Rangers Banter Archive September 03 2013

03 Sep 2013 21:02:37
With the ridiculous embargo now lifted and all new signings fully registered, Rangers manager Ally McCoist has a significant dilemma. That dilemma's name is Lee McCulloch.


McCulloch, or "Jig" as he is better known, is club captain and has been at Ibrox for well over 6 years. A flexible utility player, Jig has occupied just about every slot in the first team at one point or another in his time in Govan, and no fan would deny the man has been a pretty good servant overall for the club.


However, while he may be club captain, it is a strong argument that he is no longer the player he once was. Aged 35, it is pretty obvious that he is the elder statesman of the team, and while he is certainly a role model for younger players, the debate fans have is whether he should still be in the first XI.


His versatility certainly proved useful during the transfer ban, for while the club had signed many good players, it was merely allowed to register those signed from other Scottish clubs as trialists and could play them in 3 matches each. Players signed from clubs outside Scotland could not be registered as trialists and were prohibited from putting on the jersey in any context.


Ultimately this meant prior to the 1st of September the only new signings that were able to feature were Nicky Law, Jon Daly, Cammy Bell and Nicky Clark. The latter two only played once, while the former two were able to play the full 3 matches.


In short this left the first team requiring most of the squad from last year, and McCulloch certainly came in handy. Debate raged over him or Cribari, or him or Faure (who has had a fine start to 2013/2014) but either way Jig featured in every match bar a solitary suspension for the visit of Brechin at Ibrox.


However, his presence in the team is remaining a huge area of contention for the majority of supporters. While as a man McCulloch is tremendously popular among the fanbase, even his most ardent admirers are not entirely convinced he is the best selection choice for any position.


This season he has mostly featured in defence, and while the team has barely been tested in that area, young Frenchman Faure and new signing Bilel Mohsni appear to be the favoured pairing at the back in the eyes of fans given Faure's sparkling start to this competitive campaign and Mohsni's excellent showings in pre-season. With Kyle McCausland also in rare form at right back defensively and left back sown up by Lee Wallace (with Foster and Smith also on the books) it seems the rearguard's armoury is pretty rigid.


So the continued selection of McCulloch there would be a very curious decision given unlike aforementioned 6 players it is not his favoured position.


So, then we move to midfield. McCulloch has never been much more than a stop-gap in the centre, and now Black has hit form alongside Law and MacLeod, with Honduran international Arnold Peralta ready to hit the ground running central midfield is clearly well endowed.


McCulloch is well-known as a winger during certain spells of his career, but Rangers have Barrie McKay, David Templeton, Fraser Aird and arguably Crawford and Shiels. Again, the wide berths are not a position requiring emergency utility.


Finally we have McCulloch's arguably most natural position. Up front. He scored a hat-trick in the demolition of East Fife and was named MOTM but Rangers also have last season's top scorer Andy Little, the increasingly impressive Jon Daly, 40 goals for QotS man Nicky Clark and aforementioned Shiels.


Is there any place for McCulloch ahead of these younger models?


Lee McCulloch is club captain. He is also on a very handsome wage, and given his elder years by football's standards that wage is a big drain on Rangers' resources.


Does who he is give McCulloch immunity to ever being dropped? With the bright new captures Rangers have made this summer is there a slot still waiting with Jig's name on it regardless of his form? Based on the East Fife result the man can still score, but is he the player fans want up front or are preferences with the likes of Clark and Daly?


If, however, he returns to defence in the next match V Arbroath at Ibrox it does beg the question of why McCoist signed Mohsni. While the fans wanted the big Tunisian signed up, it was presumably on the basis McCoist would select him.


BIG JIG RANGERS LEGEND W. A. T. P

MANDERSON 1875

plz leave your thoughts fellow bears {The Ed039's Note - Very good point I suppose)

Fair points but a cheeky wee hatrick would suggest he still has a part to play at this level. If we still want the younger players to progress they could do worse than watching arguably the most versatile player ever to wear the blue shirt.

