So what did you make of Dave King’s “compete with some of the bigger clubs, particularly Celtic” news conference?
He’s hoping to make a managerial appointment “within a week” which, despite the need to rebuild the squad, is a little ahead of where I expected him to be based on the feedback I know he received from those who were sounded out.
Punters and media seem convinced Warburton will be appointed. I know nothing about the man, but I’ve assumed Stuart McCall would get the job due to all other candidates having a real job, or better prospects. As McCall said in his TV interview following his Fir Park capitulation, he knows what is required and has experience at shopping for free transfers in the English lower leagues. Anyone else is an unnecessary risk so I’m still inclined to think McCall will get it.
A 5% increase in season ticket costs is on the lower end of what I expected, but there’s a subtext with this one (there often is). A key aim of whoever has been in charge at Ibrox over the last three years is to get season ticket prices back to the level they were when Ticketus “over-invested” (caveat over-investors).
Charles Green planned to do this from the off. The script was to read: “I’ve saved your club. Now I’m going to put a £50k p.a. pay cap on and I need you to buy 40,000 season tickets at full price, to ensure we glide up the leagues with ease and arrive in the SPL with money in the bank”. The players and manager would have had a choice, show you’re here for the badge, not the money, or move on.
But, within a week, King and the Blue Knights wanted the assets off Green. McCoist and others were mobilised into destabilising Charlie, who was forced to cut prices, over-promise and ultimately under-deliver.
If I was King yesterday, I’d have looked the camera in the eye and told fans “This is your time, your club needs every last one of you to step forward and pay £600 per ticket”. I’m sure he wanted to do this, but he seemed riddled self-doubt, contrasting starkly with the effusive confidence he radiated before the last EGM. It made me think of the Woody Allen line, “Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem”.
One thing I am sure of is, if he was about to splash the kind of cash he talked about while trying to remove the old board, he would have put his money on the table and asked fans to do the same.
The trade-off King referred to: the more money fans put in the less he (and other investors) need to put in, is not actually a trade-off at all. In reality, the more money he puts in now, the more fans will buy season tickets; the less he invests, the less fans will spend. Momentum, or the lack thereof, is at play.
This matter was King’s biggest failure. Charles Green and the master, David Murray, knew how to use show-biz to put bums on seats at Ibrox. Yesterday the stage was set for a bit of showmanship: “Here’s the colour of my money, now roll-up, roll-up, get your tickets before they’re all gone”. Say it confidently, convince the thousands desperate to be convinced, and you give yourself the best chance of success.
My focus would have been different from King’s too. Forget about catching Celtic, fans know this is a pipe dream. What they want most of all is a solvent, top-flight, football team. Don’t even reference football targets, instead, talk about filling the stadium, paying the bills, building a trading history good enough to earn proper facilities, and never again signing-off an unsustainable business plan. The fans are Not. All. Daft. Educate them the value of living within your means and they would buy into the project.
Talk about catching Celtic with an unsustainable business plan is astonishing, after all these people have come through, simply astonishing.
I could never quite figure how, for years, Rangers directors knew HMRC were contesting their EBTs, knew a legal challenge lay ahead, but made no provisions whatsoever for that challenge. Win or lose the case, they needed a plan to cope with each scenario. It turned out they didn’t even have a plan to cope with a partial win.
King’s ‘someone will step in and pay if we over-invest’ outlook on life explains a lot. It will be for others to judge his contribution to the lives of Rangers Football Clubs, as far as I’m concerned, it’s impossible to overestimate what he’s done to them. You could say, it’s off the radar!
Spirit of Compassion – Whisky Tasting
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On Thursday 18th June Glasgow the Caring City are hosting a Whisky Tasting event, fun and educational, at the Trades Hall of Glasgow. Tickets are £30 and can be bought here.
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Can he be trusted ?
Delaneys Dunky
00:29 on 10 June, 2015
Petec
It is also the time of the signs, if we open our eyes!
Nothing is New under the Sun, that is for sure. ;))
petec
00:40 on 10 June, 2015
Delaneys Dunky
Apologies –
00:29 on 10 June, 2015
Petec
It is also the time of the signs, if we open our eyes!
============================================
Nothing is New under the Sun, that is for sure. ;))
Is McRae another in a long line of George Peat, Gordon Smith, EBT Ogilvie, Bryson, Longmuir etc ?
