Post window - A more positive outlook

I don’t understand why people are acting like it was a sensible decision not to sign anyone yesterday.

Just like most things this board do, they tried and made an arse if it.

They tried to sign a winger and couldn’t, in the same way we tried to sign an experienced 6 in the summer and couldn’t.

They are letting the fans who spend thousands each year following the team everywhere down. We will finish second again.

It is not good enough.

“Just like most things this board do…” would that be the new Chairman & CEO that are just in the door you mean?
 
We are a Cerny injury away from not having an effective winger in the full squad. Mccausland isn’t the required standard, Cortes can probably be written off until next season and I’m not convinced that Curtis is ready.

I can’t help but feel that not getting a winger in on loan to replace Matondo could be what scuppers our Europa League chances.
 
We are a Cerny injury away from not having an effective winger in the full squad. Mccausland isn’t the required standard, Cortes can probably be written off until next season and I’m not convinced that Curtis is ready.

I can’t help but feel that not getting a winger in on loan to replace Matondo could be what scuppers our Europa League chances.

It might well and us as fans will lament it, but the board might see it as "We budgeted for a play off round and we've done better than expected, so if we go out then, financially it's fine".
 
According to Flashscore, Kyogo had;

10 league goals and 3 assists
14 league goals and 5 assists
27 league goals and 2 assists
12 league goals and 0 assists

Jota last time around had;

10 league goals and 10 assists
11 league goals and 11 assists

Bar Kyogo’s 2nd season where he hit 27 league goals, I don’t think they’ve lost any goals going by the above. They’ve simply replaced where they will come from. In-fact, I reckon Jota will have more goal involvements than what Kyogo offered.

In saying that, give me Dessers and Igamane every day of the week.

Kyogo isn't just about goals for them though, he's absolutely crucial to their high pressing game the same way Maeda is. Idah doesn't offer those same characteristics.
 
If we get a doing at Parkhead as they romp to the title rubbing our noses in it or they see us off in the Scottish see how many then think it was great window getting the wage bill down .
 
If we get a doing at Parkhead as they romp to the title rubbing our noses in it or they see us off in the Scottish see how many then think it was great window getting the wage bill down .
The Celtic we just beat 3-0 and were cheated out of a cup final against? Nah, just assume negatives and rage?

What if we give Celtic a doing, narrow the gap in the league, see them off in the Scottish have a good run in the Europa and then go into the summer with a much better position to build from?
 
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The problems of this window will still be here in the Summer. January was not an isolated window.

That is the issue. So while we can convince ourselves January was sensible, it’s more than likely to be repeated in the Summer.

There are at least 6 players that need to move on permanently. And that doesn’t include the huge wages of Tav + Butland.
 
Effectively is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. There’s plenty reasons to have a go at how the club has performed for a few years now. But a 3 nil win, with threadbare squad when the league is still viable is churlish,

A threadbare squad ?

Our starting 11 was

Kelly
Ridvan Sterling Propper Jefte
Raskin Diomande
Cerny Hagi Bajrami
Igamane

So what a RB away from as strong as we could get.

We brought on Danilo, Dessers, Cortes, Barron and Fraser

Aye threadbare right enough

Rodgers played us, a win for them and I don’t think Clement survives it, Rodgers knows clement isn’t a threat domestically.

League was viable ?

Celtic had dropped 4 points up to that point, was anyone realistically thinking we would go unbeaten the rest of the season whilst celtic would have to drop another 12 ?
 
As a fan, I would obviously have loved us to sign loads of players because thats what we do. However, i have seen people on Twitter talking about apathy and potentially not renewing their S's etc so thought I would share a counter view.

We have been a mess for the last couple of years due to poor board decisions and dreadful recruitment. We now have an over qualified CEO who is conducting a proper review into the football department and have continued to shed the deadwood from the squad which has been like a financial anchor round us for the past couple of years, saving millions in the process. We are finally getting to a position where we have young and hungry saleable assets rather than older and non-contributing diddies. Guys like Igamane, Jefte, Dio, Raskin along with prospects like Nsiala, Cameron etc. We are finally in a position where we can see if our youth players can cut it and, while I would obviously rather be in a place where we are romping the league and had a team full of stars, we do need to see if our Academy is capable of producing the next generation of saleable assets.

