Mike Ashley can prove he is genuine by hiring Billy Davies as Rangers manager now

[ian1964 10,720]

ALLY McCOIST activated his 12-month notice period last week and SCOTT believes that Mike Ashley needs to do the right thing by paying him off now and hiring Billy Davies as his replacement.

 

IT’S been the question on every Rangers supporter’s lips for weeks now.

 

Will Mike Ashley – and his sidekick Derek Llambias - be good or bad for their club?

 

Despite the ‘Union of Fans’ staunch opposition to Ashley’s involvement at Ibrox , ordinary punters can’t decide whether the Newcastle United owner wants a successful Rangers or not.

 

But after the shambolic handling of Ally McCoist’s resignation , this is Ashley’s chance to nail it once and for all.

 

If he’s serious about rebuilding Rangers - on and off the park - and getting them back to Scotland’s top flight and the Champions League, he should prove it.

 

By paying up McCoist what he’s due and appointing Billy Davies as their new gaffer with immediate effect.

 

If he doesn’t and this is allowed to fester into the New Year – all the while McCoist’s team potentially fall further behind Hearts in the Championship – fans will have every right to believe that Ashley has no genuine interest in Rangers’ well-being after all.

 

Whether you think McCoist has played a blinder by calling the board’s bluff, or that his stance is causing more harm then good, is irrelevant.

 

He’s owed cash that his contract entitles him to. People have said he should sacrifice it and walk with nothing, which is ludicrous, or give it to charity. Who’s to say he won’t?

 

Some even think he should put it back into the club.

 

But given the current board’s record in financial management, why would he do that?

 

The money’s certainly safer in McCoist’s hands, that’s for sure. That opinion was backed by a UoF statement last week.

 

He should be allowed to go with his dignity – and legendary status at Ibrox – intact.

 

His pay-off is a drop in the ocean to Ashley, which could quickly be recouped IF his intentions for Rangers are honourable.

 

If they are, he’d do well to get Davies in ASAP. It would certainly get attendance figures – which have fallen like snow off a dyke recently – moving in the right direction again.

 

Former club legends like Terry Butcher and Stuart McCall will also be in the frame when McCoist eventually goes.

 

But, no matter what you might think of him, a firecracker like the Davies is exactly the type Ashley and Rangers need.

 

Speak to any player who has worked under him and chances are they’ll tell you he’s the best coach they’ve ever had.

 

Kris Boyd for one says Davies opened his eyes to a whole new side of the game during four months with him at Nottingham Forest.

 

Davies is the reason Boyd is now coaching kids two nights a week.

 

The Rangers striker talks openly about how his old gaffer would pre-empt situations in games before watching in amazement as they panned out exactly as he’d predicted.

 

Davies is a football obsessive, a 24/7 manager, who is meticulous when it comes to planning and preparation.

 

He doesn’t have an in-built editing suite at home – where he watches re-runs of training sessions – for nothing.

 

Tactically, he’s already proved to be one of the best in British football.

 

His record at Preston North End, Derby County and Forest in the English Championship is nothing short of phenomenal, especially given the resources he had to work with at Deepdale and Pride Park.

 

Davies likes to blend youth with experience. He prides himself on finding bargain buys and ensuring their value increases under his tutelage.

 

The likes of David Nugent is a prime example of that, a guy he plucked from relative obscurity when he was Preston boss who eventually became a £6 million man.

 

For good reason, a malaise has set in at Murray Park. That’s hardly McCoist’s fault after everything that’s gone on at Rangers in the last three years.

 

But when he exits, a clear-out is needed. And Davies will turn the place upside down if Ashley and Llambias allow him to do it properly.

 

Of course, the diminutive Glaswegian has his faults.

 

Davies’ relations with the local press had deteriorated beyond repair in Nottingham towards the end of his time at the City Ground and he had dis-engaged with Forest supporters.

 

On that score, after almost nine months out of the game, you’d like to think Davies will have learnt from it and won’t make the same mistake again.

 

Former Old Firm managers like Walter Smith and Neil Lennon will gladly tell him that when you’re in charge of either Rangers or Celtic, it’s wise to have the media on your side.

 

At Forest, Davies felt certain people at the club were working against him. But that shouldn’t be a problem at Rangers if he’s Ashley’s man.

 

Look at the relationship he has with Alan Pardew at St James’ Park.

 

Like McCoist, Davies has Rangers in his blood. After being reared on the streets of Pollok, he knows what the club means to those supporters.

 

He’s ready and willing to step into McCoist’s shoes when the time comes. Having moved back up to Scotland permanently, Davies has already taken in several Rangers’ matches.

 

He’s even been seen at other Championship games involving the likes of Hearts and Hibs.

 

It looks like that meticulous planning and preparation that he’s become renowned for – has already started.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/scott-mcdermott-mike-ashley-can-4847969?

[ian1964 10,720]

Rangers boss Ally McCoist set for showdown talks with Ibrox board ahead of explosive AGM.

 

McCOIST will find out today whether he is to attend tomorrow's AGM just over a week after he handed in his resignation - but supporters have vowed to shield the under-fire boss from any flak and instead turn their fury on the board.

