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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John Guidetti sounding off again that he was right to leave Celtic fine John thanks for your time so long its been good to know you.Celtic will still be entertaining there fans long after you have stopped playing I really dont think you were all that.H.H.
BRISTOLBHOY
I’ll say one thing for the SFA. They put the fans first every time.
They saw how p’d off we all were wi all this election pash over the last few months and spared us another one by just elevating one of their placemen to the presidency.
Fair play to them. Who needs democracy?
The new SFA President being sworn in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Sy6oiJbEk
HH!!
the exiled tim
20:33 on 9 June, 2015
They died chasing the big cup, now their bastard incarnation will hopefully die a slow agonising chasing us again.
You are the man Dave, you go for it.
———-
Except this time they’ll perish in pursuit of the Petrofac Cup!!!
hubristic perfection!
HH jamesgang
Interesting stuff
https://audioboom.com/channel/grahamhunter
Tallybhoy…
Yer on the ball today, yep, stauner wins it :)
Livibhoy, further to your post at 8.38 this morning. Sorry I have not got back to you sooner.
A guy I worked with was friendly with Celtic scout, Tom O’Neill, when Martin arrived.
According to what he was told by Tom O’Neill, Martin let the players know in no uncertain terms he was boss and second place was not an option in the 2000/2001 season. He told the squad, what he said in public was to be ignored by them, .what he told them behind closed doors was all that mattered.
I would love to know what his pre-match speech was to the players before the 2 nil game at Anfield. A few players from that squad have hinted it was very powerful.
Livibhoy, I hope you and your son can get to more games this season.
Joe Filippis Haircut
21:08 on 9 June, 2015
John Guidetti sounding off again that he was right to leave Celtic fine John thanks for your time so long its been good to know you.Celtic will still be entertaining there fans long after you have stopped playing I really dont think you were all that.H.H.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It looked to me that Big John couldnae cut the mustard when the overall fitness levels of the Celtic players went up. The serious injuries may have stopped him becoming what he should become. I hope he gets massive money from a Club that doesn’t deserve to have so much Money. It is obvious, to me anyway, that he isnae Good enough to be a Celtic number 9, unfortunately.
If he was at deaths door, perhaps he cannae get back up to the prerequisite fitness that Johnny, John and Ronny are looking for, hopefully they leave room for a real maverick of a player. ;))
He certainly respects the Celtic Support, and the Celtic Support will always respect him for that.
Sipsini
Cheers buddy.
HH!!
Joe Filippis Haircut
You get out what you put in. Look at Jason Deneyer, started against France at the weekend, and could start against Wales this weekend. Saw a quote from him today saying that his team mates told him to go out and play the way you did at Celtic, so that is what I did. Great attitude, glad we saw him at Celtic.
joe filippis haircut
21:08 on 9 June, 2015
On JG I thought he had potential to be our number 9 BUT
I think/hope RD had a word and said if you commit to us (sign a contract) you get a run in the team – JG never committed – Griffiths did – sime difference.
BTW – says a lot about RD that I like
Hail Hsil
67ECW
Sky Sports showing memorable moments from the Champions League. Plenty of footage of the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal & Man U, even Spurs. Nothing so far of us.
petec.You may well be right but personaly I feel he has said enough he should move on to whichever club he is joining and remember the good things about his season in the hoops.H.H.
Sime = simple. Doh
Guidette’s career will be couched in … “What could have been”
Serial under achiever with a hefty conceit
He is his own biggest fan
C E L T I C
There are some things that you really have got to,take,your hat off at the audacity of the actors.
No,not the Huns in this case.
No,Celtic (again).
So now you need a mini season ticket to go to,the faso called friendlies at St Mirren.
What’s on the SB again?
And apwhat are these so,called repairs at CP.
Pure audacity fro, PL and co
NEGANON
I don’t think it’s audacity. It’s dealing with the fact that St Mirren have a small capacity,so rather than deal with three lots of tickets they are doing it in one.
Saves a lot of messing around for those who want to go,and at those prices,attractive enough even if you can only make two out of the three games.
PFayr
John Guidetti.
