Experienced Horticulturist Required : Apply Within

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

It was to become the stuff of legend, the type of story normally reserved for a Roy of the Rovers comic book sketch. Rangers manager Willie Waddell was to take the ultimate gamble, replacing his injured and iconic inspirational captain, John Greig, with a raw 16 year old youngster who had made his professional debut only weeks earlier against Cowdenbeath. It was a particularly brave decision given the setting was the 1970 Scottish League Cup Final and Rangers opponents were arch rivals, Celtic. 90 minutes later the managers decision was to be completely vindicated as the 16 year old Derek Johnstone scored the only goal of the game, sending the light blue legions amongst the 106,000 crowd into rapture and thus heralding the end of a 4 year trophy drought.

Who would argue that fortune does indeed favour the brave?

Todays Rangers fans yearn for that kind of bravery amongst our current management. The highly publicised departure of young starlet Charlie Telfer and his criticism of the lack of opportunity for youngsters at Ibrox should set alarm bells ringing. Sour grapes or valid criticism?

Well despite League One being done and dusted early doors, Telfer only featured once, coming on as a substitute in the 4-0 defeat of Stenhousemuir. Was completing a season undefeated in a lower league really more important than the continual development of our youngsters? Alarmingly, the Telfer story is not an isolated one.

Last year, centre half Stuart Urquhart, a captain of the Scotland Under 17 side, having held his own at Dumbarton whilst on loan (2 divisions above Rangers at the time) chose to depart the club despite not having any clear destination. His subsequent snapping up by Steven Pressley at Coventry City, himself a product of the Rangers youth system, adds a touch of irony to a fast developing farce.

That orchestra of irony reached a crescendo this week with the departure of Lewis Macleod, one of our few blooded youngsters, in order to keep our club afloat.

Those of us at Ibrox yesterday, watching the toiling of Lee McCulloch, were left to wonder if a nurtured and blooded Gasparotto, may well have spared some of the raised blood pressure caused by the inadequacy of our failing captain. The same could be said of Sinnamon as an alternative to Foster or McKay instead of Smith.

In an age of gardening leave its clear our club is in dire need of a bold, green fingered horticulturist with a proven aptitude for the development of young seedlings.

[evenstevens 907]

Yes. To all of that.

[legalbeagle 3,734]

Stuart Urqhart is really the example you want to use? How many games did he get for Coventry?

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Stuart Urqhart is really the example you want to use? How many games did he get for Coventry?

Yes is my answer to that. Its worrying that a youngster would leave our club through choice despite not having any clear alternatives

[legalbeagle 3,734]

Yes is my answer to that. Its worrying that a youngster would leave our club through choice despite not having any clear alternatives

It is worrying that your example of us not developing talented youth is a player who played zero games for the club he went to and is now stuck at Dunfermline and hardly a regular.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

It is worrying that your example of us not developing talented youth is a player who played zero games for the club he went to and is now stuck at Dunfermline and hardly a regular.

No what is actually worrying is that there is a clear belief within our youth ranks that their chances are better served elsewhere.

[legalbeagle 3,734]

No what is actually worrying is that there is a clear belief within our youth ranks that their chances are better served elsewhere.

He left because he wanted first team football, he then signed for a club where he didn't get any. Maybe he had an inflated opinion of himself. The season he left we played an absolute load of younger players, so it was hardly that there wasn't opportunities for them to play, just not him, presumably because he wasn't good enough at the time.

There is a clear belief within Stuart Urqhart that his chances were better served elsewhere - that is all you can draw from him.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

He left because he wanted first team football, he then signed for a club where he didn't get any. Maybe he had an inflated opinion of himself. The season he left we played an absolute load of younger players, so it was hardly that there wasn't opportunities for them to play, just not him, presumably because he wasn't good enough at the time.

There is a clear belief within Stuart Urqhart that his chances were better served elsewhere - that is all you can draw from him.

If we were to take Urquhart's case in isolation then youre argument may have some merit. But it's not an isolated case - Telfer's example is at the other end of the spectrum with the youngster winning the young player of the month award last month.

Would you not prefer to see Sinnamon or McAusland at RB instead of Foster ? Or Barrie McKay given a run in a wide berth spot as opposed to Smith, who has spent most of his career as a fullback ?

[AlBear. 8,499]

One of your worst D'art.

