So How Well Did We Really Do Last Season?

[CammyF 7,989]

Now that the dust has well and truly settled on last season and we are hurtling towards the new season, it is time to look retrospectively on how well, or badly our success rates in regards to our ââ?¬Ë?quadrupleââ?¬â?¢ expectations. If you say it fast enough, winning both domestic trophies, taking the SPL title to the wire and getting to the UEFA Cup final, you could actually believe that last season was a success.

 

I may be cynical, but I would rate last season as a failure. Whilst we won our first trophies in 3 seasons, we capitulated in the SPL run-in and handed the title to Celtc. We can point to the ridiculous schedule we had to endure and we can reflect on many dubious refereeing decisions, but the bottom line is, we were streets ahead in the title race and we let our leas slip and our form towards the ends of the season was horrendous.

 

Getting to our first European Final in 36 years was the highlight of the season. We played (and defeated) some very decent teams in the CL and UEFA Cup and nothing should detract from the marvellous achievement of getting to Manchester. I believe that we were very unlucky to come up against a team managed by former boss Dick Advocaat. He would have installed a ââ?¬Ë?donââ?¬â?¢t underestimate Rangersââ?¬â?¢ mentality in St Petersburg and in reality, when they scored the opening goal, we all could have gone home. The team faded drastically after that and sitting at Fir park the following Sunday watching Rangers limp to a 1-1 draw, I think it was then that it finally sunk in that we had lost the UEFA Cup and the SPL title.

 

So, me being an old cynic, I fear that we have another long hard season ahead of us. Unless WS pulls some cracking transfers out the bag, we havenââ?¬â?¢t improved one position in our team from last season. We are still short of a right and left back, a centre to partner King Carlos, a creative midfield player and a ââ?¬Ë?linkââ?¬â?¢ between the midfield and forwards. We now also require a player (or players) to replace our injured captain, Barry Ferguson. His injury is a massive blow and our whole season will hinge on our resolve in his absence. We donââ?¬â?¢t have anyone (currently) in our squad who can replace Barry Ferguson and I fear for our chances without him. We arenââ?¬â?¢t a one-man team and for all his faults, Ferguson gives us a ââ?¬Ë?leaderââ?¬â?¢ and he can be inspirational at times.

 

To ensure that we donââ?¬â?¢t let ââ?¬Ë?themââ?¬â?¢ get their 4th successive title, all the above positions need to be addressed and strengthened. Not winning the title for a 3rd consecutive season was both heart-breaking and gut-wrenching, not winning it this season is not only unthinkable, but it simply canââ?¬â?¢t be allowed to happen.

 

Cammy F

[Guest Arnold]

Now that the dust has well and truly settled on last season and we are hurtling towards the new season, it is time to look retrospectively on how well, or badly our success rates in regards to our ââ?¬Ë?quadrupleââ?¬â?¢ expectations. If you say it fast enough, winning both domestic trophies, taking the SPL title to the wire and getting to the UEFA Cup final, you could actually believe that last season was a success.

 

I may be cynical, but I would rate last season as a failure. Whilst we won our first trophies in 3 seasons, we capitulated in the SPL run-in and handed the title to Celtc. We can point to the ridiculous schedule we had to endure and we can reflect on many dubious refereeing decisions, but the bottom line is, we were streets ahead in the title race and we let our leas slip and our form towards the ends of the season was horrendous.

 

I agree with you but I think most fans would jump on you for saying that.

 

Losing out on the title for the third year in a row and going through the pain of losing a European final means last season can't be classed as a success for me. It's really worrying to hear people, especially those at the club, referring to it as that.

 

The coming season is going to be a slog and I think injuries and tiredness from last season will catch up with us.

 

Good post btw.

[Gazza_8 233]

I agree with you too Cammy.

 

The title was in our grasp and we flung it away. Draws against Hibs, Murderwell and a defeat to Aberdeen were 3 terrible results. People will use the UEFA Cup run as an excuse but if you want something badly you'll do anythng to get it. In the end they didn't have the balls to win all 4.

 

Preparations for next season aren't going to plan. Injuries to Adam, Fergie, Smith and Beasley have put us back a few steps. Fingers crossed this isn't the sign of things to come this season.

[UCF2008 0]

OK, you've got to admit that last season had it's up's & down's. The two domestic cup triumphs are scant consolation for losing the SPL. However, the European run was never to be expected and as much as we were all gutted at losing in the final, you've got to give the team a HUGE amount of credit for getting there.

 

You speak about the last 3 seasons as being failures and yet on the european front we've came on leaps and bounds as our coefficient has been steadily rising over this period. I know a lot of the support couldn't care less about UEFA's convoluted ranking system but, given that CL qualification accounts for a massive chunk of what little finances are available to our big club in the backwater, they really should have more appreciation for our clubs rise to 10th place in the UEFA rankings (albeit in 4 years time).

 

http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method3/trank2012.html

 

ATM Scotland is on the brink of achieving a 2nd automatic CL qualification spot and it's mostly down to us. It could just as easily go the other way and we'd be back to just the one. We really need the rest of the SPL teams in Europe to start pulling their weight instead of dragging us down.

 

You could however argue that none of this matters and as long as we're winning the SPL that we're guaranteed a crack at the CL. As long as we're winning the SPL, it doesn't matter how poorly we do in Europe, because we'll get a share of the pot just for taking part. I however believe that we, as one of the oldest and greatest clubs in the world, owe it to ourselves to continue to punch above our weight on the European stage and keep the name of Rangers Football Club up their with the best of them. So basically what I'm saying is that on this front I feel we're headed in the right direction and that last season was a huge step forward.

