Picked up, shook out, turned into someone new

508

Neil Lennon seemed hurt by the performance yesterday.  “Some of [the players]look like their minds are elsewhere at other clubs.

“I don’t know if they have been tapped up, I don’t know where they are mentally, but you can tell by their body language they are not with us at the minute and I’ll have to sort that out.”

“I have pulled them out of places that no-one had heard of and put them in the shop window.

“And I want payback now. That is simply not good enough.”

Those of you of a certain age might have thought that sounded a bit like:

“You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, when I met you.  I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around, turned you into someone new.”

Of course, that girl from the Human League retorted:

“I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, that much is true.  But even then I knew I’d find a much better place, either with or without you.”

As Human League declared in verse, talent will find its level, but only if it performs.  It doesn’t matter where they came from, players who cannot excel in the SPL will drift into relative obscurity on leaving Celtic. There has been no exception to this rule.
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  1. BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS

     

     

    Wasn’t all bad. In his first match v Rangers at Paradise I had him for first goal and 2-0. £2 at 150/1!

     

     

    LB

  2. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    LIVIBHOY

     

     

    Congratulations,ya lucky bassa!

     

     

    He was a good player,no doubt about it,just not for us. In that respect he wasn’t the first nor the last.

     

     

    I remember backing a dog at 150/1 in the late 80s,put a quid on it cos I couldnae believe the price! Only after I checked no-one had cut a leg off it,mind…

  3. voguepunter

     

     

    Hibs did get that goal last season v the Pars that was never in.

     

    They seem to get the same rub of the green with these things as us tho. 1 for them and a dozen against.

     

    Lot of Hibee’s not happy in the office in auld reekie today tho.

     

     

    LB

  4. RANGERS plan to increase the club’s turnover to £100 million a year once it returns to top-level competition.

     

     

    I plan to be the King of Scotland. You will get better odds on me achieving my goal first…

  5. Ah…. the ole low points tally not seen during the days when Sevco weren’t ever really trying to gain an unfair advantage?

     

     

    If Celtic have a low winning score only MSM would notice, or care, they’d care if it was the highest winning points margin as well, and both ways it would be because there is……. no Rangers. If Celtic do the double, it’ll be because there is no Rangers, if we don’t, some hurting hun hack will still write it’s because there is no Rangers.

     

     

    None of it matters and it’s all about the death of Rangers, just like virtually every football non story in Scotland is somehow linked with the Armageddon. It’ll get worse as the season draws to a close, and reach fever pitch in the summer when they resign themselves to another year in the bottom tier.

     

     

    Next they’ll be telling us that if we had Rangers we’d have goal line technology, and Hibs would have beat Hearts.

     

     

    Imagine there is no Rangers. it’s easy, if you try.

  6. ASonOfDan – 11:12 on 11 March, 2013

     

     

    Is that the number of rocks they’re planning on turning over in the hope of finding a pot of gold?

  7. bournesouprecipe

     

     

    I’m surprised the whole country hasn’t ground to a halt without the “fabric of the nation”

     

     

    Another year in the bottom tier how much do I like the sound of that…

  8. Sign that goalie – safe pair of hands, but with a sore finger.

     

     

    Is his name Martin?

     

     

    HH!!

  9. emeraldbee\o/ proud to be an internet bampot

     

     

    11:05 on

     

    11 March, 2013

     

     

    thank you

     

     

    without fear of favour…………sfa & spl …………what about rag ers / sevco / new club 2014 ?

     

    —————————–

     

    all the while the fake over continues at hampdump and in the msm

     

    the spl clubs are meeting at hampdump to talk over rule changes

     

     

    ffs they cannot even uphold the ones they have already

     

     

    its all about the money and keeeping the status quo……a band aff their heids

     

     

    if you contine to finance them with our cash

     

     

    THE STENCH FROM HAMPDUMP WILL LINGER FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME

     

     

    jam67

  10. LiviBhoy

     

     

    Correct mhate,though the ratio a wee bit oot,I would say 1 for ,100 against :O)

  11. Recent poor domestic performances, many attributing to possible attitude/motivation issues from the players, which on occasion is understandable.

