Have the Board backed the manager as Promised?

[buster. 5,185]

On the IN and OUT list

 

You also have players like Hardie, Walsh and McCrorie (defender) coming back who on the face of it may be peripheral figures but so was Barrie McKay at this stage last summer.

[der Berliner 3,744]

The jury will be out this season, no doubt. Last season was a welcome relief on so many levels, now we are back to the real business. And Rangers managers, no matter whom, will be judged by titles. The circumstances mattered last season, and before that, now we have had a full transfer window, a full pre-season, and already know what the team of last season was capable of. Expectations will be there and - as before - a series of bad results can swing the tune regarding MW to the negative.

 

Right now though, the expectations are high, but not in a demanding sense, but a "looking forward" sense. At least with me. It's been a while since that is the case.

[Tannochsidebear 2,406]

There is absolutely no indication that MW has been refused anyone that he felt he had a chance of bringing to the club by the board not wanting to pay a fee. These things have a way of getting out and I am comfortable that if we have heard nothing about this, it is because there is nothing to hear.

 

For me the big question is has MW got his targets right and does he understand the quality of opposition, style of play, pressure to win, and all the things that go towards winning 55. I dont for one minute think the squad today is how the squad will be on 1 September after the window closes, and I am certain another proper central defender and striker will come in before then, even perhaps through the loan system. Time will tell if MW has got this right or not, and January will bring a chance to rectify any areas needing improvement and our work then compared to our rivals may even be the clincher for the title.

 

I am fairly happy with not spending big this summer as with no retail or Euro money coming in, we are still handcuffed financially even with record ST sales. I dont think we put the ST prices up enough either, which may have helped with another £2M or so, but it was not an easy thing to get right and as long as we correct it going forward we will be fine.

[JFK-1 1,693]

I think it also has to be considered that there will be another transfer window in January by which time the manager will have a far better sense of how the team stands and which area could most efficiently improve it.

 

If he were to blow all his transfer kitty now then discover a flaw in the lineup that could possibly rob him of a title because he had spent his entire kitty in the summer who would get the blame for that?

 

Personally I think this team can already mount a credible challenege for the title but a minimum expectation is a top 3 finish so that probably means competing with Aberdeen/Hearts for those spots. I would estimate we have already far outclassed anything both combined will do in this window.

[calscot 0]

While I'd be very surprised if we didn't secure a top 4 finish, think we definitely have good enough for a likely top 2, and a decent chance of winning, I can't help but feel the squad is slightly makeshift in its construction. Maybe it's just the state of the Scottish football getting worse and worse relative to the EP in that it seems good enough, but when you compare to our UEFA final squad, which was in itself making the most of a difficult situation, it feels well down from that level.

 

I think a lot of it depends on how some of our players from last season, make the step up to a higher level, as most of them should be developing into our stars of the next few years; however, our win record against SP teams and the next best two of the SCh, wasn't actually that great.

 

Some of our newer players are coming in from a relatively higher level and so you'd expect them cope fine.

[gisabeer 409]

I think our manager takes pride in not splashing out on big transfer fees. in fact i think he would be offended if you asked him to large sums of cash on transfer fees. just the way he works and he seems happy enough and if he is i am!

[jhunter 0]

i don't think its a case of not backing so much as the money just isn't there

 

every one of those summer signings has gamble written all over them

[buster. 5,185]

i don't think its a case of not backing so much as the money just isn't there

 

every one of those summer signings has gamble written all over them

 

All signings are gambles, to varying degrees.

 

I'd suggest that the mgmt team try to minimise the gamble in many of the signings by part of the 'due diligence' involved being based on up close personal experience.

 

eg. McParland has past direct experience of Barton and Rossiter.

MW has the same of Hodson, Mariappa (was target).

MW took the time and trouble to travel to New York to have a face to face with Kranjcar.

[aweebluesoandso 290]

I think they have backed MW, to get that number of players in and one more to come. The board are showing the support they are 100% behind the managers plans.

[Crimson Dynamo 128]

They clearly have backed the manager. I presume when the accounts are released they will show another loss. Yet we are out signing Barton and Kranjcar both of whom I would guess will be on around 40k a week between them.