The Players Who Walked Away: Traitors? Or History Makers?

[DarcheVinny 1,003]

The Players Who Walked Away: Traitors? Or History Makers? by guest writer dougster1989

[imgleft]http://rangersmedia.co.uk/images/resized/images/wv4naisyandwhittaker_200_200.jpg[/imgleft]The year 2012, will always be remembered in our club’s history as a tumultuous one; I won’t even begin to try to summarise all that we have been through. Throughout our struggles however one particular area that has been of interest to me has been the decision of players to leave our club for pastures new and the subsequent fan reaction to this.

The subject was widely debated back in June when these players decided not to transfer their contracts over to the club’s new holding company and has been raised again somewhat in the past week or so, with a handful of these players featuring in their respective international squads.

From what I have read, the majority of fans see those who have moved on as traitors; partly due to the club - in most cases - still having not received any financial compensation for these transfers. Comparisons to Judas Iscariot have been commonplace and many fans have let their thoughts be known to players - via twitter in particular - whilst holding nothing back.

This has caused me to consider my own views on the situation, even though Rangers have moved on and very much appear to be on the mend. I would like to challenge, what appears to be the common opinion, that these former players are all 'traitors'.

To begin with, I should probably lay all my cards out on the table so that we are clear.

Do I like the fact that many players left our club when we were in a difficult position? No.

Does it bother me that they weren’t willing to stay and fight for our club? Yes.

If they felt they had to leave, would I have preferred if they had stuck around and put in a transfer request? Yes.

Do I blame them for leaving? No

Do I think they deserve to be branded as traitors? No.

Do I think they deserve to be remembered for what they accomplished for our club? Yes.

What I have just said may divide opinion and I may firmly be in the minority, but I’ll attempt to contextualise this somewhat and look at where my view has come from.

From a first team squad of twenty-eight players, fifteen of them moved on to pastures new, with eight of those fifteen, deciding not to transfer their contracts to the new holding company. The rest either returned to parent clubs following loan spells; left whilst we were in administration; or left when their contracts expired.

Our squad was decimated and with the potential of a year long transfer ban hanging over us, many were left wondering whether or not we would play football at all this season.

As would be expected the eight who decided to move on by refusing to transfer their contracts, have been the ones who have received the most criticism. At the time of their decision, some of the players came out and tried to explain why they had chosen to follow this route.

Looking at the statement from Steven Naismith, he said that his decision to leave, had been a difficult one to make and he had spent time discussing it with his family. Following the initial wage cuts that he and his fellow players had agreed to take and then for the club to have to be taken over by a new holding company - leaving The Rangers Football Club plc still in administration - he was “disappointed and angry that Rangers Football Club no longer exists in its original form”.

Now this has been a point of much debate and I disagreed with Steven’s statement here, but it doesn't matter whether I or any others person disagree or not. That part of the statement was factually incorrect! I don't need to explain this to any of you. Whether you are a Ranger, or not, this needs no explanation.

The statement didn’t finish here, with Steven going on to thank the manager and his back room team for their support and stated how proud he was of the honours he had won whilst at Rangers. He was also thankful to us as fans and identified with us as a life-long supporter: “Finally I would like to thank the fans for all their backing. Everyone knows I am a life-long Rangers supporter and so I share in the disappointment and anger of what has happened to the great Rangers Football Club.”

This part got me thinking. What if I was in the same position as Steven Naismith? What would I do? I am a life-long Rangers supporter and I could only dream of pulling on a red, white and blue strip, to run out of that famous tunnel at Ibrox. But what if I had the talent of Steven Naismith; or indeed Allan McGregor, Steven Davis, Rhys McCabe, Jamie Ness, Steven Whittaker, John Fleck or Kyle Lafferty? There’s a part of me that honestly thinks I would be considering my options at this stage, even if I was a Rangers man.

Football is a limited career with the average player plying his trade for only eighteen or nineteen years and although some may argue that in those years they will get paid more than most of us will in a lifetime, players still need to consider their employment options, with their monthly finances and families in mind.