 

ALLY McCoist will hold showdown talks with the Rangers board today to decide if he will attend the club’s explosive AGM.

 

But fans have vowed to shield their manager from the flak that is sure to fly at Ibrox chiefs in tomorrow’s meeting.

 

The news that McCoist has handed in his resignation and is serving a 12-month notice period emerged just a week before the AGM.

 

And the Ibrox gaffer was noncommittal when asked if he would face the Ibrox shareholders after

yesterday’s 2-0 win over Livingston.

 

He said: “I will speak to the board in the next 24 hours and see if I’m required to go or they want me to go.

 

“I’m not sure if I am required to go.

 

“If anyone wants me there, I will be there.

 

“If I’m required to speak I will speak, if I’m required to answer questions I will answer questions.

 

“If I’m not required to be there, or they don’t want me, I won’t be there.”

 

But the Union of Fans insist McCoist won’t come under fire tomorrow and have promised to unleash their fury on the board.

 

Spokesman Chris Graham said: “None of the anger will be aimed at Ally, even though we suspect that’s what the board expect to happen.

 

“The club is being run like a circus. The board have delayed the manager’s departure to offset the flak from themselves but it’s not going to happen that way.

 

“There is an inherent dislike of the board that doesn’t exist for Ally. He has held the club together and has done nothing wrong.

 

“We will react badly if the board get stuck into Ally. We would savour it if he has a real blast at them.”

 

Fans stayed away again yesterday with the crowd looking well below the

official figure of 28,053.

 

And McCoist said: “I have felt unbelievably sorry for them. When we are playing at home I would far rather we were being supported by 50,000. However, I do understand the vast majority of fans’ feelings.”

 

McCoist believes Gers will get the punters back but when asked if that would happen in the short term, he replied: “I don’t know about that.”

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-boss-ally-mccoist-set-4847927

[ian1964 10,720]

Rangers are losing too many people who are synonymous with the club, says Ally McCoist.

 

THE Rangers manager thinks the club is losing part of it's identity after Laura Tarbet, secretary to Rangers managers for 43 years, became a victim of Derek Llambias cost-cutting excercise.

 

As far as Ally McCoist is 
concerned, all three of those names should adorn the ‘Hall of Fame’ wall on Ibrox’s famous marble staircase.

 

The first two are club legends, synonymous with Rangers and the glory years of the past.

 

The other? An ordinary, 
working-class lady who spent 43 YEARS as the manager’s secretary – serving the likes of Willie 
Waddell, Jock Wallace, Walter Smith and McCoist himself.

 

But Tarbet’s reward for her 
work at Ibrox was to be yet 
another innocent victim of the club’s brutal cost-cuts carried out by the current regime.

 

Whether her treatment was the final straw for McCoist before he tendered his resignation is up for debate. Undoubtedly, there were other reasons.

 

But as he eulogised about his former colleague’s commitment to Rangers over the years – it’s clear her exit was a contributory factor.

 

Greig, Tarbet and Jardine, who passed away in April, are no longer part of the furniture at Ibrox. And now McCoist has decided to go as well, whether it’s in 12 days, 12 weeks or the 12 months of his notice period.

 

Without divulging all of his reasons, the Rangers boss hinted that his sadness at losing key figures at the 
club played a part in his 
decision to quit.

 

He said: “It’s difficult to see people losing their jobs.If you’ve worked with someone for 20 years or 
so and they leave, it’s extremely sad. I’m talking about very good people, 
great people.

 

“Laura, for example, has been at Rangers for 43 years. She was on the flight to Barcelona in 1972 for the Cup Winner’s Cup Final when she worked for Willie Waddell.

 

“Her name, in my opinion, should be on the board as you go up the stairs at Ibrox. She should be in the ‘Hall of Fame’.

 

“So it’s natural when you lose 
people like that it affects you. It 
saddens you.

 

“Clearly, it also happens in other walks of life, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t affect you.

 

“In fact, you’d be more concerned if it didn’t have an impact on you.

 

“Can Rangers be Rangers without people like Laura?

 

“Well, there’s no point shirking the issue. We don’t have John 
Greig any more, we don’t have 
Sandy Jardine and now we don’t have Laura Tarbet.

 

“It’s just sad that we’re losing 
people who are synonymous with the club and are part of its identity.

 

“It would be wrong of me to say the club is losing its soul. But we are now definitely missing people that have meant so much to Rangers over the years. Did it contribute to my decision? There were an awful lot 
of things and I wouldn’t go into 
specifics. But I’ve made my decision and I’ll stick by it.”

 

Talking of Greig, voted by fans as the Greatest Ever Ranger, he left his position as the club’s manager in 1983 after a run of poor results and amid pressure from supporters.

 

McCoist may well find himself 
in a similar position before too 
long with his team toiling to stay 
on the tails of Hearts in the 
Championship.

 

Greig managed to maintain his iconic status in the fans’ eyes and his reputation as a legendary player is still very much intact.

 

But McCoist says that as long as Ibrox punters acknowledge that everything he’s done has been in 
the club’s best interests, he’ll be 
content.

