Rousseau

His lack of trophies was just expanding on his poor record.

Well, it's certainly a metric that reflects his level and record, but in itself it's not important IMO.

We perhaps wanted something stronger, but the statement was impartial and hit all the right points IMO.

Why are we even talking about appointing the former Bradford and Motherwell manager who hasn't won a single trophy in 15 year's of management?

I don't think a lack of trophies is any reason not to appoint someone, especially since a trophy was probably an unrealistic target. IIRC, Walter never won anything--in his own right--before being appointed. Mark Warburton hasn't won any trophies, but he seems to be one you would be happy to see appointed (am I right there?). However, the level McCall has managed at should rule him out, never mind his actual record, which is average to poor.

I can't believe the spelling in this thread's title has not been corrected!

The papers are focusing on one particular aspect, which in itself was wrong, but there were several more incidents that were equally wrong. C'mon! I'd like to see Rangers come out with a statement condemning Mohsni, for what he did was unnecessary and over-the-top if somewhat understandable, and the actions of the Motherwell players and fans, for they were equally unnecessary and disgusting.

Alex McLeish also took Motherwell to 2nd place and we saw how bad his tenure ended. The best of the rest - whether that be 2nd or 3rd position - changes every season. Its a job well done to beat the rest but its also like a lucky dip and unless that club has been extraordinary than the manager shouldn't be considered for a position leading Rangers back to the top.

Oh, I agree: he's not the man we need. I'm just saying he did well with Motherwell for three years; it doesn't mean he's the new Mourinho. There is no need to focus on his negatives or his positives--he does have both if we're all honest--, the fact is he's not the man to take us forward.

The season was going to be a failure no matter what McCall achieved. I think he's done well with the resources he was left. His previous managerial record was OK: a good three years at Motherwell where he got them punching well above their weight; his other managerial positions were average to unsuccessful. I think it's unfair to judge him without him being able to develop his own squad. He should be thanked for his work; he gave it a good try. I don't think he's the man to take us forward, but not because he has 'failed' as such--because I think that's unfair--but because he doesn't have the skills that we need. He's more of an 'old-school' manager from the old-boys club, whereas I think we need to modernise and go down a different route altogether. I wouldn't trust him to rebuild a squad for the long-term--He's an OK stop-gap, but that's it. We need a young coach with a modern sensibility on the game; and we need to give them time to develop the 'project', for a project is what we are. There needs to be a level of experience, so I wouldn't be averse to a more experienced man to rebuild, but I would prefer a younger coach with an experienced DoF.

If he has been successful for more than one year in the Championship he wouldn't be attainable.

Very true, but it doesn't have to be the Championship, just a sustained period of success; for me, Warburton has not had that.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-set-sign-six-9360836

 

Snce both have a year to run on their contracts, it remains to be seen whether Newcastle will want a fee.

I'd take Ferguson and Vuckic. Ferguson has performed well for Championship sides so he should be ok for us. Is Bigirimana able to play for us? He was a decent young player at Coventry.

He has been successful in the English Championship. We're playing in Scottish football and likely in the second division next season.

It's only been one season. If he had had more than one year in the Championship then perhaps I would be more accommodating. He just doesn't excite me. Robinson excites me more despite having only had 'success' in League One because it's been over a longer period and he's developed the whole club and brought in youth.

Warburton just does not excite me; I don't know what it is. Successful wherever he's been? That would be Brentford and...no, just Brentford.

I would like to see the best possible applicant get the job. I don't know who is available, who we can afford or who would be interested. We can certainly do much better than McCall.

 

As you want names, I liked the sound of Robinson and Warburton, both managers who have been successful in England. Both might not be attainable, but that's the level I would like to see us looking at. I also like the idea of Cathro, with his progressive approach to football. Though I think given what we have been through, we need someone with experience of being successful at a decent level.

I think we can mitigate the lack of experience in a Cathro by appointing an experienced DoF. Best of both worlds; that's what Hearts have done (It actually pains me to think another Scottish side have implemented a system that is common/successful in Europe before us).

To be honest, I'd be a little more confident if Jig was playing...up front. It's going to be a big ask, but a 2-goal deficit is not unassailable.

ICT twitter feed guy is brilliant. I would suggest signing him but he's already knocked back a request from a Celtic fan so I know how it'll go.

I was surprised to find out the ICT squad are made up of English players, and many were only playing in League 2, maybe League 1. It just highlights the level of the SPL. Meekings has been a standout and is only 22; possible target? Christie has been a good performer also; quick, tricky young Scot and still only 20; another possible target? I know we should be weary of Scottish players as they are not at the level we would want, and often don't step up at an old firm club, but these two have been pretty impressive and are still very young. A CB and a Winger have been problem positions.

