Players being told today

[Bearsden bear 2,376]

42 minutes ago, Turnberry18 said:

I can't see Waghorn, Kiernan, Forrester, Holt, Halliday or Hodson being here next season. Not sure about Tavernier, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was leaving.

I think Tav is going.

His body language/effort in recent games suggests he wants to go - wouldn't be surprised if he goes to Forest with Warbs

[ElBufalo20 7,877]

16 minutes ago, mitre_mouldmaster said:

You said you expect us to win it. That means you think that we are the favourites to win the league.

If you mean that the goal should be to try and win the league, then I agree, we should try to win the league, but I dont expect us to win it.

If we come second and run them close, then we have shown good signs of progression. This would be a successful outcome and give us something to build on.

If we win it, against all the odds, it would be wonderful and unexpected. To expect it is just silly though, and reeks of 'uber staunchness'.

Yes expectations to win the league. You don't sit down with potential signings of Rangers and say yeah all I ask of you is to be a bit better than the players last season doesn't matter if we win the league lets just get a little closer.

[Turnberry18 3,204]

1 minute ago, mitre_mouldmaster said:

I do understand what you are trying to say. It just boils my piss when 'expect' is used to say something other than it means.

If someone says that they 'expect us to win every game in the Europa League next season', then they by default 'Expect us to win the Europa League'.

This means they think we actually will win the Europa League.

Of course, they dont think this is the case. Its just an expression that they want the team to do as well as possible and give everything they can on the park.

If the team do this, and they comfortably take second place, but fall just short of actually winning the league against a team with a much higher budget than us, then I think this would be considered progress and something that we can build on.

Success to me right now would be getting thing in order to stop them getting 9/10 in a row. If we cant get our shit together and stop them doing this, then it really is a failure. I dont expect to win the league next year, but I do expect us to improve, if by a miracle we do win it, then it will be the best title in our history.

For me, that was this season, but not something we could and can afford to continue. Good post though, and I agree with a lot of it.

[WeirFleckNRothen 1,789]

I'm surprised that he'll have concluded discussions today, given that we have a game on Sunday. There's a risk of unwanted players downing tools, but perhaps we'll have eleven on the park who will actually be here next season... which is a horrible thought.

I'm even more surprised that he's told the press that everyone will know their status by today.

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

6 minutes ago, With Heart and Hand said:

We should be building a squad to win the league with the minimum aim being second

Our "goal" should always be to win the league it should never be to achieve second, we can maybe expect second but we shouldn't aim for it

Very well put.

The goal should be to win the league, but much as I would love it, I think we will just fall short. Its unlikely but not impossible.

[Gaffbear 4,096]

39 minutes ago, mitre_mouldmaster said:

Horrible as it is, the goal next year is not to win the league, its to come second and close the gap.

That is just unfortunately where we are at the moment.

What I want next year is win a cup..run in Europe.. win all our home games and put fight in....ill take being second reluctantly if we close the gap to single figures and show vast improvement .

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,630]

14 minutes ago, Turnberry18 said:

That outlook can become permanent; don't kid yourself that it it's something you can turn off and on. This is Rangers we're talking about. We need to really break free from being through the lower leagues. 

I know what you're saying mate but then if we don't win the league (even if we make huge progress) the season's a failure. And many of those who think this way will go on the rant about sacking the manager etc when realistically it's their expectations which needed managed.

[NeoGeo7 10,448]

As some have said the difficulty might be moving players on.

The best you can hope for with some is that other clubs take them for free so that 1) we got shot of them and free up the wages and 2) we don't have to terminate contracts by mutual consent and pay a nominal fee like what we did with Barton,  mcgregor and zaliuskas.

[STEPPS BOY 73,805]

[WeirFleckNRothen 1,789]

They'll only strengthen in the summer and that is the biggest concern when it comes to closing the gap, considering what they've achieved this season, domestically.

[Turnberry18 3,204]

1 minute ago, Bearsden bear said:

I think Tav is going.

His body language/effort in recent games suggests he wants to go - wouldn't be surprised if he goes to Forest with Warbs

I wondered if he had upped his game to attract interest. Going forward he has been good at times recently.

[graeme_4 34,381]

37 minutes ago, Sasa'onlyPLGsuccess'Papac said:

The goal next year is to most definitely win the league regardless of how we've been this season.

if the fans are expecting mediocracy now then you can't blame the players then for not giving a fuck.

we go into to every season expecting to win the league.

Staunch, but just completely unrealistic, bordering on deluded. 

They've got a budget 2 or 3 times ours, a stable boardroom, a really good (comparatively) manager and a squad of internationals that's likely to be strengthened. Not sure how you can expect to win the league? 

[Turnberry18 3,204]

1 minute ago, Sportingintegritymyarse said:

I know what you're saying mate but then if we don't win the league (even if we make huge progress) the season's a failure. And many of those who think this way will go on the rant about sacking the manager etc when realistically it's their expectations which needed managed.

It's a catch 22, I agree. But the thought of going into a season with the desire to run them a close second has really got to end soon for the good of the club. If we go out to win it and don't, and the manager has improved things, then I would settle for it; I'd have to. I really want us going for it next season though.

