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
On the 25th April, Nepal was rocked by a destructive earthquake which has claimed the lives of over 8,000 people. Many of those affected by death and destruction are children. Glasgow the Caring City is our city’s charity for children in crisis, in times of disaster. Together with House With A Heart, Nepal, we will bring stability and comfort to children left orphaned by this tragedy.
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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Lennon n Mc….Mjallby
17:56 on
9 June, 2015
Anybody know of any good Tim podcasts about the end of the season I can listen to?
spreaker hail hail media
lostbhoys 166
very funny as the gang tear apart mccann , the celebrations, and tv in general.
good good good listen
also
homebhoys
interview the the Bilbao supporters guy, very good also
voila …….braw
so the boul campbell ogilvie is finally gone
all i can say is f**k the loss
a good day for celts everywhere
he stopped that poisonous sectarian shower rangers ending up in their rightful in the nonleagues
One of the benefits of the old standing stadium was the ability to walk away from the idiots who’d scream abuse at the players,something I miss being able to do.
Stivs
Aye I’ve listened to the spreaker one from the bhoys in the u.s was looking for a Scottish one to listen to them having a laugh,I’ll try the other yin,cheers.
HH
Paul67
If ever there was proof that you cannot fix a problem with the same thinking that created it then TRFC and their cohorts in the smsm are that proof.
In 2008, with the tax bills in the building they took the same approach to the problem that DK is advocating now. Spend on players to take them up divisions to pay for the overspend that takes them up divisions.
In the days of RFC, Celtic were the biggest victims of this approach which is why I’ve been arguing for domestic FFP since 2011
http://celticunderground.net/sfa-reform-one-down-three-to-go/
but I cannot understand why the clubs who will be battling for promotion next season are not taking a united stand against what is ongoing financial doping to their detriment.
At the end of the day the SFA is made up of member clubs and the time is coming to ask if those clubs have lost their collective senses.
If you support Hibs, QoS, St Mirren, Falkirk or any other club with a chance of returning to the top tier, why is your club not protesting at what appears to be TRFC ‘ s game plan, which is to spend what it cannot afford to reduce the chances of YOUR club, who are operating on an affordability basis, getting promoted?
I was surprised that no one club questioned the 5 loans from Newcastle. Had the other 4 players contributed what Vudic did, then TRFC might not only have reached the play off final but won a place in the top flight. Would that have been acceptable to Motherwell?
Has the idea of TRFC operating outside affordability constraints taken such a hold that like an abused partner in an abusive relationship, none of the abused can see any other way of operating?
This emperor has no clothes ffs, and yet he struts his stuff whilst other clubs look away because what is strutting is not pretty.
Grow a set for the sake of yourselves and our game. Install rules akin to domestic FFP ( the first “F” stands for FAIR btw) and stop this nonsense before another season gets underway.
The guys DK says will invest to cover the shortfall, will they get their money back? Or are they simply prepared to take a punt and lose it?
Why is such a gamble being allowed?
The only way for TRFC to gain any credibility is to play fair, but at the end of the day when but for fans opposition they would be playing in the top tier, what incentive is their for them to play by the same rules as their opponents?
The mindset that ruined them appears to be alive and well and uncorrected by events. Their absolute dependence on CL money that caused them to misrepresent the status of the wee tax bill in 2011, is reflected in current thinking. Go for broke because what is the worst that can happen?
That worst should be no entry into our game unless affordability and fair play are as much a constraint on them as on their opposition. Buy the players they can afford NOW, like their opponents are doing, should be demanded by SFA clubs.
Chances are they will be good enough if coached and managed properly. Or is it the chances that they won’t be that rules thinking, thinking that our game is poorer for TRFC ‘ S absence and so it must be avoided at all cost?
There is so much more value and honour in a league that is won fairly, but never having experienced that for a considerable number of years, how do you get that point across to those who see nothing wrong in taking a gamble?
How is a value instilled when no one understands the value of doing so?
The safe standing area’s are not going to be the way is was back in the day of the jungle when it was a free for all. You will have a standing area in front of a seat that wont be folded down to allow you to stand during the game. For European games these seats will need to come down for the all seater stadium rules. So not much will change, your season book will still give you a section, row and seat number…
shuggiebhoy67
14:42 on 9 June, 2015
tonydonelly,
enjoyed a couple of Conventions and stayed in the Riviera,where is the Main Event being held this year? got a couple of friends leaving for Vegas today,but they couldnt tell me which Hotel was hosting the Convention.
HH
It’s in the Westgate Hotel, and Thats on Paradise road, and I kid you not.
hH
Why do people care so much about Rangers? It really bewilders me. What about our own club which has a lot of work to do in order to get us into the CL?
Good news on the standing area and agree with DD the old Jungle Bhoys should have first dibs.
Should I look out my 12 inch Doc Martin’s?