A legend in his own mind.
HH!!
Faso Apwat Fro, African Striker linked to Celtic, hopes to make his debut at St Mirren:))))
Joe Filippis Haircut
21:28 on 9 June, 2015
petec.You may well be right but personaly I feel he has said enough he should move on to whichever club he is joining and remember the good things about his season in the hoops.H.H.
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The big thing is, he isn’t in such demand.
Ronny would hold on to him and work with him, but if he isn’t the same player after what he has went through, I can understand why he would work his ticket.
Celtic is all about defying the odds.
Although Marvin Andrews played for the deid team, there was Something about Marvin, and he certainly wisnae Gay but Gaye. The Leftie Loonies and the Right Wing Nutters are in control, seek solace in the Liberal Middle.
No Wonder, I am hoping Kojo returns.
Bobby it’s not that they are sellin a package. It’s that they are selling at all. Pre season games??? Aren’t they supposed to be on the season book?
Faso Apwat Fro?!
Naw another Mo Bangura, shirley?!
HH!!
Neganon2
We have a home friendly with French club Rennes, which I can only assume will be on season book
Plus
The first qualifier for Europe
Nothing wrong with that is there ?
The club must be run as a business, we will be hiring St Mirren park, makes sense to me to charge then for these pre – season friendliest, as we get up to speed, and at £8 a game very decent deal
No ?
Season ticket covers 21 games, 19 league + 2, has done for years. I would assume the +2 games will be the first CL qualifier and possibly the Rennes friendly at CP. You can’t make games at St Mirren on ST, what happens if everyone turns up?
It seems not all zombies are being taken in, especially the ones who DID buy STs last season…
“The biggest problem with any Dave King press conference is to identify the truth in any of his statements. It’s as difficult as a Spot The Ball competition, where the ball is not in any linked to the protagonists in the photograph.
A quick look at The MICROmega website is instructive in how King & Morris spin things to their advantage. I decided to forego the scripted exchange between King and Traynor. Paying someone handsomely to interview you, with soundbites agreed in advance, will never elicit truth.
Prior to my attempts at discerning what can be believed, we should start at his most obvious lie. King stated that he and his puppet board had made good on all of their electioneering promises. They promised a NOMAD. They claimed that one was lined up. They claimed it was a mere formality and that they could choose from a couple of likely candidates. I’m sure Mr Traynor did not ask why RIFC is no longer listed on LSE AIM. So Mr King, you did not fulfil that promise.
Then there was the ISDX fiasco. Murray, in his capacity as interim Chairman. released a statement to assuage the concerns of investors. He stated that he had found an exchange that was willing to accept RIFC. He stated that we were in good company, as Arsenal are listed on ISDX PLUS. Mr Murray lied. This exchange refused to accept RIFC. Mr Murray did not fulfil this promise.
Mr King now states that he will have a meeting in London later this week and that a rights issue will be forthcoming in 3/4 months. He states that all the current crisis loans will be converted into equity.
Note that he will not underwrite any rights issue. This was something that he offered to Somers at his impromptu meeting where he asked for 75% support.
We now are being told that the three bears may underwrite this equity issue.
This is a key statement. I believe I have spotted the ball. What King is stating in clear and unequivocal terms is that his promises of any quantum will not now be delivered. Any investment in any company necessitates the purchase of shares.
Underwriting a rights issue is one of the fundamental ways of investing. When your chairman shows his commitment to the rights issue, other investors are imbued with confidence. Mr King does not imbue any confidence whatsoever.
He arrived with holes in his pockets and a £20M chip on his shoulder.
King states that any season ticket money raised will be spent on the team on the park. Murray has been spinning the complete sell out of Ibrox to 600 well-heeled fans in California. He has proffered a forecast income of £12/13M. Mr King has decided on a figure of 45,000. Now I cannot predict the Adult/Child/Concession mix as I don’t have the spreadsheets that Murray should have, but even at Murray’s lower estimate, the average spend would be £240. The average spend on season ticket sales last season was £214. If you add a 5% uplift you arrive at £224.70. Ceteris paribus, there is a £765,000 hole in Mr Murray’s forecast.
