The facts don’t back up the viewpoint

When Walter Smith speaks, the Scottish media listen and the Rangers manager was holding court today. We agree with his opinion that a play-off to decide the destination of the league title would be an absolute farce. If the SPL is seriously considering a 10 team league, we have an idea of a play-off system for them.

The top 10 teams play each other four times, two at home, two away and the team with the most points after these 36 games is deemed to be the champion. That is the sort of play-off that fans are likely to be interested in. However, a ten team league fills us with dread about the boredom that could arise from it.

So yes, we agree with Smith and Neil Lennon in their comments against a play-off title decider. However, we cannot agree with everything that Smith said today, especially his thoughts about plans for a league extension.

Smith is no stranger to fixture backlogs and he still remembers the end of the 2007/08 season with obvious disdain.

“There was only one team going to benefit from the season not being extended then and that was Celtic.”

That is such a strange way of putting it and quite frankly not the truth of the situation at all. Every team that wasn’t called Rangers could claim to benefit from the season not being extended; this is because the extension was only of benefit to Rangers.

Of course, the brilliant thing that Smith and the media seem to forget is that the league campaign was extended.

WeKnowSFA cannot claim to have first hand memories of every Scottish league campaign but we’ve been at games since the early to mid 80s….and there haven’t been too many Thursday night finales. In 2008, the league was extended; the only problem for Rangers was that it wasn’t extended long enough for their liking.

Never mind that every other club would have been sitting around with dead time and therefore every other club would have suffered because of the extension, Rangers wanted it their way.

And they got it.

Whether the split was of the length that Rangers were hoping for or what they were deserving of is a matter of opinion and can be argued with endlessly but the fact remains:

The SPL campaign of 2007/08 was extended

Walter Smith is clearly doing everything in his power to influence the situation in favour of his club and again, that is what a manager should be doing, so there is no problem with that.

However, the media should not be so compliant in agreeing with Smith or overlooking the factual inaccuracies in his comments. Not when they are so quick to slate other bosses for speaking their mind about how the game is run or organised.

Let’s not forget that Smith has been on record this season moaning about the SPL and their inability to assist Rangers in their European campaign. Smith moaned that the SPL have never supported his club when they are trying to do their best to help the nation. When you consider back to the 2007/08 season, Rangers were afforded a blank weekend before they faced Lyon with their away game against Gretna being postponed.

Again, Rangers were assisted by the SPL but it seems to have ignored or forgotten about by many in Scottish football.

Smith may be the most revered manager in the Scottish league at the moment but that doesn’t mean he is always spot on with his comments.

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Beattie signs but the boss remains the top man

In our last minute preview of the 2010/11 SPL season, we have been looking at clubs and the player who could be their key man. Rangers signed James Beattie today and many will be looking for the ex England internationalist to grab goals but we aren’t going to list him as the top man for the Ibrox side.

The latest media stories indicate Rangers are keen to sign Allan McGregor, Kenny Miller and Sasa Papac on new contracts and are looking to open negotiations with these players after utility man Lee McCulloch signed on again. If Rangers are able to tie up some of their key men on longer deals, it will be brilliant news for all concerned at Ibrox.

With such a compact squad, no one player is going to be the huge player this season for Rangers.

There needs to be a strong collective unit and players being able to switch positions and roles when required.

This means the manager has the important task of cajoling tired minds, lifting heavy hearts and laying out his instructions to the letter.

It’s just as well for Rangers fans that Walter Smith is one of the best at undertaking this sort of role, and some of the experience he gained before arriving at Ibrox may provide him with some handy reference points.

The league triumph of Dundee United in 1983 was breathtaking enough in the fact that the Tannadice club won the title but to win the league using a squad of just 14 players marked it out as a phenomenal feat. This number of players falls short of the match-day squad for SPL teams nowadays!

Smith was the right-hand man for United legend Jim McLean when United won the top flight title for the only time so far in their history.

Football has changed since then, the game is faster, more punishing and international and European League action endeavours will impact on teams who have genuine ambitions of winning their domestic title.

