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.
[calameo code=0003901713852289beccb lang=en page=76 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,077 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 29
- »
seen the daily r headline last night when in the garage , just shook my head and walked away thanking myself for not buying it since the thieves and thugs headline .
however i got to wondering if the storyline was backing the board or just attacking the GB. Still not sure but i can hazard a guess .
whilst i agree its a story worthy of print . Its not to my mind a front page header. msm at its worst.
Hope Celtic and the GB can come to some sort of compromise . i enjoy there songs and most of the banners. But i feel Celtic have taken this option because the club are up in front of the uefa beaks Again due to the firework caper .
my own thoughts here are Celtic wish to disperse the fans for a few months to allow the GB a chance to get rid of the non members that now go to section 111 .and perhaps say after a few months or weeks allow them back together with a tighter control of who gets into their section .
hope Celtic get this sorted .
H.H.
COATBRIDGE PAPER BHOY
Tchah,you’re lucky.
Luxury,indeed!
Mine has been like dial-up within about 300yds of my house for the last three months. Works a treat elsewhere,blinkin’ annoying.
Though a good reason to go to the pub,never look a gift horse in the mouth!
Dignity indeed….
The fundraising game between Rangers Legends and AC Milan Glorie took place after the club entered administration.
A complaint was raised after it emerged that almost £200,000 went to the club rather than the charity.
The Scottish Charity Regulator has now ruled that the decision-making of the trustees “constituted misconduct”.
However, it decided not to take action against any of the trustees.
The regulator’s report states that the Rangers Charity Foundation had three trustees at the time of the game – all of whom were employed by or held senior positions at the club.
The board and the GB need to get together to sort this out. Producing “statements” only serves to inflame the situation, as well as providing the MSM with a stick to beat us.
We need to find a solution which does not damage the club or deflect us from our upward path.
The vast majority on here are Celtic Supporters but make no mistake at all about it there are more then a few who are not. When genuine Celts argue amongst each other about a sensitive issue its manna from Heaven for the interlopers. All they need to do is make extreme posts at either end of the debate, inflame opinion and drive a deeper wedge between genuine Celts. I think its important that we seek to retake the middle ground, we should be wary of guys who make extreme posts at either end of the spectrum. The Green Brigade are not a Revolutionary Marxist fifth column, neither are they thugs. They go to away games they sing and dance on the terraces but there are no after match fights or vandalism. They are young kids for the most part and unfortunately kids will not always do as their told. I hope that this is Celtic just waving the big stick and if so I hope it works and the Green Brigade come to finally realise that some of their antics have to stop.
I’m Neil Lennon.
Right you are. Actually the board should also explain why there were no safety concerns when the Huns rampaged through our stadium for years. I sat in LL lower not far from them. It may just be though that H&S was not so crucial to the authorities then. Moreover I think there was an agreement that Celtic and the Huns would not mention the damage which both stadiums had after derby games.
Hi all,
More media speculation this morning regarding a possible Celtic move for Alfreð Finnbogason.
This morning finds me returning to Gent, Belgium and taking advantage of a chance to speak to a colleague here who is a big K.S.C. Lokeren supporter.
Alfreð Finnbogason of course was formerly with Lokeren before a move this time last year to Heerenveen
(He was only on loan to Helsingborgs IF, just prior to our game against them last year.)
According to my colleague the Lokeren supporters rated Alfreð much higher than the Board/Manager and were not happy to see him go out on loan or ultimately leave. He comes highly recommended by the Lokeren support.
Despite scoring only four goals for Lokeren, he was given very little game time and restricted mainly to being used as an impact sub.
I detect a distinct air of “smugness tinged with sadness” from my colleague that a player deemed not good enough for Lokeren by the Board and management team is being touted in the media to possibly be playing in the Champions League for the Hoops next season.
I guess all clubs have disagreements about many issues with their support and only time will tell who was correct in Lokeren but perhaps if the price is right (and The Dutch Eredivisie seems to be reasonable value for money) this could be the striker that we need.
As an aside, the same colleague told me that we were onto a winner when we bought Victor Wanyama.
Any way looking forward to tomorrow with reasonable confidence, I think Sammi will score and European football of some description will be a guarantee for the coming season.
Regards,
Kolncelt.
The Celtic board are quick enough to demonise the GB – yes demonise – and issue official statements on the club site, but say absolutely NOTHING about the banner headlines in the Scottish rags.
Keevins has been banned – big feckin deal!
A standing area at CP?
Never happen in a million years.
HH!!
When the dust settles at Celtic park Celtic will still be a healthy club facing challenges on the field of play. The GB will still be supporting Celtic.
This is a difficult issue but it is not going to make or break Celtic.
I think the discussion and argument is good. Its throwing up some interesting points regarding supporting Celtic. One thing i never thought of is the over reliance on the GB to create atmosphere developing among the rest of us.
We all need to look at ourselves.
By the way the poznan is being banned in Manchester. Will Glasgow city council come for the huddle?
Paul,
I am also not too fond of banning people. However this newspaper has had a longstanding pattern of hostility towards Celtic. Why are our hierarchy taking their money?
