Rangers Archives - Page 7 of 7

Rangers set up Old Firm League Cup Final in a second-half comeback win against Motherwell

An all-Glasgow clash of Celtic v Rangers is set for December 15th. The current holders Rangers earned themselves a place in the Scottish League Cup Final, as a double in the second half from Dessers and Bjarami was enough to see off the Steelmen. After a run of substandard results, Manager Philippe Clement’s team relieved some pressure on his job as they saw off a gritty performance from Stewart Kettlewell’s Motherwell side. With a total attendance of just over 37 thousand fans feelings on the current form and the state of the club were on full display as Rangers did not fill their full allocation at Hampden. A sign displayed by the Union Bears in the first half of the game stating ‘Park and Co. Time to Go”. A reference to the higher-ups in the club. After falling nine points behind both Celtic and Aberdeen in the league following the defeat in Pittodrie midweek. Fans were quick to point the finger at the manager, demanding change but more importantly a response today. For Motherwell, they went into this game in good form but missing key players. This gave teenage sensation Lennon Miller a chance to captain the side in a semi-final of a cup. A proud moment for the teenager and his family. The Ibrox side dominated the first half in terms of possession and had plenty of opportunities to open the scoring with chances from Cerny who looked the most dangerous player on the park. Lawrence, Barron and Dessers all had chances too, the latter who probably should have had two to his name with a poor effort going wide and straight at the keeper. Despite having plenty of shots it was mostly tame efforts shot right at Motherwell stopper Oxborogh. Despite poor ball retention and having very little of the ball, Motherwell broke the deadlock and opened the scoring from their first attempt on goal. In the 25th minute, Andy Halliday got on the end of a terrific cross floated into the box by Steve Seddon as he slotted the ball past Jack Butland. He opted not to celebrate his first goal for the Steelmen against his former side whom he made over 100 appearances. The sound of boos from the Rangers fans and jubilation from Motherwell rung out around the National stadium as the whistle went to signify halftime. The Gers were the first team out of the tunnel after the break as they looked to get themselves back into the tie. It didn’t take long for Rangers to respond as in the 49th minute Cyriel Dessers put his poor efforts from the first half aside as he confidently put the ball in the back of the net. This breaks his 8-game goalless streak, with his last goal coming in the last round of this tournament back on September 21st. Despite Motherwell having more of the ball in this half compared to the opening 45, Rangers continued knocking on the door with wingers Cerny and Bajrami causing all kinds of problems for Motherwell. In the 81st minute Man of the Match, Cerny played a superb pass through to Bajrami whose deflected shot fired the Gers into the lead for the first time in the game. Motherwell’s defence showed great resilience for most of the game today despite missing some key players in Captain Paul McGinn and Vice-Captain Stephen O’Donnell. However, Bajrami’s goal was enough to send the Ibrox side through to the final six weeks from today. Winger Vaclav Cerny led an inspired performance today as for 90 minutes he caused problem after problem for the Steelmen. Despite general negative feelings around Rangers at the moment you have to say he has remained the one shining light for the fans. Regarding his current form, he downplayed it insisting the overall result was more important. He said: “The most important thing is that today we got to the final and the fact I could help is always a good feeling.”. Throughout the match, Rangers adopted a possession-driven game utilising their wingers and overlapping fullbacks playing constant balls into the box as well as plenty of shots from central midfielders outside the box. Motherwell for the duration of the match chose to sit in and play long balls over the Rangers back line to forwards as well as waiting for counter-attacking opportunities. After the match, Motherwell Manager Stewart Kettlewell was complimentary of his players today. He said: “We’ve had a good start to the season, so I’m not going to sit here and criticise the players because when you see them slumped to their knees at the end that wasn’t a disappointment, that was exhaustion. They poured so much in, and I can’t ask any more from them” They now turn their attention back to the league where they currently sit in fifth place just three points off Rangers. They face St. Johnstone at home. Rangers will be back in European action on Thursday when they travel to Greece to take on Olympiacos in what will prove to be quite a hostile atmosphere. To this a delighted Manager Philippe Clement said: “It’s a nice place to go. It’s always hot there, because of the sun but also because of the fans.” He also said: “It’s a team with a lot of physical qualities and technical qualities, they’re attacking-minded. So, we need to play a really big game there to get points.” Credit must be given to both sides in what was a cagey affair at the National Stadium today. Motherwell were solid in their shape and defensively despite being without some usual starting players and just fell short in the end. 18-year-old Lennon Miller did not look out of place as captain. Rangers answered critics and despite going in behind at the break they kept pushing for a much-needed win. They now give their players and fans a final to look forward to and a chance to win the first available silverware of the season. Motherwell: Oxborough, Kaleta, (Blaney 75’), Casey, Gordon, Balmer, Seddon, (Sparrow 56’), Halliday, Miller

