Robert Marshall
Well-Known Member
He is a real down to earth guy
This Board’s last chance.
- Thread starter Eighteen Seventy Two
- Start date
While it is not quite as base as this I want them to invest in the team which will allow us to win the league and not fall further behind Celtic.
While I am aware that we cannot go back to the dark old days of the past the fact is the current squad needs 20-30 million invested in it. It's the age-old adage that it's time to speculate to accumulate, the board cannot keep asking the supporters to dig deep if they are not willing to do the same.
It's up to the board to find a way to do that. If they cant they are not qualified to be the board of Rangers Football Club.
This rebuild sadly will have to be funded in large by the sale of Butland but that's the way of it and hopefully Clement and Koppen get it right when replacing him.
WarnbroTavernier
Active Member
I predict the next 6-9 months are going to get messy. It's not ideal, but I think it will be good for us in the long run.
This year's collapse was one too many and I think large sections of the support are fed up playing second fiddle and fighting for scraps (e.g. the odd league cup here and there).
This year's collapse was one too many and I think large sections of the support are fed up playing second fiddle and fighting for scraps (e.g. the odd league cup here and there).
blueintheface
Member
I think there's a cold hard reality that our fanbase (including myself) have to come to terms with.
Celtic are a bigger and, ultimately, better run club than us right now and it's hard to see a meaningful metric that would dispute that.
Since WWII, we've had one decade where we were clearly on top and, because of that, it's clouded a lot of judgment on where we are and where we should be.
In that decade, Celtic tried and failed to chase us by trying to throw money at the team and paid the price by almost bankrupting themselves. They got themselves back by investing in upping the capacity of their ground and reaped the rewards. In that respect, we've effectively stood still and let them regain a foothold and then ceded dominance to them.
The truth is we probably need someone like Fergus McCann who is going to make a long term decision and stick to it despite the cries of the fans (many of whom are stuck in the past). A player trading model looks good on paper but it only takes a season or two of bad signings and you're scrambling.
The current stadium capacity is inadequate for us and, long term, our best route to asserting ourselves to the top is by getting another 15-20000 seats and getting them filled.
Celtic are a bigger and, ultimately, better run club than us right now and it's hard to see a meaningful metric that would dispute that.
Since WWII, we've had one decade where we were clearly on top and, because of that, it's clouded a lot of judgment on where we are and where we should be.
In that decade, Celtic tried and failed to chase us by trying to throw money at the team and paid the price by almost bankrupting themselves. They got themselves back by investing in upping the capacity of their ground and reaped the rewards. In that respect, we've effectively stood still and let them regain a foothold and then ceded dominance to them.
The truth is we probably need someone like Fergus McCann who is going to make a long term decision and stick to it despite the cries of the fans (many of whom are stuck in the past). A player trading model looks good on paper but it only takes a season or two of bad signings and you're scrambling.
The current stadium capacity is inadequate for us and, long term, our best route to asserting ourselves to the top is by getting another 15-20000 seats and getting them filled.
AzorIbrox
Well-Known Member
All we seem to be doing in recent years in rearranging the deck chairs.
Bennett became chairman
Promoted Bisgrove to CEO
Creag Robertson was an internal appointment
All completely inexperienced in their roles and were to believe they’re the best in class in terms of driving our football club forward.
Hard not to have doubts
Bennett became chairman
Promoted Bisgrove to CEO
Creag Robertson was an internal appointment
All completely inexperienced in their roles and were to believe they’re the best in class in terms of driving our football club forward.
Hard not to have doubts
deedle
Well-Known Member
The board's big mistake was to interfere in decisions that should really have been left to a chief executive. The outcome is that we have had a series of poor appointments that have cost the club dearly. The failure to kick on after winning 55 means the club is basically in the same position as 2017/18.
Rangers play in arguably the world's most stitched-up league. Also, I do not believe any other club faces similar political hostility. The club must recognise it is deeply embroiled in a culture war and appoint the right people to fight back. It has not exploited digital media for purposes other than sales/marketing - this must change.
