How important is the SPL title now

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,982]

now its likely that the thread title will make people not even want to read it, but for those that do have a wee think of this

Scotlands european co-efficient is at one of its lowest points, probably not the lowest, but with Uefa's revamping of their competitions countries like ours may as well not have a co-efficient position.

Next season the SPL champions will have a tough qualifier for the group stages, with the likely chance that they wont get through, so it will be the drop to the europa league which isnt exactly financially beneficial.

So what do the SPL champs actually get, apart from bragging rights? League winning bonuses will likely end up in the players pocket for winning it.

Recently a few people on here have stated that winning the SPL is priority, so it needs to be done in whatever fashion, that was in reply to comments about the same starting 11 and the same performances week in week out in Rangers games.

Now of course everyone connected to the club, including the fans wants to see Walter Smith win the league in his final season at the club, and at the same time stop Neil Lennon winning the title for Celtic, but if it wasnt Smith in charge and Lennon in charge of that lot, would we feel the exact same way.

Recent performances have been nothing short of rotten, no applause for a good second half or anything, the fact we are only showing up for 45mins a game is nothing short of shocking, abysmal, pure and utter shite.

No other manager would put up with players like whittaker, mcculloch, davis etc all performing poorly week in week out, making the same mistakes time after time after time, without dropping them. Some say Smith cannot due to the small squad we have, but surely to god we have a young right back at the club that can be given a shot in place of whittaker, or a young wide midfielder who is pushing for a start in the first team?

If not then just what the fuck is happening at the club, I love Rangers like no other football club, i dont care for any other team, or any other result, Barca and real could play out a 10 all thriller and i wouldnt bat an eyelid, one result is all i give a fuck about every weekend and thats ours, but fuck me it is getting too much seeing the same simple things not being done at our club, high paid players unable to do things that you'd expect a sunday amateur team to do.

5 yards passes, competent first touches, set piece deliveries, intelligent movement, pressuring the ball, forcing the opposition to work, all of these things ive seen in every single rangers game this season, but for the most part it hasnt been us.

By all accounts this season win the league at all costs, dont give that wee shite lennon anything to celebrate and send Smith off on a high,

But unless we are taken over and become debt free, the rest of the SPL will continually get closer and closer to our level, so a radical overhaul of all methods used at Rangers may be required, bringing through our own youth, spotting the best youth in the SPl and snap them up, who knows,

Does McCoist have the creativity to change things or improve failing areas, who knows, only time will tell.

But imo we need something fresh and different injected into the club, because its only the middle of december and we look like we have ran out of ideas already

[Irwin Sparkes 97]

The idea that "bragging rights" over Celtic isn't really that important is utterly ridiculous

[JM1872 3,776]

The way i see it ..

Rangers Football Club - Same 11 every week - same old methods every week. To predictable for teams now

[Irwin Sparkes 97]

Just to add to my previous point; it's our lack of ambition that has led to this situation where some fans now seem to think that winning the title is mainly about qualifying for the CL, and that if there was no CL then it would be irrelevant whether or not we won it.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,982]

The idea that "bragging rights" over Celtic isn't really that important is utterly ridiculous

is it?

financially the title is worth fuck all if you fall at the first champions league qualifier,

look at alex ferguson at man united, went there when the club was in turmoil, started a plan of his own that was long term, done enough to keep his job with that FA cup win against palace, but when his plan began to bear fruit united ominated english football for almost a decade,

now they try to buy success, but while lumped with all that debt they are seriously struggling, and his goal of winning the european cup again looks further and further away

how many players have rangers brought through that have made a positive impact on the club, hutton, shagger and wilson thats all

forget burke, adam, mccormack or anyone else, we have had three major youth breakthroughs

that is fucking shite, and why is that, because as a club we are SCARED to try something different, we are SCARED to implement a long term plan, while sacrificing short term successes

[TheNuts 552]

we need to win this.

if celtic dont, the amount of money they have been spending, and their current standings will leave them seriously in the red.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,982]

I think people are panicking too much about the Qualifiers for the Champions League.

wether we get through them or not isnt the issue, the issue is that unless we do, the banks will not include the CL money in our proposed yearly budget, meaning we dont add to the squad until we get to the group stages

which is already difficult enough without freshening up the squad

we chased jelavic the whole summer because we knew the CL money was coming, i highly doubt we would have got him if we had a qualifier to play first

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,982]

we need to win this.

if celtic dont, the amount of money they have been spending, and their current standings will leave them seriously in the red.

but even if they do win it, by not getting to the group stages the following season could still leave them fucked,

the SPL is worthless unless you get the CL money, and with no direct entry to the group stages us and them might as well write off that money for a good while yet

[FTP 3]

So what do you propose?

I see a league win as imperative year on year as a lesser team in the CL will hamper the co-efficient worse. Where as if we get in and qualify then it can/will be boosted again.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,982]

So what do you propose?

I see a league win as imperative year on year as a lesser team in the CL will hamper the co-efficient worse. Where as if we get in and qualify then it can/will be boosted again.

but the team is gradualy getting worse and worse, and without money to improve it we need fresh ideas in terms of changing things

the thread about signing adam rooney is a prime example, one of the current top goalscorers in the SPL right now could be available on a free this summer, but no thanks he isnt rangers class apparently

what a load of pish, if we dont have anything decent enough coming through the youth ranks right now, then why not go for the SPL's brightest stars, because like it or not, another season of weir, whittaker, mcculloch etc might well end up being not good enough

there are players tearing us apart in the SPL, but apprently they arent rangers class??????

with this current squad imo we wouldnt qualify for the CL group stages,

[dc1872 2]

Good post

But the way I see it, we should be making every competition we're in the main priority and try to win them one game at a time with all our players giving 100%. I just hope, when McCoist comes in, if players don't give that 100% - drop them and give youth players the chance in the team, if the players aren't playing to their full potential - what do we have to lose?

