Turmoil on and off the pitch as Rangers have a shell-shocked look

[SteveC 150]

In the midst of off-field turmoil, action on the pitch routinely provides light relief for supporters. Not so at Rangers, where seemingly endless background chaos was replicated only by a team performance – in the loosest possible sense of the word – at Hibernian.

A Rangers week that opened with a tempestuous AGM ended in similarly embarrassing fashion with a 4-0 defeat. The dysfunction of the club’s business affairs is well known; of perhaps more concern to battle-weary fans was the glaring lack of shape, style, confidence or commitment that was evident here. Not since January 1912 had Hibs beaten Rangers by four or more goals. They did not even have to try particularly hard for this success against a group of individuals who barely looked interested in what should have been a significant fixture. When boardroom machinations transmit to a playing staff, there really is a problem.

Needless to say, neither Mike Ashley nor his trusted lieutenant Derek Llambias were in Edinburgh to watch this shambles unfold. Ashley has been prevented by the Scottish FA from increasing his stake in the club to 29.9% but there should be no doubt that the Newcastle United owner is already calling the shots at Rangers. Quite how he formalises that arrangement in the coming weeks, and before a hearing with the governing body over allegations of rule breaches, remains to be seen.

Typically, Ashley has offered no clue as to his intentions in Glasgow. Nor is he expected to. There is not so much of a shred of evidence that the Sports Direct tycoon plans to do more than protect a highly enviable commercial position. To their credit, the Rangers supporters have made their opposition to Ashley plain. Their current problem – Ashley’s stranglehold aside – is the lack of a viable alternative for a business that claims to require £8m merely to continue trading throughout 2015.

History tells us Ashley will not be altogether bothered by this result. It also points to those AGMs, stormy or otherwise, soon becoming a thing of the past. All the while, the assertion that Rangers will inevitably return to the summit of Scottish football is becoming trickier and trickier to offer.

Rangers lack the funding that would be required to overhaul their football department. With Ally McCoist on gardening leave and receiving more than £14,000 a week for his trouble, Kenny McDowall has stepped forward to preside over first-team affairs. McDowall’s first post-match act was to “apologise to the support” for a woeful display. He looked shell-shocked rather than angry.

“I can’t deny that the goings on haven’t helped,” McDowall said. “But we are all professional people. I’m not going to sit here and offer excuses. Hibs were the better team on the day.”

And some. David Gray and Jason Cummings put the hosts two in front after 12 minutes. It took 25 for the first rendition of “Sack the board” to emanate from the Dunbar End of Easter Road.

Scott Robertson and Liam Craig added Hibs gloss in the second half. It was another of their players, the former West Bromwich midfielder Scott Allan, who proved the star of the show. It is to the credit of Alan Stubbs, the Hibs manager, that he has backed up promise with results at a club that had been in the doldrums. Next weekend’s Edinburgh derby at a sold-out Tynecastle promises to be an eye-catching affair.

Rangers, by contrast, look an unmitigated mess. The most damning indictment of McCoist’s tenure is the lack of any positive legacy. Highly paid players look not only devoid of inspiration but, in several cases, basic fitness. For all that McDowall is a decent guy with a reasonable reputation as a coach he is implicated in the dismal standard of affairs by virtue of the fact he was in the Ibrox dugout throughout his predecessor’s reign. For now, McDowall is little more than Rangers’ soft option.

By the time McDowall’s players slinked from the field, only a small pocket of Rangers fans remained. Having won 11 from 18 fixtures in Scotland’s second tier, a playoff looks Rangers’ most likely route back into the top flight. On current form, it would be a serious leap of faith to presume they would survive such a scenario.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/27/turmoil-rangers-shell-shocked-heavy-defeat-hibernian?

[BlueSolace 0]

Spot on article ... despite the clamour from some that he will invest to get Rangers in CL for Sportsdirect... i think he will let the situation smoulder ....far too many fingers in so many pies to give much thought and commitment to Rangers .....

[Bearman 9]

Spot on article ... despite the clamour from some that he will invest to get Rangers in CL for Sportsdirect... i think he will let the situation smoulder ....far too many fingers in so many pies to give much thought and commitment to Rangers .....

 

I cant think of a single other reason why he wants to do with Rangers...those players out there today realise it, because they wont be part of it.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

I can think of millions

[Bearman 9]

I can think of millions

 

His way of thinking gs

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Bearman - you haven't been paying very close attention.

[pete 2,499]

I disagree totally with of the OP. I don't think the fans are battle weary I think we have just hit fighting mode.

[forlanssister 3,114]

I disagree totally with of the OP. I don't think the fans are battle weary I think we have just hit fighting mode.

 

Enough is enough was the mantra departing Easter Road at the third goal.

[pete 2,499]

Enough is enough was the mantra departing Easter Road at the third goal.

 

I suppose off field and on field are different. There really needs to be a show of defiance at Ibrox. All fans that still disagree with a total ban should stay outside until the 15th minute before entering the stadium to let them see what an empty stadium is like.

Edited December 27, 2014 by pete

[BlueSolace 0]

I'd welcome a proper demonstration next Saturday. I'm over and I told my mate that I don't intend on going in. Either an all day bevy session or 2 hours of protesting. Normally I would prefer the pub but we need the bodies outside of Edmiston Drive getting the message across. Perhaps we even walk in the door and up the stairs to the Blue room.

 

That said, all the board need to so is accept the offer from Letham et al and I'm buying a ticket.

 

Nail on the head ... a proper demonstration is required...