Sir Walter

[Rt. Hon. Bearman]

I love Walter Smith.

He's like a father or grandfather figure for all Rangers supporters. He represents all that is good and righteous about our club.

Oh, and he had a brilliant habit of absolutely destroying Timmy's hopes and dreams.

 

[Tractionman55]

Total class.

 

[Spitfire]

He had flaws tactically and could be stubborn, but his good points far outweigh the bad and his record is simply phenomenal.

For many of us, he was the man as we grew up

 

[tomvallance1983]

Gerrard’s been very well backed too. I don’t remember Walter getting a £7m signing. Fair enough points about picking up the pieces but both have been well backed.

He got 4 million in Duncan Ferguson 25 years ago which was a lot more than 7 million is now

 

[Ruglenbear1872]

I was only a teenager for much of Smith’s first spell and probably didn’t appreciate him but I sure as hell appreciate him now

we’d have won the league this season with him in charge. Probably last year as well actually. I still rate SG, but until he gets over the line questions will be asked

 

[Danger Zone]

He got 4 million in Duncan Ferguson 25 years ago which was a lot more than 7 million is now

I was referring to Walters second spell where he came in, cleaned up a mess and spent more moderately. I should have been more specific in my previous post.

 

[JW1988]

I have recorded this and looking forward to it later on

Have you watched it yet?

If so can you clear up something, got in the car and heard a snippet of an interview with Walter, not sure if it was this one, but he stated we have improved year on year with Gerrard but need to get it right next year to stop Celtic winning 10. The winning 10 bit stood out as it contradicts what has been said in the clip someone posted on here.

 

[TibbsyBear]

The greatest Ranger in my lifetime.

I doubt anyone will ever come close.

Greatest Ranger of all time in my opinion.

Pound for pound he’s the most successful Rangers Manager ever.

Yes Bill Struth won more trophies but Walter won more over a much, much smaller period of time.

Walter wins the trophies to matches played ratio by a considerable distance.

 

[Morelos20]

Undoubtedly. The amount of abuse his tactics used to get both around the stadium and from Mourinho types on here was ridiculous.

Wrong analogy to use for me, Walter was the original Mourinho.

It was more Guardiola types.

Any Rangers team that wins consistently and wins trophies is fine by me, more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[RangersForever]

Wrong analogy to use for me, Walter was the original Mourinho.

It was more Guardiola types.

Any Rangers team that wins consistently and wins trophies is fine by me, more than one way to skin a cat.

Walter decided to adopt a more Italian influenced defensive outlook against the bigger European teams in his second spell at Rangers. Also think he said at one time that he should possibly have adopted that more cautious approach at times in his first spell at Rangers.
So, unlike Mourinho, I don't see Walter as having a particular style. I see him as a great manager who adapted the team's style to suit the players available and the opposition. Loved watching his teams at the time, and one of the things I miss now is the directness and cutting edge that was there when required, but that's partially down to a higher standard of player when he was manager.

Also worth pointing out that he worked for many years with a footballing genius in Jim Mclean, and that would undoubtedly help to mould him into the manager he became.

Always felt we were in good hands when Walter was manager and that air of confidence from him spread throughout the club.

 

[Willger]

In any other country in the World the governing body would have someone of Walter's experience and calibre heading up the game at every level, from schoolboys to internationals.
Not in this shithole.

 

[ICA_86]

It’s incredible how many mentally challenged minds be ruined.

Even now, in their tainted title celebrations, you can see and read the long lasting damage he done.

His more recent 3IAR still goes a bit underrated for me, given the circumstances.

 

[Grigo Yossarian]

I always remember a poster on here starting a thread on here around 2010 declaring he was “done” with Walter after a completely innocuous decision - I think it was starting Broadfoot ahead of Whittaker in a game. This was during a 4-year spell in which Walter won 3 league titles and got us to Manchester!

I started going to games properly around the mid-90s and couldn’t believe some of the abuse people would shout - to my young mind Walter was near enough infallible.

Only at the very end did we give him the credit he deserved - his last game at Rugby Park was a glorious day and a fitting tribute to one of the Greatest Rangers there has been.

He’s the Godfather of the modern Rangers

 

[Grigo Yossarian]

Gerrard’s been very well backed too. I don’t remember Walter getting a £7m signing. Fair enough points about picking up the pieces but both have been well backed.

I think you’re right DZ, however to be fair to Gerrard he took the job on at a time where they already were so far ahead of us it just wasn’t true.

That game at the Chamber where they took 5 off of us just before Gerrard took over was the biggest negative gap I’ve ever witnessed with them.