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

4 minutes ago, Sasa'onlyPLGsuccess'Papac said:

Yes expectations to win the league. You don't sit down with potential signings of Rangers and say yeah all I ask of you is to be a bit better than the players last season doesn't matter if we win the league lets just get a little closer.

Change the word 'expectations' to 'goal' and I would agree.

Taking it to the extreme again to prove the point, if we sat down with potential signings and said that "we are signing you and we expect to win a domestic treble, and a European trophey, any less is a failure" then they would run for the fucking hills.

Im all for being optimistic, but we also have to be realistic. 

[Bearsden bear 2,376]

12 minutes ago, Turnberry18 said:

I wondered if he had upped his game to attract interest. Going forward he has been good at times recently.

Thought he was good when we played 3 at the back as it allowed him to bomb forward - struggles to attack and defend in flat back 4. 

[Turnberry18 3,204]

1 minute ago, graeme_4 said:

Staunch, but just completely unrealistic, bordering on deluded. 

They've got a budget 2 or 3 times ours, a stable boardroom, a really good (comparatively) manager and a squad of internationals that's likely to be strengthened. Not sure how you can expect to win the league? 

That word, used in that way, should go as well. That trophy room didn't build itself; it was because the club has always had big dreams, Without those we stop being Rangers. You call it deluded; I'd like to think its romantic. Football is one of the most romantic sports there is; and I use that word romanticism in the classical sense. At its bare minimum football is merely twenty two men kicking a ball around, but it captures the imagination, and this club has thrived through the decades in capturing the imagination of those you say are "staunch".

[loyalfollower 1,543]

43 minutes ago, Sasa'onlyPLGsuccess'Papac said:

The goal next year is to most definitely win the league regardless of how we've been this season.

if the fans are expecting mediocracy now then you can't blame the players then for not giving a fuck.

we go into to every season expecting to win the league.

We can't really expect to win the league if we can't compete with the Tims for players though can we?  It's all well and good shouting no surrender telling your pals we're gonna win the league but without investment 2nd us as good as we'll get 

[.Williamson. 82,025]

Undecided about Waghorn

[graeme_4 34,381]

Good for Pedro. 

I expect at the weekend we'll only see players who will be at the club next year (barring any actual cash offers) and youth players.

              Fod

Tav Bates Wilson Beerman

       Baronjas Holt

     McKay Windass Miller

            Garner 

Cant wait to see the back of the likeable of Senderos, Kiernan, MOH, Toral, Forrester. Good fucking riddance.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,487]

Cant remember who it was but someone on here said Waghorn was left footed with two right feet, sums him up perfectly.

[ElBufalo20 7,877]

2 minutes ago, mitre_mouldmaster said:

Change the word 'expectations' to 'goal' and I would agree.

Taking it to the extreme again to prove the point, if we sat down with potential signings and said that "we are signing you and we expect to win a domestic treble, and a European trophey, any less is a failure" then they would run for the fucking hills.

Im all for being optimistic, but we also have to be realistic. 

Again I never said anything other than the league is failure. What's the point in kicking a ball at the start of the season or going to games if you think you've no chance of winning?

[graeme_4 34,381]

2 minutes ago, Turnberry18 said:

That word, used in that way, should go as well. That trophy room didn't build itself; it was because the club has always had big dreams, Without those we stop being Rangers. You call it deluded; I'd like to think its romantic. Football is one of the most romantic sports there is; and I use that word romanticism in the classical sense. At its bare minimum football is merely twenty two men kicking a ball around, but it captures the imagination, and this club has thrived through the decades in capturing the imagination of those you say are "staunch".

Ok. Fair point. I actually hate it when people use staunch as an insult.

But it is completely unachievable to win the league.

[ElBufalo20 7,877]

8 minutes ago, graeme_4 said:

Staunch, but just completely unrealistic, bordering on deluded. 

They've got a budget 2 or 3 times ours, a stable boardroom, a really good (comparatively) manager and a squad of internationals that's likely to be strengthened. Not sure how you can expect to win the league? 

It's not about being 'staunch' . It's about an attitude. Surely you go into the season and buy your season ticket to win the league not close the gap

[Blue Avenger 22,567]

2 minutes ago, Turnberry18 said:

That word, used in that way, should go as well. That trophy room didn't build itself; it was because the club has always had big dreams, Without those we stop being Rangers. You call it deluded; I'd like to think its romantic. Football is one of the most romantic sports there is; and I use that word romanticism in the classical sense. At its bare minimum football is merely twenty two men kicking a ball around, but it captures the imagination, and this club has thrived through the decades in capturing the imagination of those you say are "staunch".

The footballing world has changed and moved and we have been left behind. We are suffering from a bad case of strategic drift and lack of funding. If we don't halt that, romanticism in memories is all we will have left.

[Turnberry18 3,204]

Just now, graeme_4 said:

Ok. Fair point. I actually hate it when people use staunch as an insult.

But it is completely unachievable to win the league.

I don't agree; if we go in to next season with that attitude we definitely won't win it. Surely if you bring a player like Alves, and if we sign Dorrans then you don't turn round and say you are going for second; especially after what Alves' team did last year?