November 3, 2024

If not Philipe Clement’s then who, we examine a list of potential replacements

A difficult start to the season has left Philipe Clement’s position at Ibrox shrouded in doubt. Despite recently signing a new contract, the show of confidence from the board has not had the desired impact. Should the Belgian be shown the door, we examine a list potential replacements that have been associated with the role in recent weeks. Steven Gerrard A hero to many, given he not only won Rangers their first title in a decade, but in doing so stopped Celtic winning the coveted ten in a row. Things did end on a slightly sour note as he upped sticks and moved to Aston Villa in November. A poor spell in the Premier League, made worse by the success of his replacement Unai Emery was incredibly damaging to his reputation and has almost certainly put paid to his ambition of managing Liverpool. A move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq has not helped either, with critics pointing to the standard of the league and Gerrard’s reported salary as an indication of a manager not challenging himself. The move has not proven to be as simple as expected either, speculation continues to build around Gerrard’s tenuous position at the club. Unfortunately for Gerrard, Rangers fans might not be willing to welcome him back as Celtic did Brendan Rodgers. Derek McInnes The bookies favourite for the position, McInnes has built Kilmarnock into one of the league’s biggest overachievers since achieving promotion two years ago. There was disappointment following their European exit and the impact it had on the team’s form but things are slowly turning around and they look like the strongest of the sides outside the top three. If the last meeting between the two sides can be considered anything like an audition then McInnes did not hurt his chances, earning an impressive 1-0 win at Rugby Park. Far from being a despised figure among the Rangers fans, McInnes has history on his side, having played and won the Premiership and Scottish Cup for the side in the late nineties. His teams have never won plaudits for their style, but their grit and ability to grind out results is everything Rangers are currently missing. Kevin Muscat Another former Rangers player who has experienced success as a manager, this is not the first time Muscat has been linked with the position. Prior to Clement’s hiring, the Australian had announced his interest and was reportedly interviewed but passed over for the role. His managerial career bears some resemblance to that of Ange Postecoglou, having both managed Melbourne Victory before Muscat replaced the now Tottenham boss at Yokohama F.Marinos. With an A-League, J-League and now a second consecutive Chinese Super League title under his belt, Muscat is not short of accolades on his CV. The biggest doubts however, will be whether the Rangers board believe he will be able to replicate the impact Postecoglou had in the East End despite a lack of experience in Europe. Frank Lampard Gerrard’s former midfield partner has by far the most impressive clubs on his CV but has arguably had the least success. Following a strong first season in the dugout guiding Derby County to a Championship play-off final, Lampard was handed the reins at former club Chelsea. Giving academy players opportunities and being hampered by a transfer ban all whilst finishing a respectable fourth seemed to indicate the appointment had not come too soon in his career. His stock would only decline from there however, as the side went backwards despite a flurry of big signings and he was sacked in January. Keeping Everton up on the final day would be a blip before being sacked the following season after one win in eleven games before achieving the very same record in his return as Chelsea caretaker. Lampard’s name has been attached to almost every vacancy since but he remains an outside bet. Henrik Rydstrom Perhaps the least well known of all the list, Rydstrom has yet to take his footballing career beyond Sweden. The manager has won the league in both seasons since taking over at Malmo in 2022, including pipping Jimmy Thelin’s IF Elfsborg to the title by just two goals. Rydstrom has been earning plaudits for success on the pitch but also for the style that got them there. Playing what writer and coach Jamie Hamilton coined ‘Relationism’, the manager looks to allow players to be as expressive on the ball as possible. Perhaps the biggest blotch on his record however, is his performance against Rangers in the Europa League this season. Malmo were not only defeated 2-0 at home but looked far off the pace. However, if Rydstrom is allowed to work with a higher calibre of player, Rangers could have a manger with both the style and the substance to turn things around.

