Colonel Mustard 380 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I consider Ally's start as our manager to be a bit of a disaster so far, mainly due to the European results, but also because I'm not encouraged by the way he has us playing. However, the jungle fighter himself also had a pretty inauspicious start to his reign, so there is always hope as long as we are patient.Jock's first season started badly. After the early League Cup games, we managed to lose three times in the League before September was finished, to Ayr, the tarriers and Killie. During this time, Wallace dropped our 2 talismen Colin Stein and Bud Johnston, both of whom were about to be controversially sold on.In a bold move, the manager had decided to go with a teenage rookie at centre forward, first using 18 year old DJ, then going with 19 year old newly born King of Ibrox Park Derek Parlane. He also brought in Cutty for Bud, but we were struggling for consistency.October was not too much better than the previous month, as we managed to lose to Stenhousemuir at Ibrox (in the 2nd leg of a LC tie), and drop more title points with a couple of draws. The inconsistent form then continued through Novemeber as we tumbled out of the LC to Hibs, before we started December with a League another loss to Hearts. Thankfully this proved to be a turning point, and we then went unbeaten for the rest of the season, winning 23 games (including the famous Scottish Cup final victory) and drawing 3. Unfortunately though, the bad first few months was to cost us the title as we finished second, a single point behind Celtic.Sadly, the euphoria of the 1973 Cup win quickly wore off, and we had to endure another tough season the next year, winning nothing and not even being 2nd best in the League. It was not until after this 2 year roller coaster ride that Big Jock finally brought home the bacon and replaced Celtic's dominance with a stranglehold of our own for a few years, and cemented his place as a Legend at Ibrox. I'd say that this goes to prove that a bad start doesn't always tell us a whole lot about how good a manager is going to be, and also that patience is often needed when it's not started well.So, maybe we should learn the lessons and be patient with Ally, no matter how the next few months go...although I know fine well how sore it is while we do the waiting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae 15,287 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Fortunately Ally is up against bugger all so he doesn't really have to be that good to deliver the championship. I would love to know what is in Whyte's mind ... does he regret giving McCoist the job and is he waiting for the first opportunity to sack him? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythebest 11,453 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Jock Wallace was well before my time, but the fact he was up against Jock Stein and the best team in Celtic's history must have allowed him a bit more leeway?Ally is against an average Scum side and a manager with argueably less coaching experience than himself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeautifulSeas 10 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 A Disastrous start for Ally? Top of the league? Hardly "disastrous" is it? If we had lost a few league games as well, maybe, but we haven't. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Mustard 380 Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 A Disastrous start for Ally? Top of the league? Hardly "disastrous" is it? If we had lost a few league games as well, maybe, but we haven't.Being out of Europe at this point IS disastrous.Davie White was sacked while we were top of the League, after we got pumped in Europe (I don't advocate that kind of reaction again, btw...I'm just saying). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmalade1872 40 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 i used to watch big jock take the training at the albion ,and do you know there was allways smiles on the players faces ,i wonder how many are smiling at murray park. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae 15,287 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 A Disastrous start for Ally? Top of the league? Hardly "disastrous" is it? If we had lost a few league games as well, maybe, but we haven't.It has to be said though we really did need that Champions League money Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae 15,287 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 i used to watch big jock take the training at the albion ,and do you know there was allways smiles on the players faces ,i wonder how many are smiling at murray park.Jock was really a mans man I think football players would naturally warm to someone like that Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
centenarystand 2,229 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Around the mid 80s i saw him at Johnstone RSC player of the year dance, sitting at the top table getting stuck into the gold watch, after the dinner he made a speech which ended with him leading into " The cry was No Surrender" the place was bouncing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben10 2,294 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Fortunately Ally is up against bugger all so he doesn't really have to be that good to deliver the championship. I would love to know what is in Whyte's mind ... does he regret giving McCoist the job and is he waiting for the first opportunity to sack him?I don't think Whyte has a clue what to do. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzzieBear 204 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Around the mid 80s i saw him at Johnstone RSC player of the year dance, sitting at the top table getting stuck into the gold watch, after the dinner he made a speech which ended with him leading into " The cry was No Surrender" the place was bouncing.I was also there that night. It was bouncing alright.I am sure it was a week before the "battle fever" league cup final against the "beggars".Near the end of the night (before the singalong) my mate went up to Jock at the top table and said. Jock we got to win next week (we had been at most games through the Grieg era - hence we were a bit starved of the taste of victory). Big jock grabbed him round the neck in a bear hug /head lock fashion and said "don't you worry son!). Not long after the cry went out from Jock, and the battle fever/singing started started (in johnstone anyway).The game was a week later one of the best for me.Never seen most of it for the cloud of dust that went up in the rangers end when we scored. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowcross 5 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I was also there that night. It was bouncing alright.I am sure it was a week before the "battle fever" league cup final against the "beggars".Near the end of the night (before the singalong) my mate went up to Jock at the top table and said. Jock we got to win next week (we had been at most games through the Grieg era - hence we were a bit starved of the taste of victory). Big jock grabbed him round the neck in a bear hug /head lock fashion and said "don't you worry son!). Not long after the cry went out from Jock, and the battle fever/singing started started (in johnstone anyway).The game was a week later one of the best for me.Never seen most of it for the cloud of dust that went up in the rangers end when we scored.Welcome to the site OzzieBear in Perth originally from Johnstone...!Long time no see mate, like 5 weeks..!Didn't take Sherlock long to suss you out pal...! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOAT 30,449 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 We're top of the league and unbeaten hardly the end of the world.Europe is a disgrace, but to even compare Ally to a manager who fought the title of the best team in The tarriers history is laughable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambyloyal 20 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 It has to be said though we really did need that Champions League moneyYou've got to spend money to make money, we were too slow out the traps at the begining of the window Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz52 11,837 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Hardly a disaster Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones 3,009 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I've only seen calls for McCoist's sacking from a handful of posters. The disastrous start has brought plenty of deserved criticism just as Wallace would have been getting way back then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzzieBear 204 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Welcome to the site OzzieBear in Perth originally from Johnstone...!Long time no see mate, like 5 weeks..!Didn't take Sherlock long to suss you out pal...! I would say it is more SHEERLUCK than Sherlock! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlippinEck 3,737 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Losing the next two tough games would lead to a lot of people starting to doubt mccoist. Two big games and it will be interesting to see how we approach them Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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