RANGERRAB

1 hour ago, ascender said:

Was there any analysis around how clubs did with generating income from fans on their own pay-per-view services during covid times? It seems online that fans of nearly every club think Sky do a shit job of Scottish coverage, so am surprised there's not been talk of an alternative "SPFL TV" idea.

Didn’t we try to do something like this 25 years ago when that clown Roger Mitchell was SPL chief executive? 😂

3 minutes ago, CammyF said:

I've heard things like it scraping past safety certificates, a 25 year life expectancy etc. 

 

Many rumours but no concrete evidence (If you pardon the pun). 

guy on our supporters bus is convinced they’ll be moving into hampden permanently at some point. 
hence maybe why Haughey got involved to keep hampden as our national stadium a couple of years ago.

had the SFA moved to Murrayfield then hampden would have been demolished 

11 minutes ago, craig said:

What is the not so prominent one ?

Their Jerry built stadium

Just now, craig said:

They effectively were.  They were out of contract and we had to pay a development fee for both, at 250k per player.

If we paid fees they’re not Bosnans 😋

5 minutes ago, craig said:

All due respect Cammy, who are the club going to attract, in a footballing backwater, with the "financial ability" to take us to the next level ?  These custodians have put their hands in their pockets to a massive extent.  Anyone with the "financial ability" to take us to the next level have always had that opportunity to come in and buy the club or take a significant stake in it - why havent they ?  I would love for Elon Musk to buy us as he has the "financial ability" - that doesnt mean he has any desire whatsoever to do so.  So, who are these people that are just sitting in the wings waiting to take us on ?

 

We don't have to settle for second best in Scotland at all - look at how much Celtic spent and yet we still beat them to the title last season with a team that cost a fraction of what theirs did.  As for Europa - are we conveniently forgetting that we, or Scottish teams in general, have been abject failures in Europe for decades, the odd aberration aside ?  We are significantly punching above our weight in Europe - whilst we all want to be successful there it is little more than a bonus.

 

CL group stages every year would only happen if we get automatic entry - look at Celtic's history in the CL when they were getting the CL riches every year and spending a ton of money on players - they rarely got there.  No reason to not want that for the club, but realism would suggest it is fairly unrealistic. 

Celtic have off field issues which will cost them.
One well documented. 

the other maybe not so prominent just now but bubbling under

23 minutes ago, craig said:

In fairness (not aimed at you) I think it is churlish to be blaming Wilson for "Bosmans and loans" when we have, on Bosmans, secured Mcgregor, Davis (yes, they played their part previously, can't look at just this season), Aribo, Bassey, Jack (admittedly pre-Wilson), Lundstrum

 

We have actually done remarkably well in the Bosman market

Don’t think aribo & bassey were bosmans 

20 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Agree but given the major rebuild we have ahead of us its a massive ask. 

When building a team I’d always follow the SAF approach:-

1) go out & get the best goalkeeper you can get who will gain points & not cost you games

2) check any player’s attendance record before signing him

Recently we’ve seen McGregor cost us lots of points but doesn’t get dropped. And signing Souttar & Ramsey(on loan) puts a big question  mark at 2)

12 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

We will be lucky to get our money back on Kent, dont think we will get much over 10 million for Morelos and Aribo each  given contract situations. Dont think they board will give the manager much of it to spend either. Next season will be a team of bosmans and loans.

Nothing wrong with Bosmans & loans if you know what you’re doing 

29 minutes ago, Bill said:

As long as VAR is operated by the SFA, which it will be, all it will do is corroborate and vindicate the same bad decisions we suffer from at the moment. To that extent it may even make things worse. 

Exactly what Shearer said on MOTD not so long ago. Simply having VAR doesn’t solve all problems. It’s how it’s used. And by whom.

7 minutes ago, ascender said:

So looking at the squad.... And being concerned by some of those contracts being run down on players who we all thought we might get big money for, but its looking increasingly unlikely...

 

I think there's no doubt the squad has suffered from under-investment - or rather investment in the wrong places. We have a very bloated squad and seem to have prioritised quantity over quality.

 

I know the line is that nothing happened during pre-season, but I'd love to have been a fly on the wall during that time as neither the players or the management team looked up for it this season. The Malmo game was a real warning of things to come. What's even more frustrating is that we've gone backwards in some regards this season and the (two) management teams have been unable to resolve some blindingly obvious issues on the park.

 

BTW, I'm saying all of this while realising I'm watching probably the most successful and consistent Rangers team in Europe I've ever seen in my life. Which makes it all the more baffling that we've stuttered so badly in Scotland during the same timeframe.

