As Motherwell won their semi-final yesterday against the second most expensively assembled team in Scotland, the penny began to drop with the last hold-outs that Brother Pedro will be remembered as little more than an expensive stop-gap in the attempt to stop Celtic winning 20-in-a-row.
Let’s be clear: Pedro is not in the top two managers in the league, in fact, Celtic, Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Motherwell, Hibs, Hearts, Kilmarnock and Dundee all have demonstrably better bosses. But there was a reason he was appointed late last season, despite better candidates being (under)employed in Perthshire.
Appointing a competent, provincial, manager, like Tommy Wright, would be an acknowledgement that Newco had no illusions of competing with Celtic. In that role, Wright would out-perform Hibs, Motherwell and St Johnstone, and give Aberdeen a run for their money, but he is not an alchemist.
There is a difference when you appoint an exotic as manager, even an incompetent one. Few potential season ticket customers know what you really have with an exotic. He could be incompetent, but you can equally hope that he turns out to be a truly great appointment, with access to hitherto unexploited talent.
There was no point in Newco giving the job to a reliable but unspectacular candidate like Wright. This club needs to propel itself into a position where it competes against an elite Celtic team, and can navigate its way through four Europa League qualification rounds.
If it lowers the Union Jack and raises the White Flag to mark Surrender of league aspirations, its self-image would be destroyed. I could debate the commercial viability of an aspirational Newco with you all day (fanciful), but it appears that even the decision makers at Ibrox regard the viability of a subservient Newco as untenable.
The club faces Hobson’s Choice. Throw money it cannot afford at strategies selected BECAUSE correct due diligence is impossible, or downsize to a point they know will have a negative impact on ticket sales and future income.
20 years ago this week, Rangers beat Dunfermline 7-0 and were hot favourites to win 10-in-a-row, but the business model had a fundamental weakness: the club were haemorrhaging cash. You can debate whether the subsequent liquidation and newco phoenix club is the same or different to the Rangers some of us are old enough to remember.
What is irrevocably true is that Newco is unrecognisable from Rangers in one hugely important aspect: it will not win the league. Ever.
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Surely we can get a reduction on our fine for good behaviour.
Gooood Evening CQN
Posted at 20:12
BREAKINGThe Fifa fan award
Celtic
On to the stage comes Samuel Eto’o to present this one.
The winners are Celtic!
:-))))))))
Cowiebhoy- hope it was a fan’s rep who collected it….
https://stv.tv/sport/football/1400577-celtic/
Were the Green Brigade in attendance?…
I know Joe O Rourke was n attendance so hopefully he picks it up
Ironic we banned the green brigade for display later on during that match
The Media o fany country in the world would, I suspect, be full of praise if one of their Club`s Fans won this award. What will happen in Scotland?
JJ
Well done the Celtic support, you done us proud
BT
Good to see you posting!
Don’t be a stranger!
Congratulations to us!!
Never in doubt
HH
Regardless, it really is a fine thing to win ( although I would maybe have gone for Borussia Dortmund).
JJ
Club chairman Ian Bankier accepted the award on behalf of the fans and said: “I want to thank FIFA, I want to thank all the fans who voted for us but the display that won was for a team of players who all grew up within a few miles of Celtic FC in Glasgow and were coached by a man who was a legend.
Mmmmmmmm
As one of the supporters to whom this accolade was awarded, when do I/we pick up my/our prize?
JJ
Anyway, goodnight to all my fellow, world champion fans.
JJ
Bada,
Did you not know that Saltcoats has moved……….to outside Glesga :0)
Brendan? Here for a wee while I think. Mid-table EPL holds no interest for him at the moment. I suspect he’ll want to go to one of the elite, when he eventually leaves. Man Utd (unlikely because of of his Lpool connection), City – maybe, Chelsea – possibly, he has history there, Arsenal/Spurs – the most likely…
Pedro? Toast. If they could afford to sack him they would. Look for judicious anti-Pedro leaks in the SMSM very soon, in an attempt to force him out a la Warburton. This could get messy as he is identified with one faction of the Sevco boardroom (the one with the cash), so whatever happens there will be ructions. Their best bet remains McInnes, but I wonder if the Sevco brand is now so toxic even the usual suspects will give it a wide berth.
