Gersnet Analysis: Our clubââ?¬â?¢s future ââ?¬â?? Can it be changed and by whom?

[Frankie 8,570]

http://www.gersnet.info/fmrangers/newmain/151006.html

 

After another week of mediocrity, weakness and capitulation, where do Rangers FC go from here?

 

Season 06/07 began with excitement and predictions of grandeur. The appointment of PLG and the signing of a few new, young players along with the eventual removal of the past-it fringe guys meant that Rangers would be once again heading for the record books by capturing our 52nd title.

 

Incredibly, only 10 games and less than 3 months into the new season, the only record we’ve broken is one to compliment the not so proud one of last season. Last year seen Eck oversee the worst run of results in our history. This season, we’ve currently ‘enjoying’ our worst ever start to an SPL campaign.

 

So what has went wrong and who is responsible?

 

Let’s start with the players. The personnel may have changed since last year but the same inadequacies exist. We appear unfit; are one-paced; have minimal work-rate; are physically weak and most importantly lack the mental belief and character any winning team requires. These basic principles are the least we should have to operate at professional level. Yet, despite the change of manager and tactics, they still appear prevalent. That goes for every player as none have shown the consistency and/or skill levels required to escape criticism. Every player should now be playing for their future – no matter their past record or reputation.

 

That takes us nicely to the new management team. Paul Le Guen and Yves Colleau arrived with first-class credentials. Although still relatively young, their 3 titles in France and decent European performances meant the Rangers fans were right to be excited and expect a new era with success attached. Certainly, the Frenchmen showed no signs of pressure or nerves as they said and did all the right things pre-season. Fernando Ricksen being sent to Coventry (or the Russian equivalent!) and reports of 3 training sessions per day were an early sign of fitness improvements with new levels of discipline. At last the players would earn their inflated wages!

 

We started the season well enough, the football was good and although there were some early dropped points, that was unlucky and understandable for a new regime. Since then though things have got gradually worse. Results have been awful; performances lacklustre; the coaching team seem stubborn; the manager dismissive of the fans’ thoughts and evidence of a hard pre-season’s fitness work impossible to find with the usual glut of injuries and unfit players. As such, PLG and his assistants must take their share of the blame – no excuses please!

 

Now we find ourselves at the top of the tree and conversely the root of the problem – the directors and owner of the club. Criticism of Martin Bain and David Murray has been rife over the last few years of downsizing. In some ways that criticism has been unfair but in others not only is it relevant but also has still to be appreciated and addressed by the board. Like it or not our financial downsizing was necessary – we needed to reduce our debt. However, that does not mean to say our ambitions should be reduced by the same factor, nor our pride, heritage and attitudes to our support.

 

The club is for sale and other than the impressive and innovative RST ‘Gersave’ scheme there appears to be little interest from any potential buyer towards a chairman/owner who would rather be anywhere than Glasgow and Ibrox. The pre-season hope seems such a long way away now.

 

Rangers FC and our fans have been through a lot in the last year. We’ve just finished 3rd in the SPL, which is unprecedented for many of our fans. Not since the mid-80s have we had such a poor season domestically. The UEFA problems are still causing friction and there’s no doubt heavy-handed policing and stewarding at Ibrox has affected the general ambience of Ibrox – it’s not the same place and probably never will be again. Our club has changed forever.

 

Therefore what does the future hold for us? Should we prepare ourselves now for a lifetime of mediocrity? On and off the field we now appear to be 2nd best or worse. Is this acceptable? Is this a blip? Have we been spoiled by success? How can we change things? Who can improve them?

 

The answer to those crucial questions is the same as the answer as to our problems. Firstly the players must improve or leave. Secondly the management team must improve or leave. Finally, the board must improve or leave.

 

This isn’t a question that can be answered overnight. It will take a wee bit longer before we can decide if their answers are suitable. But we won’t be cheated and we won’t be disrespected. We deserve better than that.

 

Without the fans Rangers would be nothing. The fans currently have to look themselves in the mirror and act for the good of the club. Can the same be asked of the staff of OUR club – from the cleaners who turn a blind eye to troublemakers; to the high rollers who turn their nose up at singing sections? Will they be ‘Ready’ or not ‘Ready’ to answer the questions and challenges ahead?

[Davy 0]

Not much I could add to that Frankie, you have said it all in that excellent post.

[Gribz 854]

Its a well put post Frankie, but for the first time I may have to question some of your points.

 

I cant dispute your points to the top of the tree at all - no argument there. In fact I think they are partly responsible for our perfomances ON the pitch. They have turned Ibrox into a morgue and our team no longer has a 12th man at home which always assists a team. It has reflected that no SPL team is scared to come to Ibrox now and they are all capable of getting something from us at the moment.

 

But with regard to the team management and coaching staff, would this not be slight a knee-jerk reaction following saturdays result. Are we still not too early into the Le Guen era to question him and say improve or leave? I think Le Guen himself will know he has to improve and I also think he knows its still early in his days. I actually feel for both of them, they have taken over a rotten apple. We Scots tend to get on our owns backs at early stages and i think the 2 Frenchmen will be unimpressed with critisism. I just hope they are up for turning it round. But IMO we cant make much judgement until at least February.