Rangers play in arguably the world's most stitched-up league. Also, I do not believe any other club faces similar political hostility. The club must recognise it is deeply embroiled in a culture war and appoint the right people to fight back. It has not exploited digital media for purposes other than sales/marketing - this must change.
deBoersHeader
Well-Known Member
Great post and the truth.
We desperately need football experience in the boardroom.
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I really can't see what that optimism is based on. Even with another disastrous start to the season (like the last couple) manager gets changed, rinse and repeat. I don't see how that translated into "good for us in the long run"
There is no clear path that we'll suddenly get regime change/competence at board level, just because folk are unhappy in the stands.
WarnbroTavernier
Active Member
Because unrest in the support will get louder and louder, revenues will be down, attendances will be down and people will start talking with their feet. Banners, songs at games etc...it will happen.
Fans star
ted turning on the board towards the end of Beale's time in charge. I think that hastened his departure.
WarnbroTavernier
Active Member
It will happen again...if they don't do something. It's up to them, they know what's at stake and where they are working. This isn't a no mark club.
I have to dig out a massively over-used phrase - "Let's get real here"
Yes, they are incompetent, they are cowards, and they're lucky to be getting away with an officiating performance off the field that's as weak and inept as Ben Davies is on it.
However, this isn't their last chance. They ain't going nowhere. Who's going to buy us? We were owned by people who didn't give a shit about us, and did enormous damage to us, and for about 30yrs the club was out of our hands.
Better off with people who one day may get it right, than people who day after day treat us like shite.
They may well appoint that Caixinha, and give silly money to a fat and lazy Mexican who took a wrong turn when trying to jump the US border of something. I forget his name, but had he been a little bit worse, he'd have been as bad as Olivier Bernard and my brain only has enough room for one worst sack of shite in a Rangers jersey ever!
But they won't transfer the club property to themselves. They won't use Edmiston House to set up a new-start call centre. They won't award an uncontested catering contract to themselves, so as to set up another new-start in the form of a catering firm. They won't sell the club their own metal and pocket loads of our money by adding an amount to the capacity that was appalling value for money with the addition of a third tier where supporters paid a fortune for the right to pay a fortune for a ticket but they couldn't see all the bloody pitch. They won't hand the club to a criminal, so he can wreck the joint, and kid on they didn't know about him in advance. And they wouldn't sell the rights to our replica gear to a fat f*cking employee-abuser c*nt who lands us with gear of Barras market knock-off standard that's as ghastly to look at as that official painting of King Chuckles that just came out.
Fans should be careful what you wish for, but they should also grow a set of balls and intimidate the shite out of them if they perform atrociously, on or off the field.
Why are we taking things like - and I repeat here - because it covers the dugout, on the park, treatment of fans, and their adoption of political campaigns:
* Endless string of failures in the dugout
* Recruitment even worse than when Smith/Murray were saying that we were in the market for the cream of Europe, then Ewan bloody Chestnut comes back with Erik Bo Andersen! (God love him, but he was crap!)
* Club screwing everyone for a MyGers scheme that completely fails to reward loyalty, which is what it's supposed to do. Instead it just sends tickets to those who can't be arsed with whatever game, and then punt them on the net
* Rangers saying yes, every time an activist asks the club to back an overtly political cause that is massively divisive (BLM, rainbow flags) and has no place at Ibrox. They never stop to ask if we all want it, and those who voice disagreement are seized upon by dishonest hacks who twist their words. The fans get chucked under the bus when the club should instead be telling these extremist moral-blackmailing activist organisations to f*ck right off. It's a level of cowardice that's off the scale. Shame on them.
Fans need to stop saying, "Aww, we're shite, but we'll let you away with it because at least you're not the spivs." - Enough of that, no more concessions, we can't let them away with murder just because they're not that arsehole that did the AGM on the pitch, or some bastard who got done for having loads of computer parts at around the same time when Dodgy Dave's computer workhouse was just down the road and those working there were being denied the right to go outside at breaks and were being molested on their way home, some not getting out until half an hour after their enforced 12hr shift finished, because all the processors were disappearing out the back door, funnily enough!
