10 Aug 2025 15:56:19
I've seen and heard a lot of fans saying we need to sign a new LB and that Souttar isn't good enough.
Look across the city, they have dominated with Taylor and Scales in their defence.
Why? Because their managers were willing to set up their sides to play to their strengths and improve the team by adding quality to compliment them.
Hope you don't mind me bringing Robbie in to this White horse, however having worked with both Taylor and Fraser, I'd honestly say that Fraser is a better footballer (so would the majority of coaches I've asked), he just doesn't have the experience or the confidence that Taylor had - and that's because Taylor was coached better.
We'll be rebuilding forever unless we build the team around a core group of SPL players who are willing to do what's required to win league games.
A coach said to me earlier that if Papac was at Rangers under Martin he wouldn't even make the bench - the scary thing is that's probably true.
Anyways, i don't believe that we can buy our way out of this - we need to coach our way out and unfortunately, I can't see this happening under Martin.
10 Aug 2025 16:55:03
Ehl can you expand any more on the players being confused by Rm and what he's asking of them?
10 Aug 2025 17:01:10
EHL surely that Scottish core needs to mainly come from our Academy and you can't blame a new 1st team coach for the inadequacies of the coaching there, which fails to give them the confidence to be able to make the first team squad. In fact I am not sure you can blame any 1st team coach for that. so is it the lack of ability of Academy coaching staff, the directives from above or the lack of a competitive environment. Until we solve that then the first team will never see the fruits.
I have said for a while now if we have those young good footballers then we should be giving the best of those minutes in every game, whatever the score. being sensible with it and you get games from players like the first couple which Curtis was involved in. was he brilliant then no but there was enough there to show he has potential to develop.
we have now had 4 coaches since Gerrard and still haven't won anything really so none of those coaches have managed to coach their way out of it. Martin doesn't seem to be alone in that camp. Not any defence of Martin as not seen enough yet but more my views on the system you are criticising.
10 Aug 2025 17:02:23
EHL your concerns I believe are shared amongst the fan base. I am positive that the executive will have their ears as close to the ground as I have.
They will be gravely concerned by the speed that the sands are shifting.
10 Aug 2025 16:55:32
That's very depressing EHL.
Tell me how do we develop a player such as the CH Fernandez?
He's obv not 1st team ready so how do we improve a player like him. Without tailored coaching / game experience how does he improve? We'll be into full season soon enough when surely all coaching is around getting ready for next game.
Cheers.
10 Aug 2025 16:56:17
Ehl would you have been content had Barry Ferguson got the job given his plan was to bring in more Scottish players this window.
10 Aug 2025 16:59:00
That is very damning from someone inside ibrox.
10 Aug 2025 17:20:34
In the new system souttar looks very poor. Ball distribution is shocking.
10 Aug 2025 17:25:39
Scary stuff to be honest, all the best EHL for the future bye the way.
10 Aug 2025 17:27:42
He should never have got the job, it's an absolute nightmare situation we've got ourselves in again.
10 Aug 2025 17:28:28
I thought RM was brought in to be a coach rather than old school manager so that's bloody depressing reading?! Does he just not have 'it' whatever 'it' is?
10 Aug 2025 17:29:31
EHL - you are amongst one of the most reliable posters on here and that was a very eye opening comment that it's your opinion RM being unable to coach us out of this. Where do we go from here I wonder.
10 Aug 2025 17:32:20
Angus did Cameron come from the academy? No did souttar come from our academy? No the Scottish core doesn't need to come from academy they need to be good enough tho. You are changing the debate completely saying Martin isn't to blame for academy which no one has blamed him for.
10 Aug 2025 17:42:08
You're missing the point completely Angus.
We have a core of players more than capable of competing for the league - however we aren't playing to their strengths.
Souttar is the perfect example. Let him defend like Celtic do with Scales, and when he's in position make sure Raskin is on hand to take the ball from him, like McGregor does.
Don't ask him to be driving out of defense with the ball or to be threading balls in to the middle of the park.
10 Aug 2025 17:44:21
I agree EHl
We won't be coached out of this by RM sorry it was always the wrong appointment
But who was interested in the job who wanted it really wanted it that would have made a difference
Why did RM land it
Angus think that's the problem their is no competitive environment for the young guys since they done away with the under 21 reserve leagues
Surely it is down to a coach if they want to give minutes to a youngster like we did with Curtis their then he decided to drop him out again
problem being it's a result driven business so giving youngsters a chance will be limited unless we're winning games and they can be brought on and bedded in over a number of games to see if they can shine but if the manager can get wind under his belt going to make bringing on youngsters very difficult?
Perhaps this partnership with Raith rovers will provide a better path?
Would you have kept Fraser at the club and gave him minutes then EHL instead of the loan move?
10 Aug 2025 17:50:46
Sorry like Angus misread your comment EHl regarding a core group thought you also meant a young Scottish core ?
Catching on now with the comments.
10 Aug 2025 18:02:12
Its an oldie but still feel we missed the boat with muscat he ticked the most boxes, knew rangers, knew scottish football, had won league titles even if they weren't in huge footballing countries, no nonsense kind of guy and would've had us playing a very similar attacking style to what postecoglou did with them yet didn't seem to be seriously considered.
10 Aug 2025 18:17:45
Scales is their weak link in defence many Celtic fan would tell you that, and Souttar over a season is prone to mistakes also, that's my worry over the season just let Souttar defend, remember the Europa league quarter, and many Celtic games where he has fell short with players with pace and movement.
I don't care where they come from as long as they are good enough and that's the big issue for us.
10 Aug 2025 18:26:07
Open your eyes and think logical.
10 Aug 2025 18:45:43
Asa as the only person I know of involved in a club how does someone with a stake but maybe not big enough to make a decision get his concerns to those in charge. Would you for instance try and speak to the club hierarchy with your concerns or is that not the right way to do it? . it's worrying if someone at the club is seeing evidence that our head coach isn't able to properly coach the players and in fact is making it worse by asking them to do things they're not able or comfortable doing.
10 Aug 2025 20:47:51
I agree wholeheartedly with this EHL and have said similar the last few weeks.
Martin is another in a long line who cube to Scotland with their "philosophy" and think they can impose their will on the SPFL.
Their job isn't too bend the league of the other teams in it to their way of thinking.
Their job is to find a way with the tools they have available to win SPFL games.
And I believe we have the tools available to be winning far more SPFL games than we do and we certainly should be making far more players better and more confident in doing this regularly than the last 5 managers have done.
The best manager in our history didn't have a "style". He adapted us every season to the challenges in front of us to win SPFL games. And his second spell in charge, with far inferior players then his first, you could see this in action.
He should*thoused his way to a Euro final with Kirk Broadfoot as a right back for goodness sake! Not to mention delivered domestic success.
I think the managers/ coaches were choose these days so suffer from the same issue: hubris. They think it's their job to implement their philosophy in the SPFL. Their job is to figure out how to win SPFL games and make players the best they can be at doing that consistently, to hell with their pre conceived philosophy.