Oh yes, the Sporting Lisbon 5 star game, the Rapid Vienna 3-0, Starks Daisey cutter against Rangers pre liquidation.
Macaroon bars and chewing gum, and that cardboard box of spam rolls.
Unbelievable news the jungle is coming back.
captain beefheart
18:49 on 9 June, 2015
Why do people care so much about Rangers? It really bewilders me. What about our own club which has a lot of work to do in order to get us into the CL?
—–
It’s something to talk/write about. Over the last few seasons we have realised that the SMSM have no idea who we are going to sign so the transfer rumours have reduced. When there is Celtic news we talk about it ( standing area today), when there’s no news we talk about them or toasted cheese…
Captain beefheart it is important to know your enemy.
That said I think too often we use the Huns to mask our own problems.
That said very well done to Celtic on getting the safe standing areas sorted.
captain beefheart…
No your enemy mate, lots of us on here work beside thems and it’s best knowing how to rip the p**h out of them at all times. HH
Beefheart, we don’t care about the new club, we just want to be continually alert to the deviousness of them and the MSM and some SFA officials and refs to get them to the top league with absolute disdain for the rest of Scottish football.
Even…know your enemy :)
yorkbhoy
19:03 on 9 June, 2015
We don’t actually talk about rankers, since they’re deed…..we talk about sevco, the tribute act, adopted by the durable hunhordes….HH
Auldheid I hear your frustration. But the game in Scotland is rigged. It’s a pantomime. Celtic have accepted and embraced that.
Cpt Beefheart – why are you always asking why people are always talking/ writing about Sevco?
Are you obsessed with the obsession?
I need a tongue in cheek emoji thingy……
Have they not suffered enough
Wherefore art thou, BDO / HMRC Appeal …..come out, come out, wherever you are….
what is the stars
19:12 on 9 June, 2015
Ma …..
what is the stars
19:12 on 9 June, 2015
Na …..hahahaha
Neganon2
I prefer “made the best of a bad job”.
NegAnon2
19:11 on 9 June, 2015
Auldheid I hear your frustration. But the game in Scotland is rigged. It’s a pantomime. Celtic have accepted and embraced that.
=======================================================
There is much wrong with the structures and governance of the Scottish game. But rigged? Not in comparison to some places and rigged to the extent that the favoured clumpany (I don’t dispute that they are favoured by some of the powers that be and the press) couldn’t get out of the second tier of the game, couldn’t get a sniff at a trophy of any kind in the first three years of it’s existence despite having the second highest wage bill in scotland and the second largest season ticket sales……..
The rigging and the ragers have both been sub standard.
My local church has had safe standing and kneeling areas for some time now. There’s never been any trouble.
Standing room is one of the big attractions of the Bundesliga, I can vouch for that. Celtic installing it certainly tempts me to try to get to more games.
Delaneys Dunky
16:30 on 9 June, 2015
BSR
Jungle regulars should get first shout for the safe standing section, due to our experience of standing. Therefore, over 35s only! ;))
=====================================
Trouble is that most of us above that age bracket need a wee sit down every half hour or so…..
It’s a young man’s game…..
That said – I reckon I’ve still got 90 minutes in me……. not sure about games that go to extra time though!!
I’ve grown spoiled over the years…. it’s like looking at clothes now for comfort as much as the look of them….
ComfortCSC
Captain Beefheart …apols for Yorkbhoys last phrase …he meant of course roasted cheese ..
braw
Yorkbhoy at 19.03
That’s ROASTED cheese, mate
Special row of zimmer frames with seat for us over 65s
A CB already in.
Safe standing area!
The EBT president a gonner.
Two mates at the Vhegas Pharty texting pictures of a sea of green.
What’s not to like.
I am totally obsessed with the deceased club and the soon to be deceased club and will continue to be until their cheating is recognised and honours are stripped
HH
Serious question – what will the standing area do for capacity? Same? Lower? Higher?
Is Celtic park licensed on the basis of the capacity it is currently at and could that increase should the standing area prove a safe success?
I know there is no great need right now for that but if we were allowed an extra 5K or more in the ground for Euro nights, or were able to host major music events and so on this could be beneficial.
I would think exiting the ground with greater numbers would be the main concern but there is a history of doing this safely in years gone by when arguably it was more congested around the stadium exits in terms of housing and so on. We have relatively wider expanses around the place that ever we had before.
thinkinoutloudCSC
BurghBhoy – they are also a massive source of laughter and mirth. I reckon they are going to give even more in that department in the months ahead.
Bring it right on…….
#theyhaven’tsufferedenough
Away to do something useful…….
Goodnight y’all……
Has anyone said why Ogilvie took off? Did he not stand again. There has been no comment about him at all in the local TV media, as far as I can tell. They have simply mentioned the new man being elected. Seems like Ogilvie has become a nonperson overnight.
By the way, I am happy he is no longer there. I just feel there is a cover up going on. Would love to see him in court for his conflicted loyalties.