I understand people being annoyed at us not getting at least 1 more in January however, I am realistic enough to know we are now actually trying to improve the foundations of the club for the future rather than panic paying an expensive loan like Silva/Ramsey etc.

The season isnt over so, yes, strengthening out wide or in midfield would have been nice. But, by the time we play our last 16 game and the later stages of the SC, our bench could be Kelly, Ridvan, Barron, Bajrmai, Cortes, Danilo, Balagoun, McCausland, Nsiala, Rice, Curtis. All on top of a starting 11 that has managed to match and pump celtic (with several players missing) and get to the last 16 of the europa, with even more players missing!

January, whether we like it or not, is a difficult window. Look at the mob across the city with their 100m in the bank. Even they have only managed to bring back a winger they had before and sign a 32yo sub as cover from Palace. Despite selling their best striker and arguable talisman.

All in all, I had accepted this season was going to be a rocky road. But, we will hopefully now have more finances to add quality in the summer and, most importantly, have better foundations as a club to actually build sustainable success rather than constant botch job repairs.

Finally, and I can only talk for myself here, I will be renewing 100% next year and am actually intrigued, and a little excited, to see what we are able to do. Learn to beat the dross, as I think we have celtic's number at the moment tactically, and who knows.
If we get lucky in the summer window with some additions we will be much closer to them. Rodgers going in to the last year of his contract might help as well, his head may be turned.
 
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Think that through fully mate.

Do you think we chased a player to the end, and then pulled out if it was possible, at the right price?

This isn't FIFA or Football Manager, there can be many reasons a deal isn't possible for the right player at the right time and price. Be it the selling club couldn't find a replacement or have sold someone else so the player becomes unavailable, other clubs offering more, a change of mind from any of the parties, contract issues, agents and all manner of other variables.

Consider all the variables and not just the over simplified pay a fee get a player people seem to have.

It astounds me that people get so blinded by rage that they've not got the excitement of a new signing that they can't apply a bit of logic and sense and over simplify things and get even more wound up.
It was to do with the club not being able to replace the guy, it wasn’t a matter of cost on this one.

I know it’s not FIFA, or Football Manager, and I’m certainly not blinded with rage or whatever over-dramatic description is being used here, it’s just not great planning when you want a player and you get to that late in the window and are still depending on a third party to enable you to get that player.

As I said last night, maybe the fans didn’t need to know that. I wouldn’t even have mentioned it otherwise.
 
We are a Cerny injury away from not having an effective winger in the full squad. Mccausland isn’t the required standard, Cortes can probably be written off until next season and I’m not convinced that Curtis is ready.

I can’t help but feel that not getting a winger in on loan to replace Matondo could be what scuppers our Europa League chances.
Cerny will need managed in every game now.

As soon as games are all but done, he’ll need replaced the majority of the time in order to avoid any daft injuries in the last 20 minutes if we’re clear and comfy.
 
People are seriously saying they won’t renew their season tickets because of the January transfer window?
People don't have to buy a ST. The self entitlement that we slag the other lot for is ingrained in some of our fans too. We have no divine right to win any game or competition.

I'm seeing people saying, they get no return for their money. You get in to watch the game - that's your return, if you can be arsed turning up.

If anyone is apathetic that they don't want to support the team when things are tough then some need to find a new weekend hobby.
 
Has anyone done any reasonable calculations and worked out how much money will will have saved with all the outgoings last summer and then ones going on loan this January considering they haven't been replaced bar the cb on loan. Wage savings must be close to 10million for the full year summer to summer I would imagine.
 
Success in a transfer window should mean we come out stronger than when we went in and to be blunt the overall squad is weaker than it was a several weeks ago that’s not a successful window no matter how much spin is put on it.