     

     

    However, earlier this season we brought in Jim McGuinness from Donegal GAA. I understood his role to be Performance Consultant or something similar. At the time Lennon said : “He will predominantly work with younger players but if I feel there is a first-team player that would benefit from Jim’s skill I would have no hesitation in using him.”

     

     

    If he hasn’t already been near the first team players, why not? Jim has a masters degree in sports psychology. Time to earn your crust Jim!

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS @10:06 lampoons

     

    “…

     

    Their chances of a £100m turnover are similar to Hitler’s of a 1000-year Reich.”

     

     

    Do you think future generations will be dressing up as Rangers players and supporters for fancy dress nights with a horror theme?

     

    Might it be necessary to specify on our invites “nae huns allowed”!?

  13. The story in the Herald is hysterical. They give you a fantasy breakdown of the figure to show you how achievable it is.

     

     

    Jackanory tell me a story…

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    NTASSOOLLA

     

     

    That’s a thought-we’d probably have to specify “No young royals allowed”

  15. miki67 we CQNers are very much with you. When we say “if there’s anything we can do”, we mean it. That’s likely to translate into a few hours company.

     

     

    I was on last night and I did reply to one of your posts. It may be that you missed that. Or it may be that you do not want to correspond with me. I don’t know.

     

     

     

    Peace.

  16. That Herald story (SFTB) is similar to the LNS judgement and `punishment` in that both cases only confirm what we already knew: The Authorities and the MSSM are firmly behind whosoever plays out of Ibrox.

     

    34,000 odd ,eh? Based on something I read recently, they add about 6,000 or so onto the actual crowd (as do we) so 28,000 ish.

     

    Interesting.

     

     

    JJ

  17. “It should have been 4-2 at half-time,” he

     

    said. “We had clear-cut chances, which

     

    on a pitch like this is difficult to do. And

     

    the game became a fight in the second

     

    half, which you expect it to.

     

    “It gives us a week to recuperate. We

     

    have had a long week. We had a four-

     

    hour drive on Friday after coming back

     

    from Italy on Thursday.

     

    “So there were mitigating circumstances

     

    for a bit of lethargy but what you can´t

     

    lack is character and I thought we lacked

     

    that in a lot of departments.

     

    “I´ll make changes. I will hopefully have

     

    Georgios Samaras and Emilio Izaguirre

     

    back next week, and we will see how

     

    Victor Wanyama is.”

  18. cliftonville celt from belfast on

    Miki67

     

     

    our lady of lourdes pray for you

     

     

    You are an inspiratation to us all with your bravery

     

     

    You’ll never walk alone

  19. Celtic are in a no win situation this season. If they win the league at a canter the MSM will bleat about how boring it is, if it’s exciting and Celtic win then they will claim that we wouldn’t have won if there was a financially unviable ( sorry strong) Thems in the league..

  20. Nuclear Bovril and a Half Munched Pie on

    Is the Herald farticle by Richard Wilson?

     

     

    I don’t belieeeeeve it!

     

     

    Coat on car started.

  21. Jjp on

     

    stole my thunder…i had thot jim mcguinness was actualy brough over for our first team..due to our poor home form at the time.he shouldnt be away from our first team imho..big ff hasnt been the same player since he returned from injury…his body language after the recent goals we’ve lost shows this..kayal was starting to look himself before the winter break and seams to have stalled..these guys stepping in when asked should be burtsting a gut to stay in lennys plans..the team has missed brooney and lustic in the team..for a period they were excellent..

     

    A mate of mine was down watching liverpool at the weekend with his wee bhoy and on his return train journey had the unfortunate circumstance of being on the same train as sevcovians down watchin chelski…all fighting with each other on the way back..being a castlemilk bhoy..it wasnt an issue for him to be concerned..but his kid seeing it?different issue…utter scum the lot of them!!is see the spl fans united survey isnt doing as well as it should..maybe wee should make it an idea on here to boost its responce?

  22. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Greig Cameron

     

     

    Deputy Business Editor.

     

     

    Monday 11 March 2013

     

     

     

     

    RANGERS plan to increase the club’s turnover to £100 million a year once it returns to top-level competition.

     

     

     

    The announcement comes little more than a year after the club was plunged into administration, allowing Charles Green’s Sevco consortium to buy the business and assets after it was liquidated.

