CheckMateCharlie

Do we get 3 points aff celtic each time aswell for beating Aberdeen twice?

Just got it working there mate, had to update my flash player. Thank fuck for that!

Anyone buying that and tried the online player? Doesn't seem to be working for me at any quality just a black screen with a clockwise rotating half circle. All the on demand content and everything else is working fine but the live player isn't working at all, which is a bit worrying. Before anyone says anything about RTV i had it for years but got rid after the Hearts game this year as it had turned into a buffering mess for me and had just had enough.

RIP Davy Barrowman.

http://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/03/14/remembering-the-artistry-of-brian-laudrup-for-rangers/ If Brian Laudrup had picked any other profession, it might well have been that of an expert barista because Danes often had occasion to fervently exclaim ‘thanks for the coffee’ in their native tongue whenever he was on the pitch. It had nothing to do with any weird in-joke on the part of the Scandinavians – whether or not he could, in fact, brew a mean flat white. That’s because tak for kaffe means something a little different in Danish than you might otherwise think. It can mean the literal translation when you pop into your local café to order your favourite brew, but depending on the circumstances, it can also be a phrase that’s shouted in times of surprise or astonishment, something Laudrup conjured countless moments of as a world-class footballer. Whether it was with an audacious trick or the way he made unbelievable dribbles through a line of defenders to leave them prone on the ground in his wake, he had spectators shrieking in amazement most of the time. He did it when he represented Denmark’s national team for many years and his magnificence was irrepressible when treating the diehard blue-clad Glaswegians during his phenomenal four seasons with Rangers in the Scottish Premier League. Like any good cup of coffee, he had terrific balance, complexity and a crisp finish, too – he was, after all, a goalscoring winger in his prime and it’s arguable that Scottish domestic soccer has never seen a better foreign import than him. Henrik Larsson is certainly his biggest competitor in that regard, but Laudrup joined the SPL four years before the Swede was still an unfamiliar name on the Celtic team-sheet, so he was getting involved in something of an unknown quantity, where tough tackles, harsh weather and fiery confrontations were all part of the viscous environment, joyful madness and intimate surroundings of Scottish football. Before he reached that stage of his career, however, he had already achieved some undeniably impressive feats, such as becoming a two-time Danish Player of the Year winner, helping his country lay claim to the European Championship trophy against all the odds in 1992 as well as winning five pieces of club silverware, including the Champions League. Cynics might suggest – and indeed they did at the time – that he was on the wane having been left out of Fabio Capello’s plans in the 1994 Champions League final, but he was already being sounded out by other clubs and considering his glittering resume, it was a travesty that he had been left out of that showpiece clash in the first place, much as his brother had been for the losing Barcelona side. In fact, following his eventual move to Ibrox from his Fiorentina-approved loan spell in Milan, he was approached by the Blaugrana to play for them. It wasn’t just that the table had turned – Laudrup had dismantled it and crafted his own one to sit at. Though it might sound surprising to hear of a Rangers player turning down a move to Barça nowadays, his decision is completely understandable in retrospect. If Milan had become something of a nightmare for the distinctive Dane, where a lack of opportunity stifled his obvious talent, then the move to Walter Smith’s Rangers was the awakening scent of cooking breakfast wafting from kitchen to bedroom, promising real change and a fresh start. From the off, it was clear he had fallen in love with the Scottish champions and wasn’t keen to end their romantic courtship for the sake of yet another stint at a club who didn’t value his superb craftsmanship as much as it deserved. Laudrup was interested in regular football. He wanted to win titles and he wanted to play a major role in a team attempting to make history as Rangers went in search of their seventh consecutive top-flight title for the first time. They would do exactly that, with the Dane having an immediate impact, as well as accomplishing a whole lot more. With the success-hungry Laudrup on board, they ultimately confirmed their status as one of the greatest Scottish squads in the history of the modern domestic era as well as proving to everyone that a swashbuckling style could be married wonderfully with remarkable results. Even on an overcast day in Dundee. Read | Michael Laudrup: the brilliant playmaker who sits alongside the greatest As Charlie Miller receives a pass from a team-mate halfway between the centre circle and elevated television camera gantry at Tannadice on 7 May 1997, he instinctively makes a dart down the nearside touchline, popping the ball out in front of him as he does so. It’s a cloudy day, overcast and grey, but it’s shaping up to be a bright one for Rangers – a win over Dundee United guarantees them the title again. The fans are nervous but expectant. Miller’s attempts to wriggle away from the close attentions of his marker are shut down by a neat tackle as the ball, poked by an outstretched leg, rolls out for a throw-in on the near side. Quick thinking from the taker sees the ball sharply flung in the direction of the attacking midfielder as he has now sidled closer to goal further down the wing, and with a few clever movements, Miller skips away from his man enough to create space for a cross, his body pivoting sharply with the whip of his left leg as he connects with the ball. Arrowing into the six-yard box, Laudrup has already made his move. With some of the Gers’ strikers beset by injury for weeks at a time, he has been handed the responsibility of leading the line, so he’s expecting the pacey ball to come in for him. “It was a flying header and that didn’t happen every day for me. I still rate that goal as one of the most important of my career,” Laudrup said after retiring. Things haven’t gone Laudrup’s way against this opposition this term. In December, the Dane’s influence is smothered by a stellar performance from defender Erik Pedersen as the Tannadice faithful leave singing their side’s praises following a 1-0 win in front of just under 12,500 spectators. Then, in March, the Teddy