As a celtic fan, and not someone who likes mcculloch. I would find it utterly outrageous, if you even contemplated getting rid of him. he held your side together last year, as proved when he wasnt playing, and has stuck by you thru thick and thin. just how fickle can you be, by even contemplating getting rid of him? the man bleeds (the) rangers and showed ultimate loyalty. try showing some yourselves!! DD

If the jig situation is the biggest problem you foresee with your club good luck he might not have a club to play for

Very good post manderson
i think McCoist will stick with jig
i think that the lad Mckay will be the man to suffer. Mckay is fast but his final ball has not been up to scratch
Aird may struggle to get a game but has a better chance than Mckay
it maybe best if Mckay is loaned out to get games most weeks
to keep his Scotland u21 chances going Aird has to think about this season to. good post Manderson

I agree with DD ( much as I hate agreeing with one of them lol) he deserves the loyalty he showed us. as far as I am concerned he was the first to step up and say "i'm going nowhere" and has shown time and again what he brings to the team AND the dressing room. he is now a club legend and if ally plays him and he performs then why drop him? I understand that we all want the young signings to play more games but every team needs an experienced head and that is what he is to us. prime example being gigs/scholes at man u, the fans are grumbling about giggs getting playing time but he is a leader and very experienced which will help the younger guys.

04 Sep 2013 10:06:16
MANDERSON 1875 after the game at the weekend I posted about how well big jig played & got 1 reply so well done m8 got more than me just 1 thing a seen this post on another site yesterday ya big s****hawk am away 2 sleep now
Andhol bears

04 Sep 2013 10:20:29
Can somebody explain why Jig deserves more loyalty than Neil Alexander?

04 Sep 2013 10:54:17
i think jig quickly realised he would be a hero and still be on a decent wage at ibrox, at his age I wouldn't have expected him to leave, not criticising in any way, just saying he never went without did he? TB

To number 7 alexander was loyal but in my opinion he was not a great goalkeeper too many mistakes made in a short time

03 Sep 2013 10:19:11
My reliable source of info tells me rangers will sign bosnian centre half boris pandza before the end of this week, he also tells me that simonsen the keeper & the young roi 19 year old left midfielder will also be signing once some minor details fall into place, what do you think fellow bears' fans, BIG RAM!

Big Ram

Would like to see Pandza and the young boy from ROI, Sam Kelly. However, I do not see the point of bringing Simonsen.

Hopefully, Ally knows best.

Matt Crozier

Get a grip, we cannot possibly be seriously considering more expenditure until off loading a few, the current squad will canter this league.

03 Sep 2013 13:06:14
To big ram, who is your (source) the rangers official page or media maybe? lol Especially as this has been common knowledge for days now!

Q. Get a Grip?

Rangers and Ally as any other team do not sit on their laurels - they constantly seek to improve the team, not only for the current season but beyond. To do that they have to identify new players and move on current squad members.

Ally has stated the fact that they need to move on players - we all know that.

Matt Crozier

No one will be coming in now as no one left before the transfer window shut.

@4, sounds logical BUT for when, it ain't required imminently and we are not exactly rolling in it right now, yes we would all like to see good players signing, but I repeat some MUST go first.

Have not posted on the forum for a little while now as I was getting bored with all the negative posts and political & financial bickering. Matt Crozier you have been like a breath of fresh air on this forum. At last someone with a good football brain and perspective. Backed up by Larky bear, Big Ram, Baybear (mostly) the real ranger, Doug and a few others. I got fed up trying to talk sense to the Ally bashers and outline to others who said we should not be signing any new players because we will walk the league with the team we have. Just to re-iterate Ally is building a team for the top league, not this one or the next. Teams can take a couple of years to really gel and become used to all players strengths and weaknesses. This is why he is adding to the squadwhile he has the opportunity. I posted over a year ago that this was the team rebuilding strategy and that Ally would put the basis of his team together from free transfers this year and when the promised investment comes in within the next year or two he will buy 3 or 4 quality players to take the title back in 2015 /2016 season. I am still of this opinion

Ozzie Al

7. ) Ozzie Al?

Cheers m8 - I have been getting pilloried for my open and honest views about the board, Ally and the Team.

