CIS Cup - 3rd Round Draw: QoS v Rangers

[andy steel 0]

But for the sake of talking, should we play an inexperienced side and lose, it seems that the reaction might be 'there needs to be a shake up in the youth structure.' If we lost three years in a row I would agree, but I wouldn't say that after one result: it could have been a freak, after all.

 

I'd be willing to take a defeat to someone we'd consider rubbish if it gave a young player an extra 10% developement. But that's mega hard to gauge until he writes his memoir and reveals it was the shock 0-1 defeat to QoS that made them mentally tough enough to play for The Rangers.

 

I could never be a manager.

[craig 5,199]

That is the reason for having a subs bench though Andy. If we played 4 youngsters in the CIS but loaded the bench with experience, then if something goes wrong (unless we lose a late goal) then you can always call on the experienced players to try to dig you out of a hole.

[andy steel 0]

I'd rather go the whole hog and play the youngsters from first minute to last. Life is a flower, said Ace of Base, and in order to bloom these seedling like younglings need maximum exposure to the fungal infection of defeat. Back to Murray Park - or the Blue Peter Garden, as I call it - for a spot of footballing Baby Bio, that they may return stronger and better.

[craig 5,199]

I'd rather go the whole hog and play the youngsters from first minute to last. Life is a flower, said Ace of Base, and in order to bloom these seedling like younglings need maximum exposure to the fungal infection of defeat. Back to Murray Park - or the Blue Peter Garden, as I call it - for a spot of footballing Baby Bio, that they may return stronger and better.

 

These younglings should already have tasted defeat, just not at 1st team level so that shouldnt be the issue. What is more likely to be the issue is tens of thousands on your back when the result isnt going your way.

[pete 2,499]

I wish Walter would stop playing full-strength sides in games like these. Games like these are priceless opportunities for 3 or 4 younger guys to come in and gain some top team experience - U-21 football doesn't come close to a senior cup tie and if guys like Little are good enough to play international football now then they're good enough for Palmerston FFS.

 

Does Coisty not pick the teams for cup games?

[Wija 0]

You beat Chick though. He'll post it up next week sometime.

 

Post 12 before Chico woke up.

 

 

LOL

[calscot 0]

Depends whether we want to win the cup - if so then the earlier games are just as important as the final. You could say even more so as we need all the money we can get and if we go out now we could lose the money from a home tie or two and possibly a semi-final and final. All in all that could add up to a million or two - or a decent player.

 

When you consider that Walter was unfairly compared to Eck's trophy haul when he'd only had one full season, then who can blame him for wanting to win every trophy?

 

What is it that fans want to use most to get stuck into Walter - not winning enough trophies (although he does)? Or not playing youngsters (although he does)?

 

I think winning trophies has to be the priority as you can more easily mitigate not playing team after team of youngsters with a good trophy haul, than vice versa.

 

I would like us to put out a pretty strong side and when/if we're cruising, bring on a couple of youngsters. I think the one concession to make would be not to force our best players to play through the pain barrier or niggling injuries.

[craig 5,199]

I am perhaps being naive but in my opinion our team should (yep, note SHOULD) be able to cope with the likes of Queen of the South with 3 or 4 youngsters playing. It could be invaluable experience if, as is likely, they will be called upon in the league.

 

Yes, we could perhaps lose a million from not having an extended CIS cup run but what if we have to call on a couple of those youngsters in a pivotal league game and we dropthe 3 points that cost us the title and likely automatic entry into the CL ? We lose far more than what we would have with the CIS run.

 

It is an unlikely scenario but one that is certainly plausible.

 

As a fan I want us to win every game we play in every tournament we play (even pre-season friendlies) but sometimes you have to pick your poison and if it were a choice I would forego the CIS.

 

Our squad is obviously smaller than previously and we will probably have to call on these youngsters at some point. I would rather rest players such as Weir & Mendes in CIS games where we should be able to bring in a couple of youngsters and still prove to be too strong. It would give the likes of Wilson, Little etc etc the opportunity for 1st team action in games which MIGHT not be as important.

 

That said, I think we also have to remember that since his return WS has brought in a lot of players who are "versatile" and whilst I wouldnt want to see Lee McCulloch at CB (not that he did badly there) the reality is that players like him expand our squad, not in numbers but in positions covered.

 

We have 20 experienced pros and if you consider the likes of McCulloch, Davis, Novo, Naismith - even Whittaker and Broadfoot for example, can play in more than one position then perhaps the need to blood the youngsters isnt as important. But if they dont get games against the likes of QoS then is it fair to expect them to come in at the deep end in the SPL if needed ?

 

I agree re your final paragraph cal and it is one thing which has annoyed me with Rangers for a while now. What we SHOULD be doing is starting games high tempo, banging in a few goals, killing the game off and then bringing the kids on for 30-45 minutes. Since WS came back we have rarely started at high tempo but each time we did we had teams killed off by HT.

[Norris Cole 0]

Just heard this is going to be live on BBC, Wed 23 October. Which is nice

[pete 2,499]

I'd rather go the whole hog and play the youngsters from first minute to last. Life is a flower, said Ace of Base, and in order to bloom these seedling like younglings need maximum exposure to the fungal infection of defeat. Back to Murray Park - or the Blue Peter Garden, as I call it - for a spot of footballing Baby Bio, that they may return stronger and better.

 

Just a point of info andy, Gardner's mix young plants with old to get the colour in the garden to the end of summer.:spl: