bilkobear

I don't think it ever was as simple as that. If you want to go down the road of proportional representation, then Celtc would today mostly be a Protestant club in much the same way that Hibernian are. Simple demographics would have insisted upon such a development. However, Celtc at every level of employment for all of their existence have totally turned proportional representation on its head. As for Rangers, we signed RC's freely more or less until three things kicked in. One was the success of Celtc and the aspirations of young Catholics who were good enough to play for Rangers wanting only instead to play for Celtc, the second was RC schools separating them in their football development and the third was the Great War where the 1916 Easter Rising was seen as a betrayal and caused a rift that wasn't easily mended between the Roman Catholic Irish in Scotland and the host Protestant population. In the end Rangers had no need to waste time upon chasing after good footballers from what was a very small part of the population. This evolved into no RC's in the Rangers side.

Oh well, it looks like curtains for Dorrans, Jack, and Declan John. Which is a shame. I hope it doesn't also mean McCrorie back to the development squad?

Cardoso is a good footballer, he is comfortable on the ball, can take a touch and can make a forward pass. As a centre back he is still young and is far from the finished article. The fundamentals of defence are positioning, or as Warburton would say, pitch geography, these can take time to become accomplished and that is why many centre-backs don't come into their own until mid-twenties and indeed flourish in their later years. Davie Weir at Hearts.....I wouldn't have touched him at the time, but later after years down south, he was almost the finished article in reading the game and positioning himself and the rest of the defence. Cardoso has a good attitude and if he develops those fundamentals, he will one day be a very fine performer in the centre of defence. He is still considered a prospect in his former homeland, and thus his development may not continue at Rangers as we may decide to cash in. Either way, I like the lad and wish him well.

Murty has the rest of the season. So it will be an exercise in suck it and see for us. So far he has had a successful break and a good transfer window. If he gets Docherty and another striker over the line, and perhaps moves on some deadwood, then things will be interesting. I remain hopeful.

To be fair as I have no pwobwem pronouncing my 'r' s, it threw me. Yes, Big Rob was a letdown. As a rookie centre back, he was a good footballer for a defender, how was I to know that he was going to be unable to learn pitch geography? In the end he just didn't improve his positioning and reading of the game. Rob had the physical attributes, the courage and determination as well as the football skills to make you think, wow a natural centre-half. However, sadly, he was like a blind man in the desert when it came to knowing where he was in a defensive situation. How was I to know Big Wob was incapable of improvement? Warburton and Weir didn't! So I will give you that. I still hope you are wrong about Murty. He is a good and decent man, and good and decent things should happen to good and decent men. That is my philosophy.

Eh, I don't think I was standing alone waxing about Warburton, in fact in his first season.....who wasn't standing alongside me .....eh you excepted I suppose? Warburton for a limited period gave us some wonderful experiences. He truly was worth waxing lyrical about. Then he became exposed and trapped in his own arrogance, and well....the rest is history. Murty is a different prospect entirely, he has been shoehorned into the position and in management terms, is most certainly an unknown quantity, eh again....... you excepted I suppose? Maybe he will surprise us, and I hope he does. Your certainty that he won't, your unwavering confidence that in this you are right, reminds me of another person already mentioned, but I am sure you are way ahead of me already.

I really don't know if that is correct. Perhaps he has the capacity to grow into the role. Called upon to deliver under such demanding circumstances, is it a surprise that he will make misplaced steps as walks the walk? There is much about the man that I like, there is much about the man that is worthy, and there is perhaps much about him we have yet to see, maybe even positive and strong elements of his own character that he himself is as yet unaware of. I wasn't that excited about Walter taking over from Souness, and I wasn't alone, however, like the rest I was totally wrong, and how. Perhaps you are wrong now, I certainly hope that you are.

We could do worse. The commentators and journalists would be positive towards us. Although away support would struggle to make the games, they would get a positive friendly reception when they did. Our club with its unparalleled long successful and colourful history entrenched in the very foundations of the world's most popular sport would be feted, adored, and most importantly of all respected for its historical relevance in the growth and success of football. Further, for all of the crazy passions that envelope Brazillian football, and the sometimes outrageous and controversial incidents involving their referees, we at least would probably get a more unbiased and even-handed experience in our games. If only eh?