November 3, 2024

Cash is King: The Financial Divide of Glasgow’s Big Two

It’s been a tough few weeks for fans of the blue side of Glasgow. Both on and off the park things don’t seem to be going well for Rangers Football Club. Envious eyes of the Ibrox side are being cast across to the east end of the city where the exact opposite is taking place. For Gers fans, results have not been consistent since the beginning of the season and this past week has been the icing on the cake in terms of negative feelings surrounding the club. Less than two weeks ago, Rangers found themselves in third place in the league, five points behind both Celtic and Aberdeen who were flying high and unbeaten in the league after eight games. On the Saturday Aberdeen travelled to Parkhead to take on Celtic in what was billed as the top-of-the-table clash. For Rangers who had a tough game at Rugby Park against Kilmarnock, were viewing this as a real opportunity to get themselves back into the title race discussion. Any result in the Parkhead clash would be to the benefit of Rangers and they would close the gap on at least one of the sides if they won the following day. Celtic and Aberdeen ended in a draw, so a win for the Gers would take them within three points of the top of the table. However, this was not to be the case as Rangers failed to rise to the challenge and dropped three points against Kilmarnock on Sunday, leaving them trailing in the league by six points. Rangers responded well with a fantastic European result at home on Thursday and a return to winning ways in the league against St. Mirren. However, the latter was a largely criticised team performance with some fans saying the Buddies deserved more from the game. With both Celtic and Aberdeen winning, Rangers would head into a clash with the Dons at Pittodrie six points behind both teams. As the week began feelings around the midweek clash were that the Dons were firm favourites as they remained unbeaten in the league as well as going toe to toe with Celtic only two games prior. The Ibrox side couldn’t afford any more negativepress in the lead-up to the game. On Tuesday, the day before debatably a season-defining game for manager Philippe Clement the club posted a 33-page report on their annual accounts. In what was supposed to be a positive publication showing that for the first time in over a decade, they were free of any litigation claims. But both pundits and fans alike people saw right through that with it ending up being a very telling set of financial losses. Despite record core revenue at £88.3 million, and £94.2million total income people were quick to focus on the £17.2 million net loss which had increased from £4.1 million the year before.This is due to the lack of significant player sales, the loss of Champions League money, and staff costs still being too high despite offloading a significant number of higher earners at the club this past summer. It leaves the club with just £1.7 million cash in the bank. Interim Chairman John Gilligan stated, “Undoubtedly, it has been a challenging period for the football club with significant change occurring both on and off the park throughout both season 2023/24 and over the summer months”. The feeling of negativity both on the pitch and the ongoing higher up in the club led the team into a clash with Aberdeen being even more important for the Gers community. Jimmy Thelin’s Dons rose to the occasion in what was an incredibly well-deserved 2-1 win under the backdrop of an atmosphere not seen at the club for decades. After Celtic winning at Parkhead against Dundee, Rangers now find themselves nine points behind Celtic and Aberdeen. Shortly after the result, Philippe Clement described it as ‘One of their best performances of the season’ which was met with a lot of confusion and anger from Gers fans across the country. Casting our minds back to less than two months ago their Glasgow rivals, Celtic published their annual report which showed when all things calculated, they have £77.2 million in the bank. This is a staggering £75.5 million more than the Ibrox side. Compared to their city rivals the Parkhead side recorded a new club record revenue of £124.6 million with a total net profit of £13.3 million as well as breaking their breaking club transfer record twice over this past summer. All this despite almost a £5 million deficit in the transfer market and their overall wage bill increasing by £4.8 million making it a total £65.6 million. So not only are Celtic well ahead on the park they are in a much healthier position financially. For fans of the Ibrox side results on the pitch and position in the league coupled with how well their rivals are doing compared to themselves have increased the negative feelings around the club. It has now led to Gers fans overwhelmingly united in their opinion that things are not heading in the right direction under manager Philippe Clement, wanting him relieved of his position. This past August before the season had begun Clement was given a new four-year contract and commented: “I have fallen in love with the club, with the fans, the stadium and with the city. I see huge potential and now we need to make the club better and stronger in every department.” But, with all the financial losses coming out of the club and given that he would need to be paid off, can they afford to remove him from his duties? The current situation and gap created go back decades. Celtic went close to going out of business in 1994 and since then have set up a successful financial model that may be negative for the growth and standard of the Scottish game by buying cheap and selling large. But it works for them from a financial point of view. In reaction to

November 1, 2024

Look Ahead – Aberdeen v Rangers

Aberdeen will take on Rangers tonight in the blockbuster clash as Philippe Clement looks to cut the gap on the joint league leaders at Pittodrie. Jimmy Thelin’s Dons have been the season’s story so far, his side have won all but one game (the comeback draw at Celtic) under his tenure. It’ll be back-to-back games under the lights for the Dandies as they ran out 1-0 winners on Saturday night against Dundee Utd thanks to a late Peter Ambrose goal. The win keeps the Dons six points ahead of tonight’s visitors whilst also having a better goal difference. The Dons boss has confirmed that striker Kevin Nisbet faces a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of tonight’s clash. The striker has scored three goals since arriving on loan but was ruled out of Saturday’s win. “I think the physios are working really hard with him now so let’s see tomorrow.” Philippe Clement meanwhile brings his Rangers team to the Granite City on the back of a battling 2-1 victory over St. Mirren. The Gers were made to work hard for the three points after almost falling 2-1 behind if not for a VAR check. Club captain James Tavernier was surprisingly dropped to the bench on Sunday with Jack Butland being handed the armband. New signing Robin Propper has struggled to adapt to life in Scotland and only lasted 60 minutes against St. Mirren whilst regular centre-back John Souttar was absent through injury. Keep an ear out for the reaction for Connor Barron, the midfielder departed Aberdeen for Rangers in the summer and if Ryan Jack is anything to go by, the youngster is heading for a furious reaction from the Dons fans. The pressure has piled on Clement in recent weeks after suffering bad defeats in Europe and an uncharacteristic start to the league season. Defeat tonight would leave Rangers nine points adrift of the Dandies. The TV cameras are at sold-out Pittodrie for this one, the game will be live on Sky from 7:15 pm with kick-off from 8 pm.