Some of these players gave their heart and soul for our club over a prolonged period of time and I feel that it is unfair to brandish them as 'traitors', when they have made decisions based on their own futures, like any one of us would in any employment situation.

For example, Allan McGregor was on the books of the club for 11 years as a senior player making over 200 appearances for the club; to hear him compared to Judas Iscariot, the traitor of all traitors some may say, I find confusing and it doesn’t sit well with me.

All this being said however, I can understand why fans are disappointed that players left when they did. I wish they had all made the same decision as the likes of Lee Wallace and Lee McCulloch, to stick around and help the club through this incredible journey that we have just started. Failing this, they could at least have allowed for their contract to be transferred to the new company and then handed in a transfer request.

This hasn’t happened though and as much as I’m disappointed at this, they are still former players of our club. I saw someone tweet Kyle Bartley the other day to wish him luck following his move to Swansea and they finished off by saying that no matter where he goes, he will always be remembered at Rangers.

I think this should be true of all our players.

There are some that we might wish we couldn’t remember - like Filip Sebo perhaps - and others that we will remember as legends, such as Brian Laudrup or Jorg Albertz for example.

Although it is natural to want to forget players sometimes, I will never forget Filip Sebo for the way he played with his heart on his sleeve and the goal that he scored against Chelsea, in the same manner that I won’t forget Laudrup or Albertz for the many memories they have left me with.

For me the players who have left our club this summer deserve to be remembered just the same as any others before them - for what they have done on the pitch as a Rangers player.

Who could forget the way Steven Davis could control a game and create something out of nothing, when playing at his prime?

Who could forget the two goals Steven Naismith scored in the opening Glasgow derby of the 2011/12 SPL season, the first of which being a contender for goal of the season?

Who could forget the goal Steven Whittaker scored against Sporting Lisbon in the quarter-final of the 2007/08 UEFA Cup, en route to the final in Manchester?

Who could forget the goal Jamie Ness scored against Celtic in the 2010/11 Scottish Cup, that did win goal of the season?

Who could forget Allan McGregor’s penalty save in the final Glasgow derby of the 2010/11 season that arguably knocked the wind out of our opponents challenge to our title?

Who could forget the hat-trick scored by Kyle Lafferty at Rugby Park, in the final game of the season, that won Rangers a 54th and 3rd consecutive league title?

Memories are all that are left of these players and their Ibrox careers now and sticking with the Christian and biblical comparisons that have been used previously, I feel these players deserve to be forgiven for the actions they have taken.

Whilst for us - as loyal supporters - it might be unthinkable to us that they should turn their backs on our club when we perhaps needed them most, I think it is important to remember that Rangers were their employer. Auchenhowie and Ibrox were their places of work. If we were in a similar position at our place of work, wouldn’t we think about doing the same, given the opportunity?

We should savour the memories created by these individuals as Rangers players. We should afford them their place in our great history as history makers and personally I hope they go on to thrive in their future careers at their new clubs. I wish them all the best.

Now it is time for our newest Rangers could-be-heroes, to step up and become the history makers; Ian Black, Dean Shiels, Francisco Sandaza, Barrie McKay, Lewis McLeod, et al - your time has come.

This, is history in the making.

Rangers then. Rangers now. Rangers, forever.

[simplythebest 11,453]

Sorry, but the football memories are wrecked for me. When it was as easy as anything to leave while helping the club out they chose the greed route instead.

[DarcheVinny 1,003]

Sorry, but the football memories are wrecked for me. When it was as easy as anything to leave while helping the club out they chose the greed route instead.

I definitely found it interesting to consider this argument today (or else I wouldn't have published the lad's piece!), now that Rangers are on the mend, with new players to join the ones who did stay.

I have just put up a framed signed shirt from last season, before anyone walked away. It will hang cherished in my flat and anywhere I live until my dying day.

I still respect the fact that they all made a decision to help Rangers, when there was no CVA or newco offer in sight. I will always respect and appreciate that, as I will the footballing memories as listed by dougster1989 above.