Best Fans in the World? Yes, well done the GB. For all I disagree with a lot of their politics, they have transformed the atmosphere at the ground and are primarily responsible for this award. Hilarious timing as well!
https://twitter.com/tf67_/status/922542661793349632
Hot Smoked @ 8.38…traitor :-)
Interesting leading article today…
For those concerned by the hubris, my take would be somewhat different.
Paul67 did not say Rangers, or a derivative there off, will never win again become Champions of Scotland. What he did say was this…
“What is irrevocably true is that Newco is unrecognisable from Rangers in one hugely important aspect: it will not win the league. Ever.
Maybe he knows something most of us don’t, he’s kinda been on the button with this stuff before. In fact, if I recall correctly a 100% hit rate.
Good to see a wee bit of the aul’ banter back on CQN. It’s really been a much better place of late with a bit of the aul MoJo back.
Great Analytical post by TBB. It really does show what Sevco are up against and that’s if they are run well with structured investment.
Interesting P67 highlighting the Managerial talent now in the SPL…
Looking forward to seeing what Steve Clarke can do with Kilmarnock, although obviously his first job is to keep them up…
Also would like to see Hibs get a European Berth… of course there are obvious reasons for that but outwith those, I’d like to see a Scottish Team with some European experience and a Manager who has over-performed in Europe put a wee bit of pride back into the game.
Hail Hail
PB- Bankier is a snob, a guy who is so out of touch with the fan in the street.
Paul,
That’s a strange blog post. Although it is your blog, of course, so whatever.
But I don’t think dishing out absolutes is a good idea, certainly not in football.
“Newco is unrecognisable from Rangers in one hugely important aspect: it will not win the league. Ever.”
Hm. Man City were down and out in the English third division 20 years ago – now look. There are many other
examples. Never say never.
I would say that Newco is unrecognisable from Rangers in one hugely important aspect: It’s a new club, and it’s not Rangers.
And, more importantly,
“You can debate whether the subsequent liquidation and newco phoenix club is the same or different to the Rangers some of us are old enough to remember.”
Where is the debate? Rangers FC entered liquidation in 2012. They ceased to be, like Ratner’s, Woolworths, PanAm, BHS and everyone else who’s gone bust over the years.
Except with Rangers, there’s an open and shut case, proven in court, that they cheated on a grand scale.
There is no debate, Paul.
Hang the cheats out to dry.
Bada…brilliant lol…
Well, that is really something. Best fans in the world, officially.
The smsm will be sick. How are they going to badmouth us now?
WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
COSYCORNERBHOY- wee prayer said for your wee cousin.Well done the fans(me and my dad included) for the award,the Huns week just gets better:-)))
Celtic supporters win the FIFA Award for best supporters in the World at a ceremony in London tonight…
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/?p=41359
Bada Bing,
I didn’t think we would win this prestigious award. But we did and I am absolutely delighted.
This is a time of celebration and reconciliation if you like. It is not a time for bad mouthing .
No offence intended.
HH.
Jabba and Stephen Kerr will be knocking their heads together now…how to respond to the news…
Best Fans in the World…
GREENPINATA
Good post!
Well done the GB for there magnificent lisbon lions 50 tribute tifo award is well deserved
Greenpinta- no offence taken mate, i was at an AGM a couple of years ago, when Bankier went on a rant, shouting at us to behave….HH
Interesting to see how the smsm report this…
So we win a FIFA fans award for a display organised by the GB, one that the board banned them, and others, for and a board member picks up the award! All on the same day we get our 12th UEFA fine in 2 years.
It’s a funny old game right enough
Philbhoy- true , another sleepless night for Level 5…:)
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS
The smsm may not report it at all.
Wouldn’t surprise me.
CCB
Hopefully your cousin pulls through.
HH
Chairbhoy
My first thought on reading Paul67’s leader today was that he has heard that the tribute act are heading for liquidation. Wishful thinking maybe?
Well done everyone concerned!!
Fester Fester must be a hoot right now.
!!Bada Bing!!
I’m loving their ever increasing pain and depth of their delusion!
This is indeed a great time to be a Tim!
And it could last a long (long!) time.