Dave King. And the cry was no big spender

[Smile 26,600]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/king-insists-rangers-can-rely-on-youth-s7s3ffgsc

 

Dave King, the Rangers chairman, has declared his satisfaction with the club’s strategy of developing their own young players and stated his belief that the much-criticised Auchenhowie training centre is finally starting to produce talent for the future.

Rangers and manager Pedro Caixinha have been buoyed by their 3-0 win against second-placed Aberdeen at Pittodrie, and the South Africa-based King chose the morning after to launch season ticket renewals. Amid assurances of financial support for Caixinha and stressing the need for a winning mentality, it was his optimism about the club’s young players that caught the eye.

Built as Murray Park 16 years ago at a cost of £14 million, the training centre at Milngavie has not lived up to expectations. The high cost of maintaining the 15 hectare centre, which King acknowledged yesterday, has been a further source of frustration for Rangers. But with the likes of 15-year-old midfielder Billy Gilmour provoking a transfer battle among the cream of English clubs and Caixinha happy to show faith in his younger players, such as defenders Myles Beerman and David Bates, who played at Pittodrie, King underlined the importance of producing their own stars of the future.

Craig Mulholland, academy head, and former caretaker manager Graeme Murty, who is back in his role as head development squad coach, clearly have an important role to play.

King said: “The maintenance of Ibrox and Auchenhowie is a never-ending and costly process. But it is a price we must continuously pay in order to boast two such fantastic facilities and advance the excellent youth development process that we have put in place.

“Much has been achieved in the past year and the club structures are significantly better than a year ago. Our academy structures and young players are more promising than at any time since my first association with the club almost 20 years ago. Auchenhowie is finally looking fit for purpose and is showing a vibrancy hitherto unseen.”

King was keen to stress that he would give financial backing to his new Portuguese appointment and revealed the club could have waited until his contract in Qatar had run out to save money, instead of appointing him towards the close of an underwhelming season. He also appeared to take another dig at former manager Mark Warburton who is now at Nottingham Forest.

He said: “Despite a relatively disappointing campaign up to this point, we have taken the necessary steps to revitalise the team and its performance. Of particular note is the carefully researched appointment of a new management unit headed by Pedro Caixinha.

“Funds are available to help Pedro shape his own team. It is important that our supporters continue to see Rangers playing attractive football, but attractive football must not be pursued at the cost of failing to win.

“We must reinstate the winning mentality expected of the most successful club in the world in terms of domestic league titles. This winning mentality is only one of the significant qualities that I believe we have reintroduced with the new manager and his support staff.

“We could have avoided the significant financial compensation we incurred to bring the new management team on board by delaying the appointment until the end of the season.

“However, we believe it is in the club’s interest to give Pedro the balance of this season to assess the squad and make preparations in advance of the new season and the early competitive start we envisage with Europa League qualifiers.”

Caixinha further put his own stamp on his new regime at Ibrox yesterday by appointing former player Jonatan Johansson as his No 3. The Finn saw off competition from a host of fellow former Rangers players, including Barry Ferguson, John Brown, Alex Rae and Kevin Thomson, to land the post of assistant coach, providing Caixinha with the “local knowledge” he wanted.

Johansson spent three years at Ibrox as a player and returned to Scotland to coach Motherwell’s under-20s. He will combine his role at Ibrox with being assistant manager to Markku Kanerva, who is in charge of Finland.

The appointment of Johansson was hailed as a masterstroke by his countryman, former Dundee United manager Mixu Paatelainen, who stated: “I’d regard Jonatan as an honest, very loyal person who has experience of playing at the top level. He iwill be a pleasure to work with.”

Johansson joined Rangers under manager Dick Adovcaat in 1997 and scored 21 times in three years at the club.

[Ace 3,556]

By the tone of your topic title I guess you aren't happy that we have a chance to actually produce our own talent then or is it just another chance to have a go at DK?

[Young Bob 1,360]

If every decent youth player leaves then the pittance we receive will have to be spent on bringing in players. 

 If it wasnt for injury I doubt Beerman and Bates would have featured.

If Dave wants to win trophies he needs to find the funds to assemble a team to take us into the CL.

[Ace 3,556]

So we just bin the entire youth system because it might not work (!!)

[Virtuoso 27,180]

Just now, Ace said:

By the tone of your topic title I guess you aren't happy that we have a chance to actually produce our own talent then or is it just another chance to have a go at DK?

Nuturing your own talent is the way forward...if you are in a position to wait for it to come to frution.

