Last week I blogged enthusiastically that we had to stick with this team because Europe proved we were on the right tracks. I’m sorry everyone, the last week has proven me wrong and this team have made a fool out of this supporter, I got it totally wrong. This last week has changed everything for my opinion and faith in this team.
Only Rangers have the ability to take you from the highs of Braga to the lows since. They fill you with hope and belief only to throw it back in your face. The squad have now taken the management to the lowest point in their tenure so far. Part of me thinks it’s too big a job to turn this around and the bigger part of me thinks that they have to see this out to sort the issues.
The reason I say that is because I believe these players would simply do the exact same thing to the next manager who takes over the reigns.
In my humble opinion we can’t afford to rip it up and start again, from a managerial point of view, but several things have to change. This is a team who thrives when it’s nice and pretty football, that’s why they enjoy Europe so much. It’s never a scrap and it’s never a high pressure situation. Whereas in Scotland it is intense, it is a scrap and these players simply shy away with no balls to dig in and fix it.
We could sack the management team and start well next season but there would be no doubts that when the pressure did get too much they would simply down tools and they would throw the manager under the bus like they are currently.
The attitude of the players is absolutely disgraceful and a catalogue of things last night shows the weakness in bravery and mentality throughout the squad. The shocking pre match words of our captain to his reaction in going behind.
Rangers that I know and love have always had a Captain of authority or leadership. From John Greig to Richard Gough, they must be embarrassed reading that. Tavernier showed himself to be weak and the fact it was allowed to go to print is even more of an error from the club. My emotions may be high but those words should signal the end of Rangers career this summer if not immediately his captaincy.
This is the captain of Rangers, there is no room for a mentality like that
Upon the goal going in last night Tav simply put his head down and visibly hid from his responsibilities as a captain. There was no leadership. Borna Barisic was given a bollocking by Allan McGregor for his woeful defensive attempt to stop the cross in the build up to the goal, his reaction was to point at Goldson and shrug his shoulders. He has a point in that the goal was Goldson’s fault, his error was horrendous and maybe McGregor was harsh on him, but to simply shrug responsibility is symptomatic of everything that is wrong with our club. A big fat contract extension for Barisic and he has simply failed to kick his own arse since.
But please don’t think this is a blame game on Borna or Tavernier, every single player is letting themselves down in attitude or behaviour, these are only examples. Alfredo Morelos letting the team down last week is another who simply should be counting down the days to the end of his time in Scotland, well perhaps he is and perhaps that’s also a big problem.
But the truth is the manager hasn’t helped either. He is extremely quick to throw certain players under the bus and ditch them from the team but it is clear he has favourites he won’t consider dropping. Connor Goldson has cost Rangers several times in recent weeks and not once has the manager called him out like he has Katic for example. Instead he rewards them and continually picks them, it is that misplaced faith that is costing the manager dearly and will cost him beyond repair unless he changes it quickly.
For me it doesn’t matter what happens between now and the end of the season domestically. They could go on a run like last season but it doesn’t matter at all, this team have shown they don’t have what it takes to play for our club. For this management team to survive they need to get that weakness out of the eleven short term and out of the club long term. That includes the favourites the manager seems to have.
People will continue to say and wonder what has happened in the dressing room, rumours of bust ups are simply not true but it doesn’t matter what I say. Players don’t fall out then fall back in for Europe then out again after. I wish it was as simple as a fall out then it would be easy to fix. The truth is being demonstrated by words and actions, it’s far more damaging than a simple fall out.
Every single player is playing for his future, a few have shown it’s too much for them already.
The management team are also fighting to prove they can turn this around and can find that solution. I stand by the manager but I offer very little argument to anyone who says that time has come and gone. Starting again is not the answer and will set us back years in my opinion. But there is no doubts he has to prove to everyone he has what it takes to turn this around but even I acknowledge that looks an extremely difficult prospect.
This is Rangers, everyone needs to remember that and I include everyone who thought clapping in the 8th minute was a good idea last night, cringeworthy and embarrassing. I have no time for such weakness or those that are feeling sorry for themselves or others. Get off your knees
My message to the manager is quite simple –
Get rid of the players who are letting you down both short and long term, that includes your favourites otherwise it will cost you your job
My message to the players is quite simple –
This is Rangers, you are in a very Privileged position, stand up and be counted and if you can’t handle it then get out of our club
Ignore the nonsense, the irrelevant and the noise
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Four Lads Had A Dream 