Walter Smith on signing Gascoigne

[WWTC 2,247]

18 hours ago, DW1872 said:

That's a bloody great watch. Brilliant memories.

The touch and control of Laudrup and Gazza is incredible especially on the horrendous pitch. I'm afraid we'll never see their like again in a Gers strip.

 

Glad you enjoyed it mate. Might just be a daft away day at thistle, the kind your not allowed to celebrate ofcourse, but its still one of my favourites. 

Most youngsters back then had wanted to be a striker or a winger, including me, then Gascoigne signed for us and completely changed how i viewed footballers. The guy filled every ground he played at.

[Turnberry18 3,204]

Great days. I always remember we were being linked to Vialli back then and fairly sure it was going to happen; pity it didn't. Very hard to decide who was the best when it came to Gascoigne and Laudrup playing for us; both great players. 

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16 hours ago, murzo said:

Was there not a time when that prick gerry mcnee would only call him number 8, had Gazza booted a couple of balls his direction in the press box while training on an away European game. Only one of them was qualified to do there job and it wasn't the bitter hack. Absolute quality on the park and loved the adoration he got.

To do with Laudrup,  knew a guy at the time who played and he said it was like he was on a magic carpet the way he ran with the ball and went past players.

 

Thats actually true. He went through a peroid of refusing to call him by name. It was always "the number 8". Fucking arsehole of a guy. 

Guess who was first on the park to try and interview him against the sheep at home after his hat trick ?

Everyone bar Rangers fans said he was finished, he looked good against shite. He nearly won Euro 96 singled handed ffs?

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3 minutes ago, Turnberry18 said:

Great days. I always remember we were being linked to Vialli, back then and fairly sure it was going to happen; pity it didn't. Very hard to decide who was the best when it came to Gascoigne and Laudrup playing for us; both great players. 

I often get asked that, especially off the younger ones. 

I always say Laudrup was the better professional footballer, Gascoigne was the more naturally gifted. 

If im pushed to choose one im blinkered, and always choose Gascoigne. Hand on heart theres not a single player id take over Gascoigne on his day. 

[folkestoneger 8,089]

On ‎13‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 1:22 PM, BRITNEY IS NOT FEELING IT said:

The pair of them were just in a different class , will we ever get scenes like 

Just on a players arrival , remember a lot of Bears getting their hair coloured like Gazzas , ah the good old days 

Those were the days

[Turnberry18 3,204]

3 minutes ago, WWTC said:

I often get asked that, especially off the younger ones. 

I always say Laudrup was the better professional footballer, Gascoigne was the more naturally gifted. 

If im pushed to choose one im blinkered, and always choose Gascoigne. Hand on heart theres not a single player id take over Gascoigne on his day. 

I'd agree, which was why I kind of qualified it with what they gave 'playing for us'. Gascogne was a genius, no doubt about it; his ability to find space was so instinctive, and he could open up a midfield or a defence so easily, and with skill at his feet. Great memories.

[Gascoigne8 3,378]

1 minute ago, WWTC said:

I often get asked that, especially off the younger ones. 

I always say Laudrup was the better professional footballer, Gascoigne was the more naturally gifted. 

If im pushed to choose one im blinkered, and always choose Gascoigne. Hand on heart theres not a single player id take over Gascoigne on his day. 

You only have to look at the quality of players in italy at the time he signed for lazio to realise how good he was. He is one of the best 3 players ive ever seen in the flesh for rangers. Ive always felt that it was spurs who pressured him into playing when not fully fit, who caused most of his problems with injuries. One of the standout players of the 1990s

[MurrayWilson 3,375]

The best ive seen in a rangers shirt, at his absolute best he was even slightly better than laudrup or cooper. In my opinion. One of the 4 or 5 genuinely world class Britain has produced in the last 30 years. And to think Keith Jackson actually once compared scott brown to him, which if you didn't know it already goes to prove Jackson is a tit.

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7 minutes ago, Gascoigne8 said:

You only have to look at the quality of players in italy at the time he signed for lazio to realise how good he was. He is one of the best 3 players ive ever seen in the flesh for rangers. Ive always felt that it was spurs who pressured him into playing when not fully fit, who caused most of his problems with injuries. One of the standout players of the 1990s

I think Lazios initial bid for him made him the worlds most expensive player, it was only when he done his cruciate they changed the deal. That injury was the one that fucked him for years, self inflicted aswell. In truth, he shouldnt have been on the park to make the tackle, he wiped someone out 5mins into the game and shouldve been sent off. Even a booking woulda calmed him down. Im sure he was strechered off before halftime

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14 minutes ago, Turnberry18 said:

I'd agree, which was why I kind of qualified it with what they gave 'playing for us'. Gascogne was a genius, no doubt about it; his ability to find space was so instinctive, and he could open up a midfield or a defence so easily, and with skill at his feet. Great memories.

He was absolutely solid aswell. Had the lot. ?

[centenarystand 2,227]

I was working down south at the time and it was utter joy and  disbelief Gazza was signing for us. I listened to him being introduced to the waiting crowd live on Radio One newsbeat it was incredible.