Unfortunately we don't have that luxury at present.

[The Godfather 71,479]

2 minutes ago, Virtuoso said:

Nuturing your own talent is the way forward...if you are in a position to wait for it to come to frution.

Unfortunately we don't have that luxury at present.

Exactly.

If we want them to march to 10 IAR then aye fine, let's go down the developing our own while spending fuck all route (Which is what King really craves). 

Yeah we will look to have a go at King until the liar put's his hands in his fucking pocket and backs up his bullshit claims when he and his team took over the club.

Just because Beerman and a guy we brought in from another side are in the team due to injuries doesn't suddenly show our youth set up is turning into Ajax, we are still years behind where we should be in all aspects of a football club.

He needs to stick to actually investing in the club to the tune of getting it back to number 1 in Scotland instead of talking shite. 

[WilliamMunny 3,215]

We need a combination of recruiting quality whilst bringing through our own talent. The players coming through will have a better chance of developing if they are playing with a higher standard than what we currently have. 

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,575]

Can't disagree on the academy side of things. The correct long term strategy.

Funnily enough it mentions the costs of doing so.

He also mentions funds being available for Pedro.

Great timing after the high of the sheep humping, the only words I expected but didn't hear from him were "roll up roll up, renew your STs as you're paying for it".

But he will. And we will. Renew and pay.

[Siam69 26,824]

Standard title and inference from Smile

But yea, as mentioned, start of the ST renew campaign ...

[Spiderpig 176]

Don't know about you guys but i will be renewing my season ticket regardless of the money King puts in, we need to stand on our own two feet and actually survive as a going concern. It seems to be unpopular thought process.

In saying that King won't get away with rhetoric this year, giving Ped a budget of £5M won't overtake Celtic, they could go and spend around £15M this summer especially if they sell the overrated Dembele. We may move away from Aberdeen and the rest but can't see us competing unless a proper budget is put in place.....what happened to the share holder share issue ?

[Brian Fantana 28,894]

Auchenhowie is a waste of money, it's that plain and simple, it's produced very little for us. It would be far cheaper to buy one or two foreign players who play for a first team and look a talent each season and develop them . The bheasts from the east are making money doing just this and as an earlier poster mentioned, we do not have the luxury of spending big on youth development to increase our output of quality.

[Ace 3,556]

23 minutes ago, Virtuoso said:

Nuturing your own talent is the way forward...if you are in a position to wait for it to come to frution.

Unfortunately we don't have that luxury at present.

But you don't give up on it either just for short term gain.

[Brian Fantana 28,894]

3 minutes ago, Ace said:

But you don't give up on it either just for short term gain.

so we suffer budgetary constraints on buying first team players to win the title because we're pissing money up the wall at Auchenhowie instead? There's no money, we need to spend on winning titles to get the CL money, that's all that matters just now.

[K.A.I 36,183]

That will be the next excuse for not spending 

how can you base your future success on a youth set up that allows Chelsea to nip in and take anything good (Gilmour) 

Gilmour is the exception to the rule too it seems 

Nah spend money but spend it wisely and have a good scouting network in place is the way to do ... this far fetched notion that Auchenhowie and the youth system is superb is nuts at best 

[Creampuff 22,628]

Nothing King says is wrong. Read into it what you like, but these comments are very positive.

[Smile 26,600]

14 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

That will be the next excuse for not spending 

how can you base your future success on a youth set up that allows Chelsea to nip in and take anything good (Gilmour) 

Gilmour is the exception to the rule too it seems 

Nah spend money but spend it wisely and have a good scouting network in place is the way to do ... this far fetched notion that Auchenhowie and the youth system is superb is nuts at best 

 

Exactly so we become a feeding club for other clubs if we Produce any good players, while using the money to just keep the lights on.

[The Dude 20,026]

27 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

That will be the next excuse for not spending 

how can you base your future success on a youth set up that allows Chelsea to nip in and take anything good (Gilmour) 

Gilmour is the exception to the rule too it seems 

Nah spend money but spend it wisely and have a good scouting network in place is the way to do ... this far fetched notion that Auchenhowie and the youth system is superb is nuts at best 

He is? I must have been watching a different U20s team all season.

[Sweetheart 8,458]

2 hours ago, Smile said:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/king-insists-rangers-can-rely-on-youth-s7s3ffgsc

Season ticket pitch
Dave King, the Rangers chairman, has declared his satisfaction with the club’s strategy of developing their own young players and stated his belief that the much-criticised Auchenhowie training centre is finally starting to produce talent for the future.