 

Keepers

• McGregor - Retires.
• McLaughlin - Deserves a run as number 1
• McRorie & a.n.other as backup? Or when do we expect McRorie to step up and be the number 2/challenge for 1? If not soon, should we not just be moving him on? 

Unless we pull off a big coup with a new number one, maybe a young prospect from Europe who's good enough to be our #1 for years to come, I guess we'll just be signing a new number 2.

 

Centre Backs

• Goldson - Will go for nothing. Can't believe we've let him run his contract down and I'm still of the opinion he should maybe have gone as part of the Gerrard rebuild. Still seems suspect to dealing with long balls and anything not on his right foot.
• Helander - I think he's our best CB, but clearly has fitness issues.
• Balogun - Good cover, but I'd like to see a first-choice CB signed. He's fast, his attitude is good, but not a commanding presence.
• Jack Simpson - Another one who I'm surprised we signed. Surely Leon King could have covered that position? Surely he'll leave.
• Souttar - I still think we should have signed him in January, would definitely have helped shore things up a bit in the league.

So we're after a first-choice CB in the Summer to play alongside Helander with Souttar and Balogun as cover?

 

Full Backs

• Barisic - That 2M offer from Southampton looks like it could have been a great bit of business for us. His injury ahead of the Euros was poor timing and he's struggled with form all season. Which, last season apart, has been the story of his time here.
• Bassey - Our number one LB for next year right? He's only 22 and is improving all the time, seems to have his head screwed on right too.
• Tavernier - What a signing he's been. I've been saying for a few years though, that like Goldson, I can't help but shake this nagging doubt that we should have moved him on. Regardless of his amazing input, he and Goldson have been constants in a changing squad which has exhibited the same character weaknesses time and time again.

I don't think he will leave though, so that means with Zukowski as deputy, Sands can also play there, we're just going to be in the market for a LB? I'd not be against us signing a new first choice RB and let Tav go with our best wishes.

 

Midfielders

• Arfield - I think he's still got a part to play as a squad player as he does like to get beyond the front line frequently. He seems to start seasons poorly, then come on to a game though. So maybe he's another one who we can't afford to carry anymore and we need to start using youth more for those games where we rest players or need something different?
• Aribo - Inconsistent. Another big hope but seems to be one who is undroppable and un-subbable. I wonder if the grind of the Scottish game has just taken its toll on him and a few others to the point of disinterest.
• Davis - I guess he'll retire, but I've been surprised by just how much he's been sidelined by Gio. What a servant though.
• Hagi - Like Arfield, I think he offers us something different, but we've not got the best from him so far and again, I don't know if we know his best position.
• Jack - If he can stay fit he must be the one we build the midfield around?
• Kamara - He was looking like the one who might go for big money, but has drifted off as the season has gone on. Same as Aribo. He's been played in a few different positions too. But surely there's a place for him?
• Lundstram - He's come on to a game as the season has progressed, but how many players like him, Davis, Kamara, who can play that role do we need? 
• Sands - He's looked good, but maybe not the 1st choice starter we need. So he's a squad player... How many of those do we need though?
• Lowry - I'd hope we'd make much more use of him next season, even though he's young. Remember Stephen Kelly though? 
• Ramsey - will move on somewhere, but its a shame its taken us this long to get him fit. Not sure why he was subbed yesterday.
• Ofoborh - Presumably he's just going to quietly leave over the summer.

I have no idea what our best midfield is any more. Worryingly, I don't think Gio does either. Genuinely no idea where that leaves us other than knowing we need a few players of really quality to improve out first XI. That's been the case for a couple of seasons though.... If we don't have the money, then we need to make better use of the players we have, including the younger ones - that's where I think we might struggle with Gio in charge as he's looked out of his depth at times.

 

 

Forwards

• Morelos - We have to build a team round him, but also have a plan for when he's not fit. I think he's been treated poorly by Gio - run in to ground, when we should be able to cope in Scotland without him.
• Itten - Surely will leave.
• Kent - Inconsistent. Flatters to deceive at times. No doubting the talent, but sometimes could benefit from some time on the bench when its not going his way. Seems undroppable though. Will that Leeds bid finally materialise?
• Roofe - Another one who we know is going to have injury problems, but I think he's a great striker. Just a shame we drop him in to the team and don't play to his strengths. Again, can we not have a system where he and Morelos can play? Or give Morelos a break by playing Roofe and a system which suits him?
• Sakala - I'm a big fan of his, but he's another we seem to have signed without knowing where we're going to play them or how we're going to integrate them in to the team.
• Wright - After a very promising start, seems to have fallen out of favour and didn't take what chances he was given this year. Another squad player or is he one to move on? Or does he deserve another chance if we have a clearout in the summer? 