The yahoos are a few games away from winning another yet another treble and we’ve been down to the bare bones in certain games recently.

While the Europa has been a success we need UCL income as the EL has us running at a loss every season.

We’ve got an absolutely monumental task to get near that mob anytime soon. Just don’t think we’ve got as many young superstars as being made out this is a side that’s struggling to beat utter garbage in the SPFL at times.
The CL is going to be a hard thing to reach for Scottish teams eventually and the League winners will only get into the Europa League. The UEFA restructure means the CL is eventually going to be the ESL in all but name.

We are a massive fish in a very small pond with very little money. We have another big fish in the same pond that is eating all the food and we're looking for scraps. Change is required at SPFL level because even the Scandinavian countries get more TV money than us which is only going to increase as we're stuck with Sky to the end of the decade for relative buttons.

Our board have tried to find new revenue streams with NEH and converting the old shop into a bar but we don't make enough money domestically to sustain a club our size which will mean even more cost cutting going forward. Unless someone with fresh ideas on how to market our league properly and for fair value, Scottish Football will eventually be left in the dust.
 
It's a temporary fix re the deadwood and it depends on how much the other clubs are paying.

Whilst I think Davies will probably be away, Dowell and Matondo will more than likely be back in the summer.

I'm disappointed we never got another attacking player as I feel we are short there especially if Dessers or Igamane get injured. Just look what happened on the way to Seville.

We've signed one player who at best will be a squad player but realistically is not really going to be involved.
 
You actually questioned it being threadbare after posting a left back at right back, a right back at centre half and our second choice goalkeeper?

And for reference Viable; capable of working successfully; feasible.

Yes I did, maybe look up the definition of threadbare in your thesaurus

The manager chose to make illogical team selections. He could easily have played King RB, or CH and put Sterling to RB. He didn’t need play anyone out of position.

Butland was/is on a run of form that makes you question whether he should be a number 1. It’s hardly like sticking Graham Robert’s in goal. Kelly has probably faced celtic more times than any other keeper in the league. Probably one of the longest serving Number 1s in the league. He’s a Scottish Internationalist.

A high number of folk on here reckon CH is Sterling’s best position.

We actually were in a position to name a full subs bench unlike celtic so in addition to the subs we used Danilo, Dessers, Cortes, Barron and Fraser we didn’t use Matondo, Dowell, King we had so many players we couldn’t even name Rice, Lovelace, Curtis, Nsio or Nsiala. Hardly the definition of “threadbare”

The only “accademy” player we used was Robbie Fraser in injury time.
 
The Celtic we just beat 3-0 and were cheated out of a cup final against? Nah, just assume negatives and rage?

What if we give Celtic a doing, narrow the gap in the league, see them off in the Scottish and then go into the summer with a much better position to build from?
Were not going to Parkhead to give Celtic a doing, i'd love it but its not going to happen.
Negatives and rage? The negatives are the truth im afraid.
Rage? Yes your spot on there, i ain't happy with this at all.
 
It's a pretty disappointing, if not unexpected window. It does tie in with our massive downsizing and cost cutting remit.

Some of the voices on here that have been excusing the manager on the basis of a threadbare squad are championing the decisions made which have actually made it thinner.

Irregardless of what you think of the players that left, the manager has less options now and the driving factor seems to be to save a few hundred grands worth of wages over the next few months more than anything else.

I'm not a Clement fan but I think he's got every right to feel a bit let down. The next few months results are crucial for him in the eyes of many supporters. If it comes down to needing to throw a winger on in a tight Europa League game or Scottish Cup final looking for a spark and Yilmaz gets wheeled out, he might be wish Matondo was sitting on the bench.

We should absolutely be doing everything possible to support any manager while he's here. A short term Silva type role is probably not the best way to go but to not sign anyone because "second is guaranteed" or "they can't play in Europe/Scottish cup" is no reason at all not to do any business.

