SirWalterSmithLegend 206 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/rangers_boss_ally_mccoist_faces_his_window_of_opportunity_and_the_result_is_crucial_1_2032460Having loudly and repeatedly said that he needs to freshen up his squad, Rangers manager Ally McCoist will this morning see the transfer window open.It is not overstating things to state that McCoist’s immediate future and that of the Ibrox club are dependent on the business Rangers do this January.McCoist has painted himself into a corner with statements such as: “I would like to strengthen forward areas – I feel we need to get one or two in, maybe more if we could.”Yet he is acutely aware that owner Craig Whyte is also between a rock and a hard place: “I have spoken to Craig and he knows what I would like in an ideal world, but very seldom does that happen.”Overshadowing everything at Ibrox is the forthcoming tax tribunal decision. One scenario is that Rangers lose the case and if, at that point, Celtic are still ahead in the SPL title race, Whyte might decide that there is no point in throwing more good money after bad, and put the club into administration this season.Rangers would be docked ten points, and the league title would almost certainly go to Parkhead. Top players would have to be sold but, with the club restructured and McCoist signing fresh new talent, the damage would not be long-lasting.The alternative scenario is that Rangers win the tax case, Whyte settles the outstanding smaller tax debts, and McCoist and his cohorts sign a couple of inspirational players who guide Rangers to their fourth-successive championship.In either scenario, signing players who will “animate” – McCoist’s word – the club and its supporters will be crucial over the next 31 days.As McCoist said: “There is no doubt it is an important window for us. Only time will tell how important. I think we all need a boost. It would be good to sign people.“There will be activity in both directions. I have been told if players leave I will get some of the money. I would hope that would allow me to buy a player that would animate the support because they need a boost as well.“If we don’t then we just have to get on with it. I would not be throwing my toys out of the pram. We have good players here and we would get on with it.“Given the importance of new signings, it is instructive to look at how Rangers conduct transfers and perhaps contrast their methods with their Old Firm rivals.McCoist’s biggest relationship is with owner Craig Whyte, and they clearly set the tone. Head scout Neil Murray, his assistant John “Bomber” Brown, head of football administration Andrew Dickson and director of football Gordon Smith – a former agent, it should be remembered – all have input.The modus operandi at Celtic is well established. Lennon and his coaches and scouts identify a player, with the manager always making the final decision on targets, and then chief executive Peter Lawwell, after consulting with the board – i.e. main shareholder Dermot Desmond rather than new chairman Ian Bankier – does the negotiations with agents, whether the deal goes through or not.At Rangers there appears to be a different way of doing things. “Negotiations are a bit of a team effort,” said McCoist. “There is nothing set in stone. Craig has done some and there are one or two we have done ourselves. The early negotiations with Lee Wallace, for example, were done by myself and Andrew.“Gordon is here to help me. [He] will come up to me with a list of players. He is very much a factor in helping me and the team.”The signings by the McCoist team so far have been mixed. Wallace and Dorin Goian have undoubtedly been rewarding, but the same surely cannot be said of Juan Manuel Ortiz, Alejandro Bedoya and Matt McKay – or been-and-gone triallists Sunil Chhetri and Jele Lalpekhlua, for that matter.In this most important month of McCoist’s fledgling managerial career, it is not just his acumen which will be tested. The whole “team” signing set-up at Ibrox will come under scrutiny. Rangers fans can only hope it is the right approach.-----------------------------------------------------Not sure if that is new news or groundbreaking stuff but it will certainly be interesting to some.......most notably, Gordon Smith giving names to Ally and our need to sell first in order to buy, which some had already expected. Has the big man played his last game for us or will he get a chance to say goodbye against the Well? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mithrandir713 8 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Misleading title. I would expect Gordon Smiths role to be this, with his experience and such. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirWalterSmithLegend 206 Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 Misleading title. I would expect Gordon Smiths role to be this, with his experience and such.Misleading in what way? I can change it. What fits best, scouting, finding, recommending? I thought the manager told the scouts what we needed and the scouts found what he needed, where does Gordon come into it? Too many cooks? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mithrandir713 8 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Maybe I'm looking for conspiracies, but my first reaction was that the title alluded to Mr Smith picking our playing team, rather than new additions.I don't think you can have too many cooks when scouting for players, it's the latter stages where the process gets fickle. This is the stage I hope Gordon would advise on how best to have proceedings run smoothly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlCapone 7,678 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 oh ffs...mak 2, is every cnut pished? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirWalterSmithLegend 206 Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 Maybe I'm looking for conspiracies, but my first reaction was that the title alluded to Mr Smith picking our playing team, rather than new additions.t I don't think you can have too many cooks when scouting for players, it's the latter stages where the process gets fickle. This is the stage I hope Gordon would advise on how best to have proceedings run smoothly.Got you, no, i didnt mean it that way, at all, and when you see the thread and its contents, it sort of explains itself. Certainly not by number of scouts, but by people getting in the way, that article talks of so many different people being involved in such an easy process, one has to wonder if Mr Smith is really needed but Ally did say, (Gordon) "comes to me with players" which i find very strange when we have Bomber and Neil Murray, both very close personal friends of Allys who should be going to the boss with players for positions he has asked for.I have changed the title mate, hopefully a bit clearer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibrox_Nights 429 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Leaving aside the debate about whether Ortiz is any good or not, (which if played in his proper position and given a bit of time I believe he would be) ...whoever it was that scouted / recommended him as a winger and to be played on either wing should never again be let loose on a scouting mission for Forfar, let alone Glasgow Rangers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirWalterSmithLegend 206 Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 oh ffs...mak 2, is every cnut pished?No, but you certainly seem to be! What you on about Al? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack The Flipper 5,936 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Didn't mention our best player this season - boca? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunslinger 270 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I expect the scouts report to Gordon then he speaks to ally. no biggie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmiston Drive 3,846 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Misleading title. I would expect Gordon Smiths role to be this, with his experience and such.He was a greedy so and so as an agent, alleged to have messed up a young player with Aberdeen because of his fee demand and that was only for negotiating a new contract. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmiston Drive 3,846 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I expect the scouts report to Gordon then he speaks to ally. no biggie.That could be a problem, remember years (yip) ago in English the teacher got 6 guys to go outside the room. He told a story , took one of us from class out and one of the 6 outside and got him to tell the guy the story, he then took the guy from out side back into class and told the story, story started to change as each guy came in and told the story as he was told it.So a scout watching a player then telling Gordon , well it can change when reaches Ally. Scout should give report after say 6 games for Ally to decide if he shall go and watch the player. Not the first time better managers than Ally have travelled to watch a player play midweek and be back for training next day. After all his neck on the line and all that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaguy51 912 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 So our scouting network is dependent on us losing players?Christ Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekweir29 505 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 What exactly does smith do it's an appointment I have understood why we employed him . Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgruntled_bear 157 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 As expected, further downgrading to recover our losses. It's going to get worse before it gets better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunslinger 270 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 That could be a problem, remember years (yip) ago in English the teacher got 6 guys to go outside the room. He told a story , took one of us from class out and one of the 6 outside and got him to tell the guy the story, he then took the guy from out side back into class and told the story, story started to change as each guy came in and told the story as he was told it.So a scout watching a player then telling Gordon , well it can change when reaches Ally. Scout should give report after say 6 games for Ally to decide if he shall go and watch the player. Not the first time better managers than Ally have travelled to watch a player play midweek and be back for training next day. After all his neck on the line and all that.I would be confident ally is just taking recommendations. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirWalterSmithLegend 206 Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 Didn't mention our best player this season - boca? Noticed that too. He has been our best signing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlippinEck 3,708 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I hear we are signing this guy to animate the fans... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I thought a manager sent his scouts out to watch a player he would like to sign? Are we the only club who does it the wrong way around? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creampuff 22,628 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 If the Jelavic deal is even close to completion - Jelavic will not play again.We will not risk the £10 Million transfer falling through. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wearethemighty 186 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I thought a manager sent his scouts out to watch a player he would like to sign? Are we the only club who does it the wrong way around?Apparently so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirWalterSmithLegend 206 Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 If the Jelavic deal is even close to completion - Jelavic will not play again.We will not risk the £10 Million transfer falling through.Most likely why he didnt play against Motherwell. Two members on here have already claimed he has played his last game. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzareyes 220 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I thought a manager sent his scouts out to watch a player he would like to sign? Are we the only club who does it the wrong way around?I thought it was the scouts that scout a competition, team, region etc. and then report their findings back to the manager, it is then the managers call whether or not to pursue the player based on the scouts report.Then again it really has everything to do with how much trust a manager puts in his scouting team. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmiston Drive 3,846 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I thought a manager sent his scouts out to watch a player he would like to sign? Are we the only club who does it the wrong way around?Ally was not in the scouts was in the BB Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirWalterSmithLegend 206 Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 I thought it was the scouts that scout a competition, team, region etc. and then report their findings back to the manager, it is then the managers call whether or not to pursue the player based on the scouts report.Then again it really has everything to do with how much trust a manager puts in his scouting team.The scouting team that Ally hired. His pals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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