Gersnet Article Gio isn’t the root of the problem

[Frankie 8,562]

 

[Frankie 8,562]

 

[Bluedell 5,624]

It's lazy to highlight Morelos and Kent. What about all the other players? Morelos has hardly played and Kent has arguably been our best player over the past month.

 

I don't know anyone who wants Gerrard back. I honestly don't get the "most fans would take Gerrard back". 

 

Gio is responsible for the players' fitness which has seen a major downturn since last season and he's responsible for the tactics. Injuries may be an excuse as to the team underperforming as a whole but not poor tactical decisions with the players that are available. It also appears that he's lost the dressing room for some reason.

 

I do agree with the point about the board. They have sunk millions into the club and continue to support the club financially.

 

 

 

 

[Sutton_blows_goats 5,326]

Agree that Gerrard's reluctance to let us sell players has held us back, perhaps he knew he'd be leaving before these problems came to a head and thus didn't really care about the results of his action. I suppose that's why its important to have a DoF who can think strategically rather than short term players wise. At least that's the idea. And that's why we should have sold Kamara in the summer.

 

That's why we should have replaced Dr Waller. We should have some on the coaching staff to support the current management team rather than giving the current team a full loadout of coaches. If our transfer windows haven't proven to be good then the recruitment staff should be accountable.

 

The DoF should do this but there are gaps there.

 

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The lack of respect shown to a man who got us to a European Final/made us the most amount of money as any Rangers manager has and to a board that saved us from the Green and Whyte days is shocking and some ‘supporters’ really need to get a grip - give the manager a break and let him build his own squad before judging him.

There is truth to this, but to quote a great Eddie Murphy sketch 'what have you done for me lately'. Both Gio and the board have delivered in the past. There can be no argument. However this does not mean they are beyond criticism for where we find ourselves now. Imagine applying that logic to a player? Well looks like we do hence we still have the likes of Steve Davis and Allan McGregor playing for us.

 

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It angers me the amount of stick that the manager and this board gets over the players from most supporters, this board saved the club from the abyss and have put £85m of their own money in since 2015 and all they get is criticism.

This is also true and for everything this board have done for us off the park and financially, improved our youth setup, our woman's setup. All fantastic. There have been issues with the Ange homecoming tour and surrounding PR, the public spats with SD and Cinch. But they have succeeded in getting us on a good footing financially.  However when it comes to on the field decisions they have proven to been inactive when needed and without inspiration, especially when it comes to managerial appointments. Gerrard being the exception but that was also close to not working out if you recall the pre covid collapse. The way Murty was left in the firing line for so long also doesn't sit right with me, he should have been removed long before he was. Communication from the board and the lack of a figurehead for the club is big issue.

 

That's not me being ungrateful. I'm trying to point out things that I think can be improved. I dont demand the likes of Park and Bennet get out of the club if they dont want to be that figurehead, they can appoint a David Holmes type to do it for them and protect thier investment in the club.

 

 

[ascender 352]

I think its more than fair to highlight Morelos - have we had a single season since he signed where his attitude has been spot-on and hasn't been affected by his lack of fitness, getting suspended for something stupid or just having a strop? I love him, but he's had more than enough second chances. You could write a whole article about him, but where it does feed in to the wider dereliction of duty is that until we signed Colak, neither manager really seemed to have a good plan as to how we played when he wasn't available.

 

I've said it before, but Gerrard's stock is rising with every passing week he's not here. He was far from perfect and seemed unable or unwilling to work out and address whatever malaise had set-in after #55 so took the easy way out and left for Villa.

 

I do agree with the point about the board and I'm also a bit surprised with the amount of flak Ross Wilson takes. It's far too simplistic an argument to say "sack the board and Wilson", but that's football fans for you. When you look at his signings, some haven't worked out, some have and some we seem to have signed without adjusting our system to fit them in. So were they the wrong players to have signed?

 

We all know that playing for Rangers isn't an easy job and it takes players some time to settle. So why are we giving some of the new signings such a hard time when they're coming in to play for the biggest club in their career at a time when confidence is low, fans are unhappy and we seem to have no tactical direction?

 

Kent and Morelos running down their contracts though, that is on Wilson as I think that's his remit isn't it?

Where I do have issues with Gio is that I still struggle to see what his plan is and what system we're actually playing. We look mentally weak with a lack of leadership and unable to do even the basics anymore. 

 

Player fitness seems to have taken a dive off a cliff since he came in.

 

Presumably it was him who thought it was a good idea to give McGregor, Davis and Arfield extensions? FWIW I can see how Arfield is worth an extension as he offers something different, but the other two??? Those two will also be taking home a decent chunk of the wage bill.

 

I thought Souttar was worth a punt, but to have him and Helander here? Mind boggling. Same goes for Roofe - why on earth have we kept him knowing we can't rely on him? Same goes for Jack. I know he's played a reasonable percentage of games for us, but he's too injury prone for someone who, when fit, is a first-choice player.

