Stuart McCall - What If...?

[StaunchLondonGer 1,651]

[ CALM THE JETS! THIS IS INTENDED AS A LIGHT-HEARTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON THREAD ]

Just curious, but does anyone else wonder where we might be if Stuart McCall had been given a chance??

I'm not saying he would have been the right guy to lead us into a new era of dominance over the tims and good runs in Europe (and that won't happen anyway if King doesn't spend). I'm just wondering how things would have played out if he'd been given the opportunity i.e. let him get us out the Championship and then judge him on his first season leading us in the SPL. 

After all, he inherited McCoist's team of overpaid underachievers where the game plan was a fucking mystery to most of us.  McCall gave them shape, gave us hope, and very nearly salvaged a disastrous season, only falling at the final hurdle in the play-offs (when frankly, the team to a man was utter shite and let us all down).

Think about it.

1. Proven success as a manager in the SPL (outstanding success really, when you consider it was Motherwell finishing 2nd & 3rd).
2. Proper Rangers man who understands what it means to pull on the jersey against the tic.
3. A real battler who gives 100% passion and commitment.
4. Managed to get a broken, disparate bunch of players working as a team again when our season seemed lost.
5. Never had the chance to bring players in to Rangers and shape his own squad.
6. Currently sitting 4th in English League One with Bradford (when a club takes you back you must be rated).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not convinced it would have worked long term, but I think he'd have got us out of the Championship last season and I think we'd have started this one as a more cohesive unit. I think the style of football would have been less conceptual and more direct, actually more suited to the Scottish game.   Whilst I don't think Stuart McCall is a top class manager, I think with the budget King has committed (i.e. a fucking small one) I think McCall might have been a more effective manager for Rangers FOR THE TIME BEING.

The argument against McCall working out would be his stamina when under pressure. If it gets to a point where he can't hack it does he automatically throw in the towel? Maybe that's a trait he has or maybe that was due to the particular circumstances at 'Well. [though he did offer his resignation at Bradford too]

I feely admit that I was in favour of Warburton getting the gig at the time because I thought we needed something completely fresh (an outside perspective I suppose) and I will continue to hold faith for a bit longer. [Only seems fair when I kept telling myself Ally would come right week after miserable week].

However, I worked in the City of London for over 20yrs and Warburton's manner is very typical for those guys managing portfolios. A confident demeanour is essential and they communicate and present themselves brilliantly. They have to sell their trading ideas and they have to be totally convincing when explaining why things don't go to plan. Sometimes I can't help but see that technique when he's talking. It's kinda like he'll never crack outwardly but inside he's thinking "fuck, how do I turn this one around".

Anyway, not a thread about Warbuton per se. And of course it's an academic question as King decided McCall wasn't the best option (and I'm not saying get him in now).

But do you agree that we'd probably be in better shape AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME if McCall had been kept on and given a proper shot?

 

 

 

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,242]

Naw.

Reason he was a decent manager but on the big stage he isn't suited.

[will2203 823]

Nope. Like Stuart but could not deliver when it really mattered. Had he done so, he would be our manager now.

[Ger77 742]

No. We would be in the Championship 

[CaptainAmerica18 846]

We were still shite with him as manager. 3-0 defeat away to QOS and humiliation in the play-offs amongst others.

[blueretro 704]

McCall was given a chance. He failed

[K.A.I 36,183]

He was as bad as McCoist n McDowall and that's saying something ffs 

wish him all the best but naw ..

[Clemdog 39,389]

No. 

Despite Warburton's flaws and stubbornness.

He has done more for our Club than anyone for years. The work he has done at MP cannot be ignored. 

[tannerall 25,935]

It's a no from me. 
 

Stuart McCall is a football professional, gave his all as a player and a manager. I have enormous respect for that.

His managerial level is solid, but below what is required at a big club such as ours where politics and nous and wordly wiseness, awareness of the deviousness of the media and the competition, and ability to deal with that are necessary. 

In fact I'd love him as a number two at our club, but a Rangers manager needs to be more than just a good football manager. 

[Frank Reynolds 3,359]

I liked McCall, he did a decent (but ultimately not good enough) job with the little he had to work with.

I don't think he'd have tried to turn the whole club ethos around like MW has, and that's really what we need long term.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Since this is a light hearted Sunday afternoon thread - imagine if Murhino was our manager and we had just lost 3 in a row! Fuck imagine if we had lost 3 in a row with any manager! 

[WATP-FOREVER 5,231]

Close, but no cigar.

[The Ibrox Derry 9,021]

19 minutes ago, Ger77 said:

No. We would be in the Championship 

This.

[Deanzmeanzheinz 4,312]

Good try stuart

[LaudrupsPatrickBoots 13,540]

22 minutes ago, Ger77 said:

No. We would be in the Championship 

100%

[Brackley Bluenose 4,479]

Why the fuck do some of our support always look back?! Bring back Walter, bring back Bougherra, bring back MacLeod and now this shite to name just a few. 

Even if we did want to get rid of MW, which IMO is far too hasty and fickle, it wasn't that long ago he was the best thing since sliced bread, why would we be pinning our hopes on McCall? 

The guy was a legend as a player and that is not an understatement but there's a reason why he's managing at the likes of Motherwell and Bradford - because that's his level. A club like ours should be aspiring to much better leadership regardless of the financial and footballing backwater that we belong in here in Scotland. 