We should always be looking to improve and move forward. Now that a window has passed and several players have been allowed to depart with only another loan for a centre back to replace the injured one that left, the only question that really remains is why didn't we bring anyone in?

The obvious answer is money. We simply don't have any and the need to downsize and slash costs trumps all else.

Another possibility is that we are didn't want to pull the trigger on targets selected by a manager that may not be here much longer but that depends on how much input he gets anyway.

The club would have you believe that we tried and our targets just weren't available. Not sure I believe that but even if it's true, it's hardly acceptable. We should have numerous targets and options live during a transfer window. There's no way you should get caught short or rushed into panic buys. The dates of the windows are the same every year, months of planning must go into them. If you are left holding your pecker when the window "slams shut" you haven't done your job properly.

It leaves Clement, a man they backed by saying if results don't improve there's no guarantees, facing the second part of the season with less options than he had a week ago.

As I said, not a Clement fan but if you are backing the man, then back him. Help him out and give him the best chance.
 
Yes I did, maybe look up the definition of threadbare in your thesaurus

The manager chose to make illogical team selections. He could easily have played King RB, or CH and put Sterling to RB. He didn’t need play anyone out of position.

Butland was/is on a run of form that makes you question whether he should be a number 1. It’s hardly like sticking Graham Robert’s in goal. Kelly has probably faced celtic more times than any other keeper in the league. Probably one of the longest serving Number 1s in the league. He’s a Scottish Internationalist.

A high number of folk on here reckon CH is Sterling’s best position.

We actually were in a position to name a full subs bench unlike celtic so in addition to the subs we used Danilo, Dessers, Cortes, Barron and Fraser we didn’t use Matondo, Dowell, King we had so many players we couldn’t even name Rice, Lovelace, Curtis, Nsio or Nsiala. Hardly the definition of “threadbare”

The only “accademy” player we used was Robbie Fraser in injury time.

If you believe that the first three names our Manager would pick wouldn’t be Butland, Tavernier and Souttar then we’re just going to go in circles.

That’s around a third of our first choice eleven that weren’t available for selection.
 
Not having a dig because you're a sensible poster but I love how this has become an established fact on here. :))

They would have still scored their equaliser courtesy of Butland. Who knows how the game goes in extra time?

They don't score that goal if we are 1-0 up, as Scott Wright wouldn't have been in that position to give away possession so recklessly.
 
As a fan, I would obviously have loved us to sign loads of players because thats what we do. However, i have seen people on Twitter talking about apathy and potentially not renewing their S's etc so thought I would share a counter view.

We have been a mess for the last couple of years due to poor board decisions and dreadful recruitment. We now have an over qualified CEO who is conducting a proper review into the football department and have continued to shed the deadwood from the squad which has been like a financial anchor round us for the past couple of years, saving millions in the process. We are finally getting to a position where we have young and hungry saleable assets rather than older and non-contributing diddies. Guys like Igamane, Jefte, Dio, Raskin along with prospects like Nsiala, Cameron etc. We are finally in a position where we can see if our youth players can cut it and, while I would obviously rather be in a place where we are romping the league and had a team full of stars, we do need to see if our Academy is capable of producing the next generation of saleable assets.

I understand people being annoyed at us not getting at least 1 more in January however, I am realistic enough to know we are now actually trying to improve the foundations of the club for the future rather than panic paying an expensive loan like Silva/Ramsey etc.

The season isnt over so, yes, strengthening out wide or in midfield would have been nice. But, by the time we play our last 16 game and the later stages of the SC, our bench could be Kelly, Ridvan, Barron, Bajrmai, Cortes, Danilo, Balagoun, McCausland, Nsiala, Rice, Curtis. All on top of a starting 11 that has managed to match and pump celtic (with several players missing) and get to the last 16 of the europa, with even more players missing!

January, whether we like it or not, is a difficult window. Look at the mob across the city with their 100m in the bank. Even they have only managed to bring back a winger they had before and sign a 32yo sub as cover from Palace. Despite selling their best striker and arguable talisman.

