That - in a sentence - is the difference between 'us' and 'them'.Nobody's fault but ours. Like this season in certain respects.
I don't buy into this at all.Season was done when Walter's departure was announced.
He's correct. The Aberdeen match was a real sickener. The players put in a passive display despite the importance of the game.
I think it played a big part in it. Plus other players knowing they were away at the end of the season and all the nonsense with Gazza didn't help.I don't buy into this at all.
If anything it should have motivated the players to win 10IAR and see Walter away in style.
I don't buy into this at all.
If anything it should have motivated the players to win 10IAR and see Walter away in style.
We blew a double treble due to complete unprofessionalsm. Not only from the players but also Walter Smith who dismissed the fact we'd effectively chucked it after we won the league.That - in a sentence - is the difference between 'us' and 'them'.
We started the season with two wins. The scum had two defeats yet we still somehow managed to blow it.With the players we had, ageing or not, it was a crime we didn't win the ten.
We should have been busting a gut in every single league game that season. I honestly cannot fathom how the players threw it away.
Again, if you're away at the end of the season why not go out on a high?I think it played a big part in it. Plus other players knowing they were away at the end of the season and all the nonsense with Gazza didn't help.
The ten should have been won but we lost our way in the run in
Walter never announced he was leaving. Murray did.Exactly.
Walter announced he was going to leave at the end of 10/11 season and we still went on to win the league.
Yes , don't doubt it. I remembered listening to the H&H show about it (at least I think it was them) and a lot of the chat was about how much of a mental drain getting the 9 had been for the players. I'm with you though - we should have stormed it.Again, if you're away at the end of the season why not go out on a high?
I wonder what bonuses were on offer for each player had 10IAR been secured. I imagine Murray would have been desperate to win it.
It never does that though. It's not unique to us in 98 either. Liverpool have done it this season and there's plenty of other examples.I don't buy into this at all.
If anything it should have motivated the players to win 10IAR and see Walter away in style.
Again, if you're away at the end of the season why not go out on a high?
I wonder what bonuses were on offer for each player had 10IAR been secured. I imagine Murray would have been desperate to win it.
What he said and what he actually believed were often two very different things.Might be wrong here but didnt Sir Duped not say the pursue of "in a rows" was parochial or something similar and europe was where its at?
We know how much respect the players had for Walter. It just seems odd to me that they let the title slip instead of trying extra hard to win it for him. Goram, McCoist, McCall, Gough etc all worshipped Walter.It never does that though. It's not unique to us in 98 either. Liverpool have done it this season and there's plenty of other examples.
Human nature unfortunately. You subconsciously lose focus once you know that you're not likely to be there much longer (as was the case with most of that squad who were Walter's boys). When it happens collectively the team level drops off. They were also an old team that had achieved their goal the previous season. I know it's hard to believe that the team chucked it because I don't think that's the case, but if everyone does their level by 5% while the rivals maintain their 100% effort, the result is what we saw.We know how much respect the players had for Walter. It just seems odd to me that they let the title slip instead of trying extra hard to win it for him. Goram, McCoist, McCall, Gough etc all worshipped Walter.
from memory ,the phrase he used was "we have the monkey off our back"s"Might be wrong here but didnt Sir Duped not say the pursue of "in a rows" was parochial or something similar and europe was where its at?
He's correct. The Aberdeen match was a real sickener. The players put in a passive display despite the importance of the game.
Was that the game where the ref gave a shocker of a decision against Amorouso and Jess scored from the free kick.?
Murray made it clear on more than one occasion publicity he he didn't want it, he called TIAR " a monkey on the clubs back"Might be wrong here but didnt Sir Duped not say the pursue of "in a rows" was parochial or something similar and europe was where its at?
He was sacked though in 97/98 and Murray allowed him to stay onExactly.
Walter announced he was going to leave at the end of 10/11 season and we still went on to win the league.
We beat the Tims away (sco cup semi - amo’s debut) and at home (league) in a week.Replacing Robertson with Stensaas.
Negri getting injured.
Signing Amoruso and him missing 9 months and having to resign Gough.
Laudrup’s form.
McCall’s form.
Durie’s inability to score in the run.
So many reasons behind that season yet we still should have won it comfortably.
I remember leaving Tynecastle convinced we would still win the league.
This game was significant for me, as you can seeHe was sacked though in 97/98 and Murray allowed him to stay on
Big difference
That's not why Advocaat was brought it. We had failed repeatedly in Europe, barring the first Champions League season.What he said and what he actually believed were often two very different things.
Relinquishing the title in 1997/98 hurt all of us, and hurt Murray's ego. Since becoming owner of Rangers that was the first time we had failed to win the title on his watch. That's why we brought in Advocaat and spent big that summer.
we were cheated in the cup final, they get a penalty for a foul outside the box, we get a free kick for a foul inside the box.We beat the Tims away (sco cup semi - amo’s debut) and at home (league) in a week.
We were set.
I had hospitality for the Killie game. Murder.
Tannadice away was murder. Think Albertz was sent off.
Cup final against Hearts was murder, yet at the end we gave both teams huge applause. At 5pm it already felt like something new and better was coming.
Not winning 10 in a row seems to have grown into something it wasn't in the passing decades. 9 was the important one at the time, 10 was a bonus but the big achievement was already secured.
10 years later I worked with the linesman who flagged the Hearts free kick was ‘inside’ the box.we were cheated in the cup final, they get a penalty for a foul outside the box, we get a free kick for a foul inside the box.
That should be a one touch reply option across the boardEdit - not worth it
Hope you told him what a cnut he was10 years later I worked with the linesman who flagged the Hearts free kick was ‘inside’ the box.
I seem to recall him saying something along the lines of “ maybe it’s fitting that we both (us and them) finished on nine in a row”.Might be wrong here but didnt Sir Duped not say the pursue of "in a rows" was parochial or something similar and europe was where its at?
This is an important point, not least because it proves just how crazy it was to announce Walters departure.
A bloated squad with mixed ambitions and goals, a manager leaving, an introduction and mixing of cultures. A lot of them feeling job done.
If Celtic had only been 1% more shite than they managed, we would have looked back at it as miraculous given all the circumstances.
Murray did it because he was under pressure.
We were romping the league unbeaten at that point.
Another thing he made a cun.t of because of his fucking ego.
I was 14 at the time of that final and remember it being the first time I was properly raging at a Rangers loss as I had realised they phoned it in. Was a shocker of a display.We blew a double treble due to complete unprofessionalsm. Not only from the players but also Walter Smith who dismissed the fact we'd effectively chucked it after we won the league.
I'm sure we never managed a victory in our last few games.
Players turned up v Scumdee Utd like they'd on on the piss the night before.
Murray had lost the plot early into the 97/98 season due to the criticism over the Gothenburg shambles.
Gave an interview to the Sunday Mail greeting about Rangers fans not being as loyal as Celtic fans, Rangers fans getting Ibrox stadium for nothing, Rangers fans demanding Champions League tickets for £6 and Celtic fans being more invested in their club because they invested in shares that rebuilt their stadium.
Then Strasbourg forced his hand.
Again, despite being well on course for 10. Well, well on course.
Murray had lost the plot early into the 97/98 season due to the criticism over the Gothenburg shambles.
Gave an interview to the Sunday Mail greeting about Rangers fans not being as loyal as Celtic fans, Rangers fans getting Ibrox stadium for nothing, Rangers fans demanding Champions League tickets for £6 and Celtic fans being more invested in their club because they invested in shares that rebuilt their stadium.
It was 100% all on Europe. Murray thought he could buy Champions League success. Ironically it took a honking Alex McLeish side to do something worthwhile in the CL since 1992/93.That's not why Advocaat was brought it. We had failed repeatedly in Europe, barring the first Champions League season.
Advocaat and the big spending was meant to take it to the next level in Europe. Absolutely nothing to do with Murray being upset about losing the title.