It seems to be a free for all against Ally.

I wonder how it all started?

I know all about last year and the early results this year, but that was Ally playing with his hastily put together team.

Judge Ally Now! Is all I am saying.

If you are a TRUE BLUE you back the team - simples!!

Matt Crozier

Players left since this time last year = 8
players in=8. so where is the added expenditure?

9. ) And then we can put some out on loan, And then we can bring some in.

For those dissenters who just like to have a poke at Ally and his team -

DO THE MATH - FFS!

Follow the Team.

Matt Crozier

Ozzie Al good to have you back mate. In a way i'm with you guys I think Ally deserves a crack at the whip
With his own team but he really is Tactically inept I'm one of his biggest fans but not as a manager I'm afraid but he is our manager & I will support him & his players. @9 it's all good and well saying that 8 have gone but how many did we pay to leave? Sandaza Goian, Bocanegra, Naismith, Cole any more to add? Its still cost us one way or another.
Matt I enjoy your posts mate wish I could be as positive as you in my posts lol. Like many others have said everyone's entitled to there opinions & if anyone believes everything they read on here they need there head checked.

Larky Bear

11) Larky Bear?

We are all entitled to our opinions, per se, however, I do not like Rangers Fans to be seen to becoming divisive.

We have the board to be dealt with first and foremost.

With regards Ally's ineptness - I think that you will find that Ally would have an answer for all the positions he has had to put players into or not. There may have been injuries or other issues ie. Why he played one up front in the Scottish Cup for instance. We will not know unless he tells us.

I for one have given him the benefit of the doubt and will judge him only on this season not the last, where he was left with only TWO senior players. The only other time that I can recall this happening was the Manchester United Munich disaster (terrible) where the team was decimated.

An interesting article in The Ibrox Noise about Jig.

I for one would give him a job for life he was one of only two first team players who stood up to be counted.
He is a man who will one day be the Rangers Manager - A Legend In The Making.

One day a placard will be unveiled to commemorate the players and staff who stood shoulder to shoulder whilst Rangers fell apart and were still there to rebuild in the aftermath.

Matt Crozier

03 Sep 2013 18:37:00
I'm loving Matt Crozier's persistence. You are heading for one almighty fall mate. Unfortunately for you it won't be possible for us to merely "talk a good game" to get out of the very real financial bother we are in. George's posts are close to the mark even if maybe not spot on. But it's great to see a voice of such forthright denial on your part. Would be disturbing if it wasnt such hilarious lunacy. Though i've noted a bit of hedging your bets in recent posts. "IF Ally does turn out to complicit in the great stadium robbery THEN he will have to hang his head in shame. " can't argue with that. But will you come on here and do the same for having put people off asking robust questions before it was too late? I somehow doubt it.

@9 and 10. so out on loan does not cost us anything, aye.
8 in 8 out don't you think we needed to reduce outgoings, and now you want to add, Gents we really need to get real about the situation until and fingers crossed when someone with real £££££'s arrives.

03 Sep 2013 19:20:00
13 I am quite sure matt can speak for himself but you talk about george is that the george who I am still waiting for a reply from, maybe the fact he thought RANGERS played in a 55,000 seater stadium has got his fingers all shaky, now I asked him a simple question & he has not given me a simple answer, for a man who is trying 2 educate us bears at least have the decency 2 reply that way people may give him more credence 2 his cause
Andhol bears

I agree Matt I don't like Divides in Rangers fans through difference of opinion but it's not as if that's a new thing we've been fighting amongst ourselves for years lol. Anyway I understand it was a team quickly assembled with 3 senior players left think your forgetting Alexander who probably were not fully fit and to say they earn more they should be good enough to beat Dundee United who were playing to qualify beat the mighty Rangers & trying to impress a new manager during the "big boycott" is silly. Same goes for the Inverness game we were well beaten on our own turf it happens though that's the game. On the park this season will be better no doubt & the team is very close to a Rangers team I'd proudly watch play in the SPFL every week if its not there already with a few leaving & a defender come in. I've been harsh on Ally and I hope he proves all doubters wrong including myself more than anyone but I honestly don't see a great long serving Manager In him that's just my opinion many of times he looked dumbfounded last season when we really were 11 for 11 the best players on the park. Just quickly I think Jig is a Legend and Saturday was an excellent day for him & the team future manager we will see but a legend either way. Lee Wallace also Loyal & a future Captain i'd love to be here many years to come. Ramble over.