[RDFM 3,809]

He would make us Motherwell. Wish the best for him though at Bradford, a nice guy and a Rangers man.

[Dutchy 1,200]

Stuart is a great guy and I would have wanted him, but that was before the humilation in the play offs, which told me he just wasn't the man.

Tried like fuck though.

[blueretro 704]

15 minutes ago, rangersmad86 said:

Why the fuck do some of our support always look back?! Bring back Walter, bring back Bougherra, bring back MacLeod and now this shite to name just a few. 

Even if we did want to get rid of MW, which IMO is far too hasty and fickle, it wasn't that long ago he was the best thing since sliced bread, why would we be pinning our hopes on McCall? 

The guy was a legend as a player and that is not an understatement but there's a reason why he's managing at the likes of Motherwell and Bradford - because that's his level. A club like ours should be aspiring to much better leadership regardless of the financial and footballing backwater that we belong in here in Scotland. 

He is sliced bread!

[Brackley Bluenose 4,479]

2 minutes ago, blueretro said:

He is sliced bread!

Walked directly into that, didn't even collect my £200 on the way round! 

 

[West_Side 1,571]

I don't know if we'd have been more or less succesful. I think we'd have signed Jim McAlister though.

[Sket 13,610]

1 hour ago, StaunchLondonGer said:

[ CALM THE JETS! THIS IS INTENDED AS A LIGHT-HEARTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON THREAD ]

Just curious, but does anyone else wonder where we might be if Stuart McCall had been given a chance??

I'm not saying he would have been the right guy to lead us into a new era of dominance over the tims and good runs in Europe (and that won't happen anyway if King doesn't spend). I'm just wondering how things would have played out if he'd been given the opportunity i.e. let him get us out the Championship and then judge him on his first season leading us in the SPL. 

After all, he inherited McCoist's team of overpaid underachievers where the game plan was a fucking mystery to most of us.  McCall gave them shape, gave us hope, and very nearly salvaged a disastrous season, only falling at the final hurdle in the play-offs (when frankly, the team to a man was utter shite and let us all down).

Think about it.

1. Proven success as a manager in the SPL (outstanding success really, when you consider it was Motherwell finishing 2nd & 3rd).
2. Proper Rangers man who understands what it means to pull on the jersey against the tic.
3. A real battler who gives 100% passion and commitment.
4. Managed to get a broken, disparate bunch of players working as a team again when our season seemed lost.
5. Never had the chance to bring players in to Rangers and shape his own squad.
6. Currently sitting 4th in English League One with Bradford (when a club takes you back you must be rated).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not convinced it would have worked long term, but I think he'd have got us out of the Championship last season and I think we'd have started this one as a more cohesive unit. I think the style of football would have been less conceptual and more direct, actually more suited to the Scottish game.   Whilst I don't think Stuart McCall is a top class manager, I think with the budget King has committed (i.e. a fucking small one) I think McCall might have been a more effective manager for Rangers FOR THE TIME BEING.

The argument against McCall working out would be his stamina when under pressure. If it gets to a point where he can't hack it does he automatically throw in the towel? Maybe that's a trait he has or maybe that was due to the particular circumstances at 'Well. [though he did offer his resignation at Bradford too]

I feely admit that I was in favour of Warburton getting the gig at the time because I thought we needed something completely fresh (an outside perspective I suppose) and I will continue to hold faith for a bit longer. [Only seems fair when I kept telling myself Ally would come right week after miserable week].

However, I worked in the City of London for over 20yrs and Warburton's manner is very typical for those guys managing portfolios. A confident demeanour is essential and they communicate and present themselves brilliantly. They have to sell their trading ideas and they have to be totally convincing when explaining why things don't go to plan. Sometimes I can't help but see that technique when he's talking. It's kinda like he'll never crack outwardly but inside he's thinking "fuck, how do I turn this one around".

Anyway, not a thread about Warbuton per se. And of course it's an academic question as King decided McCall wasn't the best option (and I'm not saying get him in now).

But do you agree that we'd probably be in better shape AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME if McCall had been kept on and given a proper shot?

 

 

 

BJK ya fenian bastard

[simplythebest 11,453]

No chance, unlike McCoist he has got coaching ability but he wasn't what we needed

[StaunchLondonGer 1,651]

32 minutes ago, rangersmad86 said:

Why the fuck do some of our support always look back?! Bring back Walter, bring back Bougherra, bring back MacLeod and now this shite to name just a few. 

Even if we did want to get rid of MW, which IMO is far too hasty and fickle, it wasn't that long ago he was the best thing since sliced bread, why would we be pinning our hopes on McCall? 

The guy was a legend as a player and that is not an understatement but there's a reason why he's managing at the likes of Motherwell and Bradford - because that's his level. A club like ours should be aspiring to much better leadership regardless of the financial and footballing backwater that we belong in here in Scotland. 

yeah...maybe read the post next time. I clearly said I was keeping faith with Warburton and wouldn't advocate McCall coming back even if Mark left. I was simply raising the hypothetical question of how we might have fared if McCall had been kept on. Just a bit of fun. No need. To stress.

Still, I seem to be in a great minority of ONE on this topic. Fuck it, I like Stu. A great Ranger. Met him once and he was a proper gent. Feel sorry he didn't get a chance.

[will2203 823]

34 minutes ago, Sket said:

BJK ya fenian bastard

So Sket, you are undecided? LOL.