Poverty Stricken...

[WaltersGotStyle 160]

So yet again I wander in to my local newsagent only to find Rangers financial affairs plastered across the back pages which incidentally is a stark contrast to stories currently being published about our rivals. Seems to me that if you are to believe the papers we are in no better position than we were in this time last year.

Walter has made it clear Rangers can no longer afford to try and compete with the big boys in the transfer market. Gone are the days of the blue chip signings instead we must accept our best chance of success is to ensure our youngsters are making the grade for the future years. This is where my anguish ends and my optimism takes over. Rangers over the past couple of years have been lucky to have had the good fortune of Champions League income where our rivals have not. Now don't get me wrong our debt level is still considerably higher than other SPL clubs, however the income taken through our European exploits has improved the situation beyond what we could ever comprehend. This brings me to my analysis of affairs over the road.

Our rivals are currently being linked with some relatively big signings, now I don't by any means mean these are "WOW" signings but in Scottish league terms they seem to be financially above what we as a club are willing to spend. It seems to me our rivals are in a similar position to what we were in after the Le Guen era... Walter came in and spent a good bit of money albeit a large chunk coming from the sale of certain players i.e. Hutton, Cuellar, but in the end Rangers outgoings were far greater than their incomings as we desperately tried to stamp our dominance once again on Scottish Football. This looks to be the direction in which our rivals are heading as their incomings are not exactly great with European income looking unlikely for another year. They invested last year and they seem to be willing to back their latest goblin to the hilt.

I understand many Rangers fan are dismayed at the current lack of activity on the transfer front but I must reiterate that Celtic are speculating in hope of accumulating... if we keep our ship tight over the next few years and manage to ensure that they do not gain access to the honey pot that is the Champions League we will not be the ones in precarious financial situation but instead it will be those in the green and grey who are offloading their players in a manner which no one will see coming.

So I say let them spend heavily as I don't see the current managerial staff as being capable of out witting the old fox just yet, don't panic as if we were to believe the papers we would be playing the youth team this year and continue supporting the team this year as it could well be a turning of the tide where our rivals realise that spending big with no guarantee of European football is just not feasible in today's climate.

NO SURRENDER.

[Frankie 505]

An excellent appraisal of the situation.

There is no doubt Celtic, IF they make the expensive signings they've been linked to, will embark on the same high risk strategy we've experienced over the last number of years.

It's up to us to ensure they're not successful while also learning from the mistakes their board made by not strengthening to maintain their success.

[DarcheVinny 1,003]

my thoughts exactly. NO SURRENDER is what we need

[WaltersGotStyle 160]

a shameless bump

[fiddyp 15]

EXACTLY the same as last year. Let the mhedia write what they want. Walter will go about his business with the same degree and continue to do things to the contrary and WE WILL DO OUR TALKING ON THE PITCH.

[gandhisflip 5]

EXACTLY the same as last year. Let the mhedia write what they want. Walter will go about his business with the same degree and continue to do things to the contrary and WE WILL DO OUR TALKING ON THE PITCH.

Whilst i agree with a lot of what you say i still fail to understand why with a wage bill now of approx £18m and an estimated tunrover of c.£50m we are unable to offer many of our key assets extended contracts. For all Celtic are no doubt going to have to speculate we will have another pile of "key" players leaving for SFA next summer as Lloyds and our senior management lead us on this seemingly blind dance.

Sign up "key" players now and at least ensure they have a market value next year, Thomson, Miller etc.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

EXACTLY the same as last year. Let the mhedia write what they want. Walter will go about his business with the same degree and continue to do things to the contrary and WE WILL DO OUR TALKING ON THE PITCH.

Whilst i agree with a lot of what you say i still fail to understand why with a wage bill now of approx £18m and an estimated tunrover of c.£50m we are unable to offer many of our key assets extended contracts. For all Celtic are no doubt going to have to speculate we will have another pile of "key" players leaving for SFA next summer as Lloyds and our senior management lead us on this seemingly blind dance.

Sign up "key" players now and at least ensure they have a market value next year, Thomson, Miller etc.

The only "key" player I feel we have is Thomson, the rest in their final year I feel could/should be allowed to leave at the end of this season.

[papaguy51 912]

I try to look at it as positively as I can, but the fact is that Celtic won't be as bad as last year.

They have a manager that will get them fighting for everything and they've signed three players which improve the squad already. We have lost 25 goals a year and not replaced it and it looks like we'll lose more.

We have a massive fight on our hands here unless we start showing some urgency, originality and creativity in the transfer market.

[WaltersGotStyle 160]

I try to look at it as positively as I can, but the fact is that Celtic won't be as bad as last year.