King:
“The maintenance of Ibrox and Auchenhowie is a never-ending and costly process. But it is a price we must continuously pay in order to boast two such fantastic facilities and advance the excellent youth development process that we have put in place.”
Me: 
Your group was voted onto the board, by shareholders, as the best choice to be the Custodian of Rangers. Part of that duty is to make sure budgets include regular maintenance, so that the stadium and training ground receives the appropriate certificates. This should not be used as a pitch to sell season tickets.

King:
“Much has been achieved in the past year and the club structures are significantly better than a year ago. Our academy structures and young players are more promising than at any time since my first association with the club almost 20 years ago. Auchenhowie is finally looking fit for purpose and is showing a vibrancy hitherto unseen.”
Me:
You can thank Mark Warburton for that; his experience helped improve the club's youth set-up in his 1st season at Rangers 

King: 
“Despite a relatively disappointing campaign up to this point, we have taken the necessary steps to revitalise the team and its performance. Of particular note is the carefully researched appointment of a new management unit headed by Pedro Caixinha.”
Me: 
So why did you extend MW’s contract? The time to change the manager would have been after winning promotion. The board should have done their carefully researched homework then. Making sure MW had the experience to take the 1st team on the next leg of the journey.

King: 
“Funds are available to help Pedro shape his own team. It is important that our supporters continue to see Rangers playing attractive football, but attractive football must not be pursued at the cost of failing to win.”
Me: 
It’s time you showed fans the colour of your money by letting Pedro announce he has his warchest. If not, the fans should insist money is ring fenced from season ticket money for squad improvements.

King:
“We must reinstate the winning mentality expected of the most successful club in the world in terms of domestic league titles. This winning mentality is only one of the significant qualities that I believe we have reintroduced with the new manager and his support staff.”
Me:
Again, this should have been in the board’s assessment on whether MW could take the team on the next leg of the journey MW experience of management was focus on youth development.

King: 
“We could have avoided the significant financial compensation we incurred to bring the new management team on board by delaying the appointment until the end of the season.”
Me:
You saved £££’s by not appointing an interim after Mark Warburton resigned/got fired. The board dragged the process out for weeks, which saw us losing points in the challenge. The board threw huge responsibility onto the under 20’s coach to fill in as manager. It’s a good job he managed to turn things around.

King:
“However, we believe it is in the club’s interest to give Pedro the balance of this season to assess the squad and make preparations in advance of the new season and the early competitive start we envisage with Europa League qualifiers.”
Me:
So, the board’s remit for Pedro is to get qualification for the Europa League this season and to move on players that cannot be developed for the Europa League. There are two possible routes one by being placed 2nd the other by winning the cup.
 

[Ozblue 4,331]

55 minutes ago, The Dude said:

He is? I must have been watching a different U20s team all season.

I know opinions differ at the drop of a hat on here; "That fucking {Insert your useless player} is total shite and shouldn't be near the first team; worst player ever for Rangers"...2 weeks later he should be playing every week etc, but you and Elfideldo seem to have watched these kids play for the majority of the season, so who in your opinion has the ability to actually make a serious push to make the 1st team squad under Pedro?...Is Gilmour the best we potentially have (allowing for his age difference) or is there another that really stands out like dogs balls?

 

[The Dude 20,026]

3 minutes ago, Ozblue said:

I know opinions differ at the drop of a hat on here; "That fucking {Insert your useless player} is total shite and shouldn't be near the first team; worst player ever for Rangers"...2 weeks later he should be playing every week etc, but you and Elfideldo seem to have watched these kids play for the majority of the season, so who in your opinion has the ability to actually make a serious push to make the 1st team squad under Pedro?...Is Gilmour the best we potentially have (allowing for his age difference) or is there another that really stands out like dogs balls?

 

Gilmour is genuinely a special talent. He's not one that any club develops like clockwork. Assuming he doesn't piss it away and works hard he can quite honestly be the best scottish player in years, if not decades, he's that good.

Over the next handful of years I could see a host of players make the step up and be part of the first team squad regularly. Robby & Ross McCrorie, Jordan Houston, Jamie Barjonas, Jack Thomson, Liam Burt, Zak Rudden, Serge Atakayi, Max Ashmore, Aidan Wilson, are all ones who I could see being important players.

There are plenty others who, with a bit of luck and hard work could easily go beyond where they are expected too.

