bigmarvloyal

Yup... but people always state the big guns who DID make it like Rooney... what about the others who were thrown in and ripped of all confidence as the superstar home grown talent? Look at all the promising Celtic players of the past who flopped for example... I say there is a Under 17 -> Under 21 system for a reason and let's not try and throw players in to the deep end.. instead let them grow up normally, enjoy their football and develop naturally with kids their own age. As Del says, Fleckie has been playing against people 4-5 years older than him since he was 13, simply because he's progressed so quickly. Surely the next natural step to this would be first team football? If he's continuing to progress at this rate (or something close), it would be wrong to hold him back in the U-19's or Reserves just for the sake of it. I doubt he is being held back just for the sake of it mate.... as I have already said there are several very good reasons we wont see Fleck in the starting 11 next season. Do you think he should get his fair share of first team football next season though? Even if it's from the bench? I do, yes. Not in important games where we are chasing a goal late on though. If we are two or three up then I would like to see him put on for experience. This notion that he will come in and be a huge addition and boost to the team are ridiculous though. I just watch his goal v Celtic in the recent Youth Cup final and think 'is it really so daft to think he could do that to St Mirren/Killie/Inverness/Falkirk ?' I think it is mate. Don't you think a professional, fully grown athlete - especially in the SPL - would have had him chopped on the half way line there?

In two or three years? I have no doubt about it. Next season? Not a chance. He aint an out and out striker mate... I've watched him almost weekly for the past year and he just doesn't suit that position. Center Midfield/ Attacking Midfield is his best position.

Yup... but people always state the big guns who DID make it like Rooney... what about the others who were thrown in and ripped of all confidence as the superstar home grown talent? Look at all the promising Celtic players of the past who flopped for example... I say there is a Under 17 -> Under 21 system for a reason and let's not try and throw players in to the deep end.. instead let them grow up normally, enjoy their football and develop naturally with kids their own age. As Del says, Fleckie has been playing against people 4-5 years older than him since he was 13, simply because he's progressed so quickly. Surely the next natural step to this would be first team football? If he's continuing to progress at this rate (or something close), it would be wrong to hold him back in the U-19's or Reserves just for the sake of it. I doubt he is being held back just for the sake of it mate.... as I have already said there are several very good reasons we wont see Fleck in the starting 11 next season. Do you think he should get his fair share of first team football next season though? Even if it's from the bench? I do, yes. Not in important games where we are chasing a goal late on though. If we are two or three up then I would like to see him put on for experience. This notion that he will come in and be a huge addition and boost to the team are ridiculous though.

Exactly... most people on here think he IS a striker FFS. Aye, that does get a bit annoying. :clap: :clap:

Yup... but people always state the big guns who DID make it like Rooney... what about the others who were thrown in and ripped of all confidence as the superstar home grown talent? Look at all the promising Celtic players of the past who flopped for example... I say there is a Under 17 -> Under 21 system for a reason and let's not try and throw players in to the deep end.. instead let them grow up normally, enjoy their football and develop naturally with kids their own age. As Del says, Fleckie has been playing against people 4-5 years older than him since he was 13, simply because he's progressed so quickly. Surely the next natural step to this would be first team football? If he's continuing to progress at this rate (or something close), it would be wrong to hold him back in the U-19's or Reserves just for the sake of it. I doubt he is being held back just for the sake of it mate.... as I have already said there are several very good reasons we wont see Fleck in the starting 11 next season.

Exactly... most people on here think he IS a striker FFS. I know it's great when a lad comes through the ranks and becomes a superstar... living our dream... but let's give this young kid a break and let him come through naturally or we really do risk losing him to the Motherwells and Dundee United's of this world.

I disagree... he is NOT ready to play in the first team at the current time.

Yup... but people always state the big guns who DID make it like Rooney... what about the others who were thrown in and ripped of all confidence as the superstar home grown talent? Look at all the promising Celtic players of the past who flopped for example... I say there is a Under 17 -> Under 21 system for a reason and let's not try and throw players in to the deep end.. instead let them grow up normally, enjoy their football and develop naturally with kids their own age.

This thread is in reply to the numerous others that are stating the possibility of giving young John Fleck his chance in the first team. Earlier this month I was lucky to be holidaying in Turkey and coincidentally I was there at the same time as the UEFA Under 17's European Championships were on. Not only that, but I was staying in the SAME hotel as all the teams and backroom staff ;-) So I had a week of watching how teams prepare for games, how they behave when away at a major tournament etc etc. I was also fortunate enough to have a good natter with old Tommy McLean who was a star... as was Billy Stark - a nicer guy you could not meet. However, it totally blew me away the first day we got there and here's me playing table tennis when none other than John "Wee Fleckie" Fleck walks past... I had the Gers top on so I don't know who was more surprised, me or him! I'll say this now.. he was a fine ambassador and captain for the Scotland team whilst in Turkey and never stepped a foot out of line the whole time... despite the obvious attractions of free drink, ladies and the hotel nightclub ;-) I thought he was older than the 17's and never expected to see him there tbh. Anyway, my view is simple. Fleck aint ready for a first team place. He is still very RAW... by that I mean he is still too young. I know - "Good enough, old enough" and all that but in this case, it doesn't stand to reason. From what I seen of him playing in an attacking midfield role, he is a very mouthwatering talent. He picks the ball up and really drives at defences with pace and agility. He likes to get stuck in with meaty challenges in the middle of the park too. Winning headers isn't a problem to him either. But he's a big lad compared to most other 16 year olds. And that's when you really need to see these lads up close to realise they are just starting puberty FFS. They really aren't adults yet and their bodies are still very much in the youth stages. If Fleck was to play against fully grown men I just feel he would be brushed aside, bullied and lose all confidence. I feel he would be better left to come through the ranks naturally than thrown in at his early age. We will get at least a decade out him and I have no doubts he will go onto captain Rangers... but next season is too early. I know some will disagree and I know I haven't really gotten my argument across well this morning as I sip my first coffee... anyway... here are some snaps of the lads and the game Scotland lost 2-0 to Turkey for those who may be interested: Fleck: Lads lining up for kick off: Crazy Turkish Fans: Me In The Hotel With Mascots... Sunburned To FUCK: View From The Top Tier Of Stadium... Nice Ground: Scotland Team Messing Around In Pool: More Crazy Turks:

Strange.. he was off holidaying about a month back too ;-) Seriously... the way the RST is run it really would not surprise me if there has been a bust up.

We are a poor, poor lot. Bar far and away the worst Rangers team I have seen in my 25 years on this planet and I hope the worst for the next 25. Clueless, Hopeless, Gutless and Spineless.

I wonder if the RST will just elect three people without polling its membership like they have previous for?

Reasonable? No, they are being fucking stupid. 3 minutes injury time is 3 minutes. It's only reasonable to expect that to be played. It is UNREASONABLE to try and make excuses for the ref blowing his whistle early.

I hope Murray gives Smith the £10m it will take to secure a quality midfielder to play alongside Thomson so we can finally get rid of that waster Ferguson. He's been riding on reputation for far too long and is very far from being even close to Captain material.

PC Mick Regan can kiss my balls. Funny since this happened he has been all over the papers making a fortune out of it. Right you are "Mick", right you are pal.

I bet you did

Chisolm is an Alkie prick

According to the article : However, the SPL have still to receive the delegate report from McDougall, and FIFA will not get involved unless they are asked to do so by the SPL. A FIFA spokesman said: "Matters related to a given competition are handled by the relevant competition's organising body. Therefore, we are not in a position to comment on this case." so it looks to me like it depends on the report given by Willie McDougall. Expect absolutely no mention of this incident in the match report. Especially since it is written by McDougall of all people. You will see NO more about this incident in the media.

Have a great time bud and safe journey. Hope to be with you over there if all goes to plan ;-)

What a stupid thread.

Another expert at ripping a few words out a paragraph, finding another quote, matching the two together and trying to make someone look stupid. All the while, the quotes you chose were completely out of context. Plonker.

You don't get it If we sing this stuff we get attacked from all sides. I agree that the SFA should just let them be, but only if they do the same for us. It's a disgrace that we get done for singing FTP, yet they get away with singing terrorist songs. LOL... trust me... I do get it and have made my feelings known on the uneven tactics used. However, in this instance, I think this song is just a sick wind up ala our one for Lennon.

Don't see a major problem with it tbh and I think we are risking falling into Timmy's trap of being overtly offended. Remember, we do sing the ditty "Hang Neil Lennon, Hang Him High" with much gusto. At the end of the day, fuck complaining. It's part of what makes the Old Firm games what they are and if we continue in this direction of complaining about what each other are singing then in ten years time the atmosphere will be pish.

Walter has the freedom of Ibrox forever. Great manager but most of all a damn good ambassador for our great Club.

What's a Webster?