What needs to change at the club going forward to achieve consistent success? If anything.

[wee bud's pit boots]

The idea that our players shit the bed at the first stirrings of pressure is a convenient excuse, IMO.

I do think it plays a part, but as I’ve been trying to point out, when people say ‘it’s what this team does’, it’s really only Tav, Goldson and to a lesser extent Lundstram that that can be aimed at (Barisic, Roofe, Jack, etc don’t feature enough now for the accusations to have any real merit for them).

So two or three players, the senior pros, the so-called onfield leaders, are chucking it anytime they’re faced with real pressure and this is infecting the rest of the squad which the manager appears oblivious about?

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Tav or Goldson have the degree of character to provide the type of leadership we want and need, but we have turned over more or less an entire squad since lifting 55 and I don’t see any natural leaders or winners among them. This is also a big part of the issue, IMO.

So recruitment would appear to be absolutely key, but not just to sign players with the correct degree of ability or potential sell-on value, but also the character and mindset we need to infuse the team with more natural leaders.

Goes against the grain on here with the Tavacheerleaders.

You don't need captains. Captains are not necessary in the modern game etc and more assorted garbage.

Never has a Rangers team needed leaders more than this present bunch of imposters.

Thing is, even if we don't include Butcher and then Gough, we took John Brown and Fergie for granted because of their love of the club.

Can you imagine any of those two allowing the p1sh served up to us, even just in the last two games? They'd have been wanting to throttle their colleagues during the game.

 

[wee bud's pit boots]

It's not Lundstram though, there are far worse players than him here; the same goes for Tavernier and Goldson, these players are not the problem either. We could have a core of Tavernier, Goldson, Lundstram, Cantwell, Diomande, Sima and compliment them with better players around them and we would see a very different Rangers. The players attracting the most criticism are strangely enough just about keeping us hanging in there, but this squad lacks real depth of quality outwith those players. Drop Lundstram, Tavernier and Lundstram for the rest of the run in, and see how we get on. This squad needs additions that compliment others, in terms of quality, and if we don't get those then this manager won't be here long, and this time next year we will be having the thread all over again.

You simply have to be joking. For six seasons now Tav, Goldson and Barisisic have formed the core of the defence. Only once in those six years did it all come together.

They need to go. Tav's goalscoring might save him, but that terrible, joke of a defence needs demolished. Oh, and Tav has to be the most ineffectual captain in our history. As for Lundstram, he can gtf.

Rumours abound at times like this and one doing the rounds just now is that certain figures were told at the end of March that they will be getting moved on. Apparently that didn't go down well.

Whether it's true or not, I couldn't say. But one thing is for sure, something has happened behind the scenes for it all to have came unstuck so quickly.

 

[Man on the post]

Starts and ends in the boardoom as tempting as the BCD option is it all stems from the boardroom and they need a major mindset change.

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

 

[HandsomeHead]

Rumours abound at times like this and one doing the rounds just now is that certain figures were told at the end of March that they will be getting moved on. Apparently that didn't go down well.

Whether it's true or not, I couldn't say. But one thing is for sure, something has happened behind the scenes for it all to have came unstuck so quickly.

That has to be nonsense. You’re neck and neck in the tightest title fight in about a dozen years and you decide to tell some key squad players that they’re not in the clubs plans come the summer?

 

[wee bud's pit boots]

That has to be nonsense. You’re neck and neck in the tightest title fight in about a dozen years and you decide to tell some key squad players that they’re not in the clubs plans come the summer?

I agree. The guy that sent me the text, and we go back a long way, and he's a real bear, trust me on that.

I said the same thing in reply. If that's true then the timing sucks.

As I said in that post, at times like these, rumours abound.That's one doing the rounds.

 

[HandsomeHead]

Starts and ends in the boardoom as tempting as the BCD option is it all stems from the boardroom and they need a major mindset change.

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

There’s probably a bigger degree of truth to that than is comfortable to accept.

Look at other notably dysfunctional clubs - Man Utd and Everton being prime examples - where the boardroom setup is just a never ending mess and it doesn’t seem to matter who they sign or appoint as manager, their onfield woes continue unabated.

There’s a very real danger this is what we’re becoming unless we get it right this summer.

 

[bluenosetwice]

Recruitment has been the main problem regarding the very poor performance over the last few years since Gerrard left, it’s been both in terms of ability and mentality and it’s not just Beale’s mess from last summer it been going on since Gerrard left. I also feel we’ve missed out by not having a Scottish core to the team. We should have had Ferguson, Shankland and dare I say it Greg Taylor and there are others who would be a reminder every day to our non Scottish players what mentality is required to play for the club.

 

[Wilso54]

It's not Lundstram though, there are far worse players than him here; the same goes for Tavernier and Goldson, these players are not the problem either. We could have a core of Tavernier, Goldson, Lundstram, Cantwell, Diomande, Sima and compliment them with better players around them and we would see a very different Rangers. The players attracting the most criticism are strangely enough just about keeping us hanging in there, but this squad lacks real depth of quality outwith those players; drop Lundstram, Tavernier and Lundstram for the rest of the run in, and see how we get on. This squad needs additions that compliment others, in terms of quality, and if we don't get those then this manager won't be here long, and this time next year we will be having this thread all over again.

When the going gets tough, they hide in their shells. Goldson is just another accident waiting to happen and Lundstrum just kills our play in the middle. Lundstrum should be doing what McGregor does for the mentally challengeds, but in stead his default mode is safe pass back to Goldson mixed in with his bloopers. His pass the ball 5 yards to nobody then throw your hands up wasn't 1 off thing against ST Johnstone. He is that bad and clueless that at times against county he was behind Goldson and Souttar, how does he even do that, at times I thought we were going with a back 5. Tav is a good player, but he doesn't have the stomach for important or pressure games. With Lundstrum you would be best playing with 10 men.

 

[JMCK]

When the going gets tough, they hide in their shells. Goldson is just another accident waiting to happen and Lundstrum just kills our play in the middle. Lundstrum should be doing what McGregor does for the mentally challengeds, but in stead his default mode is safe pass back to Goldson mixed in with his bloopers. His pass the ball 5 yards to nobody then throw your hands up wasn't 1 off thing against ST Johnstone. He is that bad and clueless that at times against county he was behind Goldson and Souttar, how does he even do that, at times I thought we were going with a back 5. Tav is a good player, but he doesn't have the stomach for important or pressure games. With Lundstrum you would be best playing with 10 men.

I don't agree at all, and if this is the strategy for the summer then we will suffer. We need to compensate our best players with better players. If Lundstram, Tavernier, Goldson leave they need replacing, but who do their replacements play alongside, or are we looking at the possibility of getting a whole new starting 11 for next season? Lundstram has missed either Jack and Diomande alongside him, Cantwell should be a 10, and we drop Silva, and Tavernier and Goldson need better alongside them as well. Cantwell for the equaliser showed exactly why he should be a 10.

 

[Wilso54]

I don't agree at all, and if this is the strategy for the summer then we will suffer. We need to compensate our best players with better players. If Lundstram, Tavernier, Goldson leave they need replacing, but who do their replacements play alongside, or are we looking at the possibility of getting a whole new starting 11 for next season? Lundstram has missed either Jack and Diomande alongside him, Cantwell should be a 10, and we drop Silva, and Tavernier and Goldson need better alongside them as well. Cantwell for the equaliser showed exactly why he should be a 10.

If you think Lundstrum and Goldson are good, then you have set the bar really low. Lundstrum is that bad he hinders the team. Goldson likes to brain fart at the worse possible times. And I have no big issue with Tav but his time has came and went.

 

[SDF]

There’s probably a bigger degree of truth to that than is comfortable to accept.

Look at other notably dysfunctional clubs - Man Utd and Everton being prime examples - where the boardroom setup is just a never ending mess and it doesn’t seem to matter who they sign or appoint as manager, their onfield woes continue unabated.

There’s a very real danger this is what we’re becoming unless we get it right this summer.

The promising sign is that they have at least acknowledged there was a problem in terms of recruitment. It beats being patronised by them about the squad being the best in years when the previous month saw us humped 4-0 at Parkhead, 4-0 in Amsterdam and 3-0 at home to Napoli and then were weeks away from being humiliated 7-1 by Liverpool. We have at least attempted to rectify the Ross Wilson debacle by splitting the role into two & each man can at least focus on the aspects of their particular job without stretching themselves and leaving us short.

Koppen at least from the first window seems to be focusing on young, hungrier players who have the potential to improve and increase in value. So it's going to be interesting to see who else we look to this summer. Put it this way, I think(or at least hope) the days of spending £20-30,000 a week on Championship jobbers in their late 20's are gone.

The problem is we're still paying a heavy price for the appalling recruitment since summer 2022. We have burned through £30m in two years and the squad valution has plummeted. We have guys(not just Tav and Goldson) with no resale value on the guts of £30,000 a week that we can't shift. We have guys we have overpaid massively for that we're going to need to take a substantial hit on. We have very little assets we can cash in on. Ideally we should have one or two prize assets a year that could bring in between £10-20m between them. Money that's then used for that summer signings and so on and so on. We're not going to sell a Bassey every year but punting 2 players at £7/8/9m each year shouldn't be beyond us.

Right now we're looking at needing to sell a 31 year old goalkeeper for about £10m to help us this summer. Even if we sold the likes of Cantwell and Raskin we wouldn't get anywhere near what we once thought we would. The entire approach needs to change. We can't keep doing the same as before because it's clearly not working.

 

[yarrumdavid01]

buy the best Scottish players regardless of whether you can get a cheaper equivalent in Ecuador or wherever.

We’ve let too many leave our shores who would have been far far better than what we have.

 

[Its-Sebo]

The two parts are;

-- Good manager (I think we've got that now, so it's about being patient).
-- Massively improve recruitment.

I think overall in terms of the board and investment we're doing well. The problem isn't the money being put in, it's the return we're getting for money spent that's the issue.

 

[JMCK]

If you think Lundstrum and Goldson are good, then you have set the bar really low. Lundstrum is that bad he hinders the team. Goldson likes to brain fart at the worse possible times. And I have no big issue with Tav but his time has came and went.

You honestly think these are the players letting us down right now? This squad requires depth, and depth that compliments Lundstram, Tavernier, Goldson, Diomande, and Cantwell. We will have to agree to disagree on this obviously.

 

[Wilso54]

You honestly think these are the players letting us down right now? This squad requires depth, and depth that compliments Lundstram, Tavernier, Goldson, Diomande, and Cantwell. We will have to agree to disagree on this obviously.

Yes I do, and you will be disagreeing with the majority of Rangers fans.

 

[JMCK]

Yes I do, and you will be disagreeing with the majority if Rangers fans.

Don't mind that. And just to be clear, I want players better than our best players arriving here, to compliment them, whereas you obviously want rid of our best players?

 

[The DazzleGer]

Having less money than celtc

 

[Wilso54]

Don't mind that. And just to be clear, I want players better than our best players arriving here, to compliment them, whereas you obviously want rid of our best players?

Lundstrum our best player, OK.

 

[GillespiesLeftBoot]

Is this just the new state of football, and our place in it - sadly?

We're the "Oakland A's" in terms of finances...

History + fanbase = top tier
Finances + league we're in.... = not so much

 

[TallBearCr]

Other- The core of the starting 11 that has overstayed its welcome that yet again is costing us

Imposters at right back, right centre half and a midfielder that were all done a year or more ago yet are still “Senior players” who are akin to towing caravans in the starting 11

And cant be subbed because the other players in the squad are injured, not good enough or also finished. See Davies, Borna, Jack as examples. Sterling needing to play all other positions due to injuries and guys like Borna.

 

[Bemcobill]

Investment, better recruitment and player trading model.

More Scottish players who know what it means to play for us

 

[FifeRanger]

Systematic change of players and players mindsets is the only real answer here.

Too early to tell if the boardroom changes and follow on changes below (esp recruitment and scouting) are good or bad.

The senior players need to go. Goldson, Barasic, Lundstrum, Jack and eventually Tav*. That's as well as Davies, Roofe, Wright, Dessers and the like.

Yes they've done well in Europe, but if below standard needed to win league players can do that in Europe then we should be able to do well with better players with no scar tissue and better mindsets.

*I'd be tempted to keep Tav on but replace him as captain and phase him out. Unless there's a Saudi bid.

 

[JMCK]

Lundstrum our best player, OK.

Okay.

 

[Wilso54]

Okay.

Is that you John?

 

[Laudrup11Cooper]

I have one last question.

If by some miracle we win the treble.(God!)
Or at least one of the two. More than likely the Scottish cup?
Do all your 'concerns', just go away?
Or do our troubles run much deeper?
(actually that's two questions.)

 

[Polar bear]

Create a strong base of Scottish players,and manager (if one is available)
At the club.Concentrate on winning the SPL.every year.Forget building a team for Europe,that will follow.

 

[Laudrup11Cooper]

To all who took the time and participated in this little poll, I appreciate all your time and effort.
Going by many of the responses it seems, B/ was the most popular choice. Investment, and better recruitment, and infrastructure.
But combination of B/,
C/Change in Board mind set,
D/Expectations of supporters, was not far behind.
Which was interesting.I think I'm in there as well.
Clearly there are issues quite deep set.

We may yet turn this around this season, but I think it's important to realize we have issues that will not go away on their own.
Deep rooted problems, that seem to occur every season, and hinder our progress.
Hopefully a collective effort, may yet save our season.
But what of the next?
And the next.
And?

tbc