 

However, what he won’t be happy with is if he’s still in the manager’s chair this time next year and Gers’ are still in the same division.

 

He said: “The one thing John always had was respect from 
everybody.

 

“We all get criticised as managers and coaches, that goes with the 
territory. But all I’d hope for is 
that people will look at me and see somebody that’s attempted to do their best at all times.

 

“Listen, you’re not going to please all of the people all of the time.

 

“But all I can wish for is that even when I’m getting criticism, people realise I was attempting to do the right thing for the right reasons.

 

“I’ll be extremely disappointed if I’m sitting here next December and we’re still in the Championship.

 

“And I’ll be doing 
everything I possibly 
can in the coming months to get 
us back into the 
top flight.

 

“It’s going to be extremely difficult but we haven’t given up on that in any shape or form.

 

“We still believe we can go up 
automatically but there is a play-off route as well.

 

“I still have the belief that we can get promoted.”

 

But how difficult will that be for McCoist’s players when he’s already signalled his intention to leave?

 

Ironically, he was in their 
position back in 1997/98 when Smith announced he was on his way out after Rangers’ bid for 10-in-a-
row. Many still believe that their failure to achieve it may have been 
psychological as much as physical – knowing their gaffer was heading for the exit.

 

But McCoist is adamant that he won’t allow his current crop to let his own situation impact on their performances.

 

He said: “We won’t let it be a worry for them because we can’t let that happen. It’s our job to make sure that it doesn’t.

 

“We as a staff are 100 per cent focused on the job and the players are the same.

 

“They realise the importance of 
getting this club back to the Premiership.

 

“We’ll be working really hard from 
now on ensuring that they concentrate their energies on 
getting results.

 

“I don’t remember that team under 
Walter in 1998 
winding down.

 

“After Walter 
made it public that he was leaving, 
you might tell me 
different. But my energies as a player were always 
on playing well and scoring goals 
for Rangers.

 

“That didn’t change after Walter made his decision.”

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-losing-many-people-who-4847981

[trublusince1982 243]

http://mistrollingin.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/nottingham-forest-reflections-part-2-%E2%80%93-billy-davies/

 

http://seatpitch.co.uk/2011/06/13/why-billy-davies-had-to-go/

[Rangersitis 0]

Does Billy Davies' agent work for the DR now, or is this wee Jack propaganda?

 

Either way, it's fucking one-sided nonsense.

[SteveC 150]

"He said: “The one thing John always had was respect from 
everybody."

 

Except the toxic e-mailer who dismissed him as "thick"....And who is still there, despite us being promised he'd gone:wtf2:

[Tannochsidebear 2,405]

http://mistrollingin.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/nottingham-forest-reflections-part-2-%E2%80%93-billy-davies/

 

http://seatpitch.co.uk/2011/06/13/why-billy-davies-had-to-go/

 

These two articles pretty much sum up everything about the rat Davies, and when you take it with other rumours about his time elsewhere, it all seems to be about the Billy Davies show. His total failure to secure promotion THREE times from strong positions shows a bottle merchant who cant get across the line when the going gets tough. Well the going is always tough at Ibrox and we dont need someone who has no big game winning mentality. That doesnt work with us.

 

I dont remember him actively chasing the celtic job as is quoted in the Forest article, but that alone would be enough for me to dismiss him from any chance of our job. As a Glaswegian he knows the script up here and you cant do that and expect us to just forget about it.

 

He might be a decent quick fix if he is going to come in and get the team organised tactically and motivated, but it would clearly be another quick fix, another sticking plaster over our gaping sores. Another eventual pay-off.

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Not sure what the article says but he's miles ahead of any other candidate I've seen mentioned.

[Rangersitis 0]

These two articles pretty much sum up everything about the rat Davies, and when you take it with other rumours about his time elsewhere, it all seems to be about the Billy Davies show. His total failure to secure promotion THREE times from strong positions shows a bottle merchant who cant get across the line when the going gets tough. Well the going is always tough at Ibrox and we dont need someone who has no big game winning mentality. That doesnt work with us.

 

I dont remember him actively chasing the celtic job as is quoted in the Forest article, but that alone would be enough for me to dismiss him from any chance of our job. As a Glaswegian he knows the script up here and you cant do that and expect us to just forget about it.

 

He might be a decent quick fix if he is going to come in and get the team organised tactically and motivated, but it would clearly be another quick fix, another sticking plaster over our gaping sores. Another eventual pay-off.

 

“As a professional football manager there is not a job that I would not consider,” he told Sports Centre.

 

“If the terms and conditions were right, if the club structure was right and the right support mechanisms were in place then, as a professional football manager, only a fool would turn around and say no to any interest from any club.”

 

The manager said though, that links to the job at Parkhead were just speculation.

 

“Until something official had happened well, you look at the situation then,” he added. “I can’t stop the speculation. I’m employed by Nottingham Forest for another two years.

 

Then again, thousands accept the likes of Miller and Daly playing for Rangers, so Davies would get an easy time of it.

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Then again, thousands accept the likes of Miller and Daly playing for Rangers, so Davies would get an easy time of it.

It's either him or a bottom end Scottish football manager.