When the seagulls follow the trawler

[RockwellGers 14,710]

And there surely is the answer to your point. We are expected to move up two leagues in the next two seasons. That is the prize, the drive, the aim, whatever you want to call it. If we don't get there we will be slaughtered. Imagine Ally saying this or next season, 'aye we played some lovely stuff but finished 2nd'. It's all about the winning I'm afraid, anything else is romanticism and irrelevant.

Moving up the leagues is king of course but I can't agree that everything else is irrelevant. I would expect to see us able to play a decent passing game and function well as a unit. I don't think we do this well enough. It doesn't matter so much in this league we win anyway, but if we don't at least see the team begin to find this consistency, there will inevitably be unrest concerning next season

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

it is because they think that sardines will be thrown into the sea. This, perhaps the most famous aphorism in football, delivered by Eric Cantona after an appeal hearing at Croydon magistrates court has been widely quoted, puzzled over, ridiculed ever since. I took it to be an attack on the media, who circled Cantona looking for scraps of stories. Cantona treated them with the contempt they deserve and vowed to do his talking on the pitch.

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of his infamous 'assault' at Crystal Palace and regardless of what you think of the man as a person, Cantona was right in one thing. The media are always there looking for scraps, picking and pulling, noisy and irritating and ultimately parasitic. Without Cantona there was no story.

The seagulls have been flocking round Ibrox park in increasing numbers for the past few years, and the pickings have been rich indeed, more smoked salmon than sardines if truth be told. Infighting, claim, counterclaim, Whyte, Green, Irvine, Mather, King, Easedales, etc etc, the list of those who, fish in hand, feed the media is long, and, if truth be told, not very distinguished. The seagulls, Spiers, English, Keevins, Thomson have grown fat on the feast, but unsated continue to caw and shriek for more. They peck and poke at Rangers and regurgitate their bile into half-truths and lies which is published in the gutter rags of the media.

But still Her Majesty's Ship Rangers has sailed on, through the tempest of Craig Whyte, the turbulent waters of Div 3 and the tricky passage of League 1, we have maintained our course and our eyes have been fixed on our ultimate destination. There is definitely a storm on the horizon in the shape of Dave King and our priority once again is the safety of the ship, it's time to batten down the hatches, prepare for foul weather and ride out the storm. There's more and more seagulls (seafarers call them shite hawks) and they are approaching a feeding frenzy.

This time it's our Captain they have in their sights, they know if they can remove him they may be able to alter our course. Their tactics are obvious, they seek to incite mutiny in the ranks.

Through the storms and heavy seas he's stood on the Bridge and guided us safely on, I'm backing him to lead us to our homeport.

Your decision is whether it's manning the oars and driving us on or standing on deck feeding the gulls.

Quite a metaphor laden piece but i'll man an oar!

[quinty 1,445]

Moving up the leagues is king of course but I can't agree that everything else is irrelevant. I would expect to see us able to play a decent passing game and function well as a unit. I don't think we do this well enough. It doesn't matter so much in this league we win anyway, but if we don't at least see the team begin to find this consistency, there will inevitably be unrest concerning next season

So we're not that far away from each other's position, which is, I think, true of the vast majority of our support. The problem is that on forums views are very quickly polarised and people are placed into pro-anti factions. The simple truth, I believe is, that we would all wish to see the team play better and continue to win. I think that wish is shared by Ally and the coaching team.

[quinty 1,445]

Quite a metaphor laden piece but i'll man an oar!

There's always a Jonah

Metaphors are for extending

[cushynumber 25,178]

Sorry to swim against the tide here, and I apologise if this offends the poster, but I thought the post was a lot of sycophantic nonsense. If we wish to stay with the water-based metaphors - Ally has successfully steered across a couple of garden ponds. It is no more than blind faith to assume he is in any way capable of attempting the open ocean.

Additionally I dont see anything that suggests the media are particularly targeting him. In fact I think they have been strangely quiet on the subject. Its large section of fans that are restless, not the media.

[RockwellGers 14,710]

So we're not that far away from each other's position, which is, I think, true of the vast majority of our support. The problem is that on forums views are very quickly polarised and people are placed into pro-anti factions. The simple truth, I believe is, that we would all wish to see the team play better and continue to win. I think that wish is shared by Ally and the coaching team.

I think polarisation of opinion ruins debate. In honest debate people concede when good points are made and don't regard their own views as completely infallible.

[quinty 1,445]

Sorry to swim against the tide here, and I apologise if this offends the poster, but I thought the post was a lot of sycophantic nonsense. If we wish to stay with the water-based metaphors - Ally has successfully steered across a couple of garden ponds. It is no more than blind faith to assume he is in any way capable of attempting the open ocean.

Additionally I dont see anything that suggests the media are particularly targeting him. In fact I think they have been strangely quiet on the subject. Its large section of fans that are restless, not the media.

Perhaps have a look at Keevins and Spiers' latest drivel.

