Part 2

role, but why? Who better for the likes of McKay and Templeton to learn from than the best foreign winger to wear our jersey? He also comes from a footballing family built on work ethic and would demand extra on the training ground, putting an end to the Twitter & Nandos mentality.

Which brings me to the whole Twitter argument. I'm Which brings me to the whole Twitter argument. I'm not going into deep discussion of the rights and wrongs of social media, that's for another time, but all I will say is that while these guys are entitled to a life, they should also show some form of desire to improve as players and do an extra hour or so a couple of days a week. It's not too much to ask, pick a side of your game needing work and get onto it. Of side of your game needing work and get onto it. Of course, these lads are under pressure, they’ve gone from being reserve players and being THE players, and I suppose this pressure will weed out the men from the boys, even if some are doing themselves no favours with their attitudes right now.

When is the last time we had a proper set piece taker? Why can Hutton or McKay not use their initiative and say to themselves, "I want to be the next great free kick taker at this club" and work on the technique of hitting a dead ball with dummy walls in various scenarios? It's good enough for the likes of Beckham and Messi, so it's good enough for Kyle Hutton, Barrie McKay, and co.Hutton, Barrie McKay, and co.

I’m not saying that working extra after training will turn these boys into the next Beckham or Messi, but it’s the principle. The best players in the world never stop learning, never stop training, never stop striving to better themselves. Coming back after an “easy session” as Hutton and Cole put it, to sulk off to their beds and play Xbox in the middle of the afternoon is not going to turn them into top level players. Some not going to turn them into top level players. Some can argue that the coaches should be pushing it, but at the end of the day the only way anyone gets anywhere in life and in their job is by showing a willingness and initiative to take ownership of their development and do it themselves.

Which brings me to our scouting "system" and the suspension of Neil Murray. While we cannot comment and speculate on the circumstances around his suspension, we can question the quality of player he has been bringing to Ally's attention. The likes of Cribari, Faure, and Argyriou were never what we needed in the short or long term. Foreign journeymen, guys without a club who seen the journeymen, guys without a club who seen the pound signs instead of our objective, guys who'd

never roughed it in the lower leagues in their careers, were never what we needed right now, if ever. Going further back, was Neil Murray the man behind the train wreck of a signing that was Mervan Celik? If so, add that to his already below par CV.

The Sandaza debacle, an embarrassment on its own, The Sandaza debacle, an embarrassment on its own, has shown up the kind of deal Murray is striking with these players and their agents. What need is there to sign a player of Sandaza’s “quality” on a deal worth £4,500 per week which increases to £5,500 in SFL2, to £6,500 in SF1, to a whopping £10,000 a week in the SPL. When was Sandaza EVER a £10k a week player? You’ve all watched him at Dundee Utd and St player? You’ve all watched him at Dundee Utd and St Johnstone when facing us, did any of you ever think you’d want to see him at Rangers on a ive igure a week wage? Of course not.

The duping by the Celtic minded “prankster” who posed as an agent has shown up Sandaza for what we all knew he was, a journeyman, and I suppose had he banged in 25 goals his season no one would really be complaining.

We are simply repeating the mistakes of the past, We are simply repeating the mistakes of the past, over spending on poor quality players, paying over the odds to foreign journeymen and getting next to nothing back on our investment. It must stop, and if Neil Murray's suspension results in the hiring of Green's own man, then it's the right move because it will remove one of the old boys club from the situation and bring a fresh approach to the club and situation and bring a fresh approach to the club and how it scouts potential recruits.

I had hoped that the one bright spark from our demotion would be the coming through of our own Golden Generation, a group of driven, motivated, appreciative, hungry youngsters who would play, train, mature, grow and most importantly win together as the years progressed, resulting in a team which could be augmented with quality foreign lair where needed when we returned to the top light. where needed when we returned to the top light.

This dream can still become a reality, but we need the young guys to knuckle down and see just what is there for the taking and we need a clear out of the old clique to give Ally a chance to be the Rangers manager we all long for him to be. None of want to see Ally sacked, and we all know the old adage that top players never make top managers, but I'd love Ally to buck that trend.Ally to buck that trend.

Written By / / Big Chuck Green

SMARTER THAN THE ABOVEAVERAGE BEAR

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Sitting here trying to write a witty smart article about being a Bear, a Rangers man, a True blue.....

Scouring over other blogs, post, tweets and points of view from Rangers "experts" from with in our media.But that's the point you can look and read and But that's the point you can look and read and comment and tweet and so on and so on. At the end of the day only you know what it is to be a Bear. What Rangers mean to you is totally up to you and no one else. Neither James Traynor, Sir Walter, Ally or Charles Green himself can tell you how to feel about our glorious club. Its just in there. there. I wake up every day, mostly, and before I've clambered out my pit I have either already checked my entirely Rangers related twitter feed or I have at least thought about Rangers. Obsession? Perhaps. Deep rooted love? Yes.You might be different. You might go to every match then when its over and your back at home that's it. I doubt it though. The last twenty years have been a real roller coaster.9 in a row, Advocates silky soccer ( at irst) Big 9 in a row, Advocates silky soccer ( at irst) Big Ecks battlers, Le Guen...... The Return of our Special one and now Super Ally at the helm. We all know what happened and how things have changed etc.I remember turning up during some of the 9 in a I remember turning up during some of the 9 in a row league victories and thinking Aye brilliant another league lag. Talking it all for granted that we were on our way to at least 9. The last year or so has seen us take nothing for granted, not even the fact that we would have a team and a league to play in. Now we have a team, a league, a healthy balance sheet and seem to be moving a healthy balance sheet and seem to be moving (off the park) in the right direction. On the park is another story. We have fought and won some battles,