Pisses me off when people say shit like "McAusland couldn't be any worse." How the fuck would you know? You don't even know his position, yet likely criticised Macleod playing LM. (Generally, not at you D'art)

We as fans have no patience or respect for young players, until we do any manager would be committing career suicide by picking them over more established, experienced players. Why not do a piece on that?

[legalbeagle 3,734]

If we were to take Urquhart's case in isolation then youre argument may have some merit. But it's not an isolated case - Telfer's example is at the other end of the spectrum with the youngster winning the young player of the month award last month.

Would you not prefer to see Sinnamon or McAusland at RB instead of Foster ? Or Barrie McKay given a run in a wide berth spot as opposed to Smith, who has spent most of his career as a fullback ?

I have no idea about Sinnamon to be honest, McAusland seemed decent enough but not outstanding. McKay seems to have some issues.

What players needs is games, I agree with that. I have lived through young players getting games for us, and it is not pretty. We are an impatient fanbase, we turn on players very quickly, we don't let them be inconsistent, we expect a lot - with our current turmoil, I honestly don't know if this is the time for it.

This is not an anti-youth thing, genuinely, and I would rather we had seen more of them before, but I am very concerned about the timing right now.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

I have no idea about Sinnamon to be honest, McAusland seemed decent enough but not outstanding. McKay seems to have some issues.

What players needs is games, I agree with that. I have lived through young players getting games for us, and it is not pretty. We are an impatient fanbase, we turn on players very quickly, we don't let them be inconsistent, we expect a lot - with our current turmoil, I honestly don't know if this is the time for it.

This is not an anti-youth thing, genuinely, and I would rather we had seen more of them before, but I am very concerned about the timing right now.

That I agree with completely - there is an alarming lack of patience within our support when it comes to youngsters - some of whom are often being played outwith their natural position.

The stick Charlie Adam got was the perfect example

[Reformation Bear 6,453]

I guess there could be a lot of debate about the examples of players in the OP. But to my mind that's very much a secondary matter. The core point in my view is that Rangers is in clear need of experienced, decisive, bold, commanding leadership at managerial level (and in my view at coaching levels).

The Board and its newly found influential shareholders and the Support are facing an real and present risk that the team will not be anywhere near good enough in terms of fight, spirit, pride, and a Rangers will to win promotion. We have an ongoing situation where the team performing in the nervy, cagey, confidence sapping way they are, captained by a skipper who is not inspiring on the pitch and far from commanding, and managed by a caretaker will fail.

Whether or not the team can be refreshed during the transfer window is not known - I'm assuming there are no funds for this. So the job of transforming the current squad into a promotion winning squad requires a much bolder and much more experienced manager than a caretaker. At present McD could hide behind the coat of inexperience if he fails to deliver on promotion. Is that a gamble the Board want to take? No disrespect intended towards McD - he has found himself thrust into the role by DL because there may be no real alternative at present at Ibrox. But we now approach the business end of the season and it is now that the team need to shake off the lethargy and slackness that has been allowed to creep into their game and now threatens to overwhelm it, and the team needs the sort of leadership that can galvanise them into success. That I think is the main point.

[loyalfollower 1,543]

That I agree with completely - there is an alarming lack of patience within our support when it comes to youngsters - some of whom are often being played outwith their natural position.

The stick Charlie Adam got was the perfect example

charlie adam went from athlete under plg to over weight in 18 months under smith.

[HG5 11,301]

He left because he wanted first team football, he then signed for a club where he didn't get any. Maybe he had an inflated opinion of himself. The season he left we played an absolute load of younger players, so it was hardly that there wasn't opportunities for them to play, just not him, presumably because he wasn't good enough at the time.

There is a clear belief within Stuart Urqhart that his chances were better served elsewhere - that is all you can draw from him.

Most people seem willing to write off the players in these circumstances - 'hasn't got it, not Rangers class, bad attitude, whining 'cos he never made it', etc.

These stories are coming out reasonably regularly now - they can't ALL be duds (if so, why are we signing them in the first place?)!

Notable that ex-Gers who are doing a turn in the EPL all came from elsewhere (excepting McGregor, who was loaned out before breaking through), whereas most who came through the 'system' are struggling for a regular game apart from Fleck, and he's had to settle for the 3rd tier.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

One of your worst D'art.

