Alistair speaks of the future and the day that will come.

[bawsburst 1,381]

Ally McCoist: Rangers reign will end one day

Ally McCoist says he will eventually have to quit his role at Ibrox. Picture: SNS

• by EWING GRAHAME
  

Published on the 14 September

2014

RANGERS manager Ally McCoist has revealed that there will come a time when he can no longer deal with the constant pressure which he has been under since he replaced Walter Smith as manager of Rangers in the summer of 2011.

Should he have any say in the matter, the decision to stand down will not be taken before he can lead the club into the top tier of Scottish football but he admits that the choice may be taken from him by the people in charge at Ibrox.

Following yet another week of off-field drama and revelations which further damaged Rangers’ reputation, McCoist admitted that a point will be reached when he will realise that he must make that break for his own sake and that of his family.

“There is absolutely no doubt that time will come,” he said. “One hundred per cent it will come. I cannot give you a timescale, but I can tell you right now it will come. I might not get the opportunity to let it come, by the way!”

Whenever he may leave, though, McCoist stressed that his departure will not be as a result of him tiring of the task.

“Not at all: not in that respect,” he said. “Everybody has got a cut-off point, there is no doubt about that. But there is so much work to get done and I want to continue with that.

“The work here will never be finished. There will always be something else to do. You will have to win a game then have to win something else.

“Our main job, from our point of view, is to get back to where we feel we belong and that is in the top flight competing and challenging. We have got a long way to go before we are nearly there.”

McCoist, though, does not fret about the fact he may not be allowed to choose the timing of his exit.

“There are lots of reasons it could get taken away from you,” he said. “Football is a results business. I genuinely don’t worry about it at all. What will be will be. This place has been interesting enough.”

Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon each lasted four seasons as manager of Celtic before deciding that they had had enough of the relentless demands of life in charge of one of the Glasgow giants. Interestingly, McCoist is now in his fourth season as the main man at Rangers.

“I understand exactly what Gordon and Neil have said and do say,” he said. “There is absolutely no doubt, no doubt at all, that managing Celtic and Rangers is at a different level, an absolutely different level, in terms of the intensity and focus that are on you 24/7.

“I even include some of the big clubs in England. Obviously, there are far bigger clubs which have had European success and play in the Champions League. That is not the point I am trying to make. It is the spotlight you are under here, definitely.

“I know it’s crazy but it actually has flown in in many ways. But, when you think of what has happened in those four years, I can’t believe I am saying that. You would think it would be in your memory and stay with you for a long time.”

Many observers of the Ibrox soap opera will undoubtedly be intrigued to discover that McCoist has kept a journal during his time in office.

“That diary is up there in the safe,” he said. “I actually have a look at it now and again and don’t believe it!”

Rangers last won a cup in 2010/11 and, on Tuesday, they play host to early Premiership pace-setters Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the last 16 of the League Cup, having been beaten 3-0 at Ibrox by the Highland side in the quarter-final of the competition two years ago.

Last season Dundee United beat them 3-1 at the same venue in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup and McCoist is keenly aware that the fear factor which the old stadium once possessed is no longer there. He intends to reinstate it before he departs.

“I think if we can make Ibrox a feared place it would be a massive step for everybody,” he said. “Obviously, in years gone by it was a feared place.

“Talk to people who have come here and they would say that, for the first 15-20 minutes, they would have the fear.

“We have not got that at the minute and a lot of that is down to what has happened to us in the last few years.

“If we can build that up again and get somewhere near being a feared team at our own stadium that would be a big step for us.”

[Frank Reynolds 3,359]

Bollocks, you beat me to it

[legalbeagle 3,734]

Would love to read that diary!

[Stoorie 1,088]

I'm shocked!

There's me thinking, Ally would be the manager for the next two hundred years................

What a fucking non story!

MANAGER MAY NOT BE MANAGER IN FUTURE.

I could be a 'journalist'.....................

[Redsox1 1,361]

so Ally will leave with a massive payoff and a book deal. If Only he had us playing like Friday night every game ( or even most games ) he wouldn`t be talking about this as everyone would be backing him.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

That's quite an insightful outlook he has.

In many ways, despite the criticisms, he has been very important in keeping our identity.

I have no doubt that he was the key factor in getting Green onside in the title-stripping, or rather retrospective season fixing, scandal.

Without him, I reckon Green would have been less forceful in our defence of that part of our history.

[JamieG54 812]

Shite article no purpose

[siddiqi_drinker 14,635]

Shite article no purpose

EWING GRAHAME -- what else would you expect.

[GrangemouthRSC 832]

Pish article

[CaptainofIndustry 921]

Am I alone in feeling that Ally does not express himself the way a Rangers manager should? He wants us to get back to "where we feel we belong"? Steady on there, Ally. You don't want to annoy your Celtic-supporting friends.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Bit of a non story but that 'Diary' .... Now that could make a real story ( or twenty)

[pcbear 10,924]

Every single manager in the history of football has resigned/mutually consented/or been sacked, maybe some health related, and the papers make a headline out of this amazing fact, stunning investigative journalism from someone at the top of their game.

[thehost 11,061]

chapter three -- how I was caught out trying to hide my grossly inflated salary

chapter four -- when penny shares actually mean costing a penny

chapter five -- Tig and it's importance in training

chapter six -- how to get pay cuts without ever losing a penny

chapter seven -- dealing with pesky folk who demand we win things

aye what a book that would be

[Thewhitesettler 2,712]

Must be a slow news day. Nothing to print about the only show in town, so they print a story about Ally leaving the club at some point. What next? Ally may actually depart this earth some day? Wow! Can't believe that!!

