Paul Murray urges radical thinking to address Scottish football decline

[ian1964 10,596]

Rangers director Paul Murray believes radical thinking is needed to address a steep decline in the fortunes of Scottish football.

 

With Scottish clubs out of Europe and the national team resigned to viewing Euro 2016 on TV, league reconstruction and a bigger top tier is being held up once more as a panacea for the game's problems.

 

Murray, an accountant to trade, compares another change to the structure as akin to fiddling while Rome burns — and argues the time has come to ask business leaders such as Ann Budge of Hearts and Roy McGregor of Ross County how they would approach a rethink.

 

 

'We have tried to change things on the periphery and, as someone who has been watching football for 40-odd years, the decline in the last 25 years is really, really steep,' said Murray. 'I personally think we need to do something that is really radical.

 

'I don't know what it is, but it has to be radical. Properly thought through, properly structured and properly funded, but really radical. We have done the tinkering round the edges and it hasn't worked.

 

'When you talk about changes to Scottish football and league reconstruction, you have to get more fresh thinking and creative people involved

 

 

'If I was involved in shaping the game I would be talking to Ann Budge at Hearts, Roy McGregor at Ross County, Billy Allan at Partick Thistle, who I know well.

 

'These are people who have built very successful businesses. In Roy's case, an international oil and gas business, Ann Budge, an IT business, Billy Allan, a number of businesses.

 

'They can add real value. We should be saying: "Well, what do you think? You have been involved in shaping very successful organisations. What are your ideas in terms of moving Scottish football forward?"

 

He said: 'I don't know what it is, but it has to be radical. Properly thought through, and properly structured'

 

'We have all got a responsibility. It shouldn't be confrontational. Every club will look after its own interests, obviously, but we need to do a lot more stuff for the common good.'

 

 

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson failed in his quest to gain election to the influential SPFL board in the last vote, but is likely to try again in future as the Ibrox club seek to make themselves heard once more.

 

'As a board, we have not actually sat down and discussed it,' admitted Murray. 'We have had one or two other priorities to deal with. But my own personal view, and I come to it from a business point of view which is my background, is that you have got to speak more to the paying customers. No organisation in the world can succeed anywhere unless you talk to your customers and say: "What do actually you want?"

 

'You can't just go and impose what you think on them. You have to listen to what they say to you. I don't think there's been enough of that the last couple of years. Do they want summer football? Fewer games? More games? An earlier start to the season? Cheaper prices? I don't know.

 

'You go and have those conversations and at the same time involve smart people who have a lot to offer, your Ann Budges, your Billy Allans, your Roy McGregors as well as other people, and try and get some people who've got fresh ideas. Look at other countries.

 

'Look at sport in America, look at other countries that have successful organisations.'

 

Murray also tackled continued speculation surrounding the future of Rangers manager Mark Warburton.

 

The ex-Brentford boss branded continued conjecture over a move to Fulham 'disrespectful' before being subsequently linked with the vacancy at Swansea. Warburton has publicly committed himself to seeing out the Rangers project, but Murray accepts the rumours are the price to be paid for acquiring a coach with a strong reputation in English football.

 

'It's not as if he is coming to us every day to say: "I am leaving to go to Swansea City" or whoever he is linked with that day,' insisted the Ibrox director.

 

The former Brentford manager has been linked with the managerial vacancies at Fulham and Swansea

'I and the rest of the board spent a lot of time identifying Mark and he has done a fantastic job so far.

 

'I can't believe some people are criticising Mark because the progress made has been phenomenal. We have only dropped seven points all season.

 

'I have been involved in football long enough to know you are going to get speculation. But the club has had no approach from any other club in terms of wanting to bring Mark somewhere else.

 

'We have only had 15 managers in the club's history, which is an incredible statistic. Appointing Mark Warburton was a very important decision.

 

'We have supported Mark by bringing in some support staff, such as Frank McParland as chief scout as well as a conditioning coach.'

 

 

Paul Murray was speaking in the Borders at the launch of a new community working partnership between Rangers and Gala Fairydean. The clubs will share coaching techniques and have a working relationship.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3365112/Rangers-director-Paul-Murray-urges-radical-thinking-address-Scottish-football-decline.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

[RANGERRAB 3,404]

The first thing that needs to be done to address the decline in Scottish football is the removal of Liewell's placemen Doncaster & Rhegan from their respective positions.

[ian1964 10,596]

The first thing that needs to be done to address the decline in Scottish football is the removal of Liewell's placemen Doncaster & Rhegan from their respective positions.

 

And we all know that is not going to happen!,scandalous that these guys are still in their positions,all the clubs must see what we fans see?

[Tannochsidebear 2,352]

Easily the most impressive interview with Paul Murray I have ever read. I'm not a fan of his, but I think he is spot on the money with this.

[ian1964 10,596]

'We have all got a responsibility. It shouldn't be confrontational. Every club will look after its own interests, obviously, but we need to do a lot more stuff for the common good.'

 

 

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson failed in his quest to gain election to the influential SPFL board in the last vote, but is likely to try again in future as the Ibrox club seek to make themselves heard once more.

 

Says it all really!

[colinstein 294]

'I don't know what it is, but it has to be radical. "

 

aye thanks for the input Paul

[ian1964 10,596]

'As a board, we have not actually sat down and discussed it,' admitted Murray. 'We have had one or two other priorities to deal with. But my own personal view, and I come to it from a business point of view which is my background, is that you have got to speak more to the paying customers. No organisation in the world can succeed anywhere unless you talk to your customers and say: "What do actually you want?"

 

We all know what happened the last time!,in fact that was one of the biggest things that assisted in destroying Scottish football.

Remember all the fans of other clubs promised to ''sell out Saturdays'' as long as they all voted Rangers out of the SPL,that went well......

Edited December 18, 2015 by ian1964

[boabie 230]

" Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson failed in his quest to gain election to the influential SPFL board in the last vote, but is likely to try again in future as the Ibrox club seek to make themselves heard once more. "

 

I fail to see what that line has to do with the subject under discussion.

[calscot 0]

Once again we seem to be the only club who are concerned about the game as a whole, and not just selfish interests. Really shows up Celtic for their, "we only care about Celtic attitude" and shows their men on the Scottish football boards are about as damaging as you can get. The scary thing is that the rest of the people involved in running Scottish clubs are so blind to that obvious point, and keep voting them in. They seem oblivious to the warnings from the continual sound bites.

 

With all the damage Celtic continue to do to all clubs in Scotland in pursuit of their selfish agenda, you really have to wonder why they are all continually led by the nose, and why it is Rangers that are continually hated.

[ian1964 10,596]

Once again we seem to be the only club who are concerned about the game as a whole, and not just selfish interests. Really shows up Celtic for their, "we only care about Celtic attitude" and shows their men on the Scottish football boards are about as damaging as you can get. The scary thing is that the rest of the people involved in running Scottish clubs are so blind to that obvious point, and keep voting them in. They seem oblivious to the warnings from the continual sound bites.

 

With all the damage Celtic continue to do to all clubs in Scotland in pursuit of their selfish agenda, you really have to wonder why they are all continually led by the nose, and why it is Rangers that are continually hated.

 

Reap what you sow springs to mind!

Edited December 18, 2015 by ian1964