Get on their backs. Make their lives a misery if they fail badly. Let them know that if they don't get it right, there will be hell to pay. No coincidence that when the tims go apoplectic at their board, they seem to get things right again shortly afterwards.
But you're stuck with them.
Yes, they are incompetent, they are cowards, and they're lucky to be getting away with an officiating performance off the field that's as weak and inept as Ben Davies is on it.
However, this isn't their last chance. They ain't going nowhere. Who's going to buy us? We were owned by people who didn't give a shit about us, and did enormous damage to us, and for about 30yrs the club was out of our hands.
Better off with people who one day may get it right, than people who day after day treat us like shite.
They may well appoint that Caixinha, and give silly money to a fat and lazy Mexican who took a wrong turn when trying to jump the US border of something. I forget his name, but had he been a little bit worse, he'd have been as bad as Olivier Bernard and my brain only has enough room for one worst sack of shite in a Rangers jersey ever!
But they won't transfer the club property to themselves. They won't use Edmiston House to set up a new-start call centre. They won't award an uncontested catering contract to themselves, so as to set up another new-start in the form of a catering firm. They won't sell the club their own metal and pocket loads of our money by adding an amount to the capacity that was appalling value for money with the addition of a third tier where supporters paid a fortune for the right to pay a fortune for a ticket but they couldn't see all the bloody pitch. They won't hand the club to a criminal, so he can wreck the joint, and kid on they didn't know about him in advance. And they wouldn't sell the rights to our replica gear to a fat f*cking employee-abuser c*nt who lands us with gear of Barras market knock-off standard that's as ghastly to look at as that official painting of King Chuckles that just came out.
Fans should be careful what you wish for, but they should also grow a set of balls and intimidate the shite out of them if they perform atrociously, on or off the field.
Why are we taking things like - and I repeat here - because it covers the dugout, on the park, treatment of fans, and their adoption of political campaigns:
* Endless string of failures in the dugout
* Recruitment even worse than when Smith/Murray were saying that we were in the market for the cream of Europe, then Ewan bloody Chestnut comes back with Erik Bo Andersen! (God love him, but he was crap!)
* Club screwing everyone for a MyGers scheme that completely fails to reward loyalty, which is what it's supposed to do. Instead it just sends tickets to those who can't be arsed with whatever game, and then punt them on the net
* Rangers saying yes, every time an activist asks the club to back an overtly political cause that is massively divisive (BLM, rainbow flags) and has no place at Ibrox. They never stop to ask if we all want it, and those who voice disagreement are seized upon by dishonest hacks who twist their words. The fans get chucked under the bus when the club should instead be telling these extremist moral-blackmailing activist organisations to f*ck right off. It's a level of cowardice that's off the scale. Shame on them.
Fans need to stop saying, "Aww, we're shite, but we'll let you away with it because at least you're not the spivs." - Enough of that, no more concessions, we can't let them away with murder just because they're not that arsehole that did the AGM on the pitch, or some bastard who got done for having loads of computer parts at around the same time when Dodgy Dave's computer workhouse was just down the road and those working there were being denied the right to go outside at breaks and were being molested on their way home, some not getting out until half an hour after their enforced 12hr shift finished, because all the processors were disappearing out the back door, funnily enough!
Get on their backs. Make their lives a misery if they fail badly. Let them know that if they don't get it right, there will be hell to pay. No coincidence that when the tims go apoplectic at their board, they seem to get things right again shortly afterwards.
But you're stuck with them.
Thomas Milton
Well-Known Member
Park was ousted along with the MD Robertson 12 months ago - they oversaw this hiring of Wilson and Beale.
So when fans say “this board” - who do they mean ?
No-one can deny that the board are in it for the right reasons and won't shaft the club but you are right that it doesn't let them get away with making bad footballing decisions one after another. This summers transfer window really is a massive moment for how our club will perform over the next three years. Get it wrong we're on the same sack and repeat cycle and they take over our trophy haul by a good distance.