Even the rules of the game have changed since that Dundee United title win.

That United team could spend large chunks of time passing the ball back to Hamish McAlpine, frustrating opponents and taking the sting out of the game. The back-pass rule prevents teams from playing in this manner, keeping the game moving at a faster rate and stretching the space used by teams.

The time spent under McLean was followed with a few years working alongside Graeme Souness (and of course Alex Ferguson at the 1986 World Cup) before Smith took over the hot seat at Ibrox and since then, Smith has delivered his own legacy.

The fact that Smith, in his second spell in charge of the club, has dragged Rangers to two titles in a row, as well as that Uefa Cup run, indicates he still has the ability to get the most from his team. Rather than rushing to criticise Smith’s team for what some call defensive tactics, it may be that praise should be offered to Smith for what he has achieved with the players and money at his disposal.

Most people know how will Rangers will set up but only their European opponents have been able to dismantle them. In the SPL, Rangers are in the habit of doing what is necessary and even though their squad is depleted, you still see them having this knack of grinding out results and grabbing points.

And points win titles.

Smith spent a small fortune at the start of the 2008/09 season and it has served him well in the intervening seasons but that squad definitely needs strengthening now. Beattie is likely to be joined by one or two more players before the window shuts and Smith knows these players will have to integrate quickly into his tight-knit squad.

If Rangers win their 3rd title in a row and their 54th in total, the number of voices shouting ARISE SIR WALTER will reach deafening levels.

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Will there be a Rapid move for Rangers?

Rangers currently have Honduran striker Georgie Welcome on trial at Murray Park but all Rangers eyes are on another striker today. The player who performed at the World Cup may do enough to convince Walter Smith to add him to the Ibrox squad but there is no doubt who the Rangers faithful want on board.

Any striker who scores against Celtic will grab some level of admiration amongst the Rangers fans but given the way Celtic have been defending of late that would lead to an awful long list of players that Rangers could be interested in.

Rapid Vienna striker Nikica Jelavic has shown fine form at the Austrian club and two goals tonight against Beroe has only added to the interest in the striker. On one hand, it shows that Rangers are tracking a striker with promise and potential.

On the other hand, if other clubs place Jelavic on their radar, Rangers may see the player move out of their availability range.

The financial difficulties of the Ibrox club are well documented but the talk from the club is that there is money available to strengthen the squad.

With limited funds, there has to be some prioritisation with new faces at Ibrox and some fans may wonder if the striker would be the best signing for Ranger? Walter Smith has repeatedly said that adding players to the wide positions of the squad is his main aim for this transfer window.

Rangers have a number of players at the club that can play up front and you only have to think back to the second half of last season when Kris Boyd stopped scoring. His goals were not missed as other members of the Ibrox squad chipped in with vital strikes, so if the chances are created, you think Rangers will take them.

There is still a long way to go in the transfer window and the need for a striker may become more apparent as August rolls on but at the moment, we are wondering why the Ibrox rumour mill seems to be spinning with respect to strikers?

As we’ve said a few times, direct entry to the Champions League has given Rangers additional time in developing their squad. By the end of Wednesday night, it may also have given Rangers a bit more money to play with.

If city rivals Celtic are unable to overturn Braga’s first leg lead, they will drop into the Europa League play-off round, ensuring Rangers get all the Scottish pot of TV money from Europe’s premier competition.

With a home friendly against Newcastle United at the weekend, Rangers would probably like to be able to give their fans a lift before the start of the new season but there’s plenty of time for ins (and maybe even more outs) at Ibrox.

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Walter Smith looking to strengthen

It seems to be generally accepted that Rangers will need to add to their squad this summer but with boss Walter Smith saying he is looking to make up to three signings, where do you think the Gers need to strengthen the most?

The Rangers boss has already mentioned he wishes to bring in players in a wide position and this was shown with Rangers willingness to speak to Chris Eagles from Burnley. In the end, the move broke down with both parties making comments that placed the blame on the other party.

Chris Eagles made the first comment announcing that the move was not “in his best interests”. A day later, Martin Bain retaliated by saying that the player’s excessive wage demands were the cause of the break-down of the move.