[The Dude 20,026]

22 minutes ago, Sweetheart said:

Season ticket pitch
Dave King, the Rangers chairman, has declared his satisfaction with the club’s strategy of developing their own young players and stated his belief that the much-criticised Auchenhowie training centre is finally starting to produce talent for the future.

King:
“The maintenance of Ibrox and Auchenhowie is a never-ending and costly process. But it is a price we must continuously pay in order to boast two such fantastic facilities and advance the excellent youth development process that we have put in place.”
Me: 
Your group was voted onto the board, by shareholders, as the best choice to be the Custodian of Rangers. Part of that duty is to make sure budgets include regular maintenance, so that the stadium and training ground receives the appropriate certificates. This should not be used as a pitch to sell season tickets.

King:
“Much has been achieved in the past year and the club structures are significantly better than a year ago. Our academy structures and young players are more promising than at any time since my first association with the club almost 20 years ago. Auchenhowie is finally looking fit for purpose and is showing a vibrancy hitherto unseen.”
Me:
You can thank Mark Warburton for that; his experience helped improve the club's youth set-up in his 1st season at Rangers 

King: 
“Despite a relatively disappointing campaign up to this point, we have taken the necessary steps to revitalise the team and its performance. Of particular note is the carefully researched appointment of a new management unit headed by Pedro Caixinha.”
Me: 
So why did you extend MW’s contract? The time to change the manager would have been after winning promotion. The board should have done their carefully researched homework then. Making sure MW had the experience to take the 1st team on the next leg of the journey.

King: 
“Funds are available to help Pedro shape his own team. It is important that our supporters continue to see Rangers playing attractive football, but attractive football must not be pursued at the cost of failing to win.”
Me: 
It’s time you showed fans the colour of your money by letting Pedro announce he has his warchest. If not, the fans should insist money is ring fenced from season ticket money for squad improvements.

King:
“We must reinstate the winning mentality expected of the most successful club in the world in terms of domestic league titles. This winning mentality is only one of the significant qualities that I believe we have reintroduced with the new manager and his support staff.”
Me:
Again, this should have been in the board’s assessment on whether MW could take the team on the next leg of the journey MW experience of management was focus on youth development.

King: 
“We could have avoided the significant financial compensation we incurred to bring the new management team on board by delaying the appointment until the end of the season.”
Me:
You saved £££’s by not appointing an interim after Mark Warburton resigned/got fired. The board dragged the process out for weeks, which saw us losing points in the challenge. The board threw huge responsibility onto the under 20’s coach to fill in as manager. It’s a good job he managed to turn things around.

King:
“However, we believe it is in the club’s interest to give Pedro the balance of this season to assess the squad and make preparations in advance of the new season and the early competitive start we envisage with Europa League qualifiers.”
Me:
So, the board’s remit for Pedro is to get qualification for the Europa League this season and to move on players that cannot be developed for the Europa League. There are two possible routes one by being placed 2nd the other by winning the cup.
 

You can thank Craig Mulholland and Graeme Murty for that. Warburton had fairly limited interest in the academy.

[K.A.I 36,183]

1 hour ago, The Dude said:

He is? I must have been watching a different U20s team all season.

From all accounts yeah - the one standout ... how's that wrong? If it's wrong then why aren't there more Chelsea's and Arsenals snapping up the rest of them?

[Sweetheart 8,458]

1 minute ago, The Dude said:

You can thank Craig Mulholland and Graeme Murty for that. Warburton had fairly limited interest in the academy.

Craig Mulholland and Graeme Murty have done a fantastic job they have also helped to improve the youth setup, but Warburton was brought in because of his experience with youth structures. His experience in this field helped to improve the club's youth set-up which he did in his 1st season at Rangers 

[Young Bob 1,360]

11 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Gilmour is genuinely a special talent. He's not one that any club develops like clockwork. Assuming he doesn't piss it away and works hard he can quite honestly be the best scottish player in years, if not decades, he's that good.

Over the next handful of years I could see a host of players make the step up and be part of the first team squad regularly. Robby & Ross McCrorie, Jordan Houston, Jamie Barjonas, Jack Thomson, Liam Burt, Zak Rudden, Serge Atakayi, Max Ashmore, Aidan Wilson, are all ones who I could see being important players.

There are plenty others who, with a bit of luck and hard work could easily go beyond where they are expected too.

And how do they compare to the Stoneys, Telfers , Crawfords etc  from a few seasons back ?

[Skyson1872 2,923]

Some of our fans actually put more effort into attacking our club than they do the SFA, Rotten mob etc