Petec
Courteeners are my most listened to band just now. Manchester always gives me a new band to love every decade, including Joy Division. ;)
Check out ‘Has He Told You That He Loves You Yet.’
TinyTim@22:37
“It is ceteris paribus.”
Surely, when it is used by a Rangers man, it is Parkthebus etcetera
Outie
moravcik
00:42 on
10 June, 2015
Is McRae another in a long line of George Peat, Gordon Smith, EBT Ogilvie, Bryson, Longmuir etc ?
—————————————
He is a Sevco fan and attended the Sacking of Manchester along with his 2 sons, so…aye probably.
Delaneys Dunky,
I took a big dislike to Joy Division efter you imparted yer knowledge to me.
Not for me anymore.
Moravcik
He looks like that type of knuckle cruncher to me. I am paranoid though. ;)
Petec
Robert Nesta Marley CSC
One Love!
Petec
Joy Division chose their name to highlight nazi inhumane atrocities, not to glorify. God bless our Mothers who were raped.
Auldheid
18:43 on
9 June, 2015
I had to read this twice.
It was well worth it.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/celtic-given-go-ahead-for-safe-standing-area-1-3796825
Cetic have been working ” tirelessly.”
‘Safe standing’ granted, well that is grand and most welcome, but I think any club who applies for an ‘unsafe standing’ area is fecked. I’ve forgotten whose initiative safe standing was, was it a supporters’ initiative or was it a club initiative? Credit where credit is due and don’t forget to pay the piper.
I’m glad Celtic are staying at home to prepare for the qualifiers, very glad, I hope the squad is in good shape and we are not lacking in quality, in any are of the team, before we start the qualifiers; would not want to go through the disappointment and bickering on a perennial basis.
Missing out on the group stage money has been a sore one for Celtic.
The SFA… the more things change the more they stay the same. Nothing has changed.
Kit
For me,a great initiative.
Even watching the recent hun game at home on telly,I couldn`t sit down.
The weel kent adrenaline rush .
Hi Paul67,
Excellent piece, you clearly highlight and detail the fallibilities of Dave King’s approach.
“So what did you make of Dave King’s “compete with some of the bigger clubs, particularly Celtic” news conference?”
Glad you asked…
Obviously the outlining of the “plan” devoid of any substance and as you point out, a totally lack of a coherent “pitch” to promote the sale of Season tickets leaves TRFC in an awffy muddle.
How this relates to any sort of initiative to take the great three year old Club forward is a mystery, as for competing in the SPL in medium term, no chance. Not while Clubs like, Celtic, Aberdeen and Hearts are developing and delivering sound strategies to take their Clubs to the next level.
However among many salient points you make two observations about DCK’s MO.
“……But, within a week, King and the Blue Knights wanted the assets off Green. McCoist and others were mobilised into destabilising Charlie, who was forced to cut prices, over-promise and ultimately under-deliver.”
When Charles Green failed to get Sevco into the SPL or indeed the first division he had to develop plan B. A sustainable business plan that allowed for a three year plan for the Club to survive and thrive while making the “journey” to Scotland’s top League in some shape that would allow them to compete at that level. DCK and Paul Murray’s Blue Knights undermined oor Charlie and from then on, he had no viable business plan. He didn’t want to miss out on the share issue which was going to give him his return on investment. At that point CG had no option to give AMcC and WS whatever they wanted then take the money and run.
“I could never quite figure how, for years, Rangers directors knew HMRC were contesting their EBTs, knew a legal challenge lay ahead, but made no provisions whatsoever for that challenge. Win or lose the case, they needed a plan to cope with each scenario. It turned out they didn’t even have a plan to cope with a partial win.”
The fact that DCK and Paul Murray were on the Board of Rangers and DCK was a NED, their failure to deal with contingent liabilities that could destroy the Club was one of the main reasons Rangers was liquidated.
If what they contributed to the death of Rangers, and stunting the birth of Sevco wasn’t enough. When a new Board was in place and a “barely” sustainable business plan was put in place by Somer’s Board, this too was undermined by the call from DCK and Paul Murray to boycott the TRFC merchandising and Season Ticket sales.
Yet again a reckless approach that made the business model unsustainable.
Now TRFC play their “get out of jail card” and MASH come good to provide cash to get over the deficit that the boycott caused. Then promise another tranche, that can keep the auditors content, the Nomad on Board and the Club as a limping, but non the less, going concern.