Would I call them traitors still? I am not the type that holds grudges, so I don't think I could use the word 'traitor'. Leaving Rangers is their loss - albeit not a financial one - not ours - although arguably a financial loss was involved!

They will never play for as great a club and I would guess that some of them will know that.

We have new heroes in the making!

[54andcounting 627]

Not interested in the one's that have left, just the one's still at the club.

[GrangemouthRSC 832]

Good post and i understand your views, but to me, they are not worth remembering.

The so-called Rangers "diehards" were the 1st to go when the going got tough.

I for one won't ever forgive or forget.

Good post though

[Bradfield 35]

They couldn't wait to get away. I won't forget what they did for the club, but neither will I go out of my way to remember it.

[dazzapat 83]

Sorry, but the football memories are wrecked for me. When it was as easy as anything to leave while helping the club out they chose the greed route instead.

Agreed,

I thank them for all they did on the park and the salary cut while here, but, those memories have been soured by the fact they walked away without considering what it would do to our club and fans.

They probably panicked at the fact they would be playing lower league football and thought that not transferring over was the easiest thing to do.

If they had come over with the rest of the players, I would not have expected them to stay and would have been happy to see them leave for a fee.

For me, that is all that mattered.

[lewisb72 50]

Traitors

[GeneralCartmanLee 313]

Have said from the start the guys were the never the traitors they were branded.

Some of the abuse they received was an embarrassment to this site.

[sergio 1,199]

I love you posts Darch, but surely this is not up for debate, any sane person can see that they are dirty greedy bastards who could have left as hero's but choose the road paved with gold.

I wish them all career ending Injuries and nothing will ever change my opinion on that. Ness McGregor Fleck and Whit the fuck a ter have all got bad one's hope wee baldy is next

[GaryMc 2,394]

I've been thinking about this recently.

Now looking at Edu, Goian and Bocanerga's situation just now they are collectively taking about £45k a week from us in wages. The problem is they don't want to be here but we can't get a buyer for them. Now let's say McGregor, Naismith, Davis, Whittaker and Lafferty had stayed on that would have been over possibly £100k a week on wages. Which poses the question:

Could we have afforded to keep them here whilst trying to find them new clubs? Also would we have signed Sandaza, Black, Shiels, Kyle or Cribari if they were still on our books? I doubt it. They would have been sitting there taking a wage from us without trying on the park and busy negotiating a move away from us. So we would potentially have been starting the season with a whole team not wanting to be there and no new signings coming in until they left.

And even if we had got a fee for them it looks like the SFA/SPL would have took that from us anyway to pay outstanding debts.

So maybe it's actually worked out better in the long run that they did the dirty and fucked off.

Of course this would be irrelevant if they had actually wanted to stay and play for us.

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

They walked away when it looked bad. But really they have just walked away from possibly one of the most exciting times in our history for years.

But with no Europe and in the 3rd div it all looked brutal at the time.

But it's not turning out that way.

But i'm now glad we have alot our youth players in the team along with players who have been here for years and then we have the new sigings.

[ps95v7 387]

Write as much as you want and provide thoughtful insights, they will still be scab bast@rds to me Rangers till they I die my arse.

Shittiker what he did in the european champs league was gross misconduct, a fkn disgrace like they other shower of shite that followed him.

We will rise and be a force again without them, 49,000 rubbber stamped this on Saturday that's loyalty

[tango 341]

Greedy bastards who could have got us a small fee from any club they went to but they choose to fill their own pockets

[OLE SUPER WILBERT 2,475]

Traitors.

[WWTC 2,247]

Judas traitor cunts

[gogzy 31,195]

the ones that left without transferring over are dead to me.

[Comeoffit 152]

The wage cuts they took, saved the club. Anyone that thinks differently hasnt looked in to it enough. They also stopped a lot of normal employees losing their jobs when duff and duffer first arrived.

They had no legal obligation to tupe over as time has and will prove. I think overall, they done us a favour by leaving. If they transferred over and sat on their contracts for 2 or 3 months while waiting a transfer, we could quite possibly have been in big trouble again.