October 30, 2024

Rangers recorded a £17.2million loss despite “record-breaking revenues.”

Rangers Football Club has announced its freedom from all legal claims for the first time in over a decade. Despite this milestone, the club reported a significant net loss of £17.2m this financial year, a sharp increase from last year’s £4.1m deficit, though it achieved record-breaking revenue and income up to June. Earlier this year, the club settled a longstanding dispute with Elite Sports Group Ltd over their Hummel-branded kits. Financial records highlight substantial growth, with core revenue reaching £88.3m, total income at £94.2m, and commercial revenue of £67m—figures Chief Financial Officer James Taylor called “outstanding.” Operating losses before accounting for player trading came in at £2m, a marked improvement from last season’s £10.5m. The financial hit reflects the restructuring of the first-team squad, including a reported £8m loss from player trading. Rangers also reduced overall squad expenses by £2.5m and expect further cuts of £6m next season following summer 2024 transfers. Under a revamped recruitment strategy introduced by Football Recruitment Director Nils Koppen, Rangers is prioritising a younger, more balanced squad. Transfer expenses reached £13.6m, offset by £5.6m in player sales, with the club aiming for a sustainable transfer model. In the face of growing financial pressures, Rangers raised its borrowing from £16.5m to £28.4m, securing an additional £8.6m from existing investors to support future growth. Interim Chairman John Gilligan acknowledged the transformative period at Rangers, noting that John Bennett stepped down from his chairman duties to focus on his health, while Chief Executive James Bisgrove moved to the Saudi Premier League, and Creag Robertson departed as Director of Football Operations. Gilligan assured supporters of a strong executive team in place, as they look for a new CEO. Gilligan also apologised for delays in the Copland Road Stand renovations, which required four matches to be relocated to Hampden Park, and commended the fans for their exceptional support. He expressed confidence that the club is on track to meet its strategic objectives after a challenging yet productive year.

October 29, 2024

Cerny’s Late Strike Seals Rangers’ 2-1 Win Over St Mirren

Vaclav Cerny delivered for Rangers once again, sealing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St Mirren to keep them within six points of the Premiership leaders. Rangers got off to a bright start as Mohamed Diomande found the net from close range. St Mirren hit back through Alex Gogic’s header before the break, and Toyosi Olusanya nearly put them in front, only to be denied by an offside call. Cerny, fresh off a Europa League double, latched onto Cyriel Dessers’ setup to grab the winner. Philippe Clement’s side now look ahead to a crucial clash with second-placed Aberdeen on Wednesday, while Stephen Robinson’s St Mirren, sitting in 10th, prepare to host St Johnstone.

October 27, 2024

Watkins Strikes Late and Mayo Stars as Kilmarnock Pile the Pressure on Philippe Clement

Souttar bullied and Butland in no mans land as Marley Watkins tucks the ball away in the 87th minute. The pressure mounts on Rangers manager Philippe Clement, with Rangers fans not shy in showing their frustrations from the stands. Derek McInnes on the other hand, will feel his side more than deserved their 3 points at the weekend as they were dominant throughout. Robbie Deas thought he had the opener in the first half but his goal was chopped off by VAR. Kilmarnock continued to limit Rangers’ opportunities and on another day could have had more than one if Kennedy and Watkins kept their composure early on. Ex-Rangers youngster Lewis Mayo was a standout performer with a solid performance at right back, nullifying any threat coming down the wide area for the away side. Mayo, a stalwart in the Kilmarnock defence since signing from Rangers in the summer of 2023 is a firm favourite at Rugby Park with his ever-reliable performances resulting in fans of the Ayrshire side labelling the 24 year old as “Mr Reliable”. And it’s not only fans holding the defender to high regard, his manager has also backed him to star at international level in the future if he continues to put in performances beyond his years stating in an interview by the BBC: Derek McInnes: “He’s hardly put a foot wrong. I think he will play for Scotland he could more than hold his own in the international set-up. The SFA are well aware of his capabilities. He’s a top professional, gives himself the best chance to have the best career and it’s that attitude that I want to work with.”

October 20, 2024

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