 

Back to the SPL ...You mention that we threw it away and in a sense your correct. Then again, the fact that we had it in our own hands going into the last few games speaks leaps and bounds for how much we've improved over a short period. Yes, the SPL was always our main priority last season and players and management repeatedly stated this fact. However, when you go back to the start of the season, you'll find that WS actually said that 'challenging' for the SPL was the top priority. I don't think many fans at the time were too dissgruntled at the thought that, win or lose, we might just improve enough to avoid further embarassment. So I ask you, did we challenge for the SPL? If so, then taking everything into account, you've got to admit that last season DEFINITELY WAS a success.

 

Mark my words. This season the SPL trophy is heading back where it belongs.

[ascender 352]

I think we suffered last season by over-achieving in the early part of it. I'd have been delighted last season if we'd pushed Celtic to the wire in the race, won a couple of trophies and had a good run in Europe. But simply because we threw the title away, I'm really gutted by how last season turned out in the end.

 

There's lots of positives to take from last season though. My only worry is that some of the weaknesses and problem positions in our squad haven't been addressed yet, but hopefully they will be by the time we kick off.

[Guest Arnold]

Back to the SPL ...You mention that we threw it away and in a sense your correct. Then again, the fact that we had it in our own hands going into the last few games speaks leaps and bounds for how much we've improved over a short period. Yes, the SPL was always our main priority last season and players and management repeatedly stated this fact. However, when you go back to the start of the season, you'll find that WS actually said that 'challenging' for the SPL was the top priority. I don't think many fans at the time were too dissgruntled at the thought that, win or lose, we might just improve enough to avoid further embarassment. So I ask you, did we challenge for the SPL? If so, then taking everything into account, you've got to admit that last season DEFINITELY WAS a success.

 

That's saying that if you set your goals low enough then any season can be branded a success.

 

We threw away the SPL and lost a major European final and I simply cannot see that as a success. To put it another way, would you be happy at only winning the League Cup and the Scottish Cup every season? I doubt it.

 

Last season was progressive, at best. It wasn't a success unless your ambition for Rangers is below par. Judging by the rest of your post, it would seem you DO have ambition for the club, especially on the big stage, so surely you can admit that 2007/2008 wasn't the kind of season that we would label as a successful one?

[UCF2008 0]

That's saying that if you set your goals low enough then any season can be branded a success.

 

No. I'm saying that last season WS was just being REALISTIC when he said that our goal was to challenge for the SPL. Consider the fact, european progress aside, that in Eck's last season we came 3rd and only just qualified for the UEFA. Follow this up with promised 'moonbeams of success' with the PLG era which, at least in domestic terms, was a complete nosedive. Walter came in and steadied the ship. As much as I dislike seeing ANY Rangers manager give credit to the other lot, you've got to admit that he WAS just being realistic. I'm sure that in his own mind he was aiming to WIN the SPL, but all things considered, he could hardly promise that to us lot.

 

We threw away the SPL and lost a major European final and I simply cannot see that as a success. To put it another way, would you be happy at only winning the League Cup and the Scottish Cup every season? I doubt it.

 

You're right. I wouldn't, but like I said I expect us to win the SPL THIS season ...and the next ...and so on.

 

Last season was progressive, at best. It wasn't a success unless your ambition for Rangers is below par. Judging by the rest of your post, it would seem you DO have ambition for the club, especially on the big stage, so surely you can admit that 2007/2008 wasn't the kind of season that we would label as a successful one?

 

I respectfuly dissagree and I think you might change your tune as well if the SPL is our only notable achievement for the next 5 years.

[Guest Arnold]

No. I'm saying that last season WS was just being REALISTIC when he said that our goal was to challenge for the SPL. Consider the fact, european progress aside, that in Eck's last season we came 3rd and only just qualified for the UEFA. Follow this up with promised 'moonbeams of success' with the PLG era which, at least in domestic terms, was a complete nosedive. Walter came in and steadied the ship. As much as I dislike seeing ANY Rangers manager give credit to the other lot, you've got to admit that he WAS just being realistic. I'm sure that in his own mind he was aiming to WIN the SPL, but all things considered, he could hardly promise that to us lot.

 

You're right. I wouldn't, but like I said I expect us to win the SPL THIS season ...and the next ...and so on.

 

I respectfuly dissagree and I think you might change your tune as well if the SPL is our only notable achievement for the next 5 years.

 

Fair points but I would maintain that you can only judge this a success if you set your sights lower. Whether you label that as being realistic, pessimistic or anything else, it's still well below what we should deem as a success.

 

I don't see why we can't simply label it as a progressive season where we improved on the one before.

[UCF2008 0]

Fair points but I would maintain that you can only judge this a success if you set your sights lower. Whether you label that as being realistic, pessimistic or anything else, it's still well below what we should deem as a success.

 

I don't see why we can't simply label it as a progressive season where we improved on the one before.

 

Simply because they challenged not just for the SPL but on all fronts to the last. Simply because it was the 1st Rangers European final which I had the privilege of witnessing. Simply because, against the odds we did all of this until the last day ...picking up a 2nd trophy in the process. Simply because we were the best.

[UCF2008 0]

I could make plenty of excuses for the very few shortcomings of last season:

 

The fixtures were 'fixed' ; our European run took it's toll ; our captain and tallisman was WAY below par, playing half the season YET AGAIN through injury ; The mhedia did it's best to throw us out of our stride with constant talk of fatigue for the last three months of the season ; Losing the UEFA final was a severe blow to the morale of the players in the title run-in...The list is endless.

 

At the end of the day, I see it as being a successful season and I appreciate that a lot of fellow bears dissagree. However, if we win the SPL this season and achieve nothing else, then I'm sure many will look back on the 2007/2008 season as the MORE SUCCESSFUL.