Has Walter Matured?

[Gribz 850]

Silly question if regards to his age!! But I think WS has matured as a manager since his first stint.

 

He was wonderfully sucessful domestically but for a few seasons our closest title contenders were Motherwell and Aberdeen in the early 90s until Celtic came stronger in 95/96. However that doesnt take his achievements away.

 

But in europe apart from the 92/93 season he just lost it and we were at the end of some cuffings.

 

This time round he has taken a different approach and it seems to be working. He is going for result first, performance second not to say the latter has been bad.

 

I think its down to his time with Scotland more than his Everton days, he seemed to just click with Scotland and its giving him something to take into the Rangers job.

 

Maybe some say not having Archie Knox around is a good thing and having Ally instead is doing the job??

[CammyF 8,007]

I don't think we can jump to any conclusions after just yet. However, I don't think anyone can take anything away from our European results so far this season even tho the early performances weren't up to every fans expectations.

 

As I said in my rant, love or loathe 4-5-1 in Europe, it is certainly delivering results - and performances especially in the last 2 games. IMO we'll have to wait until the end of the season before we can pass any real judgement on results and performances.

 

Early signs are encouraging tho.....

 

Cammy F

[Gribz 850]

I agree its early. What made me think this was I remember back to being at Ibrox at a Strasbourg game towards the end of Smiths first era and we were dire and I think we lost 2-1. If that Lyon game had been 10 years ago I dont think we would have dreamt about winning 3-0.

 

But he took Scotland to a better standard home and away and so far the signs are his is carrying it into this reign.

 

Once the fixtures were announced I think a lot of Bears would have taken 6 pts after 4 games in the CL never mind in 2 games.

[Gazza_8 233]

I was against WS returning because of his record in europe in his 1st stint at the club. Apart from 1 good season which Gribz mentioned his record was pitiful. Gothenburg, Levski Sofia and Strrasbourg all beat us after the wonderful run in the 92/93 season.

 

His ultra defensive tactics aren't pleasing on the eye but after winning 3-0 away from home against the French champions no one can really complain. As Cammy said the early signs are encouraging, let's just hope our key players can stay fit and the team doesn't get carried away.

[pete 2,499]

Personally i think lady luck has a lot to do with it. On another day our shots could have missed and Lyon could have scored 3. I am not saying it is all luck but if you look at the Rangers Bayern game when Mols was injured, if we had a bit of luck that day we would have won easily.

Yes tactics are important and for me if you have the right players a 4-5-1 becomes 4-3-3 with one pass as we did on Wednesday.I think 4-5-1\4-3-3 is the way to go in the League as well but Whittaker certainly won't fit as a midfielder then.

Has Walter improved? i think we are always learning so he possibly has improved but i think he was too loyal to the old guard first time around and he did have a lot of ill luck in Europe.

[calscot 0]

I think the trouble in Europe is that he switched from the successful 4-4-2 system to a badly thought out 5-3-2.

 

At the time it worked in Scotland as we relied on the likes of Laudrup and Gazza to "do something" but that's not a tactic you can use in Europe.

 

Laudrup and Gazza really needed top class ball winners around them and the likes of Alex Clelland and Bolan just weren't up to it.

 

Imagine what it could have been like with even Hutton and Smith as wing backs with Hemdani in the middle. Even better with Reyna and Gio with Ferguson in the middle when at his best.

 

I think we struggled to find strikers too and when we eventually got one who could regularly put the ball in the net, he went a bit potty.

 

The central defence was a bit rocky too, compared to now with even Amo prone to big mistakes.

 

But it's a formation which never worked whereas this new 4-1-4-1 formation has worked a treat in Europe for Rangers, Scotland and now even Celtic. I think Aberdeen only played one up front too.

 

It won't work in the SPL against the wee teams but then that's what Boyd, Naismith and Novo are for.

 

However I do think we should use it in away games against the likes of Hearts, Hibs and Celtic - although I'm not sure what will happen if they use the exact same tactics... We could cancel each other out.

[Hurlock 0]

Silly question if regards to his age!! But I think WS has matured as a manager since his first stint.

 

He was wonderfully sucessful domestically but for a few seasons our closest title contenders were Motherwell and Aberdeen in the early 90s until Celtic came stronger in 95/96. However that doesnt take his achievements away.

 

But in europe apart from the 92/93 season he just lost it and we were at the end of some cuffings.

 

This time round he has taken a different approach and it seems to be working. He is going for result first, performance second not to say the latter has been bad.

 

I think its down to his time with Scotland more than his Everton days, he seemed to just click with Scotland and its giving him something to take into the Rangers job.

 

Maybe some say not having Archie Knox around is a good thing and having Ally instead is doing the job??

 

Matured like a fine wine in a brisk autumn breeze !!

[pete 2,499]

Obviously not leaving our best players sitting on their arses for the big games.

[gisabeer 409]

unbelievable team selection today. said we would lose right before kick off and i was proved right. no flair, imagination or creativity. didnt even notice ferguson was on till the second half. as for whittaker, seems to be a rabbit caught in the headlights and is fast becoming a hate figure in the stands.