The point is that they are now targeting Ally, Fed no doubt by posts on Rangers fora. Heaven forbid they have an original all idea. They would love a bit of infighting or a schism in the support. All I'm saying is don't feed the shitehawks.

And no need to apologise

[quinty 1,445]

I think polarisation of opinion ruins debate. In honest debate people concede when good points are made and don't regard their own views as completely infallible.

All out of likes, but I agree with you. Watp

[scarkev 3,540]

Perhaps have a look at Keevins and Spiers' latest drivel.

The point is that they are now targeting Ally, Fed no doubt by posts on Rangers fora. Heaven forbid they have an original all idea. They would love a bit of infighting or a schism in the support. All I'm saying is don't feed the shitehawks.

And no need to apologise

so they couldn't have got it from witnessing for themselves how poor we have been or by judging the reaction of fans at the game on Sunday and since? This them and us philosophy isn't relevant with absolutely everything....

[Inigo 32,526]

At this level? With our resources in comparison to the opposition? No team plays well every week but it seems to me that our good performances are far to outnumbered by laboured performances we have seen predominantly. The way we set up play under ally really does restrict a lot of our better players from having a consistent impact on games.

Yes, that's right. Just like all of the other Prem teams that have gone down the leagues and struggled over the last 2 seasons. And MANY have.

[billyking195 58]

it is because they think that sardines will be thrown into the sea. This, perhaps the most famous aphorism in football, delivered by Eric Cantona after an appeal hearing at Croydon magistrates court has been widely quoted, puzzled over, ridiculed ever since. I took it to be an attack on the media, who circled Cantona looking for scraps of stories. Cantona treated them with the contempt they deserve and vowed to do his talking on the pitch.

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of his infamous 'assault' at Crystal Palace and regardless of what you think of the man as a person, Cantona was right in one thing. The media are always there looking for scraps, picking and pulling, noisy and irritating and ultimately parasitic. Without Cantona there was no story.

The seagulls have been flocking round Ibrox park in increasing numbers for the past few years, and the pickings have been rich indeed, more smoked salmon than sardines if truth be told. Infighting, claim, counterclaim, Whyte, Green, Irvine, Mather, King, Easedales, etc etc, the list of those who, fish in hand, feed the media is long, and, if truth be told, not very distinguished. The seagulls, Spiers, English, Keevins, Thomson have grown fat on the feast, but unsated continue to caw and shriek for more. They peck and poke at Rangers and regurgitate their bile into half-truths and lies which is published in the gutter rags of the media.

But still Her Majesty's Ship Rangers has sailed on, through the tempest of Craig Whyte, the turbulent waters of Div 3 and the tricky passage of League 1, we have maintained our course and our eyes have been fixed on our ultimate destination. There is definitely a storm on the horizon in the shape of Dave King and our priority once again is the safety of the ship, it's time to batten down the hatches, prepare for foul weather and ride out the storm. There's more and more seagulls (seafarers call them shite hawks) and they are approaching a feeding frenzy.

This time it's our Captain they have in their sights, they know if they can remove him they may be able to alter our course. Their tactics are obvious, they seek to incite mutiny in the ranks.

Through the storms and heavy seas he's stood on the Bridge and guided us safely on, I'm backing him to lead us to our homeport.

Your decision is whether it's manning the oars and driving us on or standing on deck feeding the gulls.

Sad thing is, it is supposed fans (the vocal minority, sos, rsa and their like) that are giving the rhat infested mhedia their feeding frenzy to demonise our club!

[scarkev 3,540]

Yes, that's right. Just like all of the other Prem teams that have gone down the leagues and struggled over the last 2 seasons. And MANY have.

how many have went below the championship into fully part time leagues? How many have even 10% the budget we have when they go down?

[Inigo 32,526]

how many have went below the championship into fully part time leagues? How many have even 10% the budget we have when they go down?

I'll wait for you to stop laughing.... Budget is not as relevant as you make out. We get miles off value for money because we overpay hugely to get players to play in our leagues. None have gone into fully part time leagues, but then I didn't say that, did I. As I said elsewhere, in the last 2 years Prem teams have the following record AGAINST LEAGUE 1/2 OPPOSITION (when they have played in the cup) in the last 2 years (much, much worse than our record).... 11-4-5.

[cushynumber 25,178]

Perhaps have a look at Keevins and Spiers' latest drivel.

The point is that they are now targeting Ally, Fed no doubt by posts on Rangers fora. Heaven forbid they have an original all idea. They would love a bit of infighting or a schism in the support. All I'm saying is don't feed the shitehawks.

And no need to apologise

I don't think they are targeting ally and I don't think criticising him puts me in the Spiers/keevins camp. I'll stay vocal with regard to ally without fear or favour thanks

[quinty 1,445]

I don't think they are targeting ally and I don't think criticising him puts me in the Spiers/keevins camp. I'll stay vocal with regard to ally without fear or favour thanks

Ok