[AndBoydScores 8]

Good post

But the way I see it, we should be making every competition we're in the main priority and try to win them one game at a time with all our players giving 100%. I just hope, when McCoist comes in, if players don't give that 100% - drop them and give youth players the chance in the team, if the players aren't playing to their full potential - what do we have to lose?

This is part of the problem really, even with players not playing to their full potential they have proven over the past couple of years that they are still better than anything that Scottish football can produce, so I for one can't see much change in the forseable future unfortunatly, and even with a new buyer coming in I just wonder what their ambitions are, going after an SPL team and will there really be enough money to help make us respectable in europe once more. hmmm!!

[1st_Jan_1994 4,868]

It's just as important as it's always been!

[Guardian 4,281]

If we hadn't won the last 2 leagues, I'm not sure Rangers would still exist. Thats how important winning the league is.

I haven't given a monkeys chuff how we won it, so long as we did. I'd love to see us winning it by playing great football with great players, but the reality is we needed the money.

That said, we can only do so much with the current squad, so we need european football to fund new players. We don't have enough, good enough, youth players to throw on.

I'm also worried that if we don't keep introducing new players gradually into the team, we'll end up having to do a Mowbray/Lennon and make wholesale changes, which is expensive and never works.

Thats not to mention the other benefits of winning the league this year. It effectively denies Celtic the opportunity of getting their noses into the CL cash trough and leaves them skint.

It will also put pressure on Lemon and give us bragging rights for another year. Make no mistake, they have gone out on a limb to finance their quest for the title this year and they will take a big hit if they fail.

So here's to our 3 in a row title party.

[caseyjones 3,009]

I think people are panicking too much about the Qualifiers for the Champions League.

Short memory! It's a lottery that we could do without.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,982]

If we hadn't won the last 2 leagues, I'm not sure Rangers would still exist. Thats how important winning the league is.

I haven't given a monkeys chuff how we won it, so long as we did. I'd love to see us winning it by playing great football with great players, but the reality is we needed the money.

did you read the full post

next seasons SPL champions arent guaranteed the money,

[caseyjones 3,009]

If we hadn't won the last 2 leagues, I'm not sure Rangers would still exist. Thats how important winning the league is.

No offence, mate, but that is nonsense.

We may not get the same 'leisure fans' attending, but too many people care to just let us sink without trace.

[Irwin Sparkes 97]

I have a better memory than most

I just think there is far too much scaremongering. Pish like 'Scotland will never have another team in the Champions League'

We never automatically qualified for the CL at any point during Walter's first spell or Advocaat's tenure. If we get new investment, we shouldn't fear qualifiers.

[caseyjones 3,009]

I have a better memory than most

I just think there is far too much scaremongering. Pish like 'Scotland will never have another team in the Champions League'

Aye, but Most has also forgotten the struggles we have had when needing to qualify. Hardly a great advertisement for allowing the co-efficient to drop any lower! Would you not agree?

[Irwin Sparkes 97]

Since 1992, we'd had CL qualifiers in 13 seasons and we've qualified in 8 out of those 13

It's not this fait accompli that no automatic qualification means no CL ever again

[caseyjones 3,009]

Since 1992, we'd had CL qualifiers in 13 seasons and we've qualified in 8 out of those 13

It's not this fait accompli that no automatic qualification means no CL ever again

Levski Sofia

AEK

Gothenburg

Fenerbahce

CSKA Moscow

Kaunas

8 from 14. A nigh on 50/50 chance each year doesn't allow us to plan ahead and budget accordingly. Still, if we beat the taigs, who cares.

[blueben_d 40]

Winning the league isn't just about getting CL money. That's crazy talk. It's about continuing our proud heritage and extending our records and indeed getting one over on the taigs.

No doubt about it the CL money helps but the club supposedly does not base financial plans on this so that money is a bonus that can be put to good use, whether you think it is or not is an entirely different topic.

I think the issue is that without this money the club will stand still while others progress

[NOLUWDC 1]

I think people are panicking too much about the Qualifiers for the Champions League.

The 3rd qualifying round has teams like Debrecen, Omonia Nicosia, TNS and the 4th qualifying round has Zilina, Salzburg, Partizan Belgrade... Teams we will probably beat, although of course there's a chance they can beat us.

I see it as a chance to get more co-efficient points.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,982]

Winning the league isn't just about getting CL money. That's crazy talk. It's about continuing our proud heritage and extending our records and indeed getting one over on the taigs.

No doubt about it the CL money helps but the club supposedly does not base financial plans on this so that money is a bonus that can be put to good use, whether you think it is or not is an entirely different topic.

I think the issue is that without this money the club will stand still while others progress

the thing is, are we sacrificing long term gains for short term successes

i want to win the league every single season, but if there was a chance we could lay the foundations for a decade of success, but lose 2 titles in a trot, then surely that is better now that there isnt auto entry to the group stages

[papaguy51 912]

It's a hard thing to quantify, but I think the last two league titles have been the most important for years and thankfully we've won them both.

Denying the scum of a fortune while reaping it in ourselves before things get a lot harder has been vital.