Worth remembering: Souness’s first season

[Barbour]

OP speaks a lot of sense, but what they should really be saying is that the bed-wetting that occurs on here is almost usually a result of over-hyping and over-playing the team's chances of success.

A more tolerant, level-headed and calm approach would be not to start a "How will we celebrate 55?" thread every time Celtic lose or draw a game. This in turn avoids a repeat of the kind of hysterical posts we saw yesterday.

Singing about going to fcking Baku is this year's "Warburton is magic." Fcking ridiculous.

 

[omegaman]

I wonder whether Gerrard shares this perspective.

From his POV, a Europa League trophy would look an awful lot better on his CV than a Scottish Premier League title.

It might be no accident that he has the team performing better in Europe than domestically.

He stands a better chance of winning the Scottish title than the Europa League, IMO, and it will still be a very notable bauble on his CV.

It would also be to suggest that Gerrard is more interested in personal success than ours, and I don’t really buy that at all.

 

[academical]

He stands a better chance of winning the Scottish title than the Europa League, IMO, and it will still be a very notable bauble on his CV.

It would also be to suggest that Gerrard is more interested in personal success than ours, and I don’t really buy that at all.

Not really my point. I'm not comparing likelihood of winning different trophies.

I was replying to a poster who expressed what I imagine is a very common view - that the league is the priority over Europe. I'd guess most fans would exchange losing out in the Europa League qualifiers for being top of the league right now.

But would Gerrard? He's got his team performing better in Europe so far - is that because he knows better the type of game required, or because he doesn't share the same priorities as the fans?

 

[RFCest1872]

I wonder whether Gerrard shares this perspective.

From his POV, a Europa League trophy would look an awful lot better on his CV than a Scottish Premier League title.

It might be no accident that he has the team performing better in Europe than domestically.

Yeah of course it would.

But stopping the 10 is important.

We have a long season ahead.

 

[Square and compass]

Think you’re rewriting history here.Outstanding signing and gave the team a boost when he made his debut in Dec 86’

He had peaked, before us.
Never lasted long did he.

 

[Square and compass]

Arguably so, but he was immense for us in that first season and alongside Butcher formed the meanest defence in the league (in more ways than one).

Not doubting he did us a turn, not for long right enough when you weigh it up.
All i am saying he had peaked at spurs before us.

 

[Al Needham Loyal]

Not really my point. I'm not comparing likelihood of winning different trophies.

I was replying to a poster who expressed what I imagine is a very common view - that the league is the priority over Europe. I'd guess most fans would exchange losing out in the Europa League qualifiers for being top of the league right now.

But would Gerrard? He's got his team performing better in Europe so far - is that because he knows better the type of game required, or because he doesn't share the same priorities as the fans?

Tin hat firmly on... I wouldn't swap it.

Yes, the league is our bread and butter, but we're in it every year now. It's been ages since we were in Europe, never mind with a decent draw and chance of going further (and I mean that without getting ahead of myself either). Far more prestige for club, manager and players by doing well in Europe.

Let's not forget, we've been telling sellik fans they're merely the best of a bad lot up til now.

 

[crookie_bear]

I'm sure we signed Spurs best player and captain (possibly) in December that season.

.

Season changer, masterstroke

 

[Square and compass]

Think you’re rewriting history here.Outstanding signing and gave the team a boost when he made his debut in Dec 86’

Listen, 55 games for rangers and one league won.aye outstanding.
Graham roberts is in name only for rangers, post souness on the past 32 years, theres 50 more players who have done more.
Theres more to conducting the sash.
Facts are facts.

 

[dh1963]

The biggest difference is the massive advantage Souness had in terms of budget. He also had a world class midfielder, himself. And a goal machine up front he inherited.

The biggest similarity is the absolute single minded determination to win that Gerrard shares with him.

 

[sonofbunk]

Personally I dont see the merit of comparing to 30 years ago. Scottish football was vastly different and had a team that would get to the UEFA cup final and the cup winners cup winner from 4 years previous.

If we look at more recent history, starts like this happened in 2005, 2006, 2014, 2016 & 2017 - all those seasons we were well off finishing top.

I hadn’t taken the Advocaat 98 start into consideration. It’s shows it can be done once a team clicks - however, could we win 16 out of the next 20 like his team did? That’s was cemented the title win.

 

[academical]

Tin hat firmly on... I wouldn't swap it.