Next time i was home a few mates cutting about with the bleached blond hair. Great days indeed.

[MurrayWilson 3,375]

I remember the game against Dortmund at Ibrox when he was up against moller and sammer and he ran the show, as I said earlier he was genuinely world class.

[6superbarry6 14,151]

Genius I'd put him up there with George Best as the most naturally talented footballers Britain has ever produced 

[WeirFleckNRothen 1,789]

A lot of credit being sent the way of Gascoigne and Laudrup here, and rightly so, but what a man Walter Smith was and is.

My childhood was joyous thanks larglely to him; the number of years I finished school and headed into the summer holidays with a massive smile on my face thanks to him was unbelievable.

Even in recent years - 2008 until 2011 - that three-in-a-row period was incredible.

[Gascoigne8 3,378]

1 hour ago, WWTC said:

I think Lazios initial bid for him made him the worlds most expensive player, it was only when he done his cruciate they changed the deal. That injury was the one that fucked him for years, self inflicted aswell. In truth, he shouldnt have been on the park to make the tackle, he wiped someone out 5mins into the game and shouldve been sent off. Even a booking woulda calmed him down. Im sure he was strechered off before halftime

He played on after the tackle and pearce scored from the free kick, when the players went back to the half way line to restart he crumpled and lay down. I get the point he had to be calmed down and it was self inflicted but the bit people forget was that he had carried a groin injury all season and spurs used him in every fa cup round even when he wasnt fit. He played the quarters and semi vs arsenal when only half fit taking cortisone injections to get through games. I think its oxford in the quarters he scores the only goal when spurs where right up against it. He had hyped himself up too much for the final and needed an old head to calm him down but bear in mind if he hadnt had that injury we may never have seen him in royal blue

[jintybear 8,536]

Thank fuck it wasn't this board in charge in they days. We would never have seen the brilliance of Gazza or Laudrup play for our great club

[Gaz52 11,837]

That was a very enjoyable read, thanks for sharing. Walter speaking brilliantly and to the point as always. What a couple of truly incredible footballers they were. 

You always knew that if Walter had the chance to have a one-on-one conversation with a prospective signing, he'd win them over, no-one could sell a move to Rangers better than Sir Walter could 

[cr3_bear 14,811]

On 13/05/2017 at 3:15 PM, reallyruff said:

One of the best aspects of his signing was the reaction of mhanks. Disbelief to dejection.

The spekky auld dosser in this video 

 

 

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Always good to share

[Rosebery1872 78]

On ‎13‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 0:44 PM, Virtuoso said:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/i-heard-a-quad-bike-and-suddenly-there-was-paul-tfz8g7t90

Thank You Sir Walter Just... Thank You

[evenstevens 890]

On 2017-5-14 at 3:18 PM, WeirFleckNRothen said:

A lot of credit being sent the way of Gascoigne and Laudrup here, and rightly so, but what a man Walter Smith was and is.

My childhood was joyous thanks larglely to him; the number of years I finished school and headed into the summer holidays with a massive smile on my face thanks to him was unbelievable.

Even in recent years - 2008 until 2011 - that three-in-a-row period was incredible.

Folk say let him enjoy his retirement but not me. He could come back any time he wants and manage us. 

 

Must be how Man U fans are feeling. Only time I'll ever sympathise with them. 

[Smile 26,600]

On 2017-5-13 at 0:44 PM, Virtuoso said:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/i-heard-a-quad-bike-and-suddenly-there-was-paul-tfz8g7t90

Great read.

[Cam1872 251]

Been said a few times already, but need to add my own idolising of Gazza. 

The guys was a total hero for us. 

Laudrup was also up there, but fir me Gazza was next level stuff. Centre mid one of the hardest positions and the guy strolled it most of the time. Genius. 

I genuinely believe that if you put one of either Gazza or Laudrup into this current shower  we would be top of the league. 

Fuck it, just play a fives team of those two  Fod  Miller and Clint hill and we would be in better shape. 

 

[baltic_blue 108]

This is when football was good. Genuine players who loved to play and gave their all. Even that Partick thistle team would wipe the floor with teams in Scotland today. The hatred for us is clear to see even then though and the jelousy is still felt to this day. Gazza was undoubtedly one of the best to ever play for us and is up there with the best all time British players. The English media even had to grudgingly admit that he was almost if not as good as he had ever been after his performances for them in euro 96 as they had wrote him off after he had signed for us. A legend.

[jackunion 536]

On 13/05/2017 at 9:39 PM, murzo said:

Was there not a time when that prick gerry mcnee would only call him number 8, had Gazza booted a couple of balls his direction in the press box while training on an away European game. Only one of them was qualified to do there job and it wasn't the bitter hack. Absolute quality on the park and loved the adoration he got.

To do with Laudrup,  knew a guy at the time who played and he said it was like he was on a magic carpet the way he ran with the ball and went past players.

 

I'm sure it was pittodrie he was puntingballs into the press box trying to hit fat Gerry