There was probably a gap between both parties but the pursuit of Eagles definitely confirms interest in a wide player. Don’t forget that DaMarcus Beasley and Nacho Novo have left this summer.

At the moment, Rangers have two fine goalkeepers in their squad so that is definitely not an area they have to be looking at.

Equally, unless centre half’s exit before the transfer window closes, you would say that Rangers are well served in that area as well. Then again, Norwegian under 19 internationalist Krister Wemberg is currently undergoing a trial with the Ibrox side.

There may be a question mark over the full-back areas and the news that Sasa Papac has picked up an injury and will miss Rangers tour of Australia can’t be good for Walter Smith.

Kevin Thomson’s exit from the SPL champions may leave a gap in midfield but it could allow Steven Davis to play in the centre of the park more often and of course, Lee McCulloch has proved to be an indispensible player for Walter Smith. Maurice Edu is also a fans favourite at Ibrox and he may be featuring the starting line-up on a far more regular basis this season.

Rangers may well be tempted to add another striker to their books, even though Kenny Miller and Kyle Lafferty chipped in with goals at the end of the campaign when Kris Boyd stopped scoring.

So…a wide player, a striker and a centre half…is this what you would go for to strengthen the Rangers side?

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Ally being groomed for one more year

Rangers fans everywhere will be rejoicing over the news that boss Walter Smith has agreed to stay on for one more season and lead the club’s charge for a three-in-a-row league triumph. Smith will be joined in the dug-out once again by Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall.

This announcement ensures Rangers fans can relax a little and perhaps enjoy the World Cup. They have Maurice Edu and Madjid Bougherra to cheer on and they know their most celebrated of managers will remain in charge.

Walter Smith has said all along that he wanted reassurances about the finances of the club before he committed his future so Rangers fans will be seeing this as a positive move. After all, Smith would have to be insane if he decided to go into his final season with the sort of funds and budget that would leave his team exposed.

Rangers will have to dig deep, rely on youngsters and squeeze every effort out the squad but this is the sort of fight that Smith excels in.

The last time Walter Smith declared his hand early, it ended disastrously for Rangers with a barren season and throwing away the chance to surpass Celtic’s nine in a row record. Ironically enough, the situation was fundamentally different back then for Rangers with some media circles trumpeting about how the club could utilise different squads for Europe compared to domestic matches.

Much of the blame of the wasted millions is placed upon Dick Advocaat’s broad shoulders but Walter Smith had the wheels firmly in motion. However, having known the pain of walking away with tears of regret and loss, you can only assume that Smith has no desire to do so again.

It also gives Ally McCoist one more year to hone his skills and learn from “the gaffer” whilst he still can. The cheeky chappy will always be a Rangers legend for his goal-scoring exploits but he will be keen to show he can cut as a manager as well.

Perhaps the presence of Smith will convince players like Kris Boyd to sign on again at Ibrox? The impact this announcement could have on Scottish football may go further than just who gives the Rangers team talk.

With Celtic still no (publicly) further forward in announcing their new manager, Rangers have stolen a march yet again on their Glasgow rivals and can look forward to the new season.

Expect comments about the chase and how it is being welcomed to flow from the Rangers fans in the near future.

Happy with this announcement?

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Only the Scottish Cup and Eurovision evades the Gers

It can be no surprise to see that Rangers were completely dominant at the PFA Scotland Awards last night. Mirroring the on-field dominance of the Ibrox side this season, Steven Davis, Danny Wilson and Walter Smith picked up the individual awards for Player, Young Player and Manager of the Season.

And if all that wasn’t enough, Madjid Bougherra picked up the award for goal of the season. This came for his slalom like solo effort against Dundee United at Ibrox in December 2009.

There can be very few arguments about the selection of Davis being the top player. It is an opinion this site has stated on many occasions and the readers comments appear to be in disagreement.

No offence to Davie Weir but his recent triumph in an end of season poll appeared to be more in deference to his age and ability to play every week as opposed to actual performances. Not to say he has had a bad season, far from it but Davis has pulled the strings effectively and consistently for Rangers.