South of Tunis
Your post re the Liverpool game brought back a memory of one of my earliest matches at Ibrox when I was standing almost at the top of the terracing at the Celtic End. Rangers scored and almost immediately afterwards a hail of bottles and tumblers were thrown from an area just to the right of me. I think I was around 13/14 at the time but remember thinking ” Just who do those fools think they’re hurting?” as fans below received the full impact. Those throwing them clearly had no regard for anyone other than themselves showed no thought and no sense and weren’t people I would want to mix with.
Whilst delighted by our reputation gained via Seville etc I always feel twitchy when the good natured banter and fun get too close to the edge because I fear it might be too much to expect that people of that mindset aren’t still amongst our ranks and mindful only of themselves.
I reckon I have the answer to the vexed and thorny question of GB and lateral movement,moshing,etc.
Remove them from 111 and put them somewhere like 401.
You’d have to be a complete idiot to carry on up there,you need an oxygen mask any time you move!
See this charity robbery- is it not false trading? Fraud? If Joe soap did it he’d be getting his collar felt.
BMCUWP, 2nd means a wee Wild Turkey . Cheers
Gb
TALLYBHOY
Howdy,bud.
Got yer mail.
Mercifully brief reply sent,longer one for being bad in a previous life,to follow!
HH&KTF
Paul
Re Phil
If the information that is posted tends to back up only one side of an argument is that really being “informed”.
FAO Gordon J
Gordon, could you send me on the photo or photo’s you have of Willie Wallace at the CQN golf day? As I recall some of them ( and I don’t mean the one with me in it!!! ) were crackers.
I want to send them on to Willie for his webpage and some promotions in Australia if that is ok?
Cheers
BRTH
P.S> Hope you enjoyed Bruce…. as usual!!
he charities watchdog has strongly criticised trustees of the Rangers Charity Foundation after cash raised at a match went to the football club.
The fundraising game between Rangers Legends and AC Milan Glorie took place after the club entered administration.
A complaint was raised after it emerged that almost £200,000 went to the club rather than the charity.
The Scottish Charity Regulator has now ruled that the decision-making of the trustees “constituted misconduct”.
However, it decided not to take action against any of the trustees.
An interesting evening on here yesterday- I dont think I have seen so many new posters turning up at the one time- were they
1- real supporters who needed to make a point on an issue close to them
2- Undercover Frankengers supporters creating mischief
3- Plants from the board/ Polis
answers on a postcard please
TaliShapiro 2h
.@FCBarcelona not ready 2 announce support 4 #BDS,but cancels game in #Israel http://bit.ly/13XcV4f @marsalismusic #BoycottIsrael too!
Politics in fitba……………………………………….
COATBRIDGE PAPER BHOY
Careful,WEEFRATHETIM isnae too far away from the brig.
A mention of Wild Turkey will have him thinking of breeding stock.
Afternoon all.
My mate phoned me this morning and asked me what I thought was the headline in the Record. All I could think of, of course, was the wasteland down Govan way. I should have known better. You simply coudln’t make it up.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000,
No problems at all, more than happy for Willie to make use of them.
What’s the best e-mail – not sure I have one for you?
Stairheedrammy:
Who were all the new posters you refer to?
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
12:57 on 6 August, 2013
COATBRIDGE PAPER BHOY
Careful,WEEFRATHETIM isnae too far away from the brig.
A mention of Wild Turkey will have him thinking of breeding stock.
Always think of the EGG MAN (tv John) Hamish McBeth when Weefrathetim is on, no offence .
Gb
Anybody see Jim Traynor last night ???
Very threatening behaviour. Shocking !!
On footballing matters, I am (strangely) feeling relatively confident going into tomorrow’s game after the away performances last season – though we’ve had a few nasty experiences over the last 10 years (and more). Think Sammi, Commons and Ledley will be particularly vital. Another clean sheet too much to ask?
Paul67 et al
Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain
With the barkers and the coloured balloons
You can’t be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you’re thinking that
You’re leaving there too soon
You’re leaving there too soon…..
I think Burns put it most eloquently:
Walters Myth…
Forfar your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ yet tak your place,
Then run awa’ in sheer disgrace!
Traynor had the cheek to slag Jock Brown over his behaviour with the media
A stor -I didnt list them but look back from 6pm on
Gordon J
Probably best to get it through Paul— thanks.
BRTH
As someone who has never criticised Celtic senior management, much of the great work they have done, as been overshadowed with this poorly executed decision. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the section 111 issue, between the GB and Celtic senior management, they have both successfully damaged the reputation of our club. The onus must surely be with the club’s senior management to accept they have got it wrong in this instance and come up with a practice acceptable alternative to this stupidity.
Director of Communications.
Who does he think he is, Alistair Campbell.??
Pity we aint got somebody like Alsitair Campbell as PR man at the club, would tear the media up here a new one over the reporting especially todays front page of the Daily Record.
A Stor Mo Chroi .[ previous thread ]
You have confused me .
My addled old bonce thinks that game was v St Mirren { ?]
PS — I wasn’t there .
Tear Traynor a new one as well just like MON did in Barcelona
WGS,
Where are the pictures/video available of Traynor ?
cathedral view
11:56 on 6 August, 2013
How do Focus justify their budget and presence with the GB section gone?
Perhaps it’s not just the Green Brigade who’ve had the rug pulled from under them.
cv
Throughout last night’s divisive and “tetchy” debate I kept wondering why nobody realized this was, intended or otherwise, the best remedy for the unwarranted attention directed to those supporters corralled and under the constant scrutiny of cameras in section 111.