Morning after the night before

[BLUE CYCLOPS 26]

With all the current negativity about Rangers,---- Murray GTF, Bain GTF, Smith etc,etc,

I would like to expand on a post from a few days ago about who would buy Rangers from SDM.

My basic point, which some people disagreed with, was that I firmly believe that no one in his right mind would invest money in the SPL, but IF ANY ONE DID, we are a more attractive proposition than Celtic. Some of the disagreement quoted the old statistic about Celtic,s marketing arm in Japan taking advantage of Naka,s name. Fair comment, but just how many replica shirts do Celtic sell in Asia? 2500? 5000? not much more I bet.

If a genuine buyer was seriously looking at the OF as an investment, do you think that 5000 shirts would sway the deal? An investment package of that size looks for a much more comprehensive set-up than we think.

Lets just compare a few issues regarding Rangers/Celtic and what each club can bring to the table to tempt a prospective new owner.

CELTIC---- A one issue, one dimension package. Exclusively Irish/Catholic in outlook. A captive support/market but one which will be unlikely to break into the modern mass market without extensive changes to the whole club ethos. This is something that the support/executive is unlikely to ever change. There are only a finite number of Irish catholic millionaires and a few more in the Irish American section. In support of my argument I give you the only successful European manager that Celtic had, Wim Jansen?. Both Jansen and Dr. Venglos walked out of Parkhead and refused to renew their contracts. The whole victimology, chip on the shoulder atmosphere drove them out. How comfortable would a Russian oil millionaire feel in that setting?

The whole package I mentioned includes the club infrastructure. A stadium which will require major

investment in maintainence/rebuilding in the next ten years. A training facility which ,just like the stadium, was built on the cheap and is barely fit for purpose.

A stadium which is not on a direct route from airports,docks,motorway, railway etc, There was talk of GCC building a rail spur to Parkhead in time for the Commonwealth games but who knows what effect the recent Glasgow east election shock will have on that one. All things considered, a potential invester could be buying into a financial black hole if he tried to break into the world rankings under Celtics current situation.

RANGERS-----We have our ideolgical baggage too, but , in spite of Timmy,s best efforts, we are generally seen in the wider football community as a more open organisation. Our recent invitation to join UEFA,s controlling body is proof of that. Our election to UEFA gives us another advantage as well.

The future of football is inexorably heading towards a Euro super league. Maybe not in my lifetime (I,m 66) but definately some time, and we can already offer a seat at the top table.

Our stadium, in contrast to Parkhead, is a 5 star structure with much lower operating/maintainence costs. Murray Park is another 5 star establishment which comes as part of the Rangers package.

Ibrox is on a direct route from the airport, docks, railway, motorway making it much more attractive as a venue for events other than football.

As regards marketing, we have fallen behind Celtic. It started when SDM gave away control to JJB and has gone downhill since then.

But just imagine what a potential investor would have made of the scenes from Manchester.

2000,000 bears and they didn,t even have tickets for the match. What thoughts would have gone through his head as he imagined the profit from a support like that if it was professionally run.

Conclusion-- We,re all feeling down at the minute and my little post is only a hypothetical suggestion.

But if it stops us crying into our beer evey time we think of last night, then its an interesting debate.

It certainly opens up the opportunity to give us something positive to think about. and, by f**k do we need something positive to think about?

Any body agree/disagree with my thoughts.? and remember, its only hypothetical but with every body calling for SDM,s head at the minute, its certainly topical.

.

[The Hammer 11 2,574]

Dont forget the fact that we are a british club and appeal to a lot of supporters down south as many see rangers as their second team or have an affection towards us

[Briton 394]

I don't think it's about investment in the main. It's usually about rich men and an ego trip and the huge exposure they get from running a club like Rangers. Of course that in it's self is probably valuable, but David Murray, as an example, could make far more money if he concentrated all his efforts in other businesses.