem to have a real problem with the amount of training they're being asked to do. I was hearing about a specific example recently where an spl team were called-in for double training the morning after a defeat and they turned up, moaned from start to finish and put in a completely half-arsed effort. Younger players are worse apparently and even now in this day and age of so much information on fitness and nutrition being available, its not until their late 20s that many of these guys realise they should have worked harder and looked after themselves more. Clubs need to do more to educate players and also do what they can to make sure players are actually following the advice and its ridiculous that they accept players coasting through training sessions or not following rehab plans when coming back from injury. You also have some older players who are intelligent enough to "get it" and comprehend the science side of things but they aren't interested because they know what level they need to attain to just get through games and they've also seen some of the recent generation of players who have been part of a drinking culture around the game although the game is played at a faster pace these days and those guys from 20 years ago had arguably much more natural talent to start with so the drinking had less of an impact on their performance. The only way we're going to change this (which was always my suspicion but has been confirmed by speaking with these guys) is by having a complete change of management & coaching teams and a whole new approach to how our players train and how they look after themselves at the club, away from the club and when they're fit or injured. Which was of course what a certain Mr Le Guen was apparently trying to do.....

We've been doing work recently with some doctors who have been working for a number of spl clubs over the last few years. So naturally chat turned to football and they've confirmed a lot of the rumours that have been persistent on Gers forums in particular since the PLG incident, but are a common theme when it comes to any football board. It was really shocking to hear the details about the basic failings at club and player level when it comes to fitness, diet & nutrition and even attitudes around day to day training sessions and how much time players think they should be "working" for. The other thing that is clear is that the "jobs for the boys" attitude that often seems to play a part when managers/clubs are putting together coaching and back room teams also serves to promote the continued acceptance of what are now very much antiquated Scottish methods and attitudes around football training and performance. Really interesting and quite depressing tbh.

Given that some people still attended the game against Dundee United despite everything that was said by the club and fans, not to mention the recent history between the clubs, I'm skeptical that any sort of boycott would be very effective once we're back in the top division.

Does anyone think he's actively exploring loopholes and possibilities to actually get us out of Scottish football given how the reconstruction plans are looking? What's changed since this was all moonbeams about us joining the Premiership? The way we've been tested by all and sundry. The farcical reconstruction plans. That's the negative. The debt free Rangers being supported in massive numbers despite being in the bottom tier. I'm just wondering if this set of circumstances means he's now got a bit more conviction, backing and possibly legal weight behind any attempts to try and get us to play football at some other level which would promise a route to a top division in Europe somewhere if we were to win promotion. I admit its just a hunch. And it's nothing to do with specific comments made and I am ignoring the usual bluster from him, but when I read about the reconstruction plans my first reaction was that's the beginning of the end for us in Scotland, I just don't see any way back for the game in Scotland from this to be honest.

I think its a fair enough statement. He's not sitting there and saying we should be in the EPL because of who we are, or because they need us. He's just pointing out the bloody obvious.

I'd argue that our presence in the lower leagues is doing the game some good though as its reinvigorating these clubs and they're also benefitting financially. Also you have to remember that they were effectively passed the Rangers "problem" by the SPL and told to deal with it which they did, while also rejecting self-serving plans from the SPL to put us in to Div 1. I think the SFL have been consistently a breath of fresh air throughout all of this so I'd be disappointed if they caved now.

What's the point of a top 12? If we're going to have proper reconstruction why not try something different?

He's right about showing respect to these clubs, but then he goes too far with the sentiment and starts to make some more comments which set the alarm bells ringing again. It's not all about just winning the league & results which was often the justification for winning under Smith while playing turgid rubbish. We have been handed a unique opportunity here to build for the future and embrace a more free flowing and attack minded style of play free from the usual thing of having to finish above Celtic. I fear we're going to waste this opportunity.

His comments are naive, he should know better. Part of the problem with him seems to be that from a layman's point of view, it's easy to see that he studied under Smith. So many of the criticisms that he is getting about having favoured players; playing guys out of position; tactical ineptness; negative tactics are all accusations that have been levelled at Walter during his time here. As a result, it makes me wonder if he's suffering by having not managed at any other club or worked with others than Walter. So he's naturally trying to do what Walter did but he's simply not Walter - is that the difference? That Smith's experience or rapport with the players or special something meant that his style of management produced results but someone trying to ape him is going to fail?

All sounds very sensible for a club in our position.

The last thing we need is another Walter stint, it would be short-termism at its worst.

What was the crowd reaction like at the end of last night? We don't need a short term fix, we're in a unique position of being able to really build for the future here so I hope we'd go for someone who can see the potential and bring a fresh style of management, coaching, playing and scouting with them.

I've never understood the stick Broadfoot got at times here and he's nowhere near the worst player we've had even in my living memory. We couldn't go far wrong If we had more like him in terms of attitude to training and not hiding in games. The guy had limited ability, but he really seemed to be aware of that by putting in the effort in other areas to compensate. He also had some big performances for us in Europe and against Scotland. Wish him all the best tbh.

Broadfoot has been one of those players who became a bit of a whipping boy for our support. He's not the most gifted, but I tell you what, he never hides and was one of the few who we knew for a fact put in extra hours at training, so others could learn from him in that regard. All the best to the lad.

It's a telling comment though when there's always been rumours about the quality and amount of fitness-specific training that's done by us.

He's 19 though, I don't see what he had to lose by accepting those terms and seeing how those next few weeks panned out. Apart from anything else, the situation we find ourselves in could prove to be the making of some young players like him. Look at how Little is flourishing for example. It's really hard for me to read things like this article and think he's gone for any reason other than the money to be honest. Which is understandable, so of course I won't wish them any ill will, but I'm sick of reading comments from players who chose to walk but say Rangers will always hold a special place in my heart, or I had no choice etc.

We'll never have a better chance to get a "better" and more forward-thinking infrastructure in place for management, youth, scouting etc. that has to be balanced by the need to get back through the divisions as soon as possible. I don't think that's as easy a job as some think it will be and the reality of playing attractive football in division three in itself (particularly away from home) is going to be a challenge. But, playing devil's advocate here, we're assuming we'll win division three and should be able to build on that and get through division two. What happens if we get to division one or the spl and we're still playing the same sort of football that we have been over the last couple of years where there seems to be a lack of creativity and a plan b other than hoofing the ball up the park? Are we happy then to contest the spl and give Celtic "a game" and overlook the bigger picture? Just think it would be a shame to waste this opportunity, so would be good to hear from management to explain that while they need to balance the need for experience alongside blooding younger players in the lower leagues, that hopefully they're going to sue whatever chance they have to build for the future.

Ashley would be another good person to have on board, he's got Newcastle on a sound financial footing, strong on the park as well and his Sports Direct company is doing well during tough times which have seen others struggle to the point of going under. You can also see why a debt free Rangers will appeal much more to guys like him who can invest a modest amount for a stake in a club on the up but which also has a large fan base and could obviously lead to tie-ins with his sportswear business. I thought when Ashley came in the fans didn't like him because he wasn't prepared to splash the cash and wanted to run the club within its means etc which is also the reason Green made enemies at Sheffielf Utd from the off?