Then we see DCK and Paul Murray undermine all of this, the third time they’ve kiboshed TRFC, by implementing a highly unorthodox take-over.
To top this, after cutting off all possible life lines and ensuring TRFC are totally dependant on them, they renege on all their promises in respect of stabilising and funding the Club, going forward.
So what did I make of it? Totally predictable, unmistakably psychotic and can we ensure these guys keep up the good work.
Hail Hail
Kitalba
Safe Standing was an initiative of the Celtic Trust initially.
macjay1:
It is a result for Celtic and Celtic Supporters and for all supporters of every club that wants to return the option of ‘standing’ to their fans. If I remember correctly it was Motherwell fans who first organised to contest the ‘all seated’ criteria, swiftly endorsed by Celtic fan groups, (could be wrong there) and when the momentum grew the clubs embraced the idea and it was Celtic with the official backing of several other clubs that tried to force the issue. We shouldn’t forget that the other clubs appreciated, and published, that if Celtic could break down the barriers for their support then they would trail-blaze the path for others to follow (Without the prohibitive inherent costs). There will be quite a few e-mails of congratulations winging their way to Parkhead today from many boardrooms and supporters groups the length and breadth of Scotland and south over the border too.
No doubt there will be one or two vocal detractors in the press though.
Those who oppose us eh! What are they like?
Installing the systems required to meet safety criteria is not cheap and I hope that supporters of other clubs appreciate this when seeking similar facilities at their own respective grounds. Who’ll pay for it? Who’ll pay for the 500,000 required spaces S.W. of the river?
Whither the cash strapped scrofulous hillbillies the day?
Hamiltontim:
:-) never.
I LOVE kitalba for putting the petition for the ‘safe-standing-area’…out there
Hail Hail – Fella
I LOVE the ‘bored’ for adhering to kitalba’s petition – Hail Hail
I LOVE the CelticTrust and, Hamilton Tim for pushing the ‘safe-standing-petition’ at the, Celtic Trust meetings – Hail Hail
Good morning friends. Nothing but clear blue skies overhead in EK this morning. Which is nice.
I LOVE the fact that, the 1st steps have been taken to eventually bring back the Jungle – Hail Hail
petec
22:43 on
9 June, 2015
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS,
Will it ever be the same again
Pope Francis is coming out with something soon, through the United Nations thQt will rock this World.
Sustainable DEVELOPMENT.
Time Man of the Year.
What is Really going on?
______________________________
He’s a Mason that’s what’s going on.
He’s making a Big speech at the Big Masonic HQ
Christ said, “the poor will always be with us”
I believe Christ, not some tango loving gripper like Jorge Bergoglio.
Viva cristo rey
I LOVE Jobo – Hail Hail
I LOVE the fact that, I can go back to see the Celtic, thanks to some juggling – Hail Hail
Regarding the pre season friendlies at St Mirren
and the charges involved. The hire of the park but
most of all the visiting teams need a guaranteed
payment to come and play, so Celtic need to recoup
the costs hence the £9 a game. This is not a profit
making 3 games just good business imho.
Celtic could make far more money by playing abroad
and the offers to do so would be many but not good for the
CL qualifiers so to me it is to be applauded .
HH
kitalba
06:20 on
10 June, 2015
With the demise of the scabby necks ( betcha that dates me ),
I LOVE Jeanette Findlay whom, I want to run Celtic one day – once the Jungle has been built…get rid of the ‘bored’ and give the keys of Celtic Football Club to Jeanette and her ilk and…there will be ‘no’ stopping us…imho
I LOVE the fact that the ‘bored’ are being nice coz….they’ve no CL-money to spend coz ‘they’ blew it last season and…walked away from it – Hail Hail
kitalba
06:20 on
10 June, 2015
Reprise………
With the demise of the scabby necks ( betcha that dates me ),I had hoped for more understanding between ourselves and our Scottish opposition.
After the Motherwell game I found myself warming considerably to the `Well supporters.
Trying to pick up on the pattern but….has, BMCUW’s become and uncle?
Is, Cosey Corner Bhoys grandson a new grandson?…Or, has the grandson passed his degree’s?
Hmmmm?
Hail Hail and well done(thinking of the right thing to say?:)
Calling on a church for the poor makes you a mason?
I must be one too.
We’ll blow me down with a feather and call me a grand master…
I LOVE Paul 67 – Hail Hail
Kevj – I’m loving your optimism this morning.