     

     

    Finance director Brian Stockbridge made the prediction for the third division side as he believes an enhanced retail operation combined with greater sponsorship income – including a naming deal for Ibrox Stadium – will supplement match-day and football revenue.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The club pulled in £9.5m of revenue in the seven months between May and December last year and reported a £7m loss.

     

     

    But Mr Stockbridge pointed out that Rangers historically had a turnover of about £60m in years when competing in the Champions League – not including merchandising, which had been hived off to JJB Sports.

     

     

    Rangers is now involved in a joint venture with Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, and recently signed a kit deal with Puma.

     

     

    Mr Stockbridge revealed the Ibrox megastore is soon to be made four times bigger, on a site on the ground floor of the Edmiston House office block at the stadium.

     

     

    He said: “When [Rangers] did its own retail it made £20.5m turnover and £5.6m profit just from merchandising.

     

     

    “But because the club needed money, it gave it to JJB and took an upfront payment, then took the £3m annual licensing fee.

     

     

    “So, let’s say if we can only do as good as £20m [even] with Mike Ashley as our partner, with Puma and with internet sales, then suddenly we are looking at £80m to £90m turnover.

     

     

    “Then you look at the additional sponsorship possibilities and think it would be nice to get it to £100m, but even then I wouldn’t think my job would be done at that point, as it could go on beyond that.”

     

     

    He said Rangers were looking at opening a retail store at Glasgow Airport and one in Belfast. Internet sales and the use of Puma’s international retail presence are also expected to grow revenue.

     

     

    He said: “The Puma deal is a very good one. Typically, a manufacturer pays upfront and will claw that back at the end through the shirt prices.

     

     

    “With Puma, I negotiated that we get a very high royalty rate on everything, even what we sell in the shop here at Ibrox.”

     

     

    A naming-rights deal for Ibrox is due to be in place for the start of the next season, with Sports Direct one potential partner.

     

     

    The sales figures for online streaming of Rangers games this season are described as encouraging and the venture is “profitable”. The club is also in discussions over rolling out WiFi around Ibrox and upgrading the electronic displays.

     

     

    While Blackthorn Cider has agreed a deal to be shirt sponsor, Mr Stockbridge is looking for an additional brand to place on the youth team strips as they cannot carry alcohol advertising.

     

     

    Mr Stockbridge said: “It is about looking at new things the club has never done before to generate revenue, but without ripping people off. This is more than a football club. It is a global brand. Anything that can be done to improve the revenue for the club and commercialise things in a more effective way should be looked at.”

     

     

    While the exact reconstruction of the Scottish football leagues remains undecided, Mr Stockbridge is adamant the club does not need to be playing in the top flight to be profitable.

     

     

    He admits to being “horrified” at some commercial contracts into which the club had previously been tied, but is delighted with where it now stands.

     

     

     

     

     

    inShare.

     

     

    NEXT: Waiting list chaos hits back-to-work scheme »

     

     

     

     

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    . .

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    What do you think?

     

     

    Please sign in to comment on this article

     

     

    Showing 20 of 22 comments

     

     

     

    paul holmes, glasgow

     

     

     

     

    Very ambitious plans . Green has said that he will cap salaries at Ibrox at 30% of turnover so some folk are going to make a lot of money if this pipe dream ever reaches reality . The failure to beat Annan and the continued booing of McCoist and his team of under achievers does not convince me that Rangers will be turning over 100 million pounds per year soon . You need success for that . I do however congratulate Green for a propaganda machine that matches anything in history . Champions League /cannae beat Annan = propaganda

     

     

     

    6 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Graham McKay, Edinburgh

     

     

     

     

    Turnover is not profit. As the article states on £20.5m turnover we got a profit of £5.6m or around 27%.

     

     

    I’m glad no one involved relies on convincing you of anything.

     

     

     

    1 hour ago

     

    in reply to paul holmes, glasgow

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Frank Galvin, Edinburgh

     

     

     

     

    We can assume that salaries will be £30m on a turnover of £100m. Since remuneration will be the biggest cost by some distance I think Paul is right that some will make a lot of profit.