Los Pollos Hermanos
Well-Known Member
There's a lot of people on here that think the 90's was the norm, because that is probably their first real memory of Rangers.
Always shouting about winners, shitebags, accepting mediocrity, etc, just general crap, most of them tend to be in their 30's, shouty wee millennials.
They also like to tell us Gerrards title win was an anomaly, talk it down with pish like 'no pressure' and now back to using lady's front bottoms like Sutton's buzzwords for our club and players.
Well guys the 90's was the anomaly.
50's - 4 titles.
60's - 3 titles
70's - 3 titles
80's - 3 titles
90's - 9 titles
00's - 4 titles
10's - 1 title (spent 4 years in lower leagues)
20's - 1 title so far.
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
There is also a surprising amount of older bears who think it was the norm - Guys who were around for Greig captaining us to 1 league title in a decade, lambasting Tav for a similar trophy count. One of them is the greatest ever Ranger, the other is a "weak, serial loser".
The mid 80s and 90s really did ruin the perception of how to run a football club too. So many posts basically boil down to "a rich man needs to throw money at it til we win or we'll not be happy" - no cognizance of FFP, and no lessons learned from the Murray era. I see above that some admin are advocating for "intimidating" the board if the team don't win. What does it actually achieve other than making angry wee guys feel like they've "got them telt?"... Again, a lot of older bears are the ones shouting this too.
GazzaLegend
Well-Known Member
I agree, we need to be clear when we are referencing the board, is it the executive board or the football operation board.
Although I would also say, Park didn’t make decisions in isolations. He was chairman, a corporate job title, there are many sitting on the corporate board, including the current chairman who sanctioned everything that’s happened over the past few years.
Back when Beale was announced, I said then that if they insist on appointing a rookie manager, then they had better provide an appropriate structure around him, as a minimum, a football operation CEO with in in-depth knowledge of football. Robertson wasn’t the man, neither was our then marketing director, in fact he was a downgrade in football terms and shouldn’t be near the job he currently holds.
The current chairman and board members of both the executive board and the football board, got the Beale appointment massively wrong, further compounded by the fact they then gave him all of our money to go and spend on sub standard players at grossly inflated prices.
Those in position now caused the damage we now see before us, it’s significant and it will take serious investment to recover from and move forward.
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Barrymoped
Well-Known Member
I’ve been banging on about this for weeks.
People are just saying “the board” as a catch all, just forgetting that the board has changed massively over the last 10 years, with the main men in this current board only being in charge for 1 year.
Yes, I’ve said this a number of times. There are a number of people on the board who have presided over some very bad decisions in the last 5 years. Have they learned from mistakes and does Bennet, as Chair, have the ability to stamp his authority? A waiting game til we see the transfers coming in.
Alastair Johnson has been on the board for years, so has G Park and Bennett. Let’s see how it goes this summer.
Barrymoped
Well-Known Member
Yes, but not as the main men calling the shots. That was Dougie Park (and his son), then Dave King before that.
With the football decisions being made by Ross Wilson, and Mark Allen before him.
None of them are now making the decisions.
I think the board will give Koppen and Clement everything they can that’s within our budget. What we do with it is another matter.
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
What are your criteria for a successful summer or not, and how does that link to the actual purpose of a board of directors?
Judging the success of the appointment of Koppen as DoF and allocating funds that will be spent wisely.
That’s the key for me. Will Bennett learn from his predecessors mistakes. We don’t really know the dynamics of the board. Were others concerned about Beale’s appointment and spending money without a DoF? Who knows.
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
How can you judge that this summer before any of the signings have played for us?
WarnbroTavernier
Active Member
You might need to point these out to me because I don't see much of that sentiment these days.
What I do see is the expectation that we use the money we have wisely. We have outspent that lot in the past 2 seasons which is a joke. They go out and find genuine quality from nowhere like O'Reilly and Hatate and we throw contracts and money at EFL one time prospects like Cantwell and Dowell. That's the part we are demanding improves - it is nowhere near good enough for Rangers FC.
