Vanguard Bears - No Third Chances

[djbroxybear 0]

I intended to begin this article by saying I don't find this easy to write. However, the more I think about it then the opposite is true. Ally, thank you for everything you've done but for the sake of the club you claim to love so much then it's time to step aside. Rangers fans can ill afford sentiment to cloud our judgement when it comes to the running of our club both on and off the park.

 

Ally was a rock for the club during the administration period and being perfectly honest he's performed better in the role of spokesman than he has ever done as a manager. Even before administration set in, McCoist's team was beginning to unravel in front of our eyes. Some fans might want to blame behind the scenes issues but personally, and for many others like me, the team weren't cutting it. Then, when things did go wrong the manager seemed unable to halt the slump.

 

There's a section of the Rangers support who believe he needs another chance because he stood by us, money to spend and time to build a team after so many first team regulars left. I personally don't buy any of that.

 

Why doesn't he deserve another chance? This season was his second chance after the capitulation in the league and the embarrassment we suffered last year both domestically and abroad in the cups. This season is like déjà vu. We had no real pre-season and the team hadn't a chance to gel so we started off not too great but the youngsters were showing promise. Yet, as the season has progressed, we've shown no sign of improvement or learning from our mistakes.

 

I would argue that with the exception of Andy Little every single player's form has suffered as the season has gone on. They also look a lot less fit now than they did at the start of the season. I think this is reflected by the apparent lack of hunger, desire and overall work-rate of the players individually and as a team.

 

Should we give him more money to spend? Quite simply no, because despite McCoist recently trying to lay the failings of this team at the feet of the youngsters, it's his big money SPL standard players that have really let him down this season.

 

Now, some might argue this is all down to the players but when these players are being played out of position or with no apparent game plan or shape to the team is this really their fault? Shiels, Black and Sandaza were the pick of the bunch from their respective clubs and standouts in the SPL. Yet under McCoist all three have fallen to performances that are more befitting of Sunday morning pub games than that of a Rangers player.

 

I think the least said about the defenders he signed the better but I don't think it's any coincidence we don't have anyone on our backroom staff that played at the back. This defence is abysmal and if at this stage in the season we can't have them playing as a unit then we never will. You could drive a bus through our two centre half's during a game. One is always 10-15 yards deeper than the other. Now, to my uneducated football brain this is surely a basic failing that any defensive coach would be drumming out of them.

 

We also have some of the most powder puff central defenders I've ever seen in a Rangers jersey when everyone knows we needed an experienced pro to marshal the defence and cope with the roughhouse tactics in SFL3. McCoist, on the other hand, spent serious cash on forward after forward. Now, we have so many that we've been playing them as wingers and midfielders to accommodate them into the team. So why should we trust him with serious money?

 

What must be even more galling for the youngsters McCoist is blaming is that no matter how badly the senior pro's played, they were never dropped unless they were injured. On the other hand, youngsters were in and out like the Hokey-Cokey regardless of how well they performed.

 

When you look at the above is it any wonder that rumours of bust ups with senior players or that he's lost the respect of the dressing room are always surfacing?

 

The latter of the two is very easy to believe because he can't spark a reaction from his players as the embarrassing performances mount up and become more frequent. The body language of the players recently has told you everything you need to know. They don't enjoy playing for this team under this manager. What can you expect though, when the manager's standards are that last week's performance at Elgin was just the reaction we needed after the Annan embarrassment.

 

Add this to the fact that during the week he stated that we won't make a good start to next season because he might have to play the youngsters? What sort of nonsense is that coming from the very person who is supposed to encourage and coach these guys to be better players?

 

Don't even suggest it was mind games; it was a manager who has lost the plot getting his excuses in early.

 

McCoist was fantastic during the last year OFF the park, so much so that I would happily have him kept on at Ibrox but that doesn't mean he will ever be a good manager ON the park.

 

Davie Cooper was my hero when I was younger, McCoist was just a bit behind him. I take no pleasure in writing this but I feel that strongly that I feel needs must.

 

I will point out I've watched Rangers for over 30 years, hold a season ticket and travel all over Scotland and Europe to watch us so I feel I know a decent Rangers side and manager when I see them. If I said this was a poor side led by a poor manager then I'm being kind.

 

As it stands whether I renew my season ticket is in serious doubt as I can't continue to watch what is being served up under the current manager. Sadly, I know it's not just hundreds but thousands of Rangers fans who feel the same. From the members of this board, to my own friends, to those on buses I travel on and everyone you meet in the nearest boozer to Ibrox because they can't bear to watch the drivel served up, the opinion is the sameâ?¦.

 

It's time he did walking away.