     

     

    However this is just another puff piece from Traynor in the aftermath of a terrible result on the pitch. If Rangers couldn’t turnover £100m before the credit crunch whilst playing in the CL with all those tax avoiding stars playing for them and with greater interest in the SPL than now; I think its fanciful that they will reach such a figure for a very long time.

     

     

     

    1 hour ago

     

    in reply to paul holmes, glasgow

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Stephen King, Edinburgh

     

     

     

     

    They should build a casino.

     

     

     

     

    5 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    anthony frye, Scotland

     

     

     

     

    Well this new entity are doing very well for themselves it would seem.Nice to see some optimism around Ibrox for a change.

     

     

     

    5 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Ian Mckinnon

     

     

     

     

    Move to a new stadium (or share Celtic Park/Murrayfield) and aim for £120m.

     

     

     

    4 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    paul holmes, glasgow

     

     

     

     

    Ian , I am aiming to snatch Kate from William and live in a cooncil hoose in Leven . ( or share a hoose with my granny in Anstruther ) I think I will fail just like Rangers .

     

     

     

    2 hours ago

     

    in reply to Ian Mckinnon

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Graham McKay, Edinburgh

     

     

     

     

    Ian, moving to a new stadium or sharing will not increase turnover, only costs, thus the percentage of profit on the turnover decreases.

     

     

     

    1 hour ago

     

    in reply to Ian Mckinnon

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Gordon Robson

     

     

     

     

    “Rangers historically had a turnover of about £60m in years when competing in the Champions League” was this when they weren’t paying the taxman?

     

     

     

    4 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    TOMMY GRAY

     

     

     

     

    Cheep Shot. Gordon.

     

     

     

    4 hours ago

     

    in reply to Gordon Robson

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Cameron Kennedy

     

     

     

     

    Not sure how that is linked to the taxman…turnover is sales.

     

     

     

    4 hours ago

     

    in reply to Gordon Robson

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Graeme Robertson

     

     

     

     

    £100m turnover. Wow. £100 million. Thats a LOT of money. £100,000,000. Turnover.

     

     

    Is it season ticket renewal time yet?

     

     

     

     

    4 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Peter Gillespie, Glasgow

     

     

     

     

    Yeh, we should just sign Roy Keane/Robbie Keane/Craig Bellamy in January….etc – is it season ticket renewal time yet?

     

     

     

    1 hour ago

     

    in reply to Graeme Robertson

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Alan McGregor, Glasgow

     

     

     

     

    Does sound like a lot Graeme. Would get you pretty close to the top 20 clubs in the Deloitte Football Money League beside the likes of Juventus, Marseille and Milan.

     

     

     

    16 minutes ago

     

    in reply to Graeme Robertson

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Frank Galvin, Edinburgh

     

     

     

     

    Is this before or after they build the supercasino with the floating pitch etc?

     

     

     

    4 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Graham Wilson, London

     

     

     

     

    We were also aiming for a win on Saturday. Will there be a decent football team to watch in this £100m plan? Jam tomorrow on the financial side is fine, but there is some basic bread and butter to sort out today on the playing side.

     

     

    How about a mission statement that says we are going to have decent and committed players who win games with flair and excitement, supported by an astute management teamwith robust tactical decision making qualities and game reading skills? Get that right and £100million turnover will be a nice side dish.

     

     

     

    4 hours ago

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Ian Mckinnon

     

     

     

     

    Good morning Graham,

     

     

    You are bang on the money. The decisions made, actions taken, pie in the sky ideas floated and lofty ambitions revealed all smack to me of protecting and sustaining the share price for a quick getaway when the lock-in ends.

     

     

    Everything should be focused towards building a sustainable club and team for the future.

     

     

    P. S. I have not watched Saturday’s 2 episodes yet. Your comparison of me to Tintin a couple of weeks ago has turned out to be strangely prophetic. Did you catch all 6 of BS-I?

     

     

     

     

    3 hours ago

     

    in reply to Graham Wilson, London

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Graham Wilson, London

     

     

     

     

    Hi Ian, that sounds a bit worrying, have you been in the wars? I hope it’s nothing like as drastic and you are alright now. Had I known I might have compared you to someone else, but Spiral isn’t really brimming with other characters you might want to be compared with. Monsieur Le Juge? (Though this is perhaps more Michael P than you.)