All in all, I had accepted this season was going to be a rocky road. But, we will hopefully now have more finances to add quality in the summer and, most importantly, have better foundations as a club to actually build sustainable success rather than constant botch job repairs.

Finally, and I can only talk for myself here, I will be renewing 100% next year and am actually intrigued, and a little excited, to see what we are able to do. Learn to beat the dross, as I think we have celtic's number at the moment tactically, and who knows.
Totally agree with what you’re saying here. I do finally think we’re going in the right direction. With regard to the window…plainly obvious we lack width and pace now on the left. This is why I cannot fathom why we don’t bring Kent in on a short term and cheap deal. If he wanted longer terms then he’d have had to impress. There’s no way a team in Iran is gonna be paying him megabucks. It would all have given us more options. They may be way out front in points, but there’s a part of me that suspects they aren’t gonna find goals now as easy as they have been…possibly the officialdom will step up the penalties they are awarded to succeed.
 
The CL is going to be a hard thing to reach for Scottish teams eventually and the League winners will only get into the Europa League. The UEFA restructure means the CL is eventually going to be the ESL in all but name.

We are a massive fish in a very small pond with very little money. We have another big fish in the same pond that is eating all the food and we're looking for scraps. Change is required at SPFL level because even the Scandinavian countries get more TV money than us which is only going to increase as we're stuck with Sky to the end of the decade for relative buttons.

Our board have tried to find new revenue streams with NEH and converting the old shop into a bar but we don't make enough money domestically to sustain a club our size which will mean even more cost cutting going forward. Unless someone with fresh ideas on how to market our league properly and for fair value, Scottish Football will eventually be left in the dust.

Playing in Scottish football really isn’t our main problem it’s that we have a board who can’t get anything right. Our operating expenses were £6m higher than that mob across town last season with a smaller income that’s just basic mismanagement nothing to do with the SPFL.

With our total revenue turnover of £95m last season we should’ve been comfortable and be breaking even not losing £17m.
 
Playing in Scottish football really isn’t our main problem it’s that we have a board who can’t get anything right. Our operating expenses were £6m higher than that mob across town last season with a smaller income that’s just basic mismanagement nothing to do with the SPFL.

With our total revenue turnover of £95m last season we should’ve been comfortable and be breaking even not losing £17m.
It is part of the issue. The club is too big to be run sustainability on domestic money alone. If we didn't have Europe then we would be goosed.

We are basically trying to run the club on a break even basis and we don't have any money behind us to absorb losses. That's why shareholders are having to bail us out everytime there is a loss.

The filth have plenty money In the bank and are selling players for healthy profits its not affecting them. We have neither of those and the longer it goes on means more cost cutting and down sizing.

Turnover is different from profit/loss. You can say £95m has gone through the clubs accounts but the issue still remains if you spend more than you bring in which we are still doing. It sounds a lot of money but it gets eaten up pretty fast once you look at the clubs overheads.
 
You're first point is valid however the second has caused the situation we are in now, and that's both in players and managerial decisions.

Hopefully those who have been moved will do well and either stay where they are or attract interest from others. Then we need to hope the funds are reinvested better than they have been over the last fee seasons. Early signs from Koppen being at the club are positive in that regard.

Those who are raging at the lack of activity in this window can't say they were not told by Patrick Stewart. He said one in, maybe two so if people were expecting more they clearly were not listening. A case of complaining when the board aren't transparent and ignoring what is said when they are.
I cant believe that common sense is breaking out allover this thread with a few rare exceptions
 
If we get a doing at Parkhead as they romp to the title rubbing our noses in it or they see us off in the Scottish see how many then think it was great window getting the wage bill down .
If we get done at Parkheid surley they wont celebrate it as to them its a dead rubber to me it never is.
 
It is part of the issue. The club is too big to be run sustainability on domestic money alone. If we didn't have Europe then we would be goosed.

We are basically trying to run the club on a break even basis and we don't have any money behind us to absorb losses. That's why shareholders are having to bail us out everytime there is a loss.