Larky Bear

03 Sep 2013 07:27:29
So the Board don't want the EGM due to the 80,000 cost, but 365,000 bonus payments were ok last season. Someone is selling porky pies at Ibrox. Some very smelly pork pies. Buying time.

Right matt you still trying to tell us nothing is wrong?

I really do think that people only look at what they want to see.

I have never ever said that the Rangers Board have the best interest of the club; I have never ever said that they are running and managing the club in a totally and professional manner!

All I ever said was that we need PROOF!

Total unambiguous and unequivocal PROOF that they are damaging Rangers Football Club!

That is why I have said that Rangers Football Club need to present a complete set of financial accounts to the London Stock Exchange so that they can be audited.

If and only if there are found to be irregularities and/or absurd payments then they should be removed.

If Jim McColl can persuade the board to have an EGM or an AGM and they confess at the meeting their wrongdoings and they are voted off the board and, AND there shares are then bought from them if possible to remove any links with the club I will be extremely happy and relieved.

I have also stated on many occasions that we need to get behind the football and Ally - getting it right at board level comes first and foremost - nothing else matters. Simples!

Support your team!

Matt Crozier

@matt you talk about absurd payments, well don`t you think paying rangers teams coaches (i. e)mr durrant £350,000 +bonuses is absurd for winning a 3rd division title in scotland, and then go up and down paisley road west bragging of said payments now that to me is absurd, I don't think all the managers together in that division their wages would amount to that.

3. one0ten?

You do not know what they are on!

You can surmise; you can guess; you can listen to gossip and you can conjecture.

However, up until I see an official report or read about the TRUE shenanigans I will keep an open mind.

You like a lot of other so called Rangers supporters are too quick to judge, especially with little or no information.

In this country you are innocent until proven guilty.

If you are proven correct, Ally and his team will forever hang their heads in shame, as being part of the 'group' that almost brought The Great and Mighty Rangers to its knees. That is worst than any punishment you are I could meet out.

Support your local team!

I AM RANGERS

Matt Crozier

It is not in the boards intrest to have this meeting early. It is in their intrest however to drive you into admin again then appoint D&P again to oversee the transfer to the next preferred bidder that whyte and green can persuade to come forward then another share issue and more monies down the drain till they can't take anymore and then and only then will they walk away. Probably selling the crown jewels ibrox and murray park to get enough money to carry on and your team will be paying rent on it for decades

@matt why support your local team rangers have a world wide fan base not just glasgow people who spend millions on shirts and other merchandise. money you don't want get a grip i'm from fife spend a fortune on rangers because that is the team I love yet you want me to support rats rovers or scumfermline?. steveblue

03 Sep 2013 17:41:09
5. Absolutely not a jot of proof in anything you say.

Why not get behind the team who are doing great things on the field and support Super Ally who is doing a brilliant job as manager and well worth his salary and bonuses and also trust in the board to steer us in the right direction.

Simples.

There Matt saved you having to reply.

Either way we need to see whos took what from club mathers says all is well but he knows if we go into addmin again then nobody will see any figures nobody will know anything except the spivs who are robbing us blind so to speak

@4 "I AM RANGERS"

Is that not what Craig Whyte told Charlie on the tape?

Interesting

04 Sep 2013 22:20:15
@9 I wondered about that too. Isn't that the alias that Imrahn Kahn used when posting on another fans forum? We all know Matt C as a pl*nker, but maybe he's a double pl*nker, a pl*nker playing a pl*nker. Certainly smarmy enough for that to be the case. Another post questioned whether he was a plant trying to stop the fans from mobilising right now. All this "wait til we have proof in the audited accounts" psh. don't trust the guy.