disgruntled_bear 157 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 CHUFFED chairman Sir David Murray famously predicted Paul Le Guen's arrival at Rangers would spark a moonbeam of success. Instead after just 198 days in the job the French manager left Ibrox under a cloud when a disastrous stint took the shine off his glittering CV. Le Guen shuffled out the exit exactly two years ago today with Rangers trailing SPL leaders Celtic by 17 points. Dressing-room unrest had come to a head with Barry Ferguson stripped of the captaincy and PLG was soon put out of his misery by "mutual consent". But despite seven wretched months in Scotland - the shortest reign of any Gers boss - tarnishing his reputation, Paul was back in work within 10 days as he took over fallen French giants Paris Saint-Germain. He arrived just in time to save the club from relegation but a year later faced similar problems to his Ibrox nightmare. Just before Christmas 2007 Le Guen was embroiled in a dispute with captain Pauleta and reportedly just ONE game from the sack as his team struggled. Sound familiar? Votes of confidence from chairmen are usually followed by the swish of the guillotine but PSG president Alain Cayzac stuck to his word and the club are now reaping the benefits of an amazing turnaround. Bolstered by star signings such as Ludovic Giuly and Claude Makelele, PSG are serious Ligue 1 title contenders and into the last 32 of the UEFA Cup. Fans are even dreaming of their boss emulating his glorious 90s playing career at the club by leading them to silverware. Two years on from his Ibrox flop Le Guen, 44, remains a talking point among the Light Blue legions puzzled about how a man with such an impressive CV failed to make it. It seems a case of right manager, wrong country. Former Rangers striker Stephane Guivarc'h, though, reckons his old team only have themselves to blame for appointing a world-class boss then not giving him the time to work his magic. Guivarc'h insists Le Guen is not a "quick-fix" manager and that his time at PSG proves what he can do over a longer period. The World Cup winner - who scored five goals in 14 games for Gers but was another who failed to sparkle in Scotland - has watched Le Guen's recent rise with interest. His job as manager of amateur side US Tregunc often allows him to do TV work for Canal+. Guivarc'h said: "There is one big difference between Le Guen at Rangers and Paris Saint-Germain - time. "In Scotland for some reason they took one look at him and decided they didn't like him. "After seven months he was gone with only a simple 'au revoir' as a way of thank you. "No one can say that is enough time to make your mark on a club. "He arrived from another country, a foreign culture and spoke a different language. "His ideas were always going to take time to implement but the pressure is so intense in Glasgow he wasn't given that luxury. "Paul is not a quick-fix manager. He takes time to get into the heads of his players and make the fans understand his philosophies. "He should have been treated better than only being given seven months then getting the sack before anyone knew what he could do as a coach. "PSG could easily have done what Rangers did and got rid of him in their first season. "He had a difficult year and results weren't much better than they were before his arrival. "Because PSG have a history of sacking coaches the writing seemed on the wall. "There is a long way to go but the future looks bright for the club now again and it could have been the same at Rangers if he was still there. "In football there are no guarantees. Maybe they would have continued to suffer if Paul stayed but perhaps Rangers would have won the league. "If fans had bought in to his ideas Rangers could be the big force in Scotland. "People say the pressure is huge in Glasgow but it's the same in Paris. They are the capital's side - a team that has traditionally spent a lot of money and their fans have high expectations. "They have to cope with Lyon, a club who don't look like giving up their stranglehold on the title for quite some time. "If results are poor at PSG the fans show their anger by booing or demonstrating. "It seemed inevitable Le Guen would be sacked but someone there decided he would get it right and that person should be applauded. "He got money in the summer to spend on big names like Giuly, Mateja Kezman and Makelele and their ambition is paying off. "For years PSG were a troubled club. No one seemed to be able to fix them but Le Guen has. He is getting surprising results and their reputation has risen again. "It's not relegation PSG are talking about any more - it's a Champions League place. "They are good to watch, the atmosphere around the club is on a high and team spirit is close. "All these things have been worked on by Paul and he is proving what we all knew in France - that he is a top manager." At the heart of PSG's new-found success is one of Le Guen's few Ibrox signings who looked the part - Jeremy Clement. In fact, a knee injury to the midfielder at a crucial time was a factor in Le Guen's downfall. Guivarc'h said: "I'm sure Rangers fans saw enough of Jeremy to know he was a young player with real potential. "All he ever needed was a manager who believed in him. "Paul took him to Glasgow then got him back when he left for PSG. "Jeremy is fast becoming one of the most important players at the club and I can only see his career getting better." The same could be said about born-again Le Guen. http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport-news/200...78057-21015008/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcbear 10,924 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Guivarc'h said it, what a waste of money that lazy cunt was, it must have took him a fortnight to recite that page. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briton 394 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Yeah...while I agree with most of what was said it's hard to take from him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youllneverwinaway 0 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Im sure there is irony in what he said considering PLG had 2 or 3 months where he could have been doing something and chose not to. He chose his time spent in the country the feckwit. :angry2: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imodium 411 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Im sure there is irony in what he said considering PLG had 2 or 3 months where he could have been doing something and chose not to. He chose his time spent in the country the feckwit. :angry2: I agree with you there. His biggest downfall seemed to be lack of preperation, the man could barely speak English at the beginning. Le Guen needed time but he didn't get it in Scotland. Given time he could have attracted some quality players i.e. Guily and Makalele, but instead he went to poundstretchers for players and refused to buy CB that weren't affraid to header the ball. I wouldn't be surprised if PSG win the Uefa Cup this year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueben_d 40 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 just cos he seems to have turned PSG around means absolutely diddly-squat. We were going backwards fast under PLG and he would never have been able to sign players of that quality for us sadly to turn things around. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardog 11 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Given the money Smith has been given we'd be top of the league right now. He took over a team that finished 3rd in the league FFS. He was the one who needed £13m, not Smith. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoyd 355 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 PLG can gtf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralCartmanLee 313 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 How can someone not be given enough time when they quit..... His logic is as good as his prowess in front of goal..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
docspiderman 1,234 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Guivarc'h said it, what a waste of money that lazy cunt was, it must have took him a fortnight to recite that page. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NathanRfc 37 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 You cant say that PLG would have worked wonders at Rangers just because he is doing it in France. The French and Scottish leagues are alot different. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebuur 2 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Yeah...while I agree with most of what was said it's hard to take from him. .... and so do I. PLG would have built a Rangers team for the next decade, unlike Smith and Co Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigeee 60 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Load of shite, Surely in the short time Guivarch spent at Ibrox he would have realised that the old firm simply can't allow someone a couple of years to find their feet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangersAndy 0 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 why wasn't he allowed time? because most fans expect miracles in an isntant and that was never going to happen..impatience shown by most rangers fans instead most decided to back a captain thats influence is severly decreaes as time goes on (he wasn't good in 2006 either) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson 2 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 If he had stayed our entire team would consist of the Austria Vienna team of 2005. Bartez, Govou, even Zidane were all mentioned. What did we get? Sebo,Letizi and Sionko! The fact that only ONE of his squad intake that year is still here speaks volumes about his eye for a player. Much has been made of the success he acheived being actually done with players he infact inherited. I think it is fair to say he has yet to build his own successful team, it will be interesting to see how this year pans out for him. I was delighted when we signed him. I was even more so when he 'quit'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymorrison1 1,033 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 in the past. it is today and tomorrow what counts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardog 11 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 If he had stayed our entire team would consist of the Austria Vienna team of 2005. Because he didn't get given enough money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManchestGer 347 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 in the past. it is today and tomorrow what counts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinViesel 399 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Guivarch was a tool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim1690 4,534 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 PLG had us challenging for 4th spot in a 2 horse race. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebeerhunter 0 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 i used to think that it was time that Le Guen needed at Ibrox, however George Burley made Hearts genuine contenders for the title in a very short time, so why did someone with Le Guens pedigree and supposed knowledge need time, he knew he was coming to Scottish football before the previous season had ended and he must have watched a fair few SPL games. So how did he fail to see how the games here were there to win and someone like Burley managed straight away. Le Guen maybe a good coach and manager but he was not up to managing in Scottish football. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam2102 578 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 How can someone not be given enough time when they quit..... His logic is as good as his prowess in front of goal..... PLG quit becuase Murray told him he'd be fired if he didnt - looks better on your CV i you're not fired Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcbear 10,924 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 i used to think that it was time that Le Guen needed at Ibrox, however George Burley made Hearts genuine contenders for the title in a very short time, so why did someone with Le Guens pedigree and supposed knowledge need time, he knew he was coming to Scottish football before the previous season had ended and he must have watched a fair few SPL games. So how did he fail to see how the games here were there to win and someone like Burley managed straight away. Le Guen maybe a good coach and manager but he was not up to managing in Scottish football. Agree 100% with all that, although Burleys latest job has not improved his cv. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlippinEck 3,708 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Maybe they would have continued to suffer if Paul stayed but perhaps Rangers would have won the league. Doubtful Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaltersGotStyle 160 Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Given the money Smith has been given we'd be top of the league right now. He took over a team that finished 3rd in the league FFS. He was the one who needed £13m, not Smith. Ermm... He was given the same funds but refused to spend as he thought we had adequate resources for the challenge... a fact the man has never denied... Murray backed him... Le Guen thought he could do it on the cheap... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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