Bears have the proverbial stuffing knocked out of them in a 2-0 defeat, this time at home, as a blanket defence again causes the normally potent attacker plenty of difficulty. Ready for the defensive shape of United on the cusp of summer, however, Laudrup gets his side roaring again. Outjumping his marker into the Scottish sky with a ferocious leap and thrust, he pokes his head out to stab the ball past Sieb Dijkstra in the Dundee goals, and the away contingent lets out a unified crescendo as Laudrup’s speeding frame hits the hard turf with a slide before he clambers up to wheel away in ecstasy, engulfed by the equally animated celebrations of his team-mates, Miller the first to embrace him. It might only be the 11th minute of the match, but this side have not given up leads too often this season and the nodded effort has all but guaranteed the victory. As it transpires, Rangers do indeed go on to become only the third side to claim maximum points at this ground in the 1996-97 campaign, but they’ve achieved something much more consequential in the process, too – their momentous run of league titles has been increased to nine on the bounce, equalling the previous record held by their bitterest of rivals, Celtic. Later that evening, after the confined celebrations in the away-end dressing room, Laudrup gets his chance to hoist the silver trophy aloft in the centre circle as Walter Smith is doused in champagne. People still talk about that squad today. Listen closely enough to any diehard Gers fans discuss the golden generation or who their favourite Rangers side ever was and nine times out of 10, they’ll pick out guys who were around from 1988 to ’97. The likes of Paul Gascoigne and Ally McCoist will nearly always get a glowing mention, but it’s Laudrup who is normally reserved for the most loquacious and glitteringly garrulous of soliloquies. That’s almost certainly because Laudrup requires more understanding – or perhaps it’s that he defies explanation. Whatever the exact reason, what’s clear is that the memory of his genius is too good for simple compliments or understated descriptions. And why shouldn’t it be? Especially when one considers the sort of dark magic he could produce to obliterate even the most steadfast of defences or the way he could evade some potentially career-ending tackles. Read | The Roman tragicomedy of Paul Gascoigne at Lazio Laudrup was by no means the sole reason behind Rangers’ impressive record-equalling feat, even if his goal turned out to be what nudged them over the line. So much had been achieved by others before him in laying the foundations. By the same token, it is undeniable to even the most bullish of fans – and the rest of the hard-working and talented players – that without him amidst their ranks, they would never have gone on to do what they did. He was the extra bit of juice needed to power them over the line. He was the flash of inspiration at all the right moments. He was their talisman and he was also the evidence, if any had ever been needed, that Rangers could attract the best players around, even without replicating their excellent form in the Champions League or UEFA Cup. To cement that famous nine-in-a-row era, Rangers relied on Laudrup’s goals more than anyone else. That 1996-97 campaign saw him bag 16 goals in 33 league games – the second-highest in the league that season behind Celtic’s Jorge Cadete – a large chunk of the 45 he wound up scoring in a Rangers shirt in total. Most people recognise that he was an exceptional player, but his brilliance didn’t merely shine through because he was playing in a league that was easy for him to dominate. Even if someone held the belief that the former Milan man was benefitting from being a superstar in a league populated by duds, the fact remains that he was a phenomenal talent. He knew it, too, and simply got on with the task of being the best he could with the one club who was wise enough to have faith in him, and to give him the responsibility of being their creative crux, the guy who was always ready and able to manufacture something marvellous. No doubt about it, Laudrup had confidence in himself – he knew he was good enough to deserve a regular berth in any team’s starting line-up and that he shouldn’t be playing second fiddle to anyone. Rangers might have started out as a necessary destination to give him what he wanted, but as time passed by, they turned out to be much more than that. They were the club where he made history, built a legacy and gave himself the platform his incredible talents deserved. His time there is a detailed tapestry that tells the story of a player’s unwarranted exile from the bright lights of continental football and the high stakes all that offered, but it’s also a narrative which turned out to be one of the most noteworthy career u-turns in the history of the game thanks to a whole lot of perseverance, guile and flair. Whether talk centres on his three Scottish Premier League titles, the two cup triumphs or the many majestic moments like his stunningly great goal against Aberdeen in ’96 that saw him run half the length of the pitch with the ball at his feet before swerving past one defender, then rounding the goalkeeper before finally side-footing into the back of the net, squeezing his effort between the near post and covering defender on the line, it’s clear that he showered the Scottish game, and Rangers history, with so many shows of artistry. There will always be arguments for other players to rightfully claim ownership of the greatest import the Scottish game has seen, but the coup de grâce argument in his favour is that Laudrup lent a mastery and perfection to the game that had never been witnessed there before, despite how underrated he was in his time as an active player outside of Rangers. In football, originality means a great deal – there are always comparisons made between the modern-day stars and those who came before, so it is never easy for a coach or player to stand out from the crowd without seeing their talents mentioned in the same breath as their predecessors. There are always benchmarks to be aimed for. Understandably for many, though, Laudrup is that target. Whenever a new star from abroad comes to play in the top tier of Scottish football, it is with hopes of emulating the Gers legend that they travel to play. Whenever a Rangers winger slaloms their way down the touchline or produces an enviable bit of skill, whether it’s the words of commentator, a nostalgic shout from fan in the stands or the flash of a fond memory in your own mind – there is often a throwback to Laudrup, the trophies he won, the unrivalled grace he gave Scottish football, and the way he did it By Trevor Murray @TrevorM90