Yes, I am sure most of their fans will live in Brazil, probably never leave their locality never mind the country ever, and don't actually possess a Corinthians shirt and probably again, never will. However, I don't count my wife as a Rangers fan, yet she has been to games, has worn our shirt a few times, knows who the players are past and present and is usually aware of our results when the final whistle blows. I still think these figures are probably overhyped inflated exaggerated nonsense.

If you are serious, then you tick the bit where other posters say, if you wait long enough in life, you eventually hear, see and read everything. Oh and no disrespect, but the bit about smelling shyte seems reasonable as well, given the context of your comments.

I think Cardoso is a good footballer, but very raw as a centre back, which as we all know is a position where players can take until their mid to late twenties to properly find their feet...as it were. The contrast with young Bates is interesting. Here we have a player who belies his years in that his positional sense, and his overall defensive geography and his ability to do the ugly bits seems to come naturally, whilst he is the limited football player that Cardoso is not. Alves is the finished article, he is exactly what our side needs, however, it isn't his nerve that isn't holding, it is his body. Clearly, he has underlying injury problems, and his stop-start season and inability to hit top form is a consequence. It happens. Jack has been the victim of biased, unfair and generally shyte refereeing, his season has been ruined by it, and I also include the ridiculous tackle that injured him, which in being more or less ignored by the referee just about sums up the injustice that has defined his, and perhaps the club's season so far. However, he has shown enough to get pass marks in a Rangers shirt. I have waited to see Herrera get better, I am becoming convinced that this may be a long wait and I am in my sixties, I am not sure my patience will hold, I suspect a recall to Mexico would do all parties a favour, the player, our club and my patience. Nemane was perhaps a young boy whose reputation far outstripped his development into manhood, he remains a young boy and shouldn't be in with men for quite some time. Morelos is a star in the making and a joy .....a real gold plated, silver lined, bejewelled joy. No more needs said. Dorrans is a player who if he can stay injury free, ...... a big ask for a Rangers player who is technically gifted in a league where there are no rules to protect them,...... will do a first-class job for the club, he has the qualities to make a very important impact in a Rangers squad chasing the title, this was a good solid and intelligent acquisition. Candeias has possibly been the surprise package of all Pedro's signings. On his day, a player who has a huge influence on proceedings, and when he fancies it, can inspire those around him with his persistence and determined approach, and his crossing can sometimes make the difference in the eventual result. He can, however, have occasions when he goes missing, but certainly another satisfactory signing. Pena was a player who I quite liked, I could see what he was about. But all things considered, I think he has now found his best position for Rangers. Back playing in Mexico. Pedro actually did okay with his forays into the transfer market. I wouldn't give him an A, but he certainly merits a B+. As a support, we want it all, and we want it all now. However, given the demanding journey, the club and support have been forced to endure, often it is sensible to understand that for every two steps forward there will nonetheless be one backwards, these are trying circumstances after all. To put Pedro in perspective, he was indeed two steps forward and sadly also one back, but it is important that we focus on the one step we have taken forward. The Scottish press can focus on the one back, and it is their default reaction to our club, meanwhile, the two steps forward and the progress made by us may well sneak below their and their fellow travellers' bigoted radar. I actually like that.

There is the gif up there, where he makes the best pass of the entire game to Morelos. There was also a cross I recall to the near post onto Herrera's head. Watch it again, it was made in such a way that Kranjcar had already put the necessary speed and weight on the ball directing it into the net via a strikers head. All the striker had to do was read the pass's intent and it was a goal, Hererra fckd it up. It was a thing of beauty as well. I agree, he is very leggy, and he did try some very ambitious forward passes which didn't hit the mark. But like most players short of game time, that is often how it is they are ring rusty until they get up to speed by playing matches. He will never be the player he once was, he isn't quick, but that doesn't mean he is totally done. It often depends if you can accommodate a player like this inside the team itself. That said, I wouldn't start him against the Filth.

It wouldn't have been Henderson. I am sure Wee Willie was a decent boxer in his day, and I don't think Willie would run from anyone.

I Thought he tried really hard tonight. He was still off the pace, but actually better than I expected. Perhaps he just needs game time. He won't, of course, be the player he once was but getting more games might see him become useful to the team as he gets as match fit as he is now capable of becoming.