Similarly, there is very little to argue about with the decision to give Walter Smith the top managerial award. Billy Reid and Derek McIness deserve praise and acknowledgment, as does Peter Houston for his work since the turn of the year but there has only been manager standing above the rest of the SPL bosses.

As for Danny Wilson, this one may be up for more debate but again, this is no slight on him. When Wilson has been thrust into the team he has performed well, sparking up rumours about a big move to the English Premier League but Scotland has a bunch of youngsters doing an okay job at their respective clubs, who could have been considered.

However, Rangers deserve their moment in the sun at the end of what has been a traumatic, trying and of course, triumphant season.

Will all three men be around for next season to try and pick up the awards again?

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Boss says a lot by saying nothing

Rangers boss Walter Smith has delivered an appraisal of the SFA disciplinary panel that whilst saying nothing bad about them, makes it very clear that he is unhappy with much of the committee’s work.

Regular readers will know we have massive issues with the SFA and their actions so we were very interested to see the fall-out from this latest matter. However, before we get to the crux of the matter, we will have to side-step the inevitable Rangers and Celtic moans and comparisons.

Smith’s comments about hoping that every club in the SPL are treated the same will no doubt be taken by the Rangers fans as the latest chapter of “what about them” that fans of the big two usually engage in.

Smith is far too experienced and long in the tooth to come out and cite other teams or leave himself open to accusations of paranoia but he has done enough to allow others to make their own mind up about what he meant.

The instinctive one that people will consider will be the Glen Loovens case, and the length of time it took for that appeal to be heard, but that is not a fair comparison because the circumstances were different. Rangers were appealing a red card given in a match, which goes to the referee. Celtic were appealing a decision made by the video review panel, which presumably requires a few more people to reconsider their decision.

So focusing on that decision does not help the argument about poor treatment but it will add fire to the sense of injustice that Rangers fans feel about the situation.

So it would be helpful to move on beyond that side of Smith’s complaint but instead, focus on the valid complaints about the SFA disciplinary panel.

The speed with which the SFA acted to reject Rangers appeal was startling. Okay, it was expected that Rangers would leave their appeal as late as possible in order to allow Kevin Thomson to be available to face Dundee United but the SFA were lying in wait.

This is where the SFA need to show consistency in their dealings. If from now on, if their findings are not announced within half an hour of the appeal deadline, Rangers will be able to say they received treatment different from other clubs and could ask why.

As most people have agreed, Rangers were appealing to allow Thomson to play in a game where Rangers were lacking in midfield, not necessarily because they believed the decision was a miscarriage of justice. However, the appeal was entirely within the SFA rules so why not appeal it?

If the rules allow you to play a system to your benefit, you would not be doing your job if you didn’t do everything within your power to get an advantage. One man doesn’t make a team but having Thomson available, on a night when many were unavailable, may have aided Rangers in getting a result.

Even with the cup defeat, it’s been a good week for Smith, he has another Celtic manager’s skull to add to his collection and an impressive win at Tynecastle leaves his side counting down the days until they win their 53rd league title.

Smith may not be around next season but he has laid down a marker for Rangers to use in future dealings with the SFA.

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Striker would rather the boss stays

The respect that Kris Boyd holds Walter Smith is in no doubt.

When Boyd announced he no longer wanted to be considered for selection for Scotland under George Burley, the differences between his club and international career was minimal.

The issues that mattered appeared to be:

a) His club pays his wages
b) His club was the one he supported as a boy
c) His club manager

There is no doubt that Burley was not respected by a great number of the squad and certain players and their media friends set out to unsettle the manager. Burley was not the right man for the job but he did not deserve to be hung out to dry in the manner that he was, with Craig Levein set to benefit from the returning players making themselves available again.

There is no way Kris Boyd would have treated Walter Smith in the manner he treated Burley. A lot of this is due to the fact that Smith has earned the respect and his results in Scotland show he is a man who knows what it takes to get the job done.

The future of Kris Boyd has been a hot topic for well over a year and there is still no resolution in sight. The striker had a few things to say earlier today and how the future of his boss may impact on his own decision:

“He’ll have a big influence on it”

“He’s a manager I want to play under, he’s shown faith in me, so I would like to keep paying him back for showing faith in me by scoring goals.”

“I look back on what the gaffer’s done for me, even though we’ve had our fallouts and disagreements along the way”

“He’s given me a chance to play at the level I’m at and, if he was here, I would be delighted with that.”

“When you see the job he’s done with the finances the way they are, I think it’s a credit to him how well he’s done the job.”

So, a lot to think about there for Boyd, Smith and the Rangers money men.

Whether this is Martin Bain, Alisdair Johnston, Donald Muir or someone from Lloyds BG who can say but if Rangers want to keep Boyd, and they surely do, perhaps the future of Walter Smith should be resolved first?

It also has to be said that until recently, Walter Smith has not trusted Boyd, with his participation against Celtic or in the Champions League being very limited. However, the Ayrshire hitman has improved his overall game this season and is now the main man at all times for his manager.

Rangers fans, concerned about the contract issues yet?

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Is this the start of the changes that Walter Smith predicted?

When Walter Smith talks, the media and Scottish football listen. The Rangers manager has been at the centre of most of the breaking stories involving Rangers this season and the boss has done very well at bringing certain issues to the fans attention.

His latest announcement has seen the Rangers fans react strongly, with protests against Lloyds and Donald Muir being arranged for Sunday 14th February.

A look on the Rangers fan-sites will give you information of how to support the protests although some fans are wary about the supposed Limited company that is seeking to raise funds to support the protest.

A limited company should be easily found on Companies House, so be sure you know who you are supporting before you send your money – after all, if you are backing the protest, you want to ensure your money is being used properly. Of course, it may just be a mix-up with regards to the name of the company but you know what the internet is like…anyone can set up an account or site (yes, hands held up here!)

So the internet is buzzing with action and plans and unsurprisingly, the rumour mill is also spinning into action. The rumour mill has barely caught its breath since the January transfer window was slammed shut but it has already regrouped and particular focus is being placed on Rangers finances.

Some sources are suggesting that a proposed payment to Lloyds was missed at the end of January and this has seen all contract offers withdrawn. That could be true, it could be completely false, fans will just need to see how things pan out.

One rumour that is cropping up a lot though is the fact that Rangers will be looking to introduce strict wage caps for next season.

Caps are not an unknown quantity to players and there are a number of caps that have greatly interested players throughout the years.

You have international caps, supposedly the pinnacle of achievement for footballers. The international game, certainly with Scotland, has dipped in prominence of late but there is no doubt that many players still take playing for their nation very seriously.

A strong example of this at Rangers at the moment is Madjid Bougherra, who is enjoying a great run of form with Algeria.

His country have qualified for the World Cup, they made the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations and Bougherra was recognised as Algerian and Arabian player of the year for 2009. It is clear that international caps are important to the player.

Another important type of cap would be a nightcap.

Yes, the stress and strain of training a few hours a day and then have to perform for 90 minutes once or twice a week clearly leaves it toll on many players. This is why a great number need a little alcoholic assistance to drop off to sleep at night, and where better to find this assistance than in a night club…or if you are Derek Riordan, your living room.

Footballers are young men and no one on this site is going to criticise them for having a drink (although you would hope common sense would come into play at some point), so a nightcap will also be relevant for players.

For Rangers players though, the threat of a wage cap is looming for next season.

Walter Smith has already gone public with the fact that Rangers could be in for tougher times than what they are experiencing at the moment. It would make sense for the club to cut back on their expenditure and wages are a massive part of their outgoings.

As Smith has pointed out at every opportunity, Rangers won’t have bought a new player for 18 months. That is very true but is also just part of the story.

Before and after the Kaunus European exit, Rangers spent heavily, money that was being borrowed, which has helped to create the situation that Rangers find themselves in now. This was a gamble by Rangers and in some ways, it paid off with last years league title, Champions League money and a healthy lead in the SPL at the moment.

It should also be remembered that this option – although not to the same extent – was available to all clubs; it is just that some choose to work within their income limits.

So, yes, Rangers haven’t bought a new player in a considerable period of time but the club are still paying for that splurge.

The wage bill at Ibrox will be the biggest drain and these players must be taking a lot of money from the club each week.

(Andy Webster is on loan so Dundee United may be assisting with his wages and of course Pedro Mendes has been sold, even though it seems Rangers may still be contributing to his wages as well – and there have been other sales and wage cuts along the way as well)

With this in mind, a wage cap at Ibrox would seem a sensible move but there are a lot of issues regarding it.

At what level would the wage cap be set?

Without being privy to the inner workings of Rangers, it would be impossible to say but you can imagine there could be a cull of players on the higher level of earnings.

This may see some players look to move on but the thing is, contracts for current players are already in place. If a player doesn’t want to move and does not break any club rules, Rangers may find it difficult to offload some top earners.

A look across the city and the way Bobo Balde spent his last two years at Celtic Park shows that some players will sit around on their contract….and they are perfectly entitled to do so.

Would there be one wage cap or would there be levels placed across the squad?

For instance, a lower maximum wage may be offered to players like John Fleck or Danny Wilson who have broken through from the youth team set-up. The players and their agents may feel this is unfair but there could be a basic contract with the ability to move up the wage scale after certain targets have been met.

Whether Fleck or Wilson would feel this is fair is a different matter, they can definitely say they have contribute more to the cause this season than players earning a lot more but such is the nature of a football squad.

Another element would be if bonuses were offered as an incentive to top up a lower basic wage?

Most football fans would see this as preferable. If a player wants to earn top money, make them earn it by winning games. If winning trophies alone is not enough to motivate players, make them earn their money by receiving big bonuses for winning these trophies.

With a number of Rangers players out of contract this summer, including Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, DaMarcus Beasley and Kirk Broadfoot, any limitation of wages may be seen with the future of these players.

At the moment, things are going well on the field for Rangers.

They suffered two league defeats in 2009 and currently sit 10 points clear at the top of the league. They are in the League Cup final and remain in the Active Nation Scottish Cup. For most football fans, only the stuff on the park matters and they will be hugely enjoying Rangers current state of affairs.

However, it may be a case of jam today and none tomorrow if the financial constraints, as predicted by Walter Smith, kick in. Some may look to lay the blame entirely at Lloyds with Donald Muir being unnecessarily harsh but like Smith and the Rangers players, it is probably the case that the bank is only doing their job.

So Rangers fans
a) Will the team complete the treble this season?
b) What shape will the squad be in for next season?

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How will Walter Smith play it?

News that Kyle Lafferty could be fit enough to return to the Rangers starting line-up against Hearts should be good news for fans and team alike. The Northern Irish internationalist has been at the centre of controversy recently but he could get himself back in the good back of his club.

Lafferty has always insisted he is a front man as opposed to the wide position he has often played for Rangers and the absence of Boyd, Miller and Novo may see the player in his preferred position. With a nine point lead at the top of the league, there is a slightly relaxed amount of pressure going into this match but any slip-ups will not be welcomed by the Ibrox faithful.

In fact, the opportunity to go 12 points clear at the top of the SPL should be enough of an incentive to keep the team on course at home to Hearts.

It is unlikely to be a game of many goals, as Hearts have struggled all season without a genuine goal scorer, so the men from Gorgie may laugh at Rangers temporary striking shortage.

Pedro Mendes is expected to feature in the squad, possibly from the bench but there is a doubt about American World-Cup bound star Maurice Edu.

Hearts look certain to welcome back Lee Wallace and Marius Zaliukas but they too have injury doubts and problems ahead of the Ibrox match.

Palazuelos is still suspended and at the moment, the following players look as though they will be unavailable to Csaba Laszlo:
Goncalves
Templeton
Glen
Thomson
Elliot
Driver and Jamie McDonald

Will Rangers go a dozen points clear at the top?

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