We didnt actually lose as much money as people think by their behaviour, and on balance i'll remember them fondly, apart from Whittaker, who i cant stick and never could.

[GeneralCartmanLee 313]

the ones that left without transferring over are dead to me.

What about the ones who transferred over, have a release clause where they can leave fr free and are playing shite for high wages.....alive or dead ?

[scottyboyblue 61]

While i respect their wish not to play in div 3, they could have transferred over and got some money into the club, if the clubs that were after them wanted them badly enough, they would have payed a fee, but they jumped ship at the first chance, probably to get a bigger signing on fee, and while that is their perogative, the fans are entitled to feel betrayed

[gogzy 31,195]

What about the ones who transferred over, have a release clause where they can leave fr free and are playing shite for high wages.....alive or dead ?

the release clause does not bother me at all, it was added as a stipulation of the pay cuts (without which we might not have lasted the season.)

as for playing shite for high wages.....If i classed every player that played shite for high wages at some point while playing for us, then 90% of the team from the murray years onwards would be classed as such......everyone goes through bad spells....I dont think there have been any concrete offers put in for any of our current squad, if no-one wants to buy them then wtf can we do?

they are not dead to me, but they need to decide thier future soon.

and also, bugger off you agrumentative sod

[Turnberry18 3,204]

We should savour the memories created by these individuals as Rangers players. We should afford them their place in our great history as history makers and personally I hope they go on to thrive in their future careers at their new clubs. I wish them all the best.

We should; why should we? "There's no history there". I wish them no ill-will, but I have no interest in their careers.

[True Azure 1,414]

I think the points made by the OP should be taken into consideration. In another post KK says "it's just another job to me". I think that in some ways those players who left without transferring over their contracts may have concluded that no matter their stated historic loyalty to the club, that when it got close to the wire they decided that economic security won out over club loyalty. I hold no bitterness towards them either, they took this decision when uncertainty hung over our ever getting a license to play and many of them had families to take care of in the long term. I also accept that others on here will hold a diametrically opposed view to this and they are perfectly entitled to do so.

[blueballss 2,969]

Good post and i understand your views, but to me, they are not worth remembering.

The so-called Rangers "diehards" were the 1st to go when the going got tough.

I for one won't ever forgive or forget.

Good post though

this is the point that irks me most, hearing all the blah about being Rangers men

[AlBear. 8,499]

They could have been LEGENDS!

I am disappointed in them all. So I choose to forget them.

I love Rangers (like some of them have claimed) and if I had the honour to play for Rangers I would explode with pride. Then if I had the chance to become an Ibrox legend like greats such as:

Bill Struth, John Greig, Davie Cooper, Graeme Souness, Richard Gough, Terry Butcher, Chris Woods, Mark Hateley, 'The Goalie', Gazza, Brian Laudrup, 'Der Goalie', Michael Mols, Dado Prso, NACHO, Walter Smith

(nb- These are my personal opinions on 'Rangers Legends' and is a limited, rushed collection. I'm aware your preferences and opinions may differ significantly)

Not to mention their current manager. Our greatest ever goal scorer.

:superally:

Alistair 'Super Ally' McCoist

A man who has stuck by us in what will probably go down as the darkest hour of are history. The ultimate Legend. Rangers Man. Rangers Player. Rangers Manager.

I could not go to my hero, a living legend to me and say, "I surrender", and just walk away.

Shameful. They will never be remembered by me.

I will remember McCulloch. I will remember Alexander. I will remember Captain America. I will remember Big Mo Edu. I will remember Lee Wallace, Goain, Little & and all the youngsters about to realise their dreams this season. That's what this season is about, whether they stay or leave before the window closes. It's about saying Thank you to these players for living our dreams, Thank You to Super Ally for being our Rock. And thank you to Charlie Green. Who stepped up while 'Rangers Men' haggled with our future.

The only way is up from here.

How many F's are in surrender?

There is no F in surrender.