Despite Walter Smith urging “Rangers fans to get fully behind the resolutions which last week were presented to the Board and shareholders”, which include sacking chief executive, Craig Mather, he added, “Craig Mather, as I have said before is doing a good job. It is unfortunate that this has happened but when change does come I hope he’ll be allowed to continue the job he has started”.
Smith is clearly close to, but not in tandem with, those who requested an Emergency General Meeting.
As well as support for the chief exec, on the manager, Smith says, “As for Alistair McCoist, it is important that we all appreciate that no other Rangers manager has had to work with poorer or more trying circumstances. It is my fervent hope that when the dust settles and Rangers have a clearer path and future he is given the chance to manage under conditions similar to those which were afforded his predecessors.”
Here we get to the crux of the problem. Rangers International face enormous financial challenges. With a half decent football manager, they would be able to win promotion from the third tier of Scottish football with a football budget of around £1m, or several times that of their nearest rivals. If, as the Herald suggested this week, there is not enough money to finish the season, the most immediate responsibility of the directors is to cut costs accordingly.
Cutting costs is not the reason anyone gets into football, and it is certainly not what Walter Smith knew in his time at the Rangers group of clubs, but at times it is absolutely necessary. The non-executive directors of Rangers International would serve their fans interests best by telling this unpalatable truth.
Failure to do this will pale in comparison to some other potential consequences. In setting his stall behind McCoist, Mather’s team building exercise and the EGM protagonists, Smith has almost ensured collapse if those demanding change cannot command the support of 51% of shareholders. To succeed, Paul Murray will need to demonstrate the leadership and deal management skills which were lacking a year ago.
Meanwhile, John Brown’s warning about Green turning Ibrox to dust hangs over the place, a bit like dust.
There is one overarching concern, however. Green is critical to fending off any impending action by Craig Whyte. His evidence will be necessary to explain how Sevco Scotland Ltd assumed the irrevocable entitlement of Sevco 5088 Ltd. Even with Green on-side, this looks like a challenge, but if the main protagonists in this action are separated from those who will have to defend any action, you suspect Whyte will be enormously encouraged.
When Whyte believed he was double-crossed he went nuclear. All Green would need to do is corroborate a sliver of Whyte’s evidence to bring Whyte’s legal challenge into sharp focus. For this reason, Green has to be part of the picture going forward. Demonising him is tempting, and may be deserved, but it’s self-defeating – and these people know all about self-defeating.
Section 111
Two weeks ago I said “place your bets” on what would happen after Celtic issued their “final warning” over a number ongoing issues in section 111. No one was in control of the situation, not Celtic, and not members the Green Brigade, who I believe had nothing to do with several of the issues.
Since then I’ve watched the debate. Some, like Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, attempted to inform on the debate, interviewing handicapped supporters and independent safety experts. Anticipating this day would come, I thought about interviewing the Council, but decided against, not wanting to draw them into making a public stance they would be unable to back down from.
Yesterday felt as inevitable as what’s going to happen next in Govan. Can the situation be rescued? Of course. Will it? Place your bets, people…
I’m not a regular newspaper buyer but the front page of one of today’s is a keeper. Celtic have a lateral movement issue, which dominates the front page, when the utter implosion at Ibrox is relegated to a side column. It’s a testament to our age. We will survive. I can’t say that with any certainty about the other lot.
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Bobby
Ha..hoping the bet brings me sunshine
blantyretim
The Barron Knights! Just got it.
The band that pretended to be somebody else!
goldstar10
Is that Shakhtar Donetsk or Shakhtyor Karaganda?
PedanticCSC
twists
That is nature at it’s best. Any broody bird, and don’t start the crack, mmm wrong phrase maybe, will sit on any eggs available to them. Brilliant story. Would luv that to have happened here. :)))
Weefra HH
Jude
asked Paul for your email addy, he replied this morning that he`d passed the message on to you, if you didn`t get it I`ll try him again.
HH
archdeaconsbench- There’s always one :-)
B R
Cant get on to my hotmail. Got a wee angry man on my screen asking to kill page or wait what ever that means.
Sent it to him this morning.
Duke D’mond
Lead singer of the Baron Knights…….tried to rewrite David Bowies space oddity, about a conversation between 2 cats ” birth control to ginger tom”
Bowie wouldn’t have it.
No kidding.
