JohnMc

Steve Carson is a Belfast 'Prod'. It should be noted that the BBC version of Rebus made him a Jambo instead of a Hibee. He was never a Hibs fan in the books but was on the STV dramatisation. 26th of Foot has as much chance of getting the BBC Scotland controller position than any of Kevin McKenna, Chris McLaughlin, Angela Haggerty, Gerry Braiden. Cosgrove is an outside chance, but I think it's unlikely, he's closer to Biden in age than Carson. But I'd agree that whoever it is that gets the job they're unlikely to be openly sympathetic to their close Govan neighbours or those who follow them. Keep up the good work, 26th, I always look forward to a new post on this thread.

I really don't know. I was surprised he that was offered a new deal and that he signed it. He's been overlooked by a succession of managers, on the little i've seen of him I didn't think he was up to the standard we need (not that I'm any kind of judge) and I assumed he'd leave this summer and begin his career in earnest at a side in the Scottish Championship. He's 21 now, same age as McCausland, so maybe that's now the realistic age to be coming into our first team. I wouldn't have given McCausland much hope of making an impact on our first team this time last year. I think he'll get an opportunity though. With Barasic gone and Yilmaz's injury record I think left back will be available for someone to step in. Yilmaz will be first choice, but after that Fraser has a better chance than most.

Lewis Ferguson was of course at Rangers as a youth but he's the perfect example of a player who needed time to develop then patience to play. Ironically he only made it into the Hamilton side because we signed Greg Docherty. It's not hindsight to say Ferguson would have done well had he signed for us when he left Aberdeen. He scored 16 goals in his final season for Aberdeen, I don't think we've had a midfielder with those kind of numbers since Albertz! For all my doom and gloom about youth the club are actively signing 20 year olds and surprised me by giving Robbie Fraser a 2 year deal, I was certain he'd be playing for Raith Rovers or Hamilton, someone like that, in the coming season. That suggests a change of strategy by the club, perhaps we will see a very young Rangers side this season. How the support will react to that will be interesting.

Yeah, forgot about that.

It's not the number of people watching that's the issue, it's the consequences. Liverpool aren't firing their manager is they finished second. Indeed no side in England is doing that, most are delighted if the finish fourth. Second for Rangers is being fired. If we're still second and trailing by say 6 points come the end of October there will be voices on here calling for Clement to go. That's not right but it is reality. I've pointed this out before. While we were visiting the fishing villages and market towns of the Scottish lower leagues Celtic had no challenge for the league. During that period they developed Callum MacGregor, James Forrest, Keiran Tierney, Ryan Christie and Charlie Mulgrew. They could do that because they could afford the mistakes young players make without worrying it would make a difference. Since we returned to the top flight they've developed no one of consequence. For the record, I'm not promoting ditching our youth set up, but there is an argument these days.

I'm not actually making the argument, merely pointing out that there is one. I'd prefer a youth policy that produced players we can use, currently it doesn't and part of the reason for that is demands on the club.

We're the living embodiment of short-termism. Rangers manager's job will come under pressure if we go three matches without a win, he'll lose it if we go five. Rangers directors will come under pressure if we don't win the league or have to fire a manager during the season. A Rangers player will come under pressure if they have a couple of poor games in a row. This is no exaggeration. Putting young players into that environment is problematic. Young players will make mistakes and as mistakes cost managers their jobs, cost their team mates win bonuses and pile pressure on directors no one is too interested in making that happen. There's a big argument that Rangers should close their 'academy', save the money and simply sign players that are ready for the first team. Let young players develop at clubs without the pressure and demands of Rangers.

Transfer fee still to be mentioned? Hopefully they won't demand too much from us to take him.

Jacob Pazikas (19) is going to Stranraer on loan in the coming season. Stranraer's form suggests he'll get plenty of practice. Despite Jacob's exotic name he's a bluenose from Linwood, I worked with his Dad many lifetimes ago.

Far be it for me to stick up for The Sun but Birmingham City were taken over last year by by an American group who seem to have more money than sense. Their drop to League 1 is unlikely to prevent them from buying players from Aberdeen. Aberdeen on the other hand have been operating at a significant loss for a few years, this has been offset by player sales, but even then they've still lost over £3 million over the last 3 seasons. The season just finished, despite Conference League group football, is unlikely to have improved much as they, once again, went through 3 managers and finished 11th in the league. Wanting £7 million is fine but I suspect they'd accept half that.

There aren't that many performers who can sell out a stadium gig, Compo. This summer only Pink, Green Day and Taylor Swift are performing stadium tours with Scottish dates. Springsteen didn't come to Scotland this year and AC/DC are only playing Wembley. That's your stadium artists for 2024. There are only around dozen, maybe 20 performers who can tour with stadium sized venues on their schedule. Scotland's not a big market and there are 3 stadiums, including Ibrox, vying for them. The other two have the advantage of not hosting sport every other weekend, so can offer more flexibility around dates. You can criticise the Ibrox management about a number things, but I'm not sure this is one of them.

There's a lot of work being done on the Copland stand this summer so Ibrox isn't available for concerts or events. We're not even playing any friendlies at home pre-season. Harry Styles, a troubadour popular with the young people, played at Ibrox in the very recent past which suggests our 'wizzos' are onto this little earner.

Schalke were certainly, although I thought they'd stopped haemorrhaging money in the last couple of years. Despite another poor season I assumed they'd still have the finances for a 20 year old Bayern B team player, who they know well, if they wanted him. They might simply be too strapped to purchase him, or have other parts of their squad requiring more attention, I don't know. It's always worth remembering that I have no inside knowledge, I've never seen this lad play, indeed had never heard of him until reading this thread. Take my concerns with a large pinch of salt. We've had some great players who signed from relative obscurity and other well established players who signed and yet failed to deliver. Basically I know nothing, I'm just killing time between meetings!

Specifically 4 goals, no assists and 'too expensive for the 3rd biggest club in Germany'.

Didn't Schalke have another shocking season, fighting relegation into the 3rd tier for much of the year? If he's as good as Tillman I'll be very happy, but his numbers aren't wonderful despite playing for a big club at a low level.