 

1 more person who I think should be mentioned is the club captain. Surely he has a duty/responsibility to take things a bit more from the scruff of the neck. I dont like singling out individuals but RFC rescued the man and he walked straight back into a captaincy role. He is repaying us with lacklusture performances and is a shadow of the player of 1999-2003.

[elderslieblue 0]

For my own part, I thought Rangers started the season well. There were a couple of games where, with a bit of luck, we could've gave one or two teams a real doing. At that point, we were doing better than I expected given a lot of new players coming into the team.

 

We then seemed to lose our way a wee bit.

I've seen it elsewhere that Barry Ferguson coming back was to blame. I don't buy that one. Yes, he isn't the commanding player he once was and seems to be operating at about 60%, but the problem is much deeper than that imo.

 

Whether it is players taking time to adjust to the Scottish game [why doesn't that apply to guys joining other sides ?] or Le Guen still trying to sort out where he wants them to play, I don't know.

 

I thought we handled Molde well. We were not in any danger at all.

I thought we played the Sheep off the park [and, yes I know they could've sneaked the match] and were back on track.

 

I'll be honest, due to work, I haven't seen the Inverness game but, going by what I'm reading elsewhere, we were poor. I'll reserve judgement on that one.

 

Thursday could see a massive boost if we get a result. And why shouldn't we ? Hopefully, things will pick up from there.

 

As for the manager ? It's far too early to say. I'll give him time yet.

[Frankie 8,570]

gribz:

 

I see what you're saying but I'm not saying the management team (or players or board) should leave today or tomorrow. I'm just saying that they all (including Barry Ferguson) should be offering more than they currently are and if they can improve over the rest of the season then no matter who they are they should move on.

 

We all expected improvement this year and as eldersliebear suggests early in the season there was. But for some reason we're going backwards and Saturday's performance and our current league position are unacceptable.

 

That's not an over-reaction but a fact that must be addressed by all at the club. What I am doing is looking for a positive reaction from the club.

[calscot 0]

They have turned Ibrox into a morgue and our team no longer has a 12th man at home which always assists a team. It has reflected that no SPL team is scared to come to Ibrox now and they are all capable of getting something from us at the moment.

 

I think you're 100% wrong there.

 

If asking the fans not to sing sectarian songs has turned Ibrox into a morgue then I think you can stop pointing the finger at the board. If a set of fans can't support the team without showing hatred of a religion and support for a razor gang then maybe the root of the problem starts with us. You make it sound like we as fans, don't deserve a winning team.

 

Maybe that is why the players are lacking inspiration, mabye that would change if we could get 50,000 people purely supporting the players, the team and club instead of focusing on an ancient struggle in a different country.

 

The board may be responsible for other problems but the people who are ultimately responsible for the atmosphere are the fans.

[Gribz 854]

I think you're 100% wrong there.

 

If asking the fans not to sing sectarian songs has turned Ibrox into a morgue then I think you can stop pointing the finger at the board. If a set of fans can't support the team without showing hatred of a religion and support for a razor gang then maybe the root of the problem starts with us. You make it sound like we as fans, don't deserve a winning team.

 

Maybe that is why the players are lacking inspiration, mabye that would change if we could get 50,000 people purely supporting the players, the team and club instead of focusing on an ancient struggle in a different country.

 

The board may be responsible for other problems but the people who are ultimately responsible for the atmosphere are the fans.

 

Not really because it poses the question "what is sectarian"? Some fans dont know what they can or cant sing. Are you saying every single song that is sung shouldnt be sung and they are only songs showing hatred of religion?

 

I agree with your point also that some fans just dont get motivated and sing off there own back some good old Rangers songs. But whoever is in charge of the Pre-match tunes needs sacked as the version of Wolverhamptom Town for E.G is a farce compared to the original.

[bmck 117]

i agree with gribz, people are too sensitive. let everyone sing what they want, for my money.

[calscot 0]

Not really because it poses the question "what is sectarian"? Some fans dont know what they can or cant sing. Are you saying every single song that is sung shouldnt be sung and they are only songs showing hatred of religion?

 

I agree with your point also that some fans just dont get motivated and sing off there own back some good old Rangers songs. But whoever is in charge of the Pre-match tunes needs sacked as the version of Wolverhamptom Town for E.G is a farce compared to the original.

 

The way I see it, if we had a great repetoire of pure Rangers songs there wouldn't be a problem.

 

The fans have had decades of warnings about this but have not attempted to clean up their act and so the board have been forced to do it for them for the good of the club.

 

From what I can gather the board are just doing similar stuff to what the Celtic board have been doing for a decade. How much it has worked at Celtic park is a different debate, but they are not the ones being reported to UEFA, or complaining about the lack of atmosphere and their team is also doing pretty well at the moment too.

 

I would also say a large part of the silencing of the crowd is due to the dire football from the team rather than due to having Billy Boys banned.

[Frankie 8,570]

Your last paragraph their cal says it all...

 

It's stretching our problems a bit to blame the fans. The players earn a lot of money and should be motivated enough without the need for some cheering. Of course a good atmosphere helps but sound tactics and hard work are the primary aspects that appears to be missing from the team.