STV “so you still think this is the worst Rangers team ever” Charlie ..not this years team, last years team, I haven’t seen this years team” STV “oh so you ment last years team” Charlie…”I didn’t say that Walter said that” STV “Walter Smith said that” Charlie….”yes, I just went public with it, but Walter said it” oh Deerie me he is off already, god luv um ;))
Weefra
I’m gutted we have to release the ducks tomorrow…..gutted. They’re so cute. The hens will miss em too!
Told him at 13.25 page 2
Jude, I`ll ask Paul to pass mine onto you, unless thats what he`s done and you can`t access it. Or vice versa, ask him to give me yours and we`ll take it from there.
HH
Twisty
My cousin works in holiday and flight centre Hamilton.
On holiday unfortunately
Emdae got the jabba “interview” from yesterday?
John O Neil
21:02 on 6 August, 2013
I guess this may be a sensitive topic for some of our Belfast/Irish bhoys so I hope not to cause any controversy. Can I find a balanced book about the Forces Research Unit activities in the North of Ireland? Not looking for propaganda but the facts about their activities. Help would be very much appreciated. Sorry for non football point but I know we have many Irish contributors who could help.
===
Fishers of Men – can’t remember the name of the Author. Dare I ask why you would be interested in reading about a Brit black ops murder squad.
B R
Running my cleaner just now.
ACGR. You have mail
macanbheatha
20:20 on 6 August, 2013
blantyretim
Was catching up on the blog when i saw your post re the Lord Mayor
The present LM is not my nephew (his tenure finished a year ago ) but your concern is well appreciated.
Anyhow have look at this
http://www.u.tv/News/Police-shield-SF-mayor-from-protestors/181c132c-2a09-488f-9269-89019b54d405
______________________________________________________
I hate these hun b’s!
Twisty,
no travel agent, but have been known to occassionaly leave these shores……
:-)
happy to help out if i can?
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
BT
Ah that’s a shame, tyvm though
Ttt
Will mail you. Thanks
twiats
Unfortunately that is the way nature works. I hope they have plenty of water to dive in to. :)))
Weefra HH
Weefratim
Lost your number
If you have my email could you send it again
Wee Charlie Bhoy has a new strip that he is dying to show off
So he will be there and the other 2 may turn up as well :)
Ne sweeties this time , the wee buggers are paying :)
HH
Brnobhoy
Twisty,
no probs!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Yes Morecambe
Macanbheatha
Well adorned in their Hun tops …..
A disgrace and an embarrassment …and all their leaders can say is you were warned
Animals
After a RIFC fan in work was shown the BBC website’s charity game fund theft he said to me, “that’s the reason we banned the BBC.”
He didn’t seem to quite get who was in the wrong.
Oh Dear….
CQN Magazine
And on a very bad news day for Sevco, they are about to be hit by the news that if they go into administration they will under the new rules be deducted 28 points! This being a third of the total they received last year in the fourth tier.
Baws Baws Fur Zombies…
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
21:17 on
6 August, 2013
Emdae got the jabba “interview” from yesterday?
I understand he asked the peasants not to record/film his address to them and told them he’d say nothing until the press were made to disappear – hence the huns aggression towards the 4th estate present. Not sure if anyone actually recorded it (against orders) or made a transcript. With that lack of primary source material, we can only go on our previous experience of Jabba’s output and assume that, as usual, he talked utter pish.
Thanks Oglach. Why the interest? I like history. In addition to that, I also saw a programme about this group. It always fascinated me that one of the men was Scottish and he was interviewed by the documentary film makers. It appears to have been a repugnant episode in Irish/British history. I won’t mention the man’s name in case Paul 67 gets into trouble. Thanks again. I’ll seek it out.
Weefra
Lovely pond …they’ll hopefully be ok!
Big Mike
21:19 on 6 August, 2013
macanbheatha
20:20 on 6 August, 2013
blantyretim
Was catching up on the blog when i saw your post re the Lord Mayor
The present LM is not my nephew (his tenure finished a year ago ) but your concern is well appreciated.
Anyhow have look at this
http://www.u.tv/News/Police-shield-SF-mayor-from-protestors/181c132c-2a09-488f-9269-89019b54d405
______________________________________________________
I hate these hun b’s!
==
No surprise someone wearing a Zombie FC top is to the forefront of the attack. “We can’t go where we want to so he can’t come here” There is absolutely no method to their madness apart from pure and unadulterated hatred of Nationalists and genuine democratic process.
I was probably being a little too cautious by saying “appears to”. It was a repugnant episode. Back to football matters.
Twistsn turns
Your bet looks good
B R
Replied at 11.37.
Jude
have emailed Paul again
HH
Thanks Oglach. I have the author’s name. The book is on Amazon. I appreciate your reply.