Arkanoid
Well-Known Member
I'll snap your hand off for 3 of the next 6 titles this decade
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
We were linked with O'Reilly in 2019, so they didn't find him from nowhere.
We knew by September / October last year things weren’t working. Will be the same this season coming.
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
Flaw in your argument - the board changed it pretty sharpish and then we went on a run that had us close to the title with the same players.
So we go back to a cycle of sacking managers?
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
It's not me who's suggesting we judge the board "in the summer".
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
Figures from transfermarkt.
22/23 we spent €17.41m they spent €25.86m
23/24 we spent €16.8m they spent €38.88m
Totals:
Us: €34.21m
Them: €64.74m
Difference of €30.53m
You want to explain your working?
As for not seeing a lot of the sentiment, there was a thread earlier in the week with plenty of people saying the board had to "dig deep" this summer. What is that if not "go and buy til we're successful"?
captcaveman
Well-Known Member
Curious to know ,who are you replacing them with?
Los Pollos Hermanos
Well-Known Member
I never knew we were linked with him.
I read a wee bit about him when they signed him, he turned down a new contract at Fulham after 10 years there, ended up unemployed for a bit till Russell Martin signed him for MK.
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
Paper talk, but definitely happened
Matt O’Riley
We’ve been credited with an interest according to Sky. 18 year old from Fulham. Couple of German clubs interested https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11681/11608831/fulham-midfielder-matt-oriley-being-watched-by-stuttgart-rb-leipzig-and-borussia-dortmund
www.followfollow.com
Rangers and Celtic track Fulham youngster Matt O'Riley
CELTIC and Rangers are reportedly tracking Fulham kid Matt O’Riley. The young midfielder has played just five minutes of action for the Premier League side this season. But scouts from the Bu…
www.thescottishsun.co.uk
GodSaveTheQueen
Well-Known Member
I think we need to hear from the board pretty soon. Im interested to also hear again from Stuart Gibson and what he could bring to us, he mentioned last year the time wasnt right but hopefully that has changed.
GBY74
Well-Known Member
I agree with most of what you're saying but Celtic never have and never will be bigger than Rangers. We sold out Ibrox whilst in the lower divisions whilst they had to use banners to cover empty seats whilst in the Premier League.
GBY74
Well-Known Member
The board had to change it due to the fans reaction at Ibrox against Aberdeen. I think the reaction of the UB the other night should show the board that fans won't accept another period of domination by Celtic.
ffs, this is the last thing i needed to find out today
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
The board got rid of a manager appointed by the previous board, brought in a guy who, until 6 weeks ago was being hailed as the "first proper manager we've had since Walter", have committed to bankrolling another rebuild within FFP rules.
What happens if Celtic still win?
What does "fans won't accept another period of domination by Celtic" actually look like?
Where are we if the actions of disgruntled fans cause the board to be less than willing to finance things via soft loans or buying shares?
GBY74
Well-Known Member
If Celtic continue to dominate I think attendances at Ibrox will drop as I am certain our fans have had enough of them winning title after title.
Out of interest what do you think will happen if we don't get ourselves sorted and start winning titles?
SaulBearenson
Well-Known Member
Anyone walking away isn't a supporter. They're a gloryhunting, fairweather, literal definition of 'sing when we're winning' fud.
I'll be quite happy to shed them from our fan base and actually let the Rangers supporters get on with supporting our club.
blueintheface
Member
These are exactly the meaningless metrics I refer to.
GBY74
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if you're old enough to remember attendances prior to Souness arriving but I sincerely hope the board aren't taking fans loyalty for granted.
Thomas Milton
Well-Known Member
See also “this team”..
Thomas Milton
Well-Known Member
Happy to give credit for decisions and also I can make my observations on other decisions they make like giving Beale free reign last summer. I'm not calling for the board to go. I'm saying there will be even more scrutiny on them if we find ourselves in the same position as we did last Autumn. I hope the decisions taken over the summer are the right ones to enable us to win the league next season.
