DMAA

4 hours ago, ian1964 said:

 

Respect to Clarke for not joining others in Scottish football in having a pop at the club 

2 hours ago, buster. said:

One for Rousseau to get his teetth into

 

 

Looks like he’s got a lot of experience and he could be a good addition. But to put it into perspective he’s coaching primary school kids at Liverpool, I think “one of the most impressive young coaches in the UK” is an exaggeration...

37 minutes ago, DMAA said:

Easy to get carried away with the excitement, but I really like the sound of him. The last couple of months we've looked like a poor man's Arsenal; unplayable on our day and then bullied and spineless another day. Hopefully he'll be going with more of a Bayern/Atletico style which doesn't sacrifice flair and clever attacking play but gives the physical elements of the game their place. 

In terms of goals conceded we are joint 5th best with Motherwell, 2 goals clear of Killie and 6 of St Johnstone. There’s your problem Stevie, go fix it!

(just as a by the by, Bayern and Atletico put together have conceded 3 goals less than us in the league this season)

28 minutes ago, craig said:

For the avoidance of doubt.... I do NOT think Torres will be at Rangers (but imagine the complete meltdown... by both Bears AND Tims if he DID actually come :D)

I'd imagine he'd sell a few shirts. Who knows, like Barton he's made his fortune and he won't be in it for money anymore. He might fancy playing in front of 50k for a year before heading for the states.

4 hours ago, Rousseau said:

In another way, he is a pragmatist. His playing career was all about winning, even if he ultimately missed out on that much-desired PL crown. Going by his tactical approach as manager with the Liverpool youths, he began with the basics. He opted for a solid back-four in a 4-4-2 diamond, or a 4-2-3-1 in his early matches. Then, in the face of growing injuries to key players, Gerrard switched to a 3-4-3, ushering in a upturn in results. 

 

His tactics would change to suit the opposition, while retaining the basic structural set-up. To combat a long-ball team in a European game, he ordered his team to play a high-line. Liverpool won the game 1-4. While in another situation he sought a high pressing start, before dropping into a low block to hit on the counter. It shows a willingness to adapt.

Easy to get carried away with the excitement, but I really like the sound of him. The last couple of months we've looked like a poor man's Arsenal; unplayable on our day and then bullied and spineless another day. Hopefully he'll be going with more of a Bayern/Atletico style which doesn't sacrifice flair and clever attacking play but gives the physical elements of the game their place. 

34 minutes ago, craig said:

coach [redacted] told me last night that he would be at Murray Park today (Monday) and that Torres would be with him".

This is interesting. Torres is available for free in the summer and he's confirmed he will be leaving. Quality wise he would do really well (he's made 40 appearances for Atletico although most have been from the bench), but it doesn't leave space for a younger player who could make the club money like Morelos. Unless we go with a front 2 which I don't think I've suggested before

I think he'll do very well dealing with the press and they'll like him. We've needed a better relationship with the press for a long time, bad press has an effect on the club whether we like it or not.

20 minutes ago, Waltersgotstyle said:

Sky sports news

Will anyone else be covering it? Looks like you need a subscription to watch Sky Sports news online.

2 hours ago, DMAA said:

. In any case I don't believe it because his contract at Fenerbahce isn't expiring

A new report has said it would be as a player-coach. This makes it a little bit more believeable that he would make the move, though still unlikely in my opinion.

40 minutes ago, Darthter said:

They do seem to be doing ok with it though....

You're building your house on sand though. It's only worked so well for Aberdeen because Celtic have been more than happy to assist by giving them Christie for a year and half and Mackay-Steven on the cheap. We need to own players who we can sell on for a profit.

23 minutes ago, pete said:

Ah but now Liverpool have turned us into a feeder team

In all seriousness, it would be good to see one quality loan from Liverpool who will walk into the team rather than taking up space on the bench, but hopefully no more than one! Let's not turn into Aberdeen who need to re-construct their squad every season because they are so reliant on other people's players for success. Not sustainable.

3 hours ago, buster. said:

Aslong as this doesn't become a case of reuniting all the old players that SG played with/knows.

 

IMO we need a core of players in the 22-28years old bracket, two or three more experienced and a handful of 18-21s.

 

edit

Safe prediction: This thread is going to be crazy this year.

 

.

He'd be great for us but I'd prefer a younger player. In any case I don't believe it because his contract at Fenerbahce isn't expiring, he's a first team starter with cult hero status so won't be sold on the cheap.

Quote from Daily Star below, sounds good to me.

"Starsport also understands Gerrard because disillusioned and frustrated with his role at the Liverpool academy.

Gerrard didn't feel like it challenged him enough or provided him with the sort of intensity he craved - and will now get in Glasgow.

He also became increasingly frustrated by the fact certain players turned up late for training, despite living close to the club's Melwood training complex."

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/700480/Rangers-appoint-Steven-Gerrard-TODAY-Liverpool-Anfield-youngsters-Gossip-Latest-SPL?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-star-football+(Daily+Star+%3A%3A+Football+Feed)

Paul Le Guen had bags of experience. Four consecutive championships with Lyon and chose us over Benfica and Lazio. Caixinha had 4 years experience at youth level, 7 as an assistant and 6 as a first team manager before joining. Mccall had 7-8 years experience as a manger. Warburton only 2 years but a brilliant track record at Brentford.

I would have liked Steve Clarke because I'm not a gambler personally. But I'm excited about Gerrard and I think he'll be good. Remember he's played under lots of different styles of manager (Houllier, Benitez, Hodgson, Dalglish, Brenda). Furthermore he's been captain most of that time, he's taken responsibility to know the manger's systems well and keep the whole team in line. He was the implementer and enforcer on the pitch of those managers' systems.