I'll repeat my points: McCoist has a better Win-rate, and joint-best loss-rate, but the performance on the park was poor; McDowall has the worst of all, but he did come up against the 'better' sides; McCall has an average win-rate, but joint-best loss-rate, and the performance is better.

McCall has actually done better against the 'better' sides.

I think it illustrates that they all have a similar record, if you extrapolate a full season. One's opinion of whom is best just depends on a subjective judgement on the performance on the park.

There isn't really anyone more critical of our managers and coaching methods than me. That said he still has to take responsibility. Poor management hasn't stopped Vukic getting 9 goals from midfield in much less time.

 

At the start of the season Boyd was missing constant sitters.

Oh, he has to take the blame, but I'm just saying it's not as simple as Boyd suddenly becoming incompetent. At Kilmarnock he wasn't at the level he was at us during his first spell, but still performed better than he has during his second spell.

Which is fair enough, surely? In 08/09 he scored nearly 30 in the SPL, this season he scored 3 goals in the second division.

 

Regardless though he has always been very limited, often failed to score in big games and always required a strike partner,

The comparison is not as simple as that, but yes, I agree. He was always just a poacher. He scored more with Kilmarnock in the SPL than he has with us in 2nd Division, so it's not all down to him, surely?

My point was that he's cumbersome, and was never quick, but that doesn't mean he's not 'fit'. I think he can last 90 minutes? And those players said he was a 'bad' trainer, not unfit. He's just not a good trainer.

I remember reading two of these daft Q&A interviews that newspapers do from time to time. One was Darren Fletcher of Man. Utd. The other by a Rangers player(cannae mind who). When asked who was the poorest at training they had come across both replied Kris Boyd.

It never mattered when he was banging the goals in! I wouldn't care now if he was scoring. You always get some players that just don't train well. I recall stories of Matt Le Tissier being a poor trainer, but a genius on the pitch. When Alan Ball took over at Southampton, the team barely trained, and it was Le Gods best spell in football. There are certain players that don't train well, but they don't need to to play well. We are only criticising Boyd now because he's not doing it on the pitch--correctly IMO.

Taking a second look at Dalys photo, is that Kris Boyd running a mile behind everyone playing catch up and looking out of breath.

He's gasping!

Which players do you trust to do a job? Why do you trust them when they have constantly failed? Broadfoot did a job when called upon. He has played a lot of games in the English Championship since, I doubt many of our squad would manage that.

 

As I said earlier, Hearts signed 16 players in the summer and won the league effortlessly. There's nothing stopping us from making huge changes. In fact we would be incredibly stupid to keep these over paid duds. I see no benefit whatsoever to keeping them.

I trust all of them to do a 'job', except maybe Jig who's too old. I'm not saying they'd excel, merely do a 'job'. Bare in mind that my definition of 'job' is not that broad. For example, Black has done a 'job' over the last few play-off games and done ok sitting deep and shielding the back 4/3.

I make it 9 transfers that had an impact (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014%E2%80%9315_Heart_of_Midlothian_F.C._season#Transfers). We can certainly do that easily enough. However, you must remember that they had a base of players that got relegated; they didn't 'gut' the team, but built on what they had. I think the difference has been the coach. Like I've said on numerous occasions: If we can get a proper coach, we'd see a completely different set of players.

Their job is to gain promotion. It looks like they will have failed. So they cant do a good enough job. Clear out needed.

By that logic any player that has got near our squad has 'failed' too. You've also extended the definition of 'job' from what I implied.

Och, it's a bit of a gag post anyway: it's just a rumour. Like I said: I was encouraged by his background.

Isn't he part-time because he's attending university?

Apparently, yes.

Rangers want to sign the biggest name in European football - Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia, the 24-year-old former Real Sociedad defender who has left East Fife after five months with the League Two club - but six Premiership clubs are also interested.

(The Sun, print edition)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32926539

Joking aside, he appears to be the right type: technical and can play in a variety of positions; he's obviously been taught how to play the right way in the Real Sociedad B team. It's certainly one of the most encouraging rumours I've seen.

If they aren't good enough to trust when they come onto the pitch then we shouldn't have them, it really is that simple !!

I trust them to do a job. Broadfoot was an awful player, but he did a job; same with Ian Murray etc. (I can't recall others, but I'm sure there were a few that were poor individually but were decent enough squad players.) I'm not getting drawn into a 'black and white' judgement where they are either world-class or piss poor without any redeeming quality and wouldn't get a game for Tranent Juniors; no, they each have their abilities and can each do a job. Like I've said on numerous occasions: I think a better coach would be able to get a lot more out of this group.

We need a complete new squad of better calibre players and a new manager with a sound tactical knowledge of the modern game and who, preferably, has numerous contacts in the game to recruit these better players.

Of course, I agree. However, I doubt that we can sign 24 new players better than we have during 1 summer. I think it'd be much more realistic to keep most of what we have and sign better calibre players to add to our squad. The 'coach' is absolutely key.