Gazzza 0 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Last season, Smith took us to 3 finals, and appeared to of had the league wrapped up early. So my question is, how did this man turn into a complete nut case just 4 months later? Losing to Kaunas, and making some of the worst signings iv ever seen. Last season, he was incredible, but this season, hes a complete spastic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saudibear 0 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Last season, Smith took us to 3 finals, and appeared to of had the league wrapped up early. So my question is, how did this man turn into a complete nut case just 4 months later? Losing to Kaunas, and making some of the worst signings iv ever seen. Last season, he was incredible, but this season, hes a complete spastic. Did you watch the way we played last season? Yes we scraped wins over QoS and D Utd in cup competitions and bored the pants off everyone with negative football to reach the UEFA final, then looked like nothing in the final. Results came our way but it was not because we were a superior football team. He steadied a sinking ship with negative football but could not then take us to the next level. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzza 0 Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 He still got us results though, and thats what matters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae 15,286 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I suppose you could say that he stumbled on a system that worked last season and the players believed in it so much that it gave them the great confidence required to get great results. So far as this season goes I don't think we have ever fully recovered from the humiliation of Kaunas ... and are still to some extent in the shadow of last years disappointment. Of course it also has to be mentioned that a lot of his buys in the summer have contributed next to nothing and the growing amount of unshiftable deadwood continues to be a drain on club resources Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saudibear 0 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 He still got us results though, and thats what matters. He got us some results until the pressure was really on then in the last month the only result was a scraped victory over QoS. We are in a worse situation than any time I can remember in 48 years since my first visit to Ibrox and that includes the John Greig era as manager in the early 80's. There can be no excuses for failure, we deserve better. WATP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae 15,286 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I think to be fair to Greigy he was an inexperienced manager Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saudibear 0 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I think to be fair to Greigy he was an inexperienced manager My post was not meant to slag Greigy as a manager so to speak but it was a low point of supporting Rangers as far as results go in the last half century. I just don't remember feeling as bad at that time as I do now but they do say time is a great healer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae 15,286 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I'm really just agreeing with you that we should expect better from such an experienced manager Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluepeter9 5,167 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Season aint over yet - sure we did crap in Europe but far to early to judge what will happen domestically - far to many fans already throwing the towel in - whatever happened to NO Surrender! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluenose_Pete 4 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 our downfall was kaunus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 He got us some results until the pressure was really on then in the last month the only result was a scraped victory over QoS. We are in a worse situation than any time I can remember in 48 years since my first visit to Ibrox and that includes the John Greig era as manager in the early 80's. There can be no excuses for failure, we deserve better. WATP. You've gotta be kidding. We worse under the previous two managers. Also, referees and the SPL robbed us of the title last year. Smith takes no blame for it, if you stick to the facts. Dodgy refereeing has put them 5 points ahead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Season aint over yet - sure we did crap in Europe but far to early to judge what will happen domestically - far to many fans already throwing the towel in - whatever happened to NO Surrender! Exactly. We've had a load of pish spouted about Boyd and the bank's alleged demands. Selling a non essential player, no matter what some say, is not a sign of defeat, surrender or bankruptcy. The allegations are clearly wrong. Selling Boyd makes tactical and financial sense. There's nothing more to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 505 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I'd contend that there have been signs of improvement in a football sense this season. Unfortunately where it counts - results - there hasn't. Add in obvious problems of player motivation, commitment, energy, character and confidence; and couple this with questionable personnel and tactical choices, then it's no wonder Smith is facing criticism. External factors are important - being forced to sell our best players and dubious officiating in particular - but essentially as long as we're not winning the title, Smith's position will be correctly debated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnan 13,319 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Call it Waletr's mid-summer madness. Actually rephrase that to Walters striker summer madness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluepeter9 5,167 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Exactly. We've had a load of pish spouted about Boyd and the bank's alleged demands. Selling a non essential player, no matter what some say, is not a sign of defeat, surrender or bankruptcy. The allegations are clearly wrong. Selling Boyd makes tactical and financial sense. There's nothing more to it. For once we agree. I'll be sad to see Boyd go - but life goes on - been sad to see many go over the years but always find someone new to support and Rangers always survice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluepeter9 5,167 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I'd contend that there have been signs of improvement in a football sense this season. Unfortunately where it counts - results - there hasn't. Add in obvious problems of player motivation, commitment, energy, character and confidence; and couple this with questionable personnel and tactical choices, then it's no wonder Smith is facing criticism. External factors are important - being forced to sell our best players and dubious officiating in particular - but essentially as long as we're not winning the title, Smith's position will be correctly debated. Even is Smith wins the title there will be those who will 'debate' it - look at Strachan - still not supported by many of their fans - wegner getting a hard time form some fanes - such is the fickleness of supporters - however there is quite a bit of difference between debating a managers merits (or lack off) and the complete and utter melt down and towel chucked in mentality of some of the posters recently! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 505 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Even is Smith wins the title there will be those who will 'debate' it - look at Strachan - still not supported by many of their fans - wegner getting a hard time form some fanes - such is the fickleness of supporters - however there is quite a bit of difference between debating a managers merits (or lack off) and the complete and utter melt down and towel chucked in mentality of some of the posters recently! Of course wins should be debated as well. Improvement and ambition should always be our aim. Perhaps if we had such debates in the mid-late 90s during our dominance then we wouldn't be having this discussion now. As for melt-down and defeatist attitudes of some, well of course some fans will be OTT in their criticism. As will some be OTT in their ability to not criticise. That goes without saying. At that point one looks for the moderate opinion and, going by the last few days, that seems to be disappointment and frustration. Any fan I speak to understands the need to sell players but there needs to be a balance between that and delivering success. As it stands that balance is tipping the wrong way and that's why people are correctly questioning the decision-making of the manager and the chairman. Not just anonymous fans on forums either but the heads of all three major supporters' organisations - moderate or otherwise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaguy51 912 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Of course wins should be debated as well. Improvement and ambition should always be our aim. If only everyone thought like that, especially Smith. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluepeter9 5,167 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Of course wins should be debated as well. Improvement and ambition should always be our aim. Perhaps if we had such debates in the mid-late 90s during our dominance then we wouldn't be having this discussion now. As for melt-down and defeatist attitudes of some, well of course some fans will be OTT in their criticism. As will some be OTT in their ability to not criticise. That goes without saying. At that point one looks for the moderate opinion and, going by the last few days, that seems to be disappointment and frustration. Any fan I speak to understands the need to sell players but there needs to be a balance between that and delivering success. As it stands that balance is tipping the wrong way and that's why people are correctly questioning the decision-making of the manager and the chairman. Not just anonymous fans on forums either but the heads of all three major supporters' organisations - moderate or otherwise. .. and I supose thats where it comes down to trust - I trust the Managers and Owner desire and skill - I have always said Smith should go at the end of this season if we havn't won the league but (IMHO) its to early to call that - and certainly for me (as us all) we want to win the league and I think that is better achieveved by giving the Management our support, not our condemnation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1690 Posts 71 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 You've gotta be kidding. We worse under the previous two managers. Also, referees and the SPL robbed us of the title last year. Smith takes no blame for it, if you stick to the facts. Dodgy refereeing has put them 5 points ahead. Rubbish man. McLeish won titles despite the club spending less than they received in every year of his stewardship. The only period of downsizing in our history and Eck managed to pump celtcs best manager since Stein. As for Smith, the reason we're pants is he listened to forum 'managers' banging on about 4-4-2 like they knew something about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
docspiderman 1,225 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Rubbish man. McLeish won titles despite the club spending less than they received. The only period of downsizing in our history and Eck managed to pump celtcs best manager since Stein. As for Smith, the reason we're pants is he listened to forum 'managers' banging on about 4-4-2 like they knew something about it. As if Walter would take advice from anyone or even consider for a moment anything a fan says on or off a forum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 505 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 .. and I supose thats where it comes down to trust - I trust the Managers and Owner desire and skill - I have always said Smith should go at the end of this season if we havn't won the league but (IMHO) its to early to call that - and certainly for me (as us all) we want to win the league and I think that is better achieveved by giving the Management our support, not our condemnation. Trust may well form part of some peoples' opinion forming. I look at the overall evidence. The evidence points towards a struggling administration - at board and managerial level. That's why people are rightly being criticial. Of course their criticism should be moderate, sensible and constructive but to suggest people are not being supportive because they criticise is completely incorrect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaguy51 912 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 As if Walter would take advice from anyone or even consider for a moment anything a fan says on or off a forum. Are you really suggesting that Smith felt no pressure from fans to play more aesthetically pleasing football? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poetry_In_Blue 1,043 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 When we thumped Celtic at the Piggery earlier on in the season Smith was the next best thing since sliced bread, but because of a few bad results (some caused by clear refereeing mistakes) he has become the worse manager to darken our doors. The league isn't over, we can still win a domestic treble, and as for his signings people are just too quick to judge players like Lafferty and Edu etc etc, when they haven't actually been given a proper chance to shine. The same criticism which had been thrown at KT when he first signed for us. Apart from some of the fringe players, there are certain players I think should be forced to leave before Smith and Ferguson is one of them, been watching him on TV for the last few nights on previous games etc and I've decided he isn't that good a captain, I think he is bringing the team down. Boyd I'm not too sure about he can score goals, but there is nothing to say that if Lafferty was played as a striker he wouldn't start banging them in on a regular basis. McGregor is another one, excellent goalkeeper but too much baggage, or could it be just getting rid of one of them would be the shot in the arm the players (who also have to take some responsibility) will require, as they will then realise that no-one is safe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Rubbish man. McLeish won titles despite the club spending less than they received in every year of his stewardship. The only period of downsizing in our history and Eck managed to pump celtcs best manager since Stein. As for Smith, the reason we're pants is he listened to forum 'managers' banging on about 4-4-2 like they knew something about it. O'Neill was vastly overrated, though I'd agree he's their best since Large Knowledgeable Jock and benefited from Jansen's signing of Larsson more than anything else. He went with 3 giant centre backs and two defensive midfielders with wing backs and a target man. It wasn't any tactical genius. Also, remember that he benefited massively from a hugely favourable and weak refereeing performance in his first Old Firm game, without which, it's questionable if he'd have won any titles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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