I do not anticipate 45,000 sales, as per Mr King’s forecast. I try to avoid comment about CFC, but King is evidently pegging ST sales at their level. However those fans have a season in the Scottish Premiership against Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Scottish Cup winners ICT and a resurgent Hearts, not Alloa, Morton, Falkirk and QOS. Those teams are not the box office of those in The Scottish Premership.
However let’s run with King’s£ forecast of 45,000 with my average spend of £224.70. That’s £10.11M. VAT on this leads to £8.09M. The budget for players last year was £7M. If reports are correct, our captain cost circa £1M of this. If the other ten released earned an average of £5,000 per week, the budget for the current squad is circa £3.5M. Including June, Mr McCoist will be taking about £448,000 and Mr McDowall circa £175,000. So having met contracted payments for players and former managers, you have just under £4M to pay for our new manager and additions to the team.
Four Million Pounds Mr King. Allow me to inform you what quantum buys you in Scottish Premiership title winning players. They will cost you £1-£1.5M as per the recent sales from Dundee Utd to CFC and £750,000 per annum in salaries excluding bonuses. When you deduct the costs of the new manager and his assistants, you could perhaps afford one of this quality of player. At that salary that player would be our captain.
One manager, and one marquee signing is what Mr King is offering should 45,000 buy into his appeal. The appeal of a Real Rangers Man at the helm.
But there is another much more credible scenario. Ashley will appoint an administrative receiver to RIFC and he will take £5M and his costs from any income received. Ashley could do much more than that, but assuming he is feeling benevolent, this is the best Mr King’s and his shyster board can hope for.”
“Alas, poor Grimmond…”
Probably not true but Twitter reporting that we’ve agreed a £1.6m fee for Michael Dijks . His Ajax move has collapsed .
Also Martin O’Neil , Roy Keane, Steve Walford and Steve Guppy in a car crash tonight.
Thankfully it seems they are all ok
HH
@SkySportsNewsHQ
BREAKING: Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill and assistant Roy Keane have been involved in a road accident on the M50. #SSNHQ
The standing area will be a reSounding success.
Not enough, I hope there are more, many more switching seats.
The Youngsters all want to Stand, there are a lot of oldies that also want to Stand, having a wee Break in between all the anthems with a wee pew, Kwality.
Wow – whats the Argument?
Heated seats?
Whois Craig?
Standin’ Up For Big Peter!
He’s a Jungle VIP.
;)
In Fear?
NegAnon2
I normally ignore you and the rest of the anti-board prats, but can you please explain how every season ticket holder can get a free ticket to the pre-season games at St Mirren Park, capacity 8,023?
justafan
21:50 on 9 June, 2015
It seems not all zombies are being taken in, especially the ones who DID buy STs last season…
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Jeezo
Don’t tell me that Paul67 is now mirrored by Billy73!
Finally a Stickie gets it and can write about it cogently. With a wee ‘ceteris parabis’ thrown in for good measure.
You sure it’s not a Timposter subtly goading then with reality???
;-)
HH jamesgang
Disgusted to have just found out that my mortgage and leccie bill NOT covered by my season ticket.
If Celtic pay to heat big peter’s driveway I should receive equivalent treatment.
Disgusted so amur!
HH jamesgang
Burghbhoy
On news now it says, we have offered €2m for Dijks, not new news mind, Ajax are entitled to a 50% sell on clause, so for them to match our offer they must pay €1m, they are reportably not prepared to pay this, and Willem11 not prepared to drop price, so stalemate there, and Willem11 prepared to allow Dijks to talk with Celtic
No idea to truth on this
He can play in middle or on left, so could also cover Izzy, so potential
Hail Hail
Nothing on tomorrow evening?
Get yourself along to the FAC open meeting.
St Anne’s primary school at the corner of Crownpoint Rd and Fielden St and beginning at 7pm.
Jamesgang at 22.21. Your post has me chuckling away here.
My son wants to go to an away game. I can tell him we are going to st miiren park to watch us and it qualfies as an away game.