They have a manager that will get them fighting for everything and they've signed three players which improve the squad already. We have lost 25 goals a year and not replaced it and it looks like we'll lose more.

We have a massive fight on our hands here unless we start showing some urgency, originality and creativity in the transfer market.

Your right the signing of Ledley and the young Mexican show they mean business, I do hope we can bring in a couple of quality players but right now it doesn't look likely.

Seems to me Smith does not want to look out with the SPL...

On another note I saw James McArthur in Braehead at the weekend should have asked him if he was going to be a Gers player next season

[KingKirk 25,746]

As davis says its us against the world

[Ozblue 4,331]

We might have no money but poverty stricken we are not.Although I am far from impressed by the events at Ibrox over the last few years and by the apparent total disintegration of our assets into the Murray web of finances, I am confident that as a team, we will give our best in the coming season.

Why Walter Smith has been driven to say the things about our finances is anybody's guess,considering the alleged statements made by the Chairman and Martin Bain in the past few weeks about how we will have finances available to strengthen the squad.

The only thing I can say with total confidence is that Rangers has been part of my life for close on 62 years and that no matter who is Manager or Chairman or Owner or who plays for us in the future, great or ordinary, I'll Follow follow Rangers with pride, passion and faith until the day I die.

No Surrender....EVER.

[gandhisflip 5]

EXACTLY the same as last year. Let the mhedia write what they want. Walter will go about his business with the same degree and continue to do things to the contrary and WE WILL DO OUR TALKING ON THE PITCH.

Whilst i agree with a lot of what you say i still fail to understand why with a wage bill now of approx £18m and an estimated tunrover of c.£50m we are unable to offer many of our key assets extended contracts. For all Celtic are no doubt going to have to speculate we will have another pile of "key" players leaving for SFA next summer as Lloyds and our senior management lead us on this seemingly blind dance.

Sign up "key" players now and at least ensure they have a market value next year, Thomson, Miller etc.

The only "key" player I feel we have is Thomson, the rest in their final year I feel could/should be allowed to leave at the end of this season.

Thomson, Kenny Miller, Lee McCulloch, Neil Alexander, Danny Wilson, Andy Webster, Andrius Velicka or Sasa Papac.

When i say "key" in this instance i mean first teamers with a good sell-on value. Of that lot Thomson, Miller, Wilson, Webster and Papac would be must re-signs on that basis. All worth at least a couple of million quid in the market place so it makes no business sense whatsover not to sign them up.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,684]

When was the last time you could believe anything that is printed in the Scottish mhedia ? L - O - N - G time ago ! Take it all with a pinch of salt. You've got nearly another 5 weeks to listen to this shite before a ba' is kicked in earnest, deal with it ! Fcuk 'em !

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

EXACTLY the same as last year. Let the mhedia write what they want. Walter will go about his business with the same degree and continue to do things to the contrary and WE WILL DO OUR TALKING ON THE PITCH.

Whilst i agree with a lot of what you say i still fail to understand why with a wage bill now of approx £18m and an estimated tunrover of c.£50m we are unable to offer many of our key assets extended contracts. For all Celtic are no doubt going to have to speculate we will have another pile of "key" players leaving for SFA next summer as Lloyds and our senior management lead us on this seemingly blind dance.

Sign up "key" players now and at least ensure they have a market value next year, Thomson, Miller etc.

The only "key" player I feel we have is Thomson, the rest in their final year I feel could/should be allowed to leave at the end of this season.

Thomson, Kenny Miller, Lee McCulloch, Neil Alexander, Danny Wilson, Andy Webster, Andrius Velicka or Sasa Papac.

When i say "key" in this instance i mean first teamers with a good sell-on value. Of that lot Thomson, Miller, Wilson, Webster and Papac would be must re-signs on that basis. All worth at least a couple of million quid in the market place so it makes no business sense whatsover not to sign them up.

Based on their ages I disagree about them becoming players with a good sell on value.

Wilson had been offered a new contract which he's apparently refused, and Webster, to me, has to prove himself this season that he deserves a new contract due to him being out for such a long period of time excluding his loan spell at Utd.

Part of me thinks that possibly Walter has come out and said this actually hoping to receive offers for some of them.

[baxters11 8]

EXACTLY the same as last year. Let the mhedia write what they want. Walter will go about his business with the same degree and continue to do things to the contrary and WE WILL DO OUR TALKING ON THE PITCH.

Whilst i agree with a lot of what you say i still fail to understand why with a wage bill now of approx £18m and an estimated tunrover of c.£50m we are unable to offer many of our key assets extended contracts. For all Celtic are no doubt going to have to speculate we will have another pile of "key" players leaving for SFA next summer as Lloyds and our senior management lead us on this seemingly blind dance. Sign up "key" players now and at least ensure they have a market value next year, Thomson, Miller etc.

