buster.

Rangers sending off: 11/2 @unibet Hibs sending off: 23/4 @ unibet ie. Rangers red card slightly more probable according to unibet -------------- 22/1 for Stokes to see a red card but 12/1 for Pena @Wm.Hill

I'd say it's more their midfield unit as a whole that could present us problems given our options.. Bartley recycles the ball well, McGeouch is busy and McGinn does a bit of everything. They also have two wide men who can cause havoc (Boyle and Barker) and a forward with occasional bits of quality. Tav and John may have their hands full defensively. They aren't a one man team.

Your point is illustrated on their TSFM blog. ie. desperately pretends to be an all inclusive blog for all Scottish football fans, where in reality it has pretensions of becoming a 'pressure group' for the celtic-minded in disguise. One that boasts about it being representative of all fans. Given their supposed morals, you would expect them to at least be honest and rename themselves as The Rangers Monitor.

Players coming through at Ajax (and much of their media) will still have a healthy respect for what De Beor has done in the game. Rich young players in Italy and England who wouldn't seen much of him as a player and may not be too patient when De Boer is trying to change their ways in that Dutch style that tends to come accross as authorative/arrogant. That Dutch style (eg. Van Gaal had it in spades) is probably more difficult to use in todays generally 'softer' enviroment.

We should only play him if fully fit, we don't want to end up with him being out for longer.

You never know,.....Hibs may overdo trying to be physical and see a red themselves. edit Clancy (ref tonight) only gave 3 red cards in the league last season and two of those were in Rangers matches. Ironically, we won the game that we went down to 10 (Kiernen, 78 mins/St.Johnstone, H 3-2 / Murty in charge).... ....but could only draw the game when Kilmarnock were left with 10 for half an hour (Away, 1-1)

It's all about what those in charge judge what to be the required criteria at this moment in time....and it's been made fairly clear that someone like De Boer wasn't being considered and if you look at his recent history, it would be CRAZY to think about De Boer. McInnes was identified with some of the following in mind. Stability Consistency of results Squad building with results outweighing budget In depth knowledge of Scottish League and specific challenge European quaifier experience Knowledge of club Media relations Bonus / Weaken rival

Forget stats. A foreign coach who when he went abroad, couldn't adapt quickly enough in pressurised enviroments and very quickly got the boot,...twice. If there was a criteria for not making an appointment, De Boer matches an important part of it.

Up at Aberdeen, we started with an intent and purpose that didn't allow a somewhat distracted and unusually sheepish sheep to settle. Tonight, I think Hibs will be up for it and we either match that or struggle. The other issue (especially if McCrorie is out) is moving the ball through the midfield, the lack of both Jack & Dorrans is a big hole to fill. I look at the midfield in Frankie's team and don't see any 'warriors'. As you alude to, if we could catch them cold with an early goal, it might be our best opportunity of setting the tone. Early goals have been a feature of the last few games between the sides. If you add up the minutes (minute when goal scored) of the last three matches, it totals eleven...... (3rd, 3rd, 5th)

Without McCrorie that team looks pretty much as good as it gets. It would be a good test for Barjonas and an indication as to where he is as a player. ---------------- Looked back further and the last league draw between the sides was more than 8 years ago in October 2009. Four players who played in that match are likely to start tonight (if fit), Miller, Whittaker, Stevenson and Stokes.

Why do people even consider De Boer ? He went to manage abroad and failed miserably at two clubs. 85 days at Inter and even less at Palace, where he didn't get a League win.

Agree with most of that. A hard nosed and competent CEO with appropriate power, running the day to day stuff and implementing strategy would be a step forward. But as you touch on, it would still need trust and delegation which I think is currently a hurdle and helps illustrate why the board have showed signs of dysfunctionality.

Only one draw out of the 13. Since we coincided with Hibs in the Championship we've played them in 11 League games and not drawn any. Obviously going to finish 1-1 tomorrow

Looking at the past season and a half, the sheep are the team that go on consistent winning runs, not us. By the end of this month, we'll have a better idea of how the land lies.

To a degree, they've boxed themselves into a corner and he'd probably be allowed a fair bit of grace. I think the sheep would actually have been better off changing manager. That isn't having a go at McInnes, just that things do come to an end eventually and it might have been better to pre-empt this. It'll be interesting if he can maintain the consistency of results of previous years. It'll be more of a challenge, given there are better teams in the league now.

Whittaker is carrying a pelvic injury and may not start. I reckon 2 or 3 of their players may be touch and go. eg. Bartley, who is an important part of a battling midfield went off with an injury on Sunday.

We need to extend that contract, yesterday.

At a time when money is such an issue, the money men must look ahead and see McCrorie having the potential transfer value to be able to subsidize a season or so. They should also look at the reasons why we didn't get the corresponding value for the talents of Jamie Ness & Lewis McLeod and look after the lad. The positives are that unlike Charlie Adam, we aren't going to make the mistake of not seeing what is there and lose out...or...does the lad have a less than professional attitude a la Charlie Miller.

I didn't think it at all likely he'd play tomorrow.....I'd rather we look after him rather than push him too hard too soon.

I've just called Mélissa Theuriau and Yanet García to see if either fancied a dirty weekend up in Oban. Nae luck

Given the ambitions, traditions and resources of Manchester United they need a new manager who looks to spend the huge piles of money on actually building a football side. The reason McInnes was being considered for the Rangers job was the recognition that we weren't in a place that we could suddenly bridge the gap and first, we need a solid foundation.........but Man Utd are now in a place where they don't need to be patient, they need a manager who can take them further and have them playing the type of football associated with the club....and have realistic ambition of winning the title. At the moment, they may as well be Stoke City, relative to their neighbours. The Man Utd board may be doing well on the commercial front but their football operation has generally been badly managed since Alex Ferguson retired as manager.

Given the level of response we often come up with these days, you'd be as well buying a JCB digger to replace the shovel, instead of paying for 'PR'. Milne has come out of this well because we effectively supplied him with his lines. Since DK became chairman, he has been prone to make comments that make a rod for his and the club's back. This often what appears to be unthinking approach runs right through to 'the professionals' who supposedly look after communications. I look back to see who I believe DK had working PR at one stage (Leggo/prior to regime change) and how the requisitioners of 2013 ran their PR (winging it and asking messageboarders for advice)...... It's not that surprising to see a lack of real professionalism doesn't currently feature. The second part of a double whammy is that if the actual substance of whatever it may be is a car crash. This continually occurs when you are forever reacting to events, instead of better controlling them.

Mourinho is a master of deflection. Manchester derby: Jose Mourinho has water & milk thrown at him in row, Mikel Arteta cut ------------------ Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho had water and milk thrown at him and Manchester City coach Mikel Arteta suffered a cut head during a post-match row.............. .........The incident started when Mourinho responded to what he perceived to be over the top celebrations. Full article http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42306141

Then I'd question the Man Utd board's decision to employ Mourinho and would view him as a relatively short-term occupant of the MU dug-out because the support want more stylish and attacking football and the club have the resources to make it possible. The name and CV of Mourinho buys time but not infinite time. In a way you could compare the rational for Mourinho at MU and proposed McInnes at Rangers. Short term stability needed but fresh appt required within 2/3 years.

Losing manager's jaiket will be on a very shoogly peg. After the disaster in Barcelona last season, PSG will view playing in Spain first as a potentially big advantage. Would be good if Beskitas, Real Madrid and Zenit (EL) get through to the next round.