we've taken our punishment and sought to make new friends in the lower divisions and we have been able to exert some inluence as a support. This has been our inest victory as Rangers fans, whether your going to games, Rangers fans, whether your going to games, buying merchandise, blogging or supporting our club in any other way. We are out of hibernation and we are hungry for success both on and off the ield. We are now aware of the powers of social media. In the past we've been battered from pillar to post by obsessive anti Rangers journalists and half-wit bloggers. Now Rangers journalists and half-wit bloggers. Now ,in the most, that is what they are being shown up to be. As a support in general we have got a lot smarter. I'd hate to imagine any of you glued to the telly when Paciic Shelf play with your earphones plugged in trying be offended, you know exactly what I mean. FARES fair and all that. I do however like the idea of raising awareness of some our "former rivals" behavioral problems if only just to highlight the behavioral problems if only just to highlight the apparent bias within some Scottish daily rags and comedy radio phone ins. We are and have been a world wide story this year. Long may that type of coverage continue. Anything that shows our glorious club in a positive light is a good thing. We are part of this glorious club. Quite literally with out us Bears there would be no club and this is what I would urge you to consider. Believe what you believe in, be proud of where and what you have come in, be proud of where and what you have come from, be true to our colours, for they are indeed ine, be staunch and digniied but most of all be smart. Be smarter than the above average Bear. Yours True Bluely @BigChuckGreen

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Interview With | Angie Green

SUPERLEE

McCMURDOMcCMURDOI have been blogging recently on the possibility of multi-geographical locations for the big teams in world football. For example, it is entirely feasible that in For example, it is entirely feasible that in the not too distant future, there could be Rangers sides competing in both the English and Scottish leagues. At this moment, the “Scottish” Rangers At this moment, the “Scottish” Rangers would only be a colt side left behind should RAngers go south and compete in England. But that colt status could be revised and it is possible that Rangers could theoretically be playing in European, British, English and Scottish competitions. competitions. Which, of course, begs the question – Could there be an American Rangers? This franchise concept has already been used to a certain extent by clubs having women’s football teams and even other sports utilising club names. In fact, Rangers once dabbled in the sport of basketball and had a team under the basketball and had a team under the Rangers name. Another interesting aspect of multi-geographic locations for big teams is that Rangers is one of relatively few clubs in world football whose name is not linked to a speciic geographical location. Yes, the club was often known as Glasgow Rangers but this often known as Glasgow Rangers but this is not an oficial name and the Glasgow preix has fallen out of favour in recent times with many fans. This name linking to speciic locations may hinder the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona but not Rangers. Traditionalists may, of course, balk at the prospect of having a multi-Rangers set-up in football but there is certainly the potential for such a concept.

set-up in football but there is certainly the potential for such a concept. A yet unknown factor is, of course, the A yet unknown factor is, of course, the potential market globally for Rangers and Celtic. Both teams talk this up but more pragmatic voices say that interest is not really as strong as the clubs would like to make out. My own view is that new customers and My own view is that new customers and supporters could easily be made building upon the expat fanbase in countries like USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, - providing, of course, the right marketing and publicity were generated. For example, the red, white and blue patriotism of Rangers would and blue patriotism of Rangers would easily resonate with people in the States and Rangers have a ine tradition of ielding the best American players. Celtic have the Irish Catholic population to appeal to in the States and they could also establish an American franchise, it has to be said. It may be some way off but I would not It may be some way off but I would not rule out the prospect of there one day being an American Rangers playing an American Celtic, possibly putting on matches at different locations on the American continent. The idea of Rangers being such a global The idea of Rangers being such a global brand and attraction may well be the direction of the club for the next 140 years. Who knows, 140 years from now I might Who knows, 140 years from now I might be celebrated as a great visionary by Rangers fans who support their local Rangers in various locations across the planet.

WRITTEN BY | BILL McCMURSO

www.billmcmurdo.com ONLY ONE RANGERS ?

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1) What is the exact capacity of Ibrox Stadium?2) What was Glasgow Rangers' first home ground called?3) Who was Rangers' 5th manager?4) Rangers won the European Cup Winners Cup in which year?5) How many Rangers managers have their been in total?6) Ally McCoist joined Rangers as a player in which year?7) Nacho Novo le Rangers to join which club?7) Nacho Novo le Rangers to join which club?8) How many season ckets did Rangers sell for the 2012/2013 season?9) In which month did Rangers find out they'd play in SFL Division 3?10) How many games did it take for Rangers to win the SFL Division 3 Title?

In every issue of The Atlanc Bear, we are giving you the chance to win £200 in our Quiz! In every issue, there will be 10 quesons and if you can get all of them right, you can win! For your chance to win, send your answers to sarasotarsc@live.co.uk. Also, you can just play along for fun with your mates by reading out the quesons. The answers will be published on our twier on Friday 19th April. You have unl then to submit your answers! Good Luck!

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