[CaptainofIndustry 921]

chapter three -- how I was caught out trying to hide my grossly inflated salary

chapter four -- when penny shares actually mean costing a penny

chapter five -- Tig and it's importance in training

chapter six -- how to get pay cuts without ever losing a penny

chapter seven -- dealing with pesky folk who demand we win things

aye what a book that would be

Not forgetting Ally's guide to leadership and professionalism as he demonstrated during last year's boardroom battle; scheming behind his employer's back while controversially and heroically answering, "Ooh, I don't really know" like Mavis Riley when asked which way he was voting. What an inspirational leader he is.

[Starving Hagler 38]

He's what I read into that. Lay off me until we are back in the top league.

That message is aimed at the fans. He's saying I will be going soon so is there any need to continue an "Ally oot" campaign?

Also to the 'men in charge' - I have a journal with all kinds if shit in it so handle me with care!

[legalbeagle 3,734]

Just to be clear, for when Getstiffed comes in and has a go at me, I don't think everyone who would want a change of manager actually dislikes Ally, but the response of some posters to such an innocuous thread and story really does reinforce my view that some genuinely dislike or hate him, which I cannot under any circumstances understand, at all, in any way, shape or form.

[bawsburst 1,381]

EWING GRAHAME -- what else would you expect.

I would expect an article that had a minimum of input from Alistair.....rather than a maximum.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Just to be clear, for when Getstiffed comes in and has a go at me, I don't think everyone who would want a change of manager actually dislikes Ally, but the response of some posters to such an innocuous thread and story really does reinforce my view that some genuinely dislike or hate him, which I cannot under any circumstances understand, at all, in any way, shape or form.

If he was as conniving and clever as some posters make out he will own Rangers after the next AGM, have secured a £50m war chest which he will spend on his salary and be our manager till his death! So far he has got rid of Green, Mathers and has now hamstringing Wallace and the current board and done so without anyone on the board ever mentioning it! Clever guy our machavALLYian manager.

Or he is just doing his best under turbulent circumstances!

[bawsburst 1,381]

My only real gripe is Alistair's continued references to the mhockits and tlb, to make any sort of point appear valid.

Overall the article is a strange one in its timing......or perhaps not......if some peoples share portfolio hits the 30% a whole new ball game will ensue.

[Reformation Bear 6,453]

Apart from the article being a statement of the blindingly obvious - every manager in any job in any walk of life has a date when they leave either through their own choice or through the decisions made by their seniors. Again - an SBO statement - the timing of the departure is the unknown unkown until circumstances arrive to bring it into reality.

That said Ally deciding to express his views in the way he has starts to prepare the ground for that day and it may well be a 'conditioning' article as part of a process to reduce the surprise element when it arrives.

Maybe its no real surprise to see this sort of article at this time for a few reasons. One is if Rangers is not in a position around AGM time to realistically challenge for promotion this season or if confidence is not high enough that we will get promotion this season then that in itself may be a reason why his seniors say enough is enough as the football and related financial consequences may be too much to absorb that sort of failure. If that milestone passed a further marker is a few months later in May - we will either be promoted or not. If not then it seems to me to be quite possible that a parting of the ways would occur. Another might be at the end of the January transfer window. If because of boycotting and self-exiles not buying match day tickets key players have to be sold to help balance the books to the end of the season and that in turn threatens the push for promotion then maybe a parting would happen because he'd been stripped of key resoures to do the job. A law of unintended consequences then applying where boycotting and avoiding supporting on match days results in banishment to the Championship for a further season (or more) which would thwart Ally's aim of seeing Rangers back in the top flight. There may well be other scenarios. But the point is this season is pivotal for Rangers and there are multiple factors - way more than normal - which may have a decisive influence on the timing of his departure.

From my point of view my hope is that Rangers win promption this season no matter who is in charge.

[CaptainofIndustry 921]

Just to be clear, for when Getstiffed comes in and has a go at me, I don't think everyone who would want a change of manager actually dislikes Ally, but the response of some posters to such an innocuous thread and story really does reinforce my view that some genuinely dislike or hate him, which I cannot under any circumstances understand, at all, in any way, shape or form.

Would you vote for a politician who asked civil servants to lie about his salary by pretending he was paid a quarter of his true income in an attempt to deceive the electorate? And in such an event, what would be your personal feelings towards such a politician?

[Drunk and disorderly. 14,632]

Just to be clear, for when Getstiffed comes in and has a go at me, I don't think everyone who would want a change of manager actually dislikes Ally, but the response of some posters to such an innocuous thread and story really does reinforce my view that some genuinely dislike or hate him, which I cannot under any circumstances understand, at all, in any way, shape or form.

The venomous language some use and their readiness to throw unsubstantiated allegations around indicates a deep loathing of the man. Even a boring and predictable article such as this at a time when we are playing well is enough to kick start their detestation of Ally.

Their agenda is clear. Get rid of Ally at all costs. Put morality, empathy and Rangers values to one side, concentrate on an aggressive character assassination until you get your way. What have they become?

[CaptainofIndustry 921]

The venomous language some use and their readiness to throw unsubstantiated allegations around indicates a deep loathing of the man. Even a boring and predictable article such as this at a time when we are playing well is enough to kick start their detestation of Ally.

Their agenda is clear. Get rid of Ally at all costs. Put morality, empathy and Rangers values to one side, concentrate on an aggressive character assassination until you get your way. What have they become?

Put your knitting down for a second and think what you've just typed. Criticising the Rangers manager for wilfully setting out to deceive investors and supporters is "putting Rangers values to one side"? Really?

[Drunk and disorderly. 14,632]

Put your knitting down for a second and think what you've just typed. Criticising the Rangers manager for wilfully setting out to deceive investors and supporters is "putting Rangers values to one side"? Really?

I suggest you spend some time internalising before questioning the intentions of others. Might make you a better person.