buster.

We need to keep a hold of our better youth prospects, improve them quickly and as they get older, provide the proverbial pathway. At the same time, we need to stop signing so many players like Murphy or Dorrans.

We'll be preparing for the potential of Morelos leaving....but whether a club come in and make an acceptable bid for Alfredo, we'll have to wait and see. I reckon bids will come in but they will be substantially lower than our valuation. In that eventuality, we'd have to see how Morelos reacts...as he and his agent might well look to push the deal through. I'd doubt we'd spend on a replacement until AM was to be sold.

Almost reminds me of the tactics I played to in Primary School where my shots and passes sometimes ended up on the roof. Can't see us paying out such a big fee for a third striker. If Morelos leaves he frees up a potential starting berth and brings in funds with which could be used in such a deal.

Maybe it's more about finding a buyer for Alfredo.

I'm hearing that VAR had the temerity to send Jesus packing yesterday. Perhaps time to ask his real Dad, if he knows what we should do about VAR.

Given circumstances, I hope we're getting a relatively high loan fee from Fleetwood and that they are picking up the lions share of JR's wages. Can't say I think we will be.

Central defence is probably the one area where we need some more experience IMO. An injury to Goldson would currently see us with Mayo as back-up to two 21 year olds.

Wrt Barasic...Comes down to the management team and at least getting the best out of players / improving them / adding value. For our business model to be successful, Barasic is the type of player we need to be a success. That said, only eleven can start in the first team and there will always be those who fade and leave. Regards recruitment and timing, I think we need to take on board lessons from the double swoop on Osijek....but still maintain that Barasic has the game to be THE outstanding LB in Scotland.

Managerial changes at Blackpool and Doncaster.

Give them a competitive game or two to show up before writing them off

Yes, Frankie cleared it up a few posts ago. Take away being that Murphy most likely will be unavailable for games at Hamilton, Livingston and Kilmarnock. No luck for the guy, given the last game of last season and first European and League games for this season are on plastic.

As far as SG's management career is concerned, I reckon the up and coming season will determine much about the route it will take.

Thank's Frankie ! So you'd expect him to get at least 45 minutes against Marseille to show his stuff !

Thanks Lenny ! Given he was supposed to be about ready for the very tail end of last season that reasoning doesn't give much grounds for optimism.

Workmen and their tools. If those operating it aren't consistent and competent, the tools won't produce effectively.

Sorry if I'm repeating ground already covered but....... 1. Any word on why Murphy didn't feature ? 2. 'Injury to McPake', what was it ?

This time last year I said that there will be teething problems and the new management team would need 3 transfer windows before a more considered judgement could be made on their work. Expectation will be focused on achieving a consistency of winning football matches in the League campaign. If we do that we'll be up there. IMO it's vital we start well, take advantage of the first OF match being at Ibrox and go into the first International break on top. Cup wise, anything else will be a bonus but if we get into the habit of winning games, something good might come from it. In Europe, I'd expect to get the QR3 and then you'd have to look at who we come up against. Formations, adaptability, discipline, squad make-up, etc., etc.... Now is the time SG&Co have to deliver.

If we are considering Shrewsbury as a loan destination for McCrorie it suggests the staff judge Docherty's time down there to have been successful but yes, the real test is how that shows on the field in games. We desperately need to start improving more players and adding value. We paid in the region of 600K for Docherty, you'd hope his value come the end of this season can be multiplied by a number around 10....That would be optimistic relative to what we are accustomed to but it's where we need to start aiming.

Footballing social media outlets naturally go over the historical and reminice. If done with a fresh outlook or new angles then it'll always be of interest. That said, I think Bears desperately need a new era of success, especially younger Bears who'll want some hands-on experience of enjoying it in the moment.

It's a relief to see the thread title reduced to just 4 teams as a pathway through to QR3 becomes clearer. St.Josephs will surely be a straightforward formality. It could be Ireland (Cork City) after Gibraltar, which would be a different historic slant on an old war zone tour after last years Qualifying through old Yugoslavia tour ... footballwise, Cork City are 7th in the Irish League after 23 matches (10 teams). Progres have certainly progressed as a team. IIRC they had never won a European tie before we played them a couple of years ago. In the last couple of campaigns (including 19/20) they've got through 3 qualifying rounds and been eliminated once, by Ufa with an injury time winner. Suggests Progres will be our opposition in QR2 but then I thought we'd be going to Kosovo next week.

The gap was what it was and no amount of what if's will change it....but it's now about 19/20 and Gerrard&Co need to perform significantly better than their counterparts on the other side of the city if we are to have success,... mainly because of the financial gap (wages & transfer budget). Rodgers leaving and Lennon taking over gives us a much better chance IMO. As for the provincial teams, it'll be business as usual. Difficult to say who'll finish 3rd.

If Lampard does well, it might encourage other EPL clubs to consider Gerrard.

The financial gulf became wider between the OF and the rest when home teams kept all of the gate money for League matches. Previously it had been shared, so League visits to Ibrox/Parkhead were a pay day for the provincial teams. Can't remember the year but it changed in the 80's. We have our work cut out to end Celtic's dominance and it is also underpinned by a significant financial gap.

It might be wishful thinking but I was always tend to think that a successful Rangers team needs several hard grafting Scottish players, who know what it is all about and have enough quality to fit in. McCall and Ian Ferguson come to mind I look at Docherty and McCrorie and hope they can make it at Ibrox.

Agreed, I'm keen to see if Docherty has improved his game after his year down at Shrewsbury. He's a grafter, that we know but a ball winner is only any real use if he doesn't tend to give the ball back to the opposition. For me, that was his biggest problem. Gerrard wants players who'll break up opposition play and be able to quickly transform a situation into a counter attack, eg. Aribo.