Like the midfielders, I've no idea where that leaves us. Light on quality certainly, but there's so many question marks over our tactics, formation etc that I've no idea what our medium-term plans are.

 

I think there be a lot more of those players leaving than you seem to suggest.

anyone who’s contract is up will be moved on.

anyone going into their final year of their contract will be moved on ( or will try to move on to get some sort of a fee) except maybe Morelos 

Watching the game from my seat in the SJ rear yesterday I couldn’t help but feel I’d seen this old movie too often.

We dominate possession but create little.

The ball goes down one side then back to the middle then down the other side. And maybe same again if we don’t needlessly lose possession. And ditto.

Then the ball eventually goes into the opposition penalty box and gets cleared easily as we don’t have enough bodies in the box. And certainly not ones who will anticipate and attack the ball arriving in the box.

For me our biggest failing is we’re simply not good enough to play one up front in the SPFL against a packed defence. Whether we could go to 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 is up for debate.

And once again poor goalkeeping cost us yesterday. Why won’t the manager play Jon McLaughlin?

I’ve just seen the goals on tv since I got back from the game,

McGregor is woeful at their first. It’s not even a great shot is it?

We signed five players in January ( including Souttar) 

None have made an impact as might have been expected 

That’s a big worry for me

9 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

Anyone who`d think SG would have done anything different to Gio is IMHO kidding himself. SG has played the same style and players throughout his reign. It were the players who threw the games away big time, namely McGregor and Goldson ... while our striking drought was never addressed.

 

Ramsey is and was a spark, yet we removed him and let Aribo and Kent do nothing. The day we introduce another striker and a couple of decent wingers (which we have) will be the day we start challenging again. We have talked about the rot for ages, blamed players and coaches alike, yet the most glaring thing is never changed.

Not dropping McGregor has been a huge mistake  by GvB

13 minutes ago, Bill said:

You know that's not going to happen. The real question is where will we be after another full season of GioBall? 

And after the departures of a number of players out of contract in the summer and those entering the final year of their contract where will we be?

We could have played til midnight & not scored second half. Disappointing to lose to such a poor Celtic team

Roofe nowhere near the player when he joined us.

For me Sakala could be the key today. Sit him on the shoulder of their last defender and knock long balls over the top to use his pace . It will force them to defend  deeper 

It’s important we start the game well. They’ll come flying out the traps at 100mph. We must be ready for that but they can’t  keep that up for 90minutes. 
I hope Ramsey plays. His class could be too much for them alongside Kent

2 hours ago, ian1964 said:

 

Maybe if the Aussies like the yahoos so much at Ange’s homecoming they’ll want to keep them 🤠

would do us a favour. think the Irish losing interest in them nowadays

I’m glad that’s sorted. 
Our board were naive if (& it’s still ‘if’ for me) we had contracted to participate in this tournament

They need to realise we have few friends in Scottish football & most of those who tried to bury us in 2012 are still around.

Getting involved with the yahoos is unwise at the best of times. They are a vile club with a vile support who will try everything to portray us in a bad light to deflect from their own misdemeanours which significantly outnumber ours.This tournament  would have given them an opportunity to do so 

Our PR needs to improve too

1 hour ago, forlanssister said:

Define lousy.

A poor commercial deal which doesn’t produce revenue which might be expected.

Castore the main one

1 hour ago, forlanssister said:

I'm more annoyed at Castore than I am at the Australian debacle. 

 

As uncomfortable as it is for some to admit Bisgrove is good at his job, very, very good to deny that is churlish in the extreme.

 

You want to sign top players, keep our best players, improve the facilities etc then Bisgrove (or another of his ilk) is fundamental to that.

How can he be good at his job when signing lousy commercial deals?

10 hours ago, forlanssister said:

Our commercial department is probably the best performing and most functional department at Ibrox, it's a beacon in a sea of ineptitude compared to the likes of PR and Communication, Hospitality, Ticketing, Customer Service etc.

 

Bisgrove did his job this clusterf*&k lays at the door of others both below and above him in the pecking order.

 

Oh and anyone who invested in Bitci should consider signing themselves in.

Do u think the Castore deal is a good deal? Bisgrove even himself admitted there had been problems

And how much do we get per annum from tomket tyres etc ? 
We’re not getting the return we should be getting from some commercial deals in my opinion 

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Yes and Park has come out and said they are rejecting Kings offer.

 

Soap-opra continues and as it stands we'll be playing them in Australia - farcical 

Have actually officially announced we’d be taking part in this tournament?

Has the club ever come out & publicly stated that we’re definitely participating in this tournament in Australia?

What I got told is that we’d got a couple of offers including  this one which presumably paying the most money.

but has there ever been an official announcement?