Sterling - “I don’t know if the belief is there…”

There’s obviously been a few quite telling quotes picked out from that, but for me that bit at the end is very revealing when asked if he understands why the fans have lost faith:

“Obviously they’ve seen it before over the past years”

It’s in the heads of many of those players. All the scar tissue from the past 6 years, the mid-season collapses, the Old Firm drubbings, the lack of belief.

The young players in the squad are seeing it. Sterling clearly is someone who isn’t media trained and naturally says what he’s really thinking, and what many of the younger players will be thinking.
 
I actually text @Smkz23 abiyt this last night saying, as many have already said, it’s a really damning indictment on that group that a kid in his first season at the club has come in, saw right through them and called them out.
This could be the best thing that’s happened in years because these charlatans have just told each other it’s fine and fluffed each other up to the media.

The last few weeks have been a worry, but this for me is refreshing as it shows that there are people in the dressing room willing to call out what they see
 
I laugh everytime I read "the leadership group" where I don't see any,I see goldson walk about spraying long useless passes thinking he's Beckenbauer, Tav taking all the corners,free kicks and penalties and occasional doing something with them then getting caught out at the other end.,This guy sounds genuine make him captain.
 
Blueper said:
There’s obviously been a few quite telling quotes picked out from that....The young players in the squad are seeing it. Sterling clearly is someone who isn’t media trained and naturally says what he’s really thinking, and what many of the younger players will be thinking.
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure it's that clear.

It's mentioned earlier in the thread the press agreed an embargo on this release. The specifics why have not been given, but unless it was for dramatic aplomb just a bit less than 24 hours later, I find it difficult not to see it as a result of the club asking for a favor that it might be held back.

The statement could have been very intentional.
 
BlueSteish said:
How this has changed within a matter of weeks is baffling. Something must have happened behind the scenes.
Click to expand...
Nothing changed BS. It's the same collapse by the same players. They either can't handle the pressure or they just don't care enough. I think it's the former but I have a suspicion that there isn't the desire in some of them that's needed to be a Rangers player.
 
Can’t see PC being happy with this given his drivel the other night

It could be over berry shortly for him 2 more bad results with the leadership group starting it’s going to be messy
 
HamiltonBear said:
Nothing changed BS. It's the same collapse by the same players. They either can't handle the pressure or they just don't care enough. I think it's the former but I have a suspicion that there isn't the desire in some of them that's needed to be a Rangers player.
Click to expand...
In a nutshell mate.
 
Refreshing to hear honesty from someone in the midst of it. You would hope that a few of the senior players are squirming having listened to it but I'm not sure they will be.

Naismith also having a go at the mentality of the senior group. Anyone with any self pride would be looking to ram his words down his throat.
 
BlueSteish said:
How this has changed within a matter of weeks is baffling. Something must have happened behind the scenes.
Click to expand...
Is the question I've been asking myself since the Motherwell game. Given what had come before, that really was a ridiculous result. That was when we had the manky mob right where we wanted them but inexplicably also marked the start of this horrible malaise imo.

I honestly don't buy into the "something must have happened" chat at all. With the core of this team, I think it's more a case of not having the inner belief to actually go on and finish the job. It's as if getting close is somehow good enough, which of course is the polar opposite of what this club was built on.
 
Strange mentality to have considering the position they got themselves into. They must of felt the belief and backing from the fans.

Just points to some in the dressing room being weak mentally and if thats the case they are at the wrong club.
 
Sterling has just confirmed what we all suspected.

Theres a mentality issue at the heart of the club which affects the belief of the squad.

We can point fingers to where we think it comes from but the end of the season is the time to clear the decks as best we can
 
RotterdamBear said:
Can’t see PC being happy with this given his drivel the other night

It could be over berry shortly for him 2 more bad results with the leadership group starting it’s going to be messy
Click to expand...
It depends on what PC does in the summer.

If JL is offered a new contract and no effort is made to move on Tav, Goldson and others then PC will be gone before the end of next season and the leadership group (lol) will have presided over another manager exit.

They've seen off more managers than they have won titles.
 
Dashboard Jesus said:
Refreshing to hear honesty from someone in the midst of it. You would hope that a few of the senior players are squirming having listened to it but I'm not sure they will be.

Naismith also having a go at the mentality of the senior group. Anyone with any self pride would be looking to ram his words down his throat.
Click to expand...
Ñaismith's quote.

'"At this crucial point, it's not going to plan for them. I think it is unexpected but I'm not sure it's a surprise. There’s some players that have been there over the years and failed to win trophies. From my experiences, it's a tough club and a tough environment.
 
brain said:
You have to laugh. Sterling says this and he is getting lauded for his honesty. If Tavernier, Goldson or Lundstram had said it they would be absolutely crucified.
Click to expand...
No they wouldn’t. They’ve had 6 seasons, together, 4 including lundstram. In 5 of them, these performances have happened at the same time every season. If they call it out the way Sterling has done they’d be admitting as senior players they can’t handle the pressure of playing for us in a title race.
They play the self preservation card every time with the “we’ll learn” “we have to react” “you’ll not appreciate player a/b/c” until they’re away pish
 
I can only imagine how frustrating it is to play football with Dessers as your main striker. He simply does not possess a first touch, the ball bounces off him every single time. For the players this must be a nightmare. It’s completely fucked our play not having a striker who can take it in.
 
Calvinist said:
Sterling has just confirmed what we all suspected.

Theres a mentality issue at the heart of the club which affects the belief of the squad.

We can point fingers to where we think it comes from but the end of the season is the time to clear the decks as best we can
Click to expand...
I think some players have been told by PC that they are surplus to requirements next season ie Lundstram and they have went in a strop.
 
What a guy! Not scared to come out call it as it is. That’s what your captain should be doing and behind close doors rattling a few heads who are not playing for the jersey. Except Sterling is stepping up and calling it out. I think if the majority of the fans heard this piece from Dujon I know who the fans would be behind. For once, we have someone telling the truth and not using their ‘air time’ to read out a memorised vetted piece from the club. Thank you Dujon for your honesty mate you’re worth ten times half of these bottlers.
 
I respect Sterling for his candour. Particularly, the comment that recognises the historical failures from previous seasons.

It might challenge Goldson, Barisic, and Lundstrum , to be more self reflective, about the improvements they need to contribute , to stand any chance of restoring their reputation at the club. I don’t believe that this is possible.

It may demand the manager to consider the cohesion of the group, in his squad selection.
 
Really insightful and honest assessment from Sterling.

Undoubtedly it's not a talent issue with this group, no one can tell me they'd swap any of Ross County or Dundee's starting 11 with any of ours based on talent

It's a mentality issue, how badly do this group want it and what are they prepared to do to get it? Too many not prepared to step up when it matters, always looking to Tav to bail us out is not good enough.

They're a group thats 6 foot 2 standing in the tunnel but 5 foot 2 when they get out on the pitch. We need to recruit winners in the summer that's the task in front of Clement and Knoppen.
 
BlueSteish said:
How this has changed within a matter of weeks is baffling. Something must have happened behind the scenes.
Click to expand...
I can only pressume the same thing that always happens behind the scenes the Warburton, Gerrard legacy players spit the dummy out if they don't agree with something the current manager is asking of them, and think by playing and encouraging others to play shite they get a clean slate with the next manager.
There is a clear pattern to this and these players need shipped out at the first opportunity.

As much as I like tav and he's bailed us out many a time, Clements or any manager before hims first act should have been to install their own captain and make a statement.
 
RAFBob said:
I would much rather hear honesty, if Tav came out and said we played shite and it's not good enough, I would know he could see what we all see.
Click to expand...
Exactly could you imagine Richard Gough or Barry Ferguson coming out with that sort of pish every time we need to learn etc.
 
RAFBob said:
I would much rather hear honesty, if Tav came out and said we played shite and it's not good enough, I would know he could see what we all see.
Click to expand...

They can see all these things mate. What gets said in public is different from the dressing room. These guys have forgotten more about football than 90% of fans know. They know what's good and what's bad. They are steeped in it daily. It's worth remembering that every single player you see on a pitch in Scotland is actually a very good player- that guy who was the best player by miles when you were at school or growing up.

I've coached and managed within the Scottish pyramid, at a far lower level obviously, and had to do interviews after games for social media and, even at that level, you just give boring answers so that it doesn't offend anyone and keeps everyone together and it's very different to what is happening in the dressing room. So I can imagine it's even more the case when the media are waiting to write headlines.

I'm sure everyone knows this though.

Whether Tav, Clement or anyone else should be saying things publically or not is one thing but trust me they will know and different things will be getting said and focused on from what's put out there.
 
magoob1982 said:
Exactly could you imagine Richard Gough or Barry Ferguson coming out with that sort of pish every time we need to learn etc.
Click to expand...
They would be slaughtered the same way Tav is for the soundbites - I understand why he says the things he says, but I also think he feels exactly the same way as Sterling, but he can't express it that way as the Captain because a reaction like that would be ripped apart by the panty wetters.
 
cooprfc said:
They can see all these things mate. What gets said in public is different from the dressing room. These guys have forgotten more about football than 90% of fans know. They know what's good and what's bad. They are steeped in it daily. It's worth remembering that every single player you see on a pitch in Scotland is actually a very good player- that guy who was the best player by miles when you were at school or growing up.

I've coached and managed within the Scottish pyramid, at a far lower level obviously, and had to do interviews after games for social media and, even at that level, you just give boring answers so that it doesn't offend anyone and it's very different to what is happening in the dressing room. So I can imagine it's even more the case when the media are waiting to write headlines.

I'm sure everyone knows this though.

Whether Tav, Clement or anyone else should be saying things publically or not is one thing but trust me they will know and different things will be getting said and focused on from what's put out there.
Click to expand...
I know they will be able to see it mate, I just mean that a bit of honesty in a run like this would help show that.
 
CraigM14 said:
No they wouldn’t. They’ve had 6 seasons, together, 4 including lundstram. In 5 of them, these performances have happened at the same time every season. If they call it out the way Sterling has done they’d be admitting as senior players they can’t handle the pressure of playing for us in a title race.
They play the self preservation card every time with the “we’ll learn” “we have to react” “you’ll not appreciate player a/b/c” until they’re away pish
Click to expand...
This is Lundstram’s 3rd season, not 4th. And these performances haven't happened at the same time at all in these seasons, quite the opposite. In his first season under Gerrard, we were rubbish for the first few months but got off with it because Ange made a poor start. We then hit bad form in January. Lundstram only played 27 mins in total over those 3 games. The next season the league was gone by the new year. There was no collapse, we just gradually dropped points and didn't win the old firms. Almost all points dropped were when Goldson was injured, we had no depth at centre back.
But you carry on with the revisionism since it's the narrative of the day.
 
RAFBob said:
They would be slaughtered the same way Tav is for the soundbites - I understand why he says the things he says, but I also think he feels exactly the same way as Sterling, but he can't express it that way as the Captain because a reaction like that would be ripped apart by the panty wetters.
Click to expand...

I can’t ever imagine Gough or the likes going “oh but the fans will be upset with me if I say we are shit”.

Tav has shown himself up as a bit of a shite bag time and time again.

He splits opinion far too much now, the time has come to move on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top