Walter Thinks Fitness Was Not A Issue Last Year

[markem 7,360]

I honestly do not know how he can have watched Rangers last year and conclude that.

Gives his views on a few other points as well including Allan and what he believes we should be aspiring to if we go up next year.

Much apprecciated if some could copy and paste. Text goes a bit wonky when I do it on phone.

http://m.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/13579270.Smith__Premiership_has__quot_missed_Rangers_quot_/

[TMB 14,167]

Walter also thought Ally would be a good manager.

[thegambler 61]

Walter also thought Ally would be a good manager.

He still thinks (or at least publicly claims), that given more backing Ally would have been a good manager.

[thehost 11,061]

smith's footballing "vision" was as equally bereft as mccoists

[MaddistonKnight 1,575]

Deary me. Couldn't handle playing for Rangers? Mince.

Lee Wallace, Lee McCulloch and Ricky Foster had all played for Rangers in the Prem and in Europe. They were not very good last year.

Sorry Walter, we were unfit and pish.

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

Walter Smith, the former Ibrox manager, believes the top flight has "missed Rangers" but has warned that if and when the club are promoted to the SPFL they need to be able to compete with Celtic immediately.

Mark Warburton has impressed in the early weeks of his tenure at Ibrox but Smith has warned that simply progressing will not be sufficient - Rangers must be seen to be getting back to a level where they can challenge for top honours.

"If Rangers do go up, a top four finish will be the expectation in the Premiership," said Smith.

"The expectation is sometimes unrealistically high at Rangers but that’s the club and that’s what everyone from the board to the manager and the players has to handle.

"If Rangers can get back to the Premiership, like it or not there will be an expectation to finish as high as possible and I would say that would mean a top three or four finish.

"The Premiership has missed Rangers and when they come back the fans will be saying 'we’ve four games against Celtic now and we need to equip ourselves well.'

"Celtic are always the yardstick, that’s no disrespect to any of the other clubs, but Rangers will have to try to match that yardstick. A sensible person will say they’d need a year to bed in but I’m afraid it doesn’t always work like that."

And Smith has also rubbished Mark Hateley's assessment that last year's Ibrox squad was off the pace.

The former Rangers manager has maintained that the playing squad let the club down last year rather than the team being unprepared for the physical rigours of the season.

"I have to say I completely disagree with Mark Hateley’s assessment of that situation," said Smith. "I don’t think for one minute that there has been an issue with fitness at Ibrox. I worked for Rangers for years and we’d equalled the record number of matches played for one season and when I left there is no way that Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall, in any shape or form, would have allowed the fitness to drop.

"The issue last season was not fitness, it was the squad not handling the pressure of playing for Rangers adequately. I think what’s happened now and what is noticeable is that everyone at the club has a far brighter view of the future as far as matters off the field go.

"Rangers now have a board that want to see the club go forward and for the right reasons. The manager has to take some of the credit for that brightness moving on to the pitch. I couldn’t say that fitness was the cause of Rangers' problems last year – that’s not a fair assessment.

"When results don’t go well there’s an awful lot of pressure and that’s what happened last season. Now, with a new manager and a new board in place a lot of that pressure has been lifted and this has transferred to the pitch and the board and the manager are to be credited."

Meanwhile, Smith would have loved to have seen Scott Allen at Ibrox this season but believes that Hibs will stand firm in their refusal to sell to Rangers.

It is believed that rangers are set to offer a fourth bid today for the midfielder while Rotherham United are also set to table another offer.

"Allan is just what Rangers need but I fear he’s out of reach," said Smith. "He showed last season at Hibs that he’s a very creative player and that’s something that Rangers have lacked over the last three seasons, someone who can carry the ball and create an opportunity for others.

"That’s obviously why Mark wants him but it looks as though Hibs, and from their perspective quite rightly so, are not willing to sell someone who could cause them problems. They’ll not want to sell to anyone never mind their closest rivals

"Scott would be a terrific acquisition but I fear Hibs won’t sell so I think Rangers will have to get on without him and I’m sure they will do."

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

Talking pish, Walter.

If you can't call it down the line then say 'no comment'

The training was a joke as we got to see the results on matchday.

[Dubaijim 44]

So fitness was not an issue - did he ever look at the size of Kris Boyd or see the tongues hanging out in the last 15 minutes as part timers ran all over us?

Walter, you are a God but please waken up to the reality of the situation before you risk your legacy going the same way as yoiur pal ally!!!!

[CoplandStandBear 995]

Sounds like something DJ would come out with. Our superior physicality took us through against part time teams in League One when they would start to get knackered at 60 or 70 minutes but against full time teams (and even part timers like Alloa in the 3-2 game) we looked physically done and players who just wanted to hide from the ball aka Law.

[folkestoneger 8,777]

So fitness was not an issue - did he ever look at the size of Kris Boyd or see the tongues hanging out in the last 15 minutes as part timers ran all over us?

Walter, you are a God but please waken up to the reality of the situation before you risk your legacy going the same way as yoiur pal ally!!!!

No he is not a god he is a man who simply refuses to admit he fucked up badly by thinking McCoist had it in him to manage Rangers.

Being stubborn is human nature

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

Circling the wagons

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

Templeton has lost weight this year as well, I know the players have a responsibility to keep themselves in shape but the training plays a big part as well.

Ally took the huff with him after his burd posted the karaoke pic, think he ate Nicky Law as comfort food when he was dropped.

[gersandy 594]

Walter is a let down for me. More interested in defending his pal, than actually telling it like it is.

[EastEnclosureBear 2,994]

Fitness, tactics, passion and basic footballing ability was missing last year. Over paid lazy cunts.

[Lerry1971 249]

Walters blue-eyed-boy. He did after all recommend mcsalary for the job.

Look where that got us. No sorry walter- you are so wrong.

[SeparateEntityMyArse 54,858]

Walter is wrong. Very wrong.

Hasnt got it in him to admit his recommendation of successor was a terrible decision.

Looking for excuses for the Dud, which in turn mitigate his own failing.

Ruining his credibility with this sort of nonsense.

[WilliamMunny 3,395]

Jeez Walter, come on, you got to be kidding. I

[Ivybank 4,708]

Shite players more than fitness to blame,Walters not going to say anything as mccoist just carried on the training that he knew from Walter

I don't think Walters said anything controversial in his life!

[DietofWorms 2,070]

Sorry Walter, you're wrong. Fitness, among lots of other things, was a massive issue.

[CanadianBacon 2,088]

He still thinks (or at least publicly claims), that given more backing Ally would have been a good manager.

Fuck me gently with a claw hammer!!

The man is deluded.

The EK dud couldn't manage an Under-12 team let alone a senior XI.

This is Smith covering his own inadequacies - he'll NEVER admit he fucked up.

[True Azure 1,414]

Walter has to stick up for his protege, I don't see why anyone would expect any different. If Walter admits A McC was crap(as he was) it brings Walter's judgement and decision making into question, so he sticks to the party line a la " players could not handle the pressure of playing for Rangers", and yet we have seen players from previous seasons who were practically anonymous, now in 3 games running and playing like totally different players than they were under McCoist.

[simplythebest 11,453]

Walter will probably never slag his protege but he should just keep silent on the matter

[longbeachbear 16]

I love Walter but he does make some strange comments at times. The previous regime were quite clearly inept beyond mitigation.

[eejay the dj 31,964]

Love you Walter but your footballing philosophy is now being made to look prehistoric by the gents now in charge of team matters

[martin93 136]

Aye and Walter the dinasour talks fucking pish