Pisses me off when people say shit like "McAusland couldn't be any worse." How the fuck would you know? You don't even know his position, yet likely criticised Macleod playing LM. (Generally, not at you D'art)

We as fans have no patience or respect for young players, until we do any manager would be committing career suicide by picking them over more established, experienced players. Why not do a piece on that?

I have already done a piece about the need for patience Al with young players - albeit was some time ago !

But I stand by the article - I think it highlights our failure at coaching management level to blood youngsters much as Ref bear alludes to in his above post.

The fact that MAcleod came through the ranks shows that perhaps we as a support are developing some of thatr equired patience, and that the problem in fact lies elsewhere

[AlCapone 7,678]

He left because he wanted first team football, he then signed for a club where he didn't get any. Maybe he had an inflated opinion of himself. The season he left we played an absolute load of younger players, so it was hardly that there wasn't opportunities for them to play, just not him, presumably because he wasn't good enough at the time.

There is a clear belief within Stuart Urqhart that his chances were better served elsewhere - that is all you can draw from him.

I think youre missing the point, it's the big picture

[AlCapone 7,678]

I have no idea about Sinnamon to be honest, McAusland seemed decent enough but not outstanding. McKay seems to have some issues.

What players needs is games, I agree with that. I have lived through young players getting games for us, and it is not pretty. We are an impatient fanbase, we turn on players very quickly, we don't let them be inconsistent, we expect a lot - with our current turmoil, I honestly don't know if this is the time for it.

This is not an anti-youth thing, genuinely, and I would rather we had seen more of them before, but I am very concerned about the timing right now.

You're right, our fan base has always been part of the problem as we show no patience with youth. It's bizarrre actually

[AlBear. 8,499]

I have already done a piece about the need for patience Al with young players - albeit was some time ago !But I stand by the article - I think it highlights our failure at coaching management level to blood youngsters much as Ref bear alludes to in his above post.The fact that MAcleod came through the ranks shows that perhaps we as a support are developing some of thatr equired patience, and that the problem in fact lies elsewhere

Must have missed, or I can't remember it.

Macleod was the exception, as we've been told ad infinitum.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,788]

The season he left we played an absolute load of younger players,

who?

are you counting hutton, perry and hegarty, all 3 were over 20 years old and had played for the first team under walter

also in this same season cribari played more minutes than any other youngster, a season where the title was wrapped up with 450 league minutes to spare

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,788]

One of your worst D'art.

Pisses me off when people say shit like "McAusland couldn't be any worse." How the fuck would you know? You don't even know his position, yet likely criticised Macleod playing LM. (Generally, not at you D'art)

We as fans have no patience or respect for young players, until we do any manager would be committing career suicide by picking them over more established, experienced players. Why not do a piece on that?

how the fuck would you know if fans would have had the patience for youngsters back in division 3, we never tried it so saying we wouldnt have been patient is a crock

we had two freebie years, and i think EVERY rangers fan will agree on that, so isnt it a reasonable guess that in these 2 freebie years we'd have accepted a bit of experimenting?

[AlCapone 7,678]

who?are you counting hutton, perry and hegarty, all 3 were over 20 years old and had played for the first team under walteralso in this same season cribari played more minutes than any other youngster, a season where the title was wrapped up with 450 league minutes to spare

Wasted opportunity, makes my blood boil actually

[AlBear. 8,499]

how the fuck would you know if fans would have had the patience for youngsters back in division 3, we never tried it so saying we wouldnt have been patient is a crock we had two freebie years, and i think EVERY rangers fan will agree on that, so isnt it a reasonable guess that in these 2 freebie years we'd have accepted a bit of experimenting?

We did Jim. We did.

[tannerall 25,935]

Now a new boardroom is about to be planted it's time for us to stop beating around the bush, time to dig out the bad roots at our club, turf out the underachievers and prune back the dead wood as spring approaches. .

Our mighty Oak tree of a club stills stands,and is still solid at the core, just needs a lot trimming and tending to allow it regrow to it's previous glory.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,788]

We did Jim. We did.

cribari played more minutes than ANY youngster

[AlBear. 8,499]

cribari played more minutes than ANY youngster

Doesn't mean they (youngsters) didn't play.

McKay, lorded by many as the missing link in our team, got tons of shit after poor games.