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4234702/Neil-McCann-taking-flak-stride-pundit.html Neil McCann on why his rows with Rangers managers and taking 'vile' abuse on the streets won't stop him from making his point as a pundit Former Hearts, Rangers and Scotland winger is now a pundit for Sky Sports He insists move to Ibrox back in 1998 was a 'no-brainer' despite controversy McCann was recently involved in a spat with Mark Warburton over his analysis However, 42-year-old prides himself on being able to back up his criticism By Hugh Macdonald For The Scottish Daily Mail PUBLISHED: 00:09, 18 February 2017 | UPDATED: 00:09, 18 February 2017 e-mail View comments For a winger who made his name through his powers of evasion on the pitch, Neil McCann has no time for what he calls the ‘dance around’ off it. He has an in-built aversion to verbal sparring. ‘Given my background of going to Rangers as a Catholic, you get barbed questions and a dance around, so I learned to be very guarded — but I am straightforward in my opinions,’ he says. In his role as an analyst and co-commentator for Sky Sports, McCann is all of this and more. He is the presumed one-time Celtic fan that many Celtic fans target for abuse, he is the one-time Rangers player who has had a public row with a recently departed Rangers manager. Neil McCann, alongside Alex McLeish and Gordon Strachan, is now plying his trade as a pundit McCann shares a joke with old Ibrox team-mate Marvin Andrews but he takes his role seriously There is no sign that any of this has discomfited McCann, who sits in an Edinburgh coffee house and sets out his priorities with quiet deliberation and cool certainty. When he is pressed on his ability to make a statement or a decision and then to take flak, he accepts this as valid, but only to a certain extent, pointing out that what may to many be seen as his biggest decision — the move to Rangers — was a ‘no-brainer’. ‘The biggest decisions in my career were leaving home and waiting for a train to Dundee with my dad when I was 16, then deciding to join Hearts when I could have gone to Austria in 1996. I don’t have regrets about either of them, both shaped my future.’ RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Former Rangers defender Craig Moore is a surprise contender...Rangers told by Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers that they need...Philippe Senderos far from satisfied by his error-strewn...Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers sad to see 'outstanding' Mark... SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share But surely signing for Rangers in 1998 was a hugely difficult decision? ‘It wasn’t. It was a no-brainer,’ he says. ‘I knew what was at stake, growing up in Port Glasgow as a Catholic. But I was ecstatic. I was delighted first of all because I repaid Jim Jefferies (Hearts manager) and the club. I said I would pay him back when he signed me. We won the Scottish Cup and I earned £2million for the club in a transfer fee. I remember Jim asking me: “What if Celtic come in for you?” I said: “I want to go to Rangers”. Jim said: “Really?” Really, indeed. So why did McCann embrace a move that he knew would place him in the very eye of the storm? ‘There was something about the club at that time,’ he says, citing the manager, Dick Advocaat, and players such as Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Arthur Numan, Andrei Kanchelskis, Barry Ferguson, Rod Wallace, Lorenzo Amoruso and Craig Moore. ‘It was an easy decision. There were feelings about what could happen outside of football. But I couldn’t give a damn. I was going because it was an amazing football move. The whole religion stuff had no relevance to me, to what I was doing for my career and what I could do at Rangers. ‘I remember sitting at my first press conference and the first question was: “What is it like to sign for Rangers when you are a Celtic fan”. People assume you’re a Celtic fan because of your religion. I just looked at him. I thought: there’s the start of it. But I had the time of my life.’ He adds: ‘I wasn’t a Dundee or Hearts fan, but I became one when I signed for them. It was the same at Rangers.’ McCann won three league titles, two league cups and four Scottish Cups to add to the one he had lifted at Hearts in 1998. The most famous moment of his Rangers career came in 1999 when he scored two goals as he helped his side win the title at Celtic Park in a hugely controversial match even by the standards of the fixture. McCann, despite being labelled a Celtic fan, was signed by Dick Advocaat for Rangers in 1998 Rangers winger McCann was soon to make his mark against his club's bitter rivals Celtic ‘I went around Stewart Kerr (Celtic goalkeeper) and knocked the ball into the empty net and my momentum took me towards the Celtic fans,’ he says of the goal that clinched a 3-0 victory. ‘I was wheeling around the back of the goal and Hugh Dallas (the referee) was tugging at me saying: “If you don’t get back on to the park, I will have to send you off”. I thought: “I have made a mark in Rangers history”.’ Other less welcome dents followed. ‘My car and house were bricked that night but, thankfully, my family and I weren’t there.’ He is also aware of the enduring depth of feeling towards him by some Celtic fans. ‘Some of the stuff that is said to me is astonishing. People in their forties and fifties, who could be lawyers, teachers or whatever do or say some vile things,’ he says. Some of the stuff said to me is astonishing. People in their forties or fifties ... do or say some vile things He is philosophical about all of this, content to consider the substance of his career. He thanked Jefferies for improving him as a player by giving the manager one of his first Scotland jerseys. He repaid Advocaat at Rangers with goals, assists and an influential role in a title-winning team. Rangers moulded him as a player, a coach, a commentator and a personality. ‘I loved the training, I loved the discipline. I loved the tactical sense. It cultivated my ideas of the game.’ Approached by Sky seven years ago to analyse and co-commentate, his recent observations on Rangers striker Joe Garner drew a testy response from Mark Warburton, then the Englishman’s manager. McCann was ill-informed and short-sighted, said Warburton. McCann does not take a step back. ‘I was honest and factual with my comments on Joe Garner and I was honest about Mark’s signings. My views on Garner were backed by statistics and by examples of what I said he wasn’t doing in games. This is not personal, but professional. I am not ill-informed. I do my homework, it’s important to me.’ McCann (left) had caught the eye as part of Hearts' Scottish Cup-winning side from 1998 After his move to Rangers, the trophies kept on coming for McCann, including the title in 2003 He accepts, though, the realities of working in the media. ‘You are going to upset people. You are going to have to meet them in corridors or whatever. I have no fear of that. ‘Sometimes, you feel certain managers and players dislike you or dislike what you have said but I would like to think that the majority of them would sit down and say: “It is his opinion and he is backing it up”. These are not throwaway comments. I try to support them with substance. ‘I have had a frank discussion with Mark and it ended fine. I have seen him since. I know how he feels about what I said, but [about] me as a person? I’ve no idea. I have no problem with him. I thought the analysis was accurate. ‘I try not to court controversy, but I don’t step back from it if it means I have to be honest, otherwise you lose credibility. I won’t retreat because I might upset people, but I do believe there’s a way of saying things. I always try to be constructive.’ In the febrile atmosphere of Scottish football, he is aware that his past means his present is presented with a background of light blue. ‘I would like to think I am impartial. You don’t play for teams and not have an affection for them, but I call it down the line. I have criticised Rangers, I have criticised Hearts and I have praised Celtic,’ he says. I wanted to be sitting in a TV studio in the position that people couldn't question my credentials There is no air of anguished justification about this. McCann simply believes in doing the job to the satisfaction of his employers and of himself. He talks about ‘arming’ himself for his television appearances. He is an avid reader and collector of statistics, believing ‘you must be able to back up your opinions’. He is also the holder of a UEFA Pro Licence and has coached at Dunfermline. ‘I wanted to be sitting in a TV studio in the position that people couldn’t question my credentials. I have been through the coaching badges that all top coaches have,’ he says. He is more than content at Sky, now travelling down to England for Premier League matches, but he insists: ‘I love Scottish football. I will defend it strongly.’ His career from football to commentating has been seamless in one respect. Its drives and motivations have been constant. ‘I believe in hard work. Be disciplined. Do your homework. You have to have details. I have always been that way inclined. You have to do things right, 100 per cent.’ In this, he has not travelled far from the boy who stood at Port Glasgow railway station ready to embark on a playing career that spanned two decades. The dad who stood beside him then would later watch his son regularly. ‘He would tell me: “Well done today, you played well”. But often I would say to him: “No Dad, I didn’t. I wasn’t good enough”.’ That striving boy remains his own man.