     

     

    I very much enjoyed Bob Servant, in that cringey masochistic way- you were right that the god and skirt episode was very funny. I’m afraid I overanalysed the allegorical intent and got myself a little lost, but it stood on its own two feet anyway.

     

     

    Hope you are ok.

     

     

     

    2 hours ago

     

    in reply to Graham Wilson, London

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Michael Price, Glasgow

     

     

     

     

    As ever it takes your humour to point out the ridiculous Graham, although you might be more accurate with Monsieur douleur dans le cul (forgive my pigeon French) than Monsieur le Juge?

     

     

     

     

    1 hour ago

     

    in reply to Graham Wilson, London

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    les barrie

     

     

     

     

    La La land must be a wonderful place,there is no “top level” in scottish football,Green repeatedly tells us that Rangers will never rejoin the SPL,Annan, one of the poorest clubs in Britain totally deserved to beat the second most expensive squad of players in scottish football,aside from several of the youngsters there isn’t a player at Ibrox worth anything

  23. The initial euphoria of the lumpen hun suddenly given entry to Hades has dissipated.

     

    It will not be sustained for another three seasons.

     

    Ticketus will have to be sustained for a few more seasons than that.

     

     

    Ibrox Stadium is at an age when the maintenance bill would be expected to mount. Anecdotal evidence suggest this is an area where savings have been made. A false economy.

  24. Baku/Black Isle Celt on

    Re Herald article:

     

     

    Old Rangers pre JJB – 20.5M turnover, 5.6M profit

     

     

    Old Rangers with JJB – 3M all profit

     

     

    New Rangers with Sports Direct (approx 50/50 JV) – 20.5M turnover, 5.6M profit shared with SD so 2.8M to New Rangers.

     

     

    So adding 20.5M to turnover and ending up with 200K less profit is being spun as good news!

     

     

    MJM

  25. Somesaythedevilisdead on

    I once got hit on the back of my napper by a flying pie standing in the jungle at a Huns game. Gubbing der Huns soffened the blow that day but I never really got over the humiliation!!

     

    On another topic I was a bit wary of our trip to Dingwall after playing in Turin, turned out right to be wary, but it reinforces the point that our back up players are not as great as THEY think THEY are. Forsters needing dropped I think, Hooper played ok and the rest struggled in my opinion.

  26. Lads,

     

     

    if anyone wants to enter the CQN Cheltenham Naps competition, then please post your entries each day here.

     

     

    In the interests of making things easy (for me), it would help a lot if you can list your selctions as below, and then I can copy and paste the information :

     

     

    1.

     

    2.

     

    3.

     

    4.

     

    5.

     

    6.

     

    7.

     

     

    Cheers, fleagle1888

  27. We’re picking a horse in each race?

     

     

    1. Champagne Fever

     

    2. Simonsig

     

    3. Merry King

     

    4. Hurricane Fly

     

    5. Arabella Boy

     

    6. Quevega

     

    7. Carlito Brigante

     

     

    … seems like a lot of work for you Fleagle.

     

     

    If only looking for 1 pick per day, then Champagne Fever in the first.

     

     

    Feels like Christmas morning (as someone posted on Twitter).

  28. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    CATHAL

     

     

    Sorry,ate.

     

     

    Champagne Fever has no chance-it’s my Nap of the whole meeting!

     

     

    At least it’s in the first race,so I’ll know my fate early.

     

     

    Must admit,I thought it would be the usual one selection,but this is more interesting. Great idea,FLEAGLE 1888.

     

     

    Back with a full list later.

  29. Fleagle here are my picks,if it goes ahead,thanks.vp

     

     

    1.PUFFIN BILLY

     

    2.OVERTURN

     

    3.CLOUDY TOO

     

    4.ROCK ON RUBY

     

    5.ANY CURRENCY

     

    6.UNE ARTISTE

     

    7.KRUZHLININ

  30. Lads, my selections for Day 1:

     

     

    1. Un Atout

     

    2. Simonsig

     

    3. Golden Chieftain

     

    4. Zarkander

     

    5. Any Currency

     

    6. Swing Bowler

     

    7. Johns Spirit

     

     

    Cheers, fleagle1888

     

     

    ps – Cathal : excel lookup tables and copy/paste make it relatively easy… :)

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