Rangers in safe hands - Johnston

[Zappa 0]

Rangers in safe hands - Johnston

 

 

 

Alastair Johnston says Rangers are not in financial peril but concedes a new owner must be found to make progress.

 

After revealing debts of �£31m, the chairman said: "Nobody wants to play poker with Rangers as the stakes."

 

"With respect to fuelling our ambition, we will need a change of underpinning of our financial resources."

 

"Until we get that, we're going to be operating with a squad that is probably marginally too thin for the assignment that it is charged with."

 

Johnston replaced Sir David Murray at the Ibrox helm three months ago and the former chairman is actively seeking a buyer for his major shareholding in the club.

 

And while acknowledging that fresh investment is paramount, the US-based Johnston was quick to allay fears among supporters of the current Scottish champions.

 

"Fans don't need to have any concern with respect to the survival of the club or any talk of administration," he told BBC Scotland.

 

"The results show that we have had a clean audit opinion, which means we are a going concern."

 

"We have renewed and extended our banking arrangement, which is satisfactory and acceptable but it doesn't fuel the ambitions of this club."

 

"That is why one of the primary missions is to replace the bank as the source of our external funding."

 

"Rangers continue to manage and operate the club but we rely on external funding and the acquiescence of the bank."

 

"Having said that, we can go forward, we can negotiate the contracts, we don't have to sell players in January etc."

 

Indeed, Johnston did not rule out the possibility of strengthening the team when the next transfer window opens.

 

"We will review that nearer the time and it will depend on how well the current squad are doing," he explained.

 

"We can't afford to bring in guys who will spend time on the bench or in the stand. We will determine what we need and what the availability is."

 

Walter Smith will see his contract expire at the turn of the year but Johnston expects the manager to remain in charge.

 

"At this point, Walter and the club have an understanding that we are basically proceeding with the status quo until further notice," he added.

 

"We have talked about terms and we continue to have very healthy and constructive dialogue."

 

"I don't think the terms of the contract will be a stumbling block."

 

While declining to discuss the identities of possible buyers for Murray's shares, Johnston did say he was open to the the idea of fans playing a role in the stewardship of the club.

 

"I met with Andy Kerr, the president of the supporters' assembly, and I indicated that the concept of fan ownership or participation is not alien to me."

 

"And I encouraged him to explore various structures that might work."

 

"The board is going to evaluate a new owner in any capacity on how can they improve the product on the field and how much money they are prepared to spend to underpin what Rangers fans want."

 

 

There's a 16 minute audio interview with him as well - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/8356754.stm

[ian1964 10,761]

He talks the talk, have to admit I love any hint of good news, he always comes across to be quite honest

[maineflyer 0]

He talks the talk, have to admit I love any hint of good news, he always comes across to be quite honest

 

Amazing how good some basic honesty feels after the stench of Murray.

[rbr 1,266]

Amazing how good some basic honesty feels after the stench of Murray.

 

The irony in all of this could be finding and yet losing what could have been a very good chairman in a very short space of time , whoever buys/owns us will undoubtadly want their own man and also was Johnston

here for the long run , it's very funny how his appointment has occured at the same time as all this movement .

 

I do not doubt Murray is deep in the grubber but from our perspective we have made more progress towards new ownership in the last few weeks than gods knows how long under Murray .

 

The second rebirth of the blues hopefully is not too far away , and hopefully the support and all the various factions can actually get some direction and leadership , at the moment we sound like something from a monty python sketch , bloody splitters

[Bluedell 5,679]

Perhaps it's all the years of mistrust but I can't help but look at these comments with a degree of cynicism.

 

Are these comments just to help him through a potentially tricky AGM, and something different may happen in the January transfer window?

 

We'll see.

[andrew_2010 0]

Speaks with good authority and intelegence. Loved the bit where he started laughing at chick, and then said "that's a leading question"

 

Does make me feel a little more confident, and reitterates to me that its as much to do with the bank and murrays woes as it is ours.

 

Also very candid when discussing the "horror year" this past year: "Remember Kaunas"

[andy steel 0]

Perhaps it's all the years of mistrust but I can't help but look at these comments with a degree of cynicism.

 

Are these comments just to help him through a potentially tricky AGM, and something different may happen in the January transfer window?

 

We'll see.

 

My thought exactly. But mistrust won't get us anywhere, I suppose.

[Zappa 0]

Perhaps it's all the years of mistrust but I can't help but look at these comments with a degree of cynicism.

 

Are these comments just to help him through a potentially tricky AGM, and something different may happen in the January transfer window?

 

We'll see.

I'm not sure about him either tbh. I can't help wondering if there's anything being hidden or that we haven't been told the full story of what's been going on. This time he's specifically said certain things & one of them is that we won't have to sell players in January. That doesn't mean that we won't sell any though, so it'll be interesting to see what does actually happen.

[craig 5,199]

I'm not sure about him either tbh. I can't help wondering if there's anything being hidden or that we haven't been told the full story of what's been going on. This time he's specifically said certain things & one of them is that we won't have to sell players in January. That doesn't mean that we won't sell any though, so it'll be interesting to see what does actually happen.

 

regarding the selling of players and not "having to" not meaning we "wont" I think he has chosen his words not only carefully but also wisely.

 

Just look at what has happened in football in the last transfer window. Two of the top 5 players in the world, being Ronaldo and Kaka, moved clubs when they would normally have been seen as players who were "not for sale at any price".

 

The reality is that our finances are currently dictating to us and that means that a reasonable offer for ANY of our players will be accepted. This has been the case at the club since before Johnston became chairman.

 

I like the soundbites he gives and he comes across as being very honest. However, to play devil's advocate, he has hardly had a chance to show his hand one way or the other yet. With SDM he had LOTS of previous, Johnston doesnt with regards to Rangers. Only time will tell is he is telling us the truth as he sees it or if he is talking out both sides of his mouth at the same time. I hope it is the former.

[ian1964 10,761]

Amazing how good some basic honesty feels after the stench of Murray.

 

Exactly, what he says he may not deliver, but I feel I believe him,if that makes any sense