The filth have plenty money In the bank and are selling players for healthy profits its not affecting them. We have neither of those and the longer it goes on means more cost cutting and down sizing.

Turnover is different from profit/loss. You can say £95m has gone through the clubs accounts but the issue still remains if you spend more than you bring in which we are still doing. It sounds a lot of money but it gets eaten up pretty fast once you look at the clubs overheads.
And how many years have the board/shareholders/same old faces hanging around had to implement a player trading model?

But all of a sudden they are demanding patience and praise as they attempt to now do it.

The clubs state has been created by men who haven't a clue what they're doing.
 
We knew at the start of the season it was going to be a transitional season getting rid of deadwood and almost a restart or rebuild beginning as it was put. Given some of our away results we did not realise how bad it was going to be and we could not handle it, we were not prepared for it either! At the start of the season I said things will get worse before they get better and I was then calling for Clement to go at Christmas! I’m hoping we are through the worst of it!
 
I think some will retain a sense of reality in regards where we are financially, like it or lump it, the reality is we are not cash rich.

Complaining and highlighting past mistakes and failures will not change that but understand why fans are not happy.

Biggest issue is our oldest rival is cash rich and beating us on and off the park and until that changes a section of the support will understandably not accept the manager or the boards repeated excuses.
 
And how many years have the board/shareholders/same old faces hanging around had to implement a player trading model?

But all of a sudden they are demanding patience and praise as they attempt to now do it.

The clubs state has been created by men who haven't a clue what they're doing.
I'm not saying the board haven't made mistakes because they have. But on the other hand they are stepping up to plug financial holes.

You can say they're responsible for it but if you sacked every board member èverytime we sack a manager or decide a player isn't good enough because 'the guy who sanctioned it needs to go as well' you wouldn't have a board left.

Take Bennett for example. The abuse that man has taken is way OTT that its had an impact on his health. Now he is owed money for a loan, if he wasn't a bear he could have just said 'feck this, I'm calling in the loan'. That would put us in Sh*t Street.

For all the mistakes, the guys on the board do have the clubs interests at heart. They aren't psychic when they make a decision to allow a manager to be appointed or a player to be signed that ultimately doesn't work out. King made a lot of mistakes as well that saw us tied up in protracted court cases, but he doesn't get the vitriol reserved for certain board members - ie the Parks who have become an off field scapegoat like Tav is on the field.

All I'm saying and have been saying for months now is there is no quick fix. This is Rangers trying to live within our means and because Celtic keep winning, fans want to return to a sugar daddy model which can't happen because of FFP. Something a lot of our fans simply need to come to terms with. You can get rid of the current board if you wish, but any new board can't invest to buy players. So they inherit the same problems.
 
I'm not saying the board haven't made mistakes because they have. But on the other hand they are stepping up to plug financial holes.

You can say they're responsible for it but if you sacked every board member èverytime we sack a manager or decide a player isn't good enough because 'the guy who sanctioned it needs to go as well' you wouldn't have a board left.

Take Bennett for example. The abuse that man has taken is way OTT that its had an impact on his health. Now he is owed money for a loan, if he wasn't a bear he could have just said 'feck this, I'm calling in the loan'. That would put us in Sh*t Street.

For all the mistakes, the guys on the board do have the clubs interests at heart. They aren't psychic when they make a decision to allow a manager to be appointed or a player to be signed that ultimately doesn't work out. King made a lot of mistakes as well that saw us tied up in protracted court cases, but he doesn't get the vitriol reserved for certain board members - ie the Parks who have become an off field scapegoat like Tav is on the field.

All I'm saying and have been saying for months now is there is no quick fix. This is Rangers trying to live within our means and because Celtic keep winning, fans want to return to a sugar daddy model which can't happen because of FFP. Something a lot of our fans simply need to come to terms with. You can get rid of the current board if you wish, but any new board can't invest to buy players. So they inherit the same problems.
Or it's the board/shareholders finding a cheaper way to finish second.
 
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