Would you accept Rangers being a feeder club to one of Europe's Giants?

[Tontospal 1,116]

I wouldn't like to see this happen but is it a viable short term option?

I believe that we have the potential to be a serious player on the European stage but only if we get the right people in the Boardroom, in the dugout and on the pitch.

There is no reason why this can't be the case. Even during our 'downsizing' period we have spent millions. Unfortunately it has been to people who have quite simply not been up to the job. This includes Bain, McLeish, PLG, Smith and the coaches and players that have earned millons whilst an average celtc side have dominated most of the last decade.

Tens, if not hundreds, of millions have been squandered over the last 10 years on people who have not delivered. As a result, we again find ourselves in a perilous financial position with only old 'smoke and mirrors' knowing the true position.

Make no mistake about it Rangers are in a dire position and need something drastic to happen to reverse the situation. An average celtc side are on course for 4 in a row and who knows how many more, we have an owner who has been trying to get shot of the club for a number of years, a manager whose best days are well in the past and an imbalanced squad of overpaid, underachieving players that continually fail to deliver.

With no potential buyer on the horizon is it time for the club to engage one of the giants of European football with a view to becoming a feeder club for a period of say 5 years in order to give us time to restructure the club financially and develop a viable business plan for the future?

We have entered in to such ventures before with a Chinese and an Australian club, which granted have been unmitigated disasters and delivered absolutely nothing, but this time it would be with us, an established European club, as the feeder club.

I imagine that it would be an interesting and attractive proposition for us to provide one of the European giants with a competitive platform to develop their players/coaches of the future.

I'm not sure of the legalities regarding European football or what the position would be were we to draw our 'parent'

club in European competion.

A viable idea or a lot of nonsense?

[ShanksRFC 3,870]

No.

[The Hammer 11 2,585]

Where is all this dire financial position pish coming from has anyone at the club came out and made an official statement?.TBH its just lazy journalists talking shite and making assumptions

[Ted E Bayer 484]

No. Besides, we'd only take the younger players and never play them. Complete waste of time.

[Amac9 2,060]

I would be able to accept it more if we were selling our top players to the likes of AC Milan, Man utd or Real Madrid.

But the harsh reality is we do not have players good enough to even get on the reserves for the teams mentioned.

[Tontospal 1,116]

Where is all this dire financial position pish coming from has anyone at the club came out and made an official statement?.TBH its just lazy journalists talking shite and making assumptions

And how do you know that we don't have dire financial problems?

[Jimbo. 952]

Absoloutely not.

[Tontospal 1,116]

I would be able to accept it more if we were selling our top players to the likes of AC Milan, Man utd or Real Madrid.

But the harsh reality is we do not have players good enough to even get on the reserves for the teams mentioned.

It wouldn't work that way.

The other club would provide us with players/coaches to be developed for them.

In essence we would be their reserve side.

[Tontospal 1,116]

Absoloutely not.

Even if the option is that Murray stays at the helm, they win 10 in a row or we actually go in to administration or worse?

[The Hammer 11 2,585]

Where is all this dire financial position pish coming from has anyone at the club came out and made an official statement?.TBH its just lazy journalists talking shite and making assumptions

And how do you know that we don't have dire financial problems?

I dont but its getting pretty easy for us to be labelled as in dire straits financially in an economic crisis christ you could ddo that to every company just now and get a few of them right but without someone at the club coming out and stating it i dont really believe it considering the fortune we made last season

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,051]

One of the biggest marches Celtic have stolen on us in recent years was when they managed to poach John Park from Hibs.

Here's a guy who is not only renowned for his coaching abilities, but also for the way that he keeps his young players feet firmly on the ground.

It's a figure of this ilk, along with a more knowledgable scouting team, which we need at our club.

[Mike Newells Sexist Army 2]

I'm sure top teams would love to send their youngsters to the SPL and see them get crunched by the likes of Ross Tokely or Martin Hardie.

[Jimbo. 952]

Absoloutely not.

Even if the option is that Murray stays at the helm, they win 10 in a row or we actually go in to administration or worse?

TBH yes. I'm very confident we wont see ANY of these things happening, anyway i don't think i could bear to be someones baby club. Not gettin misty eyed or anything but we have too much tradition and, i think pride, for that. Can you imagine the mhanks?! We'd lose all bragging rights. Forever. And ever.

[Tontospal 1,116]

Where is all this dire financial position pish coming from has anyone at the club came out and made an official statement?.TBH its just lazy journalists talking shite and making assumptions

And how do you know that we don't have dire financial problems?

I dont but its getting pretty easy for us to be labelled as in dire straits financially in an economic crisis christ you could ddo that to every company just now and get a few of them right but without someone at the club coming out and stating it i dont really believe it considering the fortune we made last season

As I understand the whole squad is basically up for grabs for the right price.

Not because everyone is for sale at the right price but because we are desparate for money.

It makes no sense to accept a bid for Boyd that is actually less than we paid for Lafferty unless we are desparate for the money.

Yes, companies are going bust left, right and centre. Noone really knows what our debt is or how it is structured within Murray's company. I hope we're not but we could be in big trouble and I doubt anyone from the club will admit to that.

[Tontospal 1,116]

I'm sure top teams would love to send their youngsters to the SPL and see them get crunched by the likes of Ross Tokely or Martin Hardie.

I forgot that football is a non-contact sport in Spain and Italy.

Thanks for reminding me.