Add to that that he's a very likeable guy who commands respect due to his reputation and I think we've got ourselves someone with great potential as a manger who will definitely attract better quality players to our club. If it's true he's known about this for 3 months there's no doubt he's been in touch with some potential signings off the record already.

He’s a very likeable guy and knows how to handle a press conference or interview. Even if the press don’t like us they’ll definitely like him. 

7 minutes ago, ian1964 said:

 

Incredible stuff if true. You’d imagine there would be a few rich guys who’d want to sponsor Gerrard’s in his first job. Hope it is true. 

36 minutes ago, pete said:

I often wonder if Warburton got the money Pedro got how good he could have got the team. I certainly liked the football he was trying to play.

To be honest he blew most of what he did get in that second season so I don’t think it would have made much difference. Barton and Kranjcar were very expensive in wages. Garner cost £1.8m, MOH 0.5m. 

1 hour ago, craig said:

one of the legacies of Warburton too, I believe

When I was watching the u17 game I thought straight away this must be Warburton’s legacy. Very much a tika taka kind style. 

I thought Danny Murphy's comments made it sound like Gerrard was tentative but Des Kelly has said he was "very positive" about it last night so it sounds like he really wants it and it's all down to whether the board can somehow find some money to spend.

14 minutes ago, craig said:

Regards to both quotes you are focusing on just the one team.  The instance I mentioned was across all age groups, not just the headline "Development" or "U17" group.

 

I have no doubt that they would have picked up Dembele anyway as, I believe, he is a Celtic fan.... however, there were other factors at play in his signing.... It wasn't for lack of trying on Rangers part - because I remember being at a Rangers tournament with someone from the Academy and he said that he would love to have Dembele at Rangers but that he was headed to Celtic and Rangers couldn't do anything about it - his brother was there too at the time.

 

The one I am talking about is a U14 but is already getting minutes at U17 - not playing full games but he has, in almost all of his time at Rangers, played "up" because his own age group hasn't been enough of a challenge for him.  My son played against him when they were 8 and even then the kid was a stand out.  I watched him that same year at Auchenhowie after he had signed and also the following year and he was the best player on the pitch by a mile IMO.  I have spoken to elfideldo privately about him and, without giving too much away, elfideldo is of the belief that this lad is one of, if not the, best he has seen at the Academy.

 

So we do a good job at getting kids - unfortunately we couldn't keep Billy Gilmour, but his move to Chelsea was a sign that the Academy are doing their job very well.  Dembele, as far as aI am aware, is being lined up to move to Man City - no doubt Celtic will spin it in the press as being massive for Scottish football, far bigger than Gilmour.  Both have a long way to go to make it, but Gilmour at 16 is already training with the Chelsea 1st team squad.

Sounds all positive to me. Things can only get better with you pal Kevin Thompson helping them out too. I think Partick Thistle are good at picking up kids at a young age too. I was involved in coaching a very young age group and one kid (foreign origin) was lightyears ahead of the rest and before long Partick turned up.

I'm surprised nobody has signed Dembele already. I'm sure they'll get decent money for him. Have to say I resent the way the big clubs nick the best players away for next to nothing. Having said that I've just advocated Rangers doing the same thing in Scotland so I'm a bit of a hypocrite.

11 minutes ago, craig said:

was told from someone within the Academy that a few years ago (probably 3 or 4 years ago - certainly during the admin period) we played Celtic at all age groups and soundly pumped them

Have to say I'm quite surprised by this. They had won that U17 Glasgow Cup 4 times in a row. And to be honest my impression was that Celtic have been better than us at picking up the best players at youth level (Dembele for example).

11 minutes ago, craig said:

nd as I said, there is one in particular in the youth ranks who really does have the potential to "go all the way" much in the same way as Billy Gilmour

Which one? I was impressed with a few of them. I particularly enjoyed watching McPake. It's very pleasing that he was signed from Hibs. That to me suggests the club are doing a better job than I thought at signing some of the best youth players from other teams. We need to be trying to hoover them up at those lower levels.

21 minutes ago, Ser Barristan Selmy said:

5 going on 10 nil is the gap. 

It's mad to suggest that the last two games are a true reflection of the difference in quality between the squads. A good manager could do far more with this squad. After 4 meetings this season Hibs are even with Celtic with a win each and two draws, even goal difference is even. 

Our support have sounded like their support after the 2016 semi. It was a similar scenario where the difference in quality between the squads was totally clouded by 1 team which was totally in tune with it's manager playing against a team who were not.

They do obviously have a much stronger squad, but a proper manager and some clever signings in the right positions would make a huge difference.

James McArthur has apparently confirmed his existing contract runs for another 2 years, so he's not going anywhere. He's a £10m player, I guess it was always too good to be true.

26 minutes ago, craig said:

The philosophy has changed from a physical style (under Sinclair) to a technical style under Mulholland. 

This was very clear to see in the final. I was amazed at the boys’ technical capabilities. Moved the ball around on the deck really well and great dribbling ability. I was surprised how physical rather than technical Celtic looked. 

5 minutes ago, Frankie said:

the source's previous relationship with PM suggests the commentary over any possible fall out might be credible

Yeh the bit that worried me was where he said Paul Murray had spoken to him personally about the Whyte-Murray deal. That made me wonder if he'd been in touch with him here before going all out in a piece like that.

6 minutes ago, Frankie said:

The article failed to highlight Murray's faults

I saw mention of the mobile app contract, but isn't it speculation to suggest this was for personal gain? It seems to me more likely PM's company would have given the club a cheap quote for the work. But it's speculation either way as far as I know.