 

The biggest worry to me, and I've said it time and time again, is that this squad is still exhibiting some of the same issues on the pitch that have been there for at least 4 seasons now. I've also said in the past that maybe we should have let players like Tav and Goldson go because we've changed managers and are still seeing these issues occur, so you know, it might just have something to do with the players?

[Rick Roberts 246]

13 minutes ago, ascender said:

I do agree with the point about the board and I'm also a bit surprised with the amount of flak Ross Wilson takes. It's far too simplistic an argument to say "sack the board and Wilson", but that's football fans for you. When you look at his signings, some haven't worked out, some have and some we seem to have signed without adjusting our system to fit them in. So were they the wrong players to have signed?

 

Surely this is because we want to see accountability? We have had some shocking stuff on and off the pitch in the last wee while and no-one is accountable. The only example I can think of is Morelos not going to Amsterdam.  

 

One point Gerrard always made was ensuring players really wanted to be there and play for him and getting rid of passengers early on. I dont think anyone has asked Morelos or Kamara that for a while? Whilst Gio seems happy to just bumble on with what he's given. 

 

 

[ascender 352]

Just now, Rick Roberts said:

Surely this is because we want to see accountability? We have had some shocking stuff on and off the pitch in the last wee while and no-one is accountable. The only example I can think of is Morelos not going to Amsterdam.  

 

One point Gerrard always made was ensuring players really wanted to be there and play for him and getting rid of passengers early on. I dont think anyone has asked Morelos or Kamara that for a while? Whilst Gio seems happy to just bumble on with what he's given. 

 

 

But Gio has been in for long enough to ask that question and he's not just bumbling on with what he's given - he could have made bigger changes to that squad whilst operating within the overall playing budget if he had concerns about certain players fitness, attitude, capability, suitability etc.

 

I guess for the board, they'll point to the success on the pitch and off it last season to say they did their job and did it will. I think every supporter I know was willing to take second place in the league for a chance at the Europa League final for example.

 

The board have made funds available to Gio for signings (and on paper, I still don't think it's a bad set of signings) so they have backed him. And he did more than enough to justify it, but it was apparent early-on this season that our league form was looking patchy at best and its now got worse to the point where the league is effectively over by November.

 

It is telling (and baffling) that Gerrard and Gio haven't made bigger changes at the end of seasons where it seemed like the core of the squad were finished. Not sure how to explain that when we have also been spending money.

[Gonzo79 15,292]

There are more problems than just the manager but I don't think there's much doubt that he isn't getting the best out of the squad.

 

We need a new manager but we need more football savvy people higher up the chain too.  I get the impression a few people at Ibrox are just winging it and have no clearly defined strategy.

 

Wilson and Robertson are the two that immediately spring to mind.  

[RANGERRAB 3,653]

A good OP/article. We’re carrying to many old players and other older players on long term deals. Perhaps some of these players lost their desire or are past their best. Maybe both as well as others now looking to leave.

What does concern me though is the number of us who think ditching GvB & bringing in a replacement (who?) will guarantee an improvement. Not quite that simple unfortunately.

And I do believe our DoF has a few questions to answer too

[Frankie 8,562]

46 minutes ago, Bluedell said:

It's lazy to highlight Morelos and Kent. What about all the other players? Morelos has hardly played and Kent has arguably been our best player over the past month.

 

I don't know anyone who wants Gerrard back. I honestly don't get the "most fans would take Gerrard back". 

 

Gio is responsible for the players' fitness which has seen a major downturn since last season and he's responsible for the tactics. Injuries may be an excuse as to the team underperforming as a whole but not poor tactical decisions with the players that are available. It also appears that he's lost the dressing room for some reason.

 

I do agree with the point about the board. They have sunk millions into the club and continue to support the club financially.

 

 

 

 

Very few players can say they've done their job this season.  Off the top of my head, I'd say perhaps only Colak can say he's contributed enough with maybe Barisic at a push but he's also been poor at key moments.

 

As such to concentrate on a couple of players is somewhat unfair.  However, Morelos and Kent are key performers and just haven't turned up.  Morelos not featuring isn't an excuse for his lack of fitness or poor discipline or dreadful attitude.  Not when he's such a big earner.  He's ruining his legacy at the club and that's the worst thing given what he has achieved.

 

Kent has been a wee bit better over the last week but has also been awful over the piece and just hasn't put the effort in.  However, we could probably go through every player and detail their poor contribution.

 

Quite simply when we lose the effective performance for whatever reason from McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Jack, Kamara, Kent and Morelos and we have no-one capable of replacing them (new or old) then it's no surprise we're struggling so badly. Ultimately the manager answers for that but the issues go so much deeper and are very difficult to resolve.