The only "key" player I feel we have is Thomson, the rest in their final year I feel could/should be allowed to leave at the end of this season.

Thomson, Kenny Miller, Lee McCulloch, Neil Alexander, Danny Wilson, Andy Webster, Andrius Velicka or Sasa Papac.When i say "key" in this instance i mean first teamers with a good sell-on value. Of that lot Thomson, Miller, Wilson, Webster and Papac would be must re-signs on that basis. All worth at least a couple of million quid in the market place so it makes no business sense whatsover not to sign them up.

Based on their ages I disagree about them becoming players with a good sell on value.Wilson had been offered a new contract which he's apparently refused, and Webster, to me, has to prove himself this season that he deserves a new contract due to him being out for such a long period of time excluding his loan spell at Utd.Part of me thinks that possibly Walter has come out and said this actually hoping to receive offers for some of them.

[baxters11 8]

I believe the wily old fox is doing just that with his comments.

[Allanger 625]

Good post by the op. This last twelve months have left me bewildered. There has been so much misinformation and conflicting comments coming out of the club. We can only hope for the best for the coming season but I can't for the life of me understand why Walter would carry on for another season if he thought he could not strengthen the team, but then I think, why would the board release funds for Walter to spend on players if he is only going to be here one more term? I don't know how much input Ally will have in any players coming in as he is, apparently, going to inherit them for next season.I am totally confused and cannot second guess what is going on at present. Needless to say I am desperate for the start of the season but I do hold some serious misgivings over our ability to hold onto the title as things stand.

[fivestars 0]

An excellent appraisal of the situation.

There is no doubt Celtic, IF they make the expensive signings they've been linked to, will embark on the same high risk strategy we've experienced over the last number of years.

It's up to us to ensure they're not successful while also learning from the mistakes their board made by not strengthening to maintain their success.

Im not so sure about that regarding Celtic being on the same high risk strategy as us. Not since the O'Neil days have they been spending outwith their means - their debt was fairly high but then they sharply cut costs and reduced it, and did it at a pretty shrewd time, before the financial crisis and before credit and debt became such millstones. I know Celtic fans who are raging they didnt spend a lot more money over the last two years to make sure they won the title, and to basically hammer nails into our coffin.

This "kick them when they are down" mentality is what led Murray to embark on financial suicide bac in the 90s - all the gloating, the tenner/fiver stuff, etc. It's stupid and short-sighted. I dont think the people running Celtic are that daft sadly. I dont think they will be changing that policy now. They might give Lennon a short term bump in the budget, but if they do that will mean less spending over the next few seasons to come. I think it's pretty clear they will be bringing in money through sales as well.

[cooper1989 0]

I try to look at it as positively as I can, but the fact is that Celtic won't be as bad as last year.

They have a manager that will get them fighting for everything and they've signed three players which improve the squad already. We have lost 25 goals a year and not replaced it and it looks like we'll lose more.

We have a massive fight on our hands here unless we start showing some urgency, originality and creativity in the transfer market.

Papa -- with all due respect -- Players (and people) only fight for causes they believe in? Lennon can fire them up... But it won't last. Cannot last. They cannot believe his BS? What do you think he will be saying? This guy (Lennon) cannot string a sentence together?

Wattie wins this battle hands down. Bring on #54.

[fivestars 0]

I try to look at it as positively as I can, but the fact is that Celtic won't be as bad as last year.

They have a manager that will get them fighting for everything and they've signed three players which improve the squad already. We have lost 25 goals a year and not replaced it and it looks like we'll lose more.

We have a massive fight on our hands here unless we start showing some urgency, originality and creativity in the transfer market.

Papa -- with all due respect -- Players (and people) only fight for causes they believe in? Lennon can fire them up... But it won't last. Cannot last. They cannot believe his BS? What do you think he will be saying? This guy (Lennon) cannot string a sentence together?

Wattie wins this battle hands down. Bring on #54.

Nobody knows how Lennon will turn out as a manager. If he has a significant financial advantage, then this will help negate any diffrence in experience or managerial nous. By and large, it's the teams who spend the most money who get the better players and tend to win titles. I dont think Lennon is an idiot either. Not the most likeable of fellows, but nobodies fool. I'd much prefer Mowbray in charge. I suspect you wouldnt need to be a managerial genius to improve them from last season, especially with a bit of cash to spend. Look at Souness - came in with no experience but lots of money to spend. He swept all before him in Scotland, despite going elsewhere in his career and proving to be a so-so manager.