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Walter "I am not entirely comfortable with what I'm leaving behind``

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Boab

Boab 73

Posted
Posted
By Graeme Bryce

May 15, 2011

Walter Smith has the chance to leave Rangers with the SPL title as his final Ibrox legacy.

He admits he wishes he was leaving Ally McCoist with a much stronger squad than the one his successor will inherit at Rugby Park at 2.30pm today - champions or not.

A Rangers win at Kilmarnock would see Smith head off into the sunset having secured his 400th victory and Three in a Row, in his 618th and final match in charge of the Ibrox club. The Rangers legend confesses he isn't entirely comfortable with what he's leaving behind and says McCoist has a lot of rebuilding to do in the summer - on and off the park.

Smith revealed: "I am comfortable that the club are under new ownership and have new management and are ready to go ahead again after a difficult period.

"I am not entirely comfortable with what I'm leaving behind. I wish I was leaving both the new owner and the new manager a far bigger squad of players to operate with.

"There is still a great deal of uncertainty in our group at the present moment and a lot of investment will be required to take that uncertainty away.

"I could certainly be leaving the team in better circumstances, by that I mean a bigger group to work with and the circumstances of the club.

Managers always hope they can be successful but so much had changed here

"The infrastructure of Murray Park has been run down over the last few years because of that financial aspect and there is investment needed in scouting, maintenance of the place, everything needs lifted, not just Murray Park but Ibrox as well.

"I am wee bit unhappy that's the case. It's not that the whole club has been allowed to be run down, it has had to be simply because of the financial circumstances.

"That's where Martin Bain has done a fantastic job - to try and make sure the football side of the thing was kept at as high a level as he possibly could keep it at. He deserves a great deal of credit for making sure that happened."

Smith has defied the cynics who say you should never go back in football. As Rangers' Nine in a Row boss, Smith's place in Ibrox folklore was already guaranteed.

Many experts believe delivering a third successive title and cup double given the club's crippling debt in recent years would surpass even that.

He said: "Managers always hope they can be successful but so much had changed here. The whole circumstances surrounding the club were different.

"Although it was the same chairman and owner, we didn't have a chief executive before and now there was a chief executive in place.

"I didn't think coming back would preclude me from being successful - but like everything else when you make your decision you can only hope you do have some level of success.

"However I am certainly ready for the exit on Sunday. When you make the decision to leave and the decision is completely yours, that's an unusual circumstance in football because usually people are sacked.

"So you are prepared for it when it happens this way."

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/notw/nol_scottish/nol_scottish_sport/1297740/Walter-Smith-Rangers-Ally-McCoist.html

He is leaving us with a back four to repair, still a lack of pace though there's now Gregg, and arguably a few duds and maybe more...

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H72

H72 265

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I don't think it's the case that Walter Smith is leaving Rangers with a weak 'this' or a weak 'that'.

He's just showing how much he loves the Club. Anyone who couldn't see all the things he's listed there has been living in a box for the past 3 years.

Regardless of what happens today, Walter Smith is leaving Rangers in a far better position than they were when he arrived.

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BawdeepLoyal

BawdeepLoyal 94

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Praising Bain I see.

If you listened to people on here then you would think Bain is the enemy.

Folk will still come on and say Smith knows fuck all and Bain should be sacked, blah, blah, blah.

As with all businesses, unless you are actually working there, you have no knowledge of the internal workings, even if you have mate there who gives you the odd snippet.

Lets win it, and it will be a fantastic base for McCoist to build on.

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JM1872

JM1872 3,708

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I can almost guarantee Walter will/will have sat down with Ally and have his views on the squad, where needs strengthened and recommended a few players to him. Ally will be well prepared in terms of targets for next season, let's not worry about that.

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Ozblue

Ozblue 4,331

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Sometimes Walter's tactics and system he employs at times are baffling, but for all that, he was (and is) some manager.

He is doing the right thing by going at the end of this season and whatever he does after leaving after this season ends, I will thank him for everything he has done at this club.

I never dreamed that he would be in a position to win 3 in a row with this squad we have currently got and the transfers,injuries that have hampered our season.

No matter what he does or where he goes, you can be guaranteed one thing...He will still be a Rangers supporter.

If ever a man deserved a knighthood for services to football it is Walter Smith.

Sir Walter Smith of Carmyle...That has a nice ring to it. :praise:

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Plamf

Plamf 39

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Folk will still come on and say Smith knows fuck all and Bain should be sacked, blah, blah, blah.

As with all businesses, unless you are actually working there, you have no knowledge of the internal workings, even if you have mate there who gives you the odd snippet.

Lets win it, and it will be a fantastic base for McCoist to build on.

If a company is poorly run you can build a pretty accurate theory regarding the competency of it's CEO.

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Turnberry18

Turnberry18 3,204

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If a company is poorly run you can build a pretty accurate theory regarding the competency of it's CEO.

To consider Bain properly is to realise that for so many years someone's hand was up his ass And look at Walter Smith, are we honsetly surprised that man chooses the same honesty of all these years on this day as well? Have others said the same as they have left the Club?- you wonder. Walter brings something, not just to football, but there is something missing in modern society, where it is always someone else's fault, or it was the elements, or it was circumstances; anything but themselves- not so Walter. The man will be a loss to this Club, and that does concern me a little; but he goes with the sincerest wishes of many. His record before was slightly seen in the contest that we had more money that our rivals; but today, no such accusation can be made, and yet he still succeeded. He may have reservations, and be 'not entirely comforable' with what he's leaving; but he leaves the Club a lot better off than the mess he inherited

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WVB

WVB 2,560

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I'd have thought the OP would just be happy to get rid of Walter, he's been moaning about him pretty much since the day he returned. Happy now boab, ya fud?

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Ryan_1

Ryan_1 1,136

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Yes, he may not be leaving the biggest nor the best squad we've ever seen behind, but what he is leaving behind is a squad that has a spirit and desire that is unrivaled by none.

That alone has almost won us three-in-a-row.

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Plamf

Plamf 39

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Posted

a ceo does what the board tell him to do. if thats manage the orgonisation then your right if not then your wrong.

A CEO is usually ON the board and can even be the chair of the board. He doesn't just do what the board tell him to!

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gunslinger

gunslinger 270

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A CEO is usually ON the board and can even be the chair of the board. He doesn't just do what the board tell him to!

his responsibilities are set by the board. he doesnt have to ask permision to go to the toilet if thats what you mean.

bain has had big bonuses of late its clear he is doing what the board tell him well.

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Eastcoast Al

Eastcoast Al 1

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A remarkably candid and honest appraisal of the situation, no more than you would expect from Walter.

Just a pitty that others have been unwilling or unable to take a similar stance over the pasted few months, leaving us in the dark and not knowing what to believe at times.

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