Is it just me or is Hyndman starting to sound a bit Scottish already?

Vitor Pereira is out of a job.

Dear god i hope not. I'd 100 % start Senderos over Kiernan, if he starts then we're losing multiple goals guaranteed. He makes my head hurt just thinking about his positioning.

He also seems a genuine threat at set pieces, something we've not had in the last year or so since prob darren mcgregor?

Kiernan will always cost us goals. Just looking at the Inverness match they should have been one up after 2 mins when his positioning caused a free header on goal. When they got played through one on one he was all over the place, had no idea whatsoever what to do. I truly believe if Warbs tries to persevere with him it'll cost him his job. Utterly bonkers giving him a new contract.

Just seen he was in SPFL back four of the week and have to agree that he has been excellent the last few times i've seen him. He was solid against Ross county when he got elbowed right in the face(haven't heard anything about that since funnily enough). Thought the same against Aberdeen and also against Inverness. He doesn't work well with Kiernan although i think Maldini would have trouble with him. With him and Wilson as our CB's i feel fairly confident that we'll limit the opposition.

Anyone elses Rangerstv not started yet???

Gersnet done a fantastic article on it a few weeks back. http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/news-category/current-affairs/638-attack-attack-attack It's 'attack, attack, attack!' 'It's the most exciting football we've ever seen at the club. We used to get caught on the break at times, but that's the style of football -- score more goals than the opposition'. Such was the testimony of Brentford fans when curious bears asked, "what's he like?" At the time it was exactly what we wanted to hear. After several years of slow, ponderous, route-one football of the McCoist era, it was time for something more progressive, more proactive -- something more fitting, in the world of tiki-taka. But, the honeymoon ended. The 3-1 defeat to St Johnstone was as comprehensive a defeat as we'd seen since Warburton and Davie Weir entered the hallowed halls of Ibrox. There were rumblings among the support that, perhaps, Warburton's "attack, attack, attack" philosophy was too naive for a title-chasing team. After all, the gaffer's continued refrain is 'plan B is to do plan A better'. It's admirable, but does it lack the pragmatism required to win titles? The perception from these rumblings is that Warburton is too stubborn in his approach; too unwilling to change when change is required. This is not strictly true. Sure, his philosophy is proactive, concerned with dominating possession and taking the game to the opposition. But within this framework, within which this philosophy is executed, he has demonstrated an ability to tinker with his formations. In his first season with Brentford in League One, Warburton chose an offensive 4-3-3 formation. This formation featured two adventurous number 8's, two aggressive wingers who always looked to stretch the play, and a roaming centre-forward. It was an aggressive approach that sought to dominate games, and achieve promotion. This equates nicely with our own approach this past season: an aggressive approach that sought to achieve promotion. For all it's defensive flaws, it worked. When it came to Brentford's Championship season, Warburton tinkered; trying 4-1-4-1 and a defensive 4-3-3. Eventually, he settled on a 4-2-3-1. Of course, Warburton is never going to deviate from his favoured style -- attack, attack, attack! -- but by adopting a slightly different shape he added defensive stability. The proof is in the pudding, and a play-off spot in what is an extremely competitive league would suggest it was an unmitigated success. From a Rangers point of view, it may be likely that, as we make the step up to the Premiership, we will see the more defensively stable 4-2-3-1 being adopted as our default formation. It's clear that Warburton's chosen formations are all variations on the same 4-3-3. The 4-1-4-1 just has deeper wingers, and the 4-2-3-1 has two number 6's instead of one. In many ways not a lot changes: He still likes three attackers in the final third, the fullbacks will always push on, and there will always be a three-man midfield. But in other ways, it is quite different. In the middle -- whether that's a 1-2 (as in the 4-3-3) or a 2-1 (as in the 4-2-3-1) -- logically, the roles of the midfield trio are completely different. That is because the triangles are different, the zones in which the midfielders operate are different, and the transitions, from defense to attack, are different. The 4-3-3 transitions, from back to front, into a 2-3-2-3 shape -- we see this at Rangers, with the Fullbacks pushing on to appear in-line with Ball, with Holt and Halliday in front, and then we have the 3 up top -- which eventually transitions into a 3-4-3 shape when the team is ready to attack the final third -- Ball staying back, with the Fullbacks creating a 4 in midfield with Halliday and Holt. The 4-2-3-1 in contrast transitions, from back to front, from a 4-4-1-1 to eventually end up in a 2-4-4 attacking shape. The way in which the general framework moves in transitions has an influence on the midfield triangles. In the 4-3-3, the 2 in the 1-2 midfield shape are playmakers (Halliday and Holt), while the Wingers move in-field and the Fullbacks push on to provide width. The 1, the DM, will stay back to provide a solid defensive unit. In the 4-2-3-1, the double pivot are required to stay back and provide the defensive stability, while the Number 10, Wingers and Fullbacks push forward. Because there are 2 pivots, they will tend to have 2 distinct roles: one will be the ball-winner, holding his position and providing the base for the rest of the team; while another will be the ball-player, responsible for dictating play and pulling the strings from deep. The double pivot that epitomised this distinction was Alonso and Mascherano at Liverpool. While Mascherano would tenaciously hunt and regain the ball, Alonso (still playing deep) would dictate play, pinging balls every which way. Another would be Gattuso and Pirlo in the Milan side of the early 00's. One is the ball-winner, the other the ball-player. Moreover, the advanced playmaker -- the 1 in the 2-1 shape -- will have more license to get into the box. To use the Liverpool example, Gerard epitomised this role. He starts deeper (from between the lines) but he is always looking to either work the channels and free space for the main striker, or burst into the box himself if the striker starts to drift out wide. Not just an advanced playmaker, but almost a second-striker. Rangers signings thus far have hinted at this shift in both shape and roles. Joey Barton has been the 'marquee' signing for Rangers, and his role for Burnley fits seamlessly into the 4-2-3-1. Barton is tenacious, gutsy and an excellent tackler and reader of the game. It is quite easy to see him in the role of the ball-winner at Rangers. The fact that he can also play the ball-player role too is good news for Rangers. The other signing thus far also fit into this shape. Jordan Rossiter is a player that plays deep, again a decent ball-winner, but is also a crisp and accurate passer of the ball. Again, we have another player that can play both roles. Matt Crooks, while not being the ball-player, can easily fit into the ball-winner role. Warburton has shown a preference for fluidity and versatility. Therefore, it makes sense for him to target players that can play in a certain system (4-2-3-1), while also being able to play a variety of roles within it. Again, the signing of Josh Windass fits into this different advanced-playmaker role described above. Despite being defined as a Number 10, he has played as a striker for Accrington Stanley, as well as on the wing. He is a versatile player, but it is easy to imagine Windass in the advanced-playmaker role, bursting from in-between the lines to cause danger in the box. It also helps that we already have a player in Jason Holt that is tailor-made for this role too. Plan B will always be to do plan A better. Warburton will always want to see his teams dominate the football with a possession-based, attacking style. But that doesn't mean he can't, or won't, change. At Brentford, despite continuing with the attacking style, he demonstrated that he can change the framework, or shape, within which this style is executed. By shifting to a 4-2-3-1, he added defensive stability to a attacking style for his first campaign in the English Championship. Rangers' signings thus far (Barton, Rossiter, Crooks and Windass) hint at the possibility of this change happening again. Attacking aggressively when you can dominate, but adding that defensive stability when it is required.