[stewarty 2,060]

He gets to the end of next season for me. After that, all bets are off unless we see a marked improvement in on-field matters.

[DUDE 0]

A team that is actually getting worse and showing less commitment week after week is a pretty clear indicator something within the management is going wrong. I love Ally for all he's done, but it would be best to just call it quits and leave with some dignity left instead of being sacked. It's quite inevitable this will be the last consequence isn't it.

[Waltersgotstyle 307]

He should get to the end of next season.

[GovanAllan 0]

Let him win the foregone title and then walk away Ally.

[simplythebest 0]

The last line is a little cheap but I generally agree with the point.

[Gribz 919]

he's performed better in the role of spokesman than he has ever done as a manager

 

And even that role is beginning to make him look silly with some recent comments.

 

Im with the agreement he deserves to stay until the end of this season to get part 1 (out of Div 3) done, or in his own words "over the line".

 

Terrific striker, terrific man, forever a legend, but not a coach / manager.

[Guest @st2oh]

Dont have to read the cringe-worthy lines at the end - the first paragraph is bad enough....

'Ally, thank you for everything you've done but for the sake of the club you claim to love so much'

 

Shakes his head.

[Zappa 0]

I think it's terrible the way so many fans are turning on Ally.

 

• despite not having had a full season in charge with a squad anywhere near the standard of any other Rangers squad in over 2 decades
  
• despite not having had a full season in charge with a notable amount of cash to spend on improving the squad
  
• despite not having had a full season in charge without unprecedented circumstances which seriously affect the squad to deal with
  
• despite helping to hold the club together when it was on it's knees
  

 

 

....the fans are turning on him in droves because they're not happy with the performances and results almost as though none of the extenuating circumstances ever existed and almost as if it wasn't even Super Ally, but some random manager who isn't even a fan never mind one of THE club legends.

 

It's breaking my heart because I've got to say, I would be extremely sympathetic to ANY manager that's been working under the circumstances Ally has had to, but this is Ally McCoist we're talking about. Does he deserve to be treated differently because of who he is? In a word... YES and especially given all of the circumstances at the club since he took over from Walter!!!

 

Something else that's annoying me is that there's a fair number of fans who didn't want Ally taking over from Walter in the first place and since he took over a lot of them have been chip chip chipping away at him at every single opportunity. There's no stopping them, it's like an unstoppable fully laden freight train. The circumstances surrounding the club this season and last season don't matter a jot to them. The fact that it's Super Ally doesn't matter a jot to them. They didn't want him being the manager of Rangers and they'll do anything to get him out. Some of these people even have the audacity to say that they want Ally to succeed when they don't want him to succeed at all. There's people who just want him out and they'll happily see our performances deteriorate with a snowball effect if it means their wish of getting rid of Ally comes true.

 

I remember a phrase "we deserve better".

 

Well, Ally McCoist deserves better too.

[simplythebest 0]

I think it's terrible the way so many fans are turning on Ally.

 

• despite not having had a full season in charge with a squad anywhere near the standard of any other Rangers squad in over 2 decades
  
• despite not having had a full season in charge with a notable amount of cash to spend on improving the squad
  
• despite not having had a full season in charge without unprecedented circumstances which seriously affect the squad to deal with
  
• despite helping to hold the club together when it was on it's knees
  

 

 

....the fans are turning on him in droves because they're not happy with the performances and results almost as though none of the extenuating circumstances ever existed and almost as if it wasn't even Super Ally, but some random manager who isn't even a fan never mind one of THE club legends.

 

It's breaking my heart because I've got to say, I would be extremely sympathetic to ANY manager that's been working under the circumstances Ally has had to, but this is Ally McCoist we're talking about. Does he deserve to be treated differently because of who he is? In a word... YES and especially given all of the circumstances at the club since he took over from Walter!!!

 

Something else that's annoying me is that there's a fair number of fans who didn't want Ally taking over from Walter in the first place and since he took over a lot of them have been chip chip chipping away at him at every single opportunity. There's no stopping them, it's like an unstoppable fully laden freight train. The circumstances surrounding the club this season and last season don't matter a jot to them. The fact that it's Super Ally doesn't matter a jot to them. They didn't want him being the manager of Rangers and they'll do anything to get him out. Some of these people even have the audacity to say that they want Ally to succeed when they don't want him to succeed at all. There's people who just want him out and they'll happily see our performances deteriorate with a snowball effect if it means their wish of getting rid of Ally comes true.

 

I remember a phrase "we deserve better".

 

Well, Ally McCoist deserves better too.

By all means argue for his qualities but emotional, moral outrage like this makes for poor debate imo.