[The Hammer 11 2,585]

Where is all this dire financial position pish coming from has anyone at the club came out and made an official statement?.TBH its just lazy journalists talking shite and making assumptions

And how do you know that we don't have dire financial problems?

I dont but its getting pretty easy for us to be labelled as in dire straits financially in an economic crisis christ you could ddo that to every company just now and get a few of them right but without someone at the club coming out and stating it i dont really believe it considering the fortune we made last season

As I understand the whole squad is basically up for grabs for the right price.

Not because everyone is for sale at the right price but because we are desparate for money.

It makes no sense to accept a bid for Boyd that is actually less than we paid for Lafferty unless we are desparate for the money.

Yes, companies are going bust left, right and centre. Noone really knows what our debt is or how it is structured within Murray's company. I hope we're not but we could be in big trouble and I doubt anyone from the club will admit to that.

Murray and the board want sacking if they have got us into this state after the money we made last season

[Tontospal 1,116]

Absoloutely not.

Even if the option is that Murray stays at the helm, they win 10 in a row or we actually go in to administration or worse?

TBH yes. I'm very confident we wont see ANY of these things happening, anyway i don't think i could bear to be someones baby club. Not gettin misty eyed or anything but we have too much tradition and, i think pride, for that. Can you imagine the mhanks?! We'd lose all bragging rights. Forever. And ever.

I hope you're right.

I agree that I wouldn't like to see it happen but it may be a viable short term option until the club gets itself sorted out.

I hope I'm wrong but I really fear that Murray has put our future in doubt, or at the very least our ability to compete in Glasgow, nevermind Europe, as a result of his financial mismanagement.

[Jimbo. 952]

Absoloutely not.

Even if the option is that Murray stays at the helm, they win 10 in a row or we actually go in to administration or worse?

TBH yes. I'm very confident we wont see ANY of these things happening, anyway i don't think i could bear to be someones baby club. Not gettin misty eyed or anything but we have too much tradition and, i think pride, for that. Can you imagine the mhanks?! We'd lose all bragging rights. Forever. And ever.

I hope you're right.

I agree that I wouldn't like to see it happen but it may be a viable short term option until the club gets itself sorted out.

I hope I'm wrong but I really fear that Murray has put our future in doubt, or at the very least our ability to compete in Glasgow, nevermind Europe, as a result of his financial mismanagement.

I share your concerns mate but as much as celtic have by far the upper hand at the moment i feel that WGS has a rotten team and as soon as we get any kind of strong 11 with any kind of consistant winning mentality, (maybe this year but if not then IMO definately next year) we'll take them to the cleaners. Murray wants shot, sooner the better, but if we weren't papped out of europe then sales wouldn't be required. Don't think we're anywhere near administration TBH.

[Briton 394]

No.

[jbm26896 995]

No

[Imodium 411]

No - the pressure to win every week would be too much for some of the young lads, in my opinion.

I can see why the SPL would be attractive though to some of the top teams. The physical aspect of our game would be something new to a lot of the youngster and would be a good experience to build up some strength and know how against big bustly defenders. On the other hand they'd probably be frightened that their upcoming stars may get injured!

Aaron seemed like a coup at the time when you consider his reputation in the Spanish Youth Team. His lack of chances however may put off some players and clubs of releasing their starlets to be if they are going to rot in the reserves for 2 years.

Arsenal have some talented youth players and wouldn't mind seeing one or two coming up here and having a go in the team. Look at Anthony Stokes last season - looked a cracking player and got Falkirk a good few goals. Falkirk seem to have better contacts than ourselves in terms of getting these players up here - Schmeical, Stokes, Reira etc.

[HelloMoto 0]

We could have the most talented bench polishers in Europe.

[WVB 2,560]

No.

[1690 Posts 71]

These clubs would never lend their players for Wattiesaurus to play them in the wrong position in a brutal league imo.

[TMWWBK 0]

One of the biggest marches Celtic have stolen on us in recent years was when they managed to poach John Park from Hibs.

Here's a guy who is not only renowned for his coaching abilities, but also for the way that he keeps his young players feet firmly on the ground.

It's a figure of this ilk, along with a more knowledgable scouting team, which we need at our club.

Getting in Eastern European expert Ray Clarke and John Park were two of the best things the filth ever done.

And you're right, we could take a leaf out of the way Park kept the Mowbray crop grounded at Hibs. His key to maintaining the players stability off the park was to simply limit their wages as well as the handouts given out by the club. The 12k p/w 'Phase 2' contract that we give out to our youngsters after they initially make the step up is nothing short of absurd. It messed Burke's career up, it messed Adam's career up, it's messing McGregor's career up and it very nearly messed Hutton's career up.

Anyway, many will see the phrase 'parent club' and instantly run a mile from the OP's idea. The fact of the matter is that these club link-up's aren't as black and white as many would have you believe, with the benefits very much being a two way thing. Recently, Chelsea have linked up with PSV, Internazionale with Slavia Prague and Juventus with Standard Liege, all to differing degrees of success. For one thing, this proves that the gap in stature of club hooking up together is closing. If we were to follow the lead of one of the aforementioned latters (who i personally think our playing stature mirrors at the current time, Prague apart), it's not necessarily a case of us babysitting their youngsters for the year and them then cherry-picking our best talent.

These relationships are a growing part of the game due to the financial and practical benefits they can bring to both sides of the deal, and it's certainly not something we should let our pride as a club rule out. Infact, for me, pride wouldn't even come into it.