Wonder if Jordan Rossiter is in the same boat as the rest ala not starting pre-season til the 30th of June.

Aye he did. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/rangers/7183388/Mark-Warburton-joy-at-netting-Joey-Barton.html

Shocking behavior

Dunno. She's on a tweet deleting spree right now, there's one where she admits being a celtic fan("i'm a tim") contantly referring to Rangers as sevco the whole fucking works really. She's as rabid as it gets.

Murray Scougall https://www.sundaypost.com/news/scottish-news/rangers-fan-needs-one-signature-every-nine-row-player-shirt/ A FOOTBALL fan is within touching distance of completing an incredible challenge. John Irwin has travelled the world trying to have every player who featured in Rangers’ nine-in-a-row campaign between 1988 and 1997 to sign his favourite football jersey. Eighty-six footballers featured for the Ibrox side during that time and John needs just one more signature – but he has no idea where the player is! The 65-year-old Glaswegian only needs to meet Russian striker Oleg Salenko, who had a brief spell in Glasgow in 1995, to end a seven-year adventure that has seen him travel tens of thousands of miles. “The last I heard of him was three years ago when he fainted, live on Ukrainian TV, while working as a football pundit,” John said. “Since then I’ve heard nothing and no one seems to know anything. “If anyone happens to have information, I’d be grateful to speak with them.” John with Dale Gordon In the past two years John has visited America, Dubai, Norway, France and Ireland, adding air miles to the well-used passport that’s previously taken him to war-torn Israel and Ukraine, Holland, Denmark and Sweden – not to mention hundreds of hours on the road throughout Britain. “The trips are very stressful,” John admitted. “There’s often a language barrier and even though I try to arrange things in advance it’s still difficult, as is the travelling.” Pensioner John works on a strict budget, funding his trips by selling football memorabilia including match-worn items given to him by current players such as Kenny Miller. He also suffers from poor health, making journeys extra taxing. John with Rangers boss Mark Warburton “Basile Boli was recently made sports co-ordinator at Marseille, so I took the overnight bus to London on Friday night, flew on the red eye to Marseille on Saturday morning, travelled on several buses and metros in the city, and didn’t get home until 1am on Tuesday morning, exhausted,” he said. “When I got to the stadium there was security around the perimeter, so I could only get into the ticket office, where staff took it for him to sign. “I like to take a picture of each player with the jersey but they wouldn’t allow it, so I’ll have to go back another time for that. “I waited outside the ground after the game until 1am hoping I’d see him come out.” Rangers’ Oleg Salenko in action, 1995 (SNS Group) Other trips are more rewarding. He visited Phoenix, where former defender Dave Robertson invited him to his house for dinner. And when he went to Norway, former youth player Lee Robertson took him out for the evening and his wife drove John to the airport the following morning. A trip to Australia to meet Stuart Munro was too much for John’s wallet or his health, so he posted the shirt instead. “It took about a month to come back to me and the whole time I was nervous. It was a last resort because Stuart told me he wasn’t coming back here anytime soon.” Once John has Salenko’s autograph, he wants to ask a relative of the late Davie Cooper to be the last signature. He added: “The plan is to finish it before the 20th anniversary of nine in a row next year and my dream is to parade the strip on the Ibrox pitch.”