Yes, the league is our bread and butter, but we're in it every year now. It's been ages since we were in Europe, never mind with a decent draw and chance of going further (and I mean that without getting ahead of myself either). Far more prestige for club, manager and players by doing well in Europe.

Let's not forget, we've been telling sellik fans they're merely the best of a bad lot up til now.

Have we found Steven Gerrard's login?

I've been reading this post in a Scouse accent, especially the word "ages".

You have to wonder at the contrast: 5 away games in Europe undefeated, against superior opposition to Scottish teams; compared to 4 away games in the SPL, L2, D2. Either that's down to Team Gerrard understanding better what's required in Europe, or they're deliberately prioritising Europe. Or both? Any other explanations?

 

[omegaman]

Not really my point. I'm not comparing likelihood of winning different trophies.

I was replying to a poster who expressed what I imagine is a very common view - that the league is the priority over Europe. I'd guess most fans would exchange losing out in the Europa League qualifiers for being top of the league right now.

But would Gerrard? He's got his team performing better in Europe so far - is that because he knows better the type of game required, or because he doesn't share the same priorities as the fans?

A. he knows better the type of game required.

 

[academical]

A. he knows better the type of game required.

My guess as well, but I'm not excluding the possibility of B too.

If it is just A, it augurs well for once he's got more used to the Scottish game.

 

[omegaman]

The biggest difference is the massive advantage Souness had in terms of budget. He also had a world class midfielder, himself. And a goal machine up front he inherited.

The biggest similarity is the absolute single minded determination to win that Gerrard shares with him.

The object of the post wasn’t really to suggest similarities between the two men and their respective eras - frankly, it’s been done to death on here already and I’ve always argued that beyond their captaincy of Liverpool FC to the European crown, comparisons are both unfair and irrelevant - more that it was to highlight the fact that it took one of our most famous ever teams in what was another rookie manager’s first season several months before it was firing on all cylinders.

 

[Carlisle Bear]

Losing at Parkhead doesn't lose you leagues. Even drawing at Aberdeen and Motherwell in League winning campaigns can happen so there were no amateur dramatics from me after those results.

However, losing to utter shite like we did yesterday and you'll achieve nothing. It was an atrocious result and purely in isolation that game is one the players and management should feel humiliated about.

 

[jefftracy]

Not happy with yesterday but if I was told before the season started that at the beginning of October we would be in the Europa group stages and only two points behind them I'd have been delighted. If we can keep close to them until the new year I can see us going very close come the end of the season.
Regarding Graham Roberts, stats don't do his impact justice. His debut and against Dundee Utd in December gave us a huge boost of belief and we went on to have a strong period of big wins which set us up for the league. It can't be underestimated the immediate impact he had at a time when we hadn't won the league for over 9 years, you could feel the wave of belief through the team and support. Conducting the choir cemented his place in my list of Rangers heroes even though his career with us wasn't long.

 

[Al Needham Loyal]

Have we found Steven Gerrard's login?

I've been reading this post in a Scouse accent, especially the word "ages".

You have to wonder at the contrast: 5 away games in Europe undefeated, against superior opposition to Scottish teams; compared to 4 away games in the SPL, L2, D2. Either that's down to Team Gerrard understanding better what's required in Europe, or they're deliberately prioritising Europe. Or both? Any other explanations?

I wish I was that handsome... I'd bet my wife wishes I was that handsome too.

Sadly, I'm not, I just want us to forget about defining our successes relative to the mob across the city. We're one of the biggest clubs in the world. Let's measure ourselves against other big clubs, and not our beastly neighbours.

Edit: I think A is the most likely scenario, but I cannot rule out that the priorities of the manager and board differ from those of the support to an extent. If I were chairman, I'd be looking at the bigger picture.

 

[Grigo Yossarian]

Far far to honest a post on here, I am as pissed off as anyone on here, two games lost in eighteen, as the OP says it will take time to gel a team together from zero, the management team need more time to get up to scratch and I for one will give them all the time they need, the other side of the coin is where we have been, last season and before, or have we all forgot that?

Exactly Sammy. What do we do if all of this negativity feeds into the stadium & Gerrard says he’s out ?
They’ll know all about it.
I’m a Rangers fan & im really happy how my club is doing despite yesterday.
We’re very early in our journey on the 55 Express & we need to stick together & support our magnificent club.

 

[KentGer]

Could cope with that

Yeah but he’d annoy someone on here by only scoring 3 instead of 4 and there would be a ‘get Kane’ out post within weeks......