Save Our Season

[H72 265]

The UEFA Champions League is for the cream of the crop. The top sides. The best teams in Europe. The best, and only the best.

Regardless of runners-up from particular nations dragging themselves with their fingernails to the promised land of the Group Stages, it is for the best. Malmo FF, however, are dross, but have earned their right to continue on fighting for the riches of the world's premier footballing competition; yet Rangers aren't much better, and quite frankly don't deserve to be there. A blind man is capable of seeing that this squad of players is extremely vulnerable at the present moment, as is everyone associated with Rangers Football Club, and it couldn't have come at a worse time. Alistair McCoist is as blue as you'll ever get - he bleeds the red, white and blue. He yearns for success every second of the day. He's a winner. But the Club's new 'come and see' transfer policy has already put him in a very dark place, as well as his own rookie mistakes thus far - which have always been expected. Early wobbles have escalated into disillusioned stutters and, if allowed to continue, will transcend into a disastrous fall. There can be no denying that.

The deeply-concerning pre-season performances of Germany to the disgraceful ill-disciplined mayhem in Malmo tonight have painfully accumulated and unfortunately seem to be taking their toll on the Rangers support in general. This isn't good enough, nor will it ever be. It has to change or this season will be one to forget for a very, very long time. There's no passion and there's no control, but most of all there's no quality. It's easy to point the finger at McCoist with regards to his team-selections, and quite rightly so, but the catalyst that can trigger change on the pitch, and in the dressing room, lies in the hands of a certain Mr. Craig Whyte.

By no means am I accusing of Whyte of having little money - the money used to tie down McGregor, Whittaker and Davis, as well as the cash spent on refurbishing large areas of Ibrox prove otherwise. The days of throwing around money carelessly are long gone which can only be good for the future of the world's most successful football club, yet the time has passed for the prudent approach of Rangers shown inside this summer transfer window. If this season is truly to be rekindled back into our favour then those responsible for dealings at Ibrox must go out and grab the required quality that is so obviously needed. Otherwise, I fear that we're in for a long season of under-achievement and humiliation.

There is strictly no time to haggle over an extra £200,000 anymore for a player the quality of Wesley Verhoek, for example. There is strictly no time to vocalise every transfer pursuit to the mass media any longer either. There is strictly no time left to let this situation slide further away than it already has - it must be addressed. McCoist needs to stop and have a look at what's going wrong and try to be his own man, instead of trying to emulate his predecessor and mentor.

But Mr. Whyte has the biggest decision of all to make: spend now or suffer later.

Clearly the budget is strict for a reason - and I would never have wanted it any other way - but Rangers are failing miserably and need to bring in bodies badly. If it means spending a little more than first expected, then it has to be sanctioned. I am absolutely certain that if the quality is signed this window and the funds are extended ever so slightly that Rangers will win this title, and who knows...we might even redeem ourselves in Europe. If the correct standard of player is brought in for the season of 2011/12, there should be no need to have to equal the spending required this season in the near future, for seasons to come.

Simply the best? Evidently, not on the pitch; but, with some urgency behind the scenes, there's no reason why Rangers can't be for a 4th consecutive year.

[Clemdog 39,389]

You're right Scott. But the parting words of a certain Mr Johnston ring heavily in my ears tonight.

Why do we find ourselves in this position? Our lack of quality. Bar two players at the cost of £2Million, we have the same line-up as we did last year. It simply isn't good enough.

We need to spend, and if you don't have that money now we are out the CL, tell us. I'm fed up of lies.

[StayWestFree 107]

Agree with pretty much all you have said.

We really need some bodies in. Attacking minded ones at that.

[Nicolas Cage 31]

I think we'll now go on a post-Kaunas-like spree in the transfer market. Whether that's the right thing to do depends on how much money Whyte has.