buster.

Do you think there was a preconceived plan to dehydrate Rangers fans so as to neutralise their energy ?

It is easy to acknowledge reality. That kicked in as soon as Eintracht had scored their fifth penalty. Being profoundly disappointed in the result of such an important match and ultimately close run thing, more especially when we didn't perform anywhere near our best, is quite normal. Each to his own way of processing it. The current and more salient issue is how the players and coaching staff deal with it in relation to the game tomorrow.

I get that part but this thread is really about the Final. The major (game-changing) financial rewards was very much for the winner. I think some may refer to it as a sliding doors moment. 4M for winner Super Cup for winner CL pot one and money for winner As far as reputation is concerned, many people who won't have seen much of our European run will have watched the Final. Bassey apart, our players, individually and collectivelly didn't do themselves justice and won't be remembered by European neutrals. It's more disappointing because we know they are capable of so much more.

Calvin Bassey apart, losing the final in the way we did has enhanced neither.

I found the Final (the thread topic), very disappointing. Of course, the European campaign as a whole was exceptional but we didn't do ourselves justice against Eintracht. The quite amazing Calvin Bassey apart, I don't think there is a Rangers player who can say they played to the best of their abilities. For that reason, alongside how close the contest turned out, I find the defeat more difficult to 'process' than any other Rangers defeat in 49 years. I'm just glad we have tomorrow's Hampden cup final that will soon help take the mind off it. With hindsight, I tend to think that the semi-final second leg at Ibrox was just so good in every way, that it was always likely to be our high point and expectations (as well as the occasion itself) started to weigh heavy on some of the players going into Sevilla. On the pitch, as in the away games at Braga and Leipzig, we badly missed Alfredo Morelos. Allowing Eintracht to push an extra man into the middle and forcing our defenders into countless long balls that were never going to come to anything. I think John Lundstram was very honest and correct when he said that the players had let the fans down on Wednesday evening. I'd also repeat, that they have a lot to be proud about when it comes to the European run as a whole.

I missed the last 20 minutes but at least for the first 70, I think Kent was a fair way ahead of anyone yesterday and that second assist was special. A timely return to form.

Draw has finished Rangers v Cove Rangers

Good comparison ! McInnes was a popular player at WBA and his name comes up everytime the Baggies have a vacancy.

Cove Rangers at Ibrox That'll dae fine !

Fraserburgh at Home will do !!

That is standard and a given. Do they play with full backs or wing backs ?

Must be time for McInnes, surely !

I hope we lose the habit of giving the opposition a clear and early site of our goal. It's happened in the last few games and we won't keep getting away with it. I reckon Aberdeen will start out of the traps by pressing us higher up the pitch than usual and look to make hay from what they hope is another sluggish start by us.

It's their biggest rivalry although for banter value, it'd be good to see Cove Rangers put them out of a Cup. I think it's fairly obvious that they do more than register as a rival to us and have done for decades, including the 80's prior to the Simpson tackle. -------------------- Aberdeen have seemed to be very mediocre in the League this season but other than their 2 defeats to us, they have only lost ONE game out of the other 18. Outwith the OF, McInnes has again got them to a level that is significantly better than the rest, with Hibs the only other team in remotely the same postcode. Very consistent but in a very grey tone. In other words, today is a significant hurdle to get over. More especially with the players we have missing. Last week was a pivotal win. Today is about starting the downhill side the right way, in one of our most difficult league fixtures. -------------------- By my calculations... - Morelos is one booking away from a suspension. If booked today, he would miss the Hibs (A) game. Could be significant if Roofe isn't back by then. - Re. Hibs (A) Hibs have 3 players one booking away from suspension. Their best piayer at Ibrox the other week, Newell and their 2 recent Scottiish caps, Hanlon and McGinn. If booked against Celtic, they´ll miss game against us. Had their game not been moved to Monday, I reckon they may have missed a different game (if booked v Celtic). - Rangers have scored the same amount of League goals as Aberdeen and Hibs combined (57). - Aberdeen have conceded the same amout of league goals to us in 2 games, as we have to all teams in 22.

Liked and respected Old Bob, intelligent, informative and played with a straight bat.

Had me thinking back to Bremen.

Makes you think about what criteria a recruitment policy might include when looking for a forward

Agreed ! It just seems so obvious... Ultimately, the objective is to safeguard the club and the immediate priority is to reach the place (on and off field) that DK talks of as almost being a slam dunk, but IMO it isn't. There is work to do and there is Covid. We've been under the charge of a board of fans (including DK) who have led a vast improvment on and off field, to the point of giving us a decent chance of reaching some of our most important goals. Covid means that the financial shortfall that needs filled will be greater and will probably last for longer. ie. Biggest current priority wrt to safeguarding club is funding shortfall, at a time when the Covid factor is still unstable and unpredictable. I've said before, 25% of 0 isn't much.

Fair enough Craig and I don't doubt your sources but I'm a cynical bastard and I've seen these headlines about a list of elite clubs being after so many youngsters and rarely does anything come of it. Betweens agents, inewspapers, social media sites, etc, I think the detailed truth of what is/has happened is often stretched. Billy Gilmour is often cited as the exceptional talent that came through our system. I'm impressed with the lad and not just about his talent as a footballer. It's the professional and mature aproach to his job and the limelight that makes me look at a wee guy in generally a big mans game and think that, he could be the real deal. I don't see that with Kennedy but that is just my largely uninformed opinion/hunch. I remember Brenden Rogers saying how in England the youngsters at the EPL clubs were on a different level when it came to professionalism and dedicating themselves to the game opposed to the majority in Scotland. Not talent, but an approach that gave them a chance to make the most out of what they had......It reminded me of so many European dissapointments over the years, when you'd hear someone say bigger, faster, stronger, about our opponents. SG has brought real professionalism to the club and that is why we are, where we are both at home and abroad. It's been a long time coming. I jus hope it's rubbing off on the academy production line regarding finished products.

I've always liked the look of Dickson, ever since the Alkass Cup success. Midfielder who has a knack of scoring important goals. As for Kennedy and Liverpool. Sniffing around is a long way away from confirming interest, never mind signing. Had they sniffed and smelt roses he'd most likely be gone. If the player was of a level to have elite clubs as realistic suitors, he wouldn't have signed this contract.

It's the kind of haircut that young professional footballers who think the world of themselves but who suffer from homesickness in Inverness, would get. ??

Aye, about 65% of that goal was down to Cooper. I could watch that side step shuffle all afternoon. I had various favourites over the years, Parlane, Jardine, Russell but Cooper was the player that really excited me. I got in after my first ever week away from home with the school (Loch Tay) and my Dad had kept the newspapers to show me Cooper had signed from Clydebank. I was estatic, happier than at any point during that week.