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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brnobhoy
In now. :))
Weefra HH
Goldstar
Zagreb won 2-0 away at Tbilisi with home leg to come so don’t think they will be going out
John o neil
More frightened by trip, heat and 5-hour time difference – not ideal
Celtic_first
Indeed
Morrissey
Bloody hell..was enjoying your post until the last sentence!! :-))
Maribor would be a decent draw…
No excuses for CFC tomorrow …
Happens I think we are significantly better than them …..
brnobhoy
Ye only get one go at it, spoil them rotten. Hehehe. :))
Weefra HH
C1st
I recall they played the call to prayer before the game in Tehran, a few of the Irish players looked a bit spooked by it all.
Zombies pump biffa bacons 1-1
I hear the Newcastle players will have a few bruises tomorrow, predictable.
Ten Men
The Samaritans will be bizzy the night.
PFayr
A strong referee the morra and we will be fine, a weak one, in the lap of the gods me thinks.
Morrisey 23rd, glad you can meet CowieBhoy without worrying.
We got our Wednesdays mixed up. Miss CowieGhirl had been at the game the night before we spoke, not the week before.
I had a wee laugh about it with CowieBhoy when I saw him last week.
Oh and I told him it was my mistake!
True Squire. However for the supporters, what an experience it could be. Best start learning some Russian.
John O Neil
21:50 on
6 August, 2013
Cannot argue with that .
Newcastle better get outta town quick.
I hear they have a lovely bus!
The Exiled Tim
The ref tomorrow night is Vladislav Bezborodov from Russia.
B R Just sent Paul an email. Im getting a headache. lol
Any chance we can stop talking about our next round opponents,
I am sure Weefrathetim will tell you,dont count your chickens :-)))
C1st
Homer, or fair ?
So the sevvies hammer an epl side only losing a very late and totally undeserved equaliser in time added on… by the timmy officials
The mighty blues show that Saturday was a fluke result. .. ally must stay
Malt time. <:0)
gordybhoy64
Who’d ye think we’ll get in the next round??
SuperstionCSC!!!
Just got a book recommendation for anybody interested: it is ‘Siddhartha’ by Hermann Hesse. It is a charming little book about one young man’s exploration to find out why we are all here. Hesse wrote beautifully. So beautifully did he write about humanity that the Nazis hated him.
gordybhoy64
I regularly post info from the Bert Kassie site on this subject because of the constant misinformation spun by the MSM on this
I did qualify it by including the proviso “if we get there”
John o Neil
Dosvadanya
THE EXILED TIM
22:11
Don’t ken, amigo. I just looked it up after you posted and have even forgotten his name already. I hope I have no cause to remember it, ever, which would be a sign that he had gone through the game unmemorably.
Ducks geese now chickens.
Spaciba balshoy Squire.
“@FrankyRobertson: Jim Traynor addressing the fans last night outside the bigot dome. http://t.co/weQJoSehIV” @disgruntledegg
Natknow..
squire Danaher,
yeah I know,i was just having a wee joke,i will be happy just to see Celtics name
in the draw
Time for another lesson on racing terminology.
Favourite.
A horse held in high regard by the bookies.
Ante post betting.
Special arrangements which allow you to lose your money 6 months before the race has started.
Pfayr-agree mate a goal over there should be enough.
Jude
Than fully you don’t drink grouse
Possible unseeded opponents courtesy of Bert Kassies:
Austria Wien Aut 16.575
Legia Warsaw Pol 13.650
NK Maribor Slo 9.941
Ludogorets Razgrad Bul 3.450
Shakhtyor Karaganda Kaz 2.94
optimistic csc
C1st
That would do for me >}
HH
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/08/06/premier-league-side-line-up-move-for-celtic-defender-efe-ambrose/?
Big Efe being hunted by the Englanders………………someone at the wind up??
Sammi 15/2 skybet first goal
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ ‘ 22:15 on 6 August, 2013
These posts are paltry. Ouch! That joke was fowl.