A look at the facts surrounding this signing, and the recent fiscal dealings at Rangers would seem to me to point unequivocally towards the latter. I ask you, dear reader, what has David Murray done to Rangers in the last 5 years that would lead you to believe that this revolutionary new signing policy is for the good of the football club?
Apart from turning numerous endowments totaling £100million into a debt of almost £100million it would appear that our Dear Leader has been focusing on turning the other areas of his financial empire into lean mean profit making machines as the football division languishes in the grubber. Make no mistake the reason why Azzure, MIH, Response, Carnegie, MIM, Truemans etc etc. are back in profit is not only because many of these businesses were launched and are supported by choice contracts from/on the back of Rangers, but also because the management of these companies would simply not be allowed to indulge in the financial kamikaze mission that we are about to embark upon.
Its not that I don't think this signing policy wont work, we already know that it cant work, ask Dundee FC or Real Mallorca what happens when you bring in young mercenaries and make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Or alternatively stand back and watch as they roast young slappers, crash cars, assault people in the street, miss drug tests, spend more time in the jail than on the pitch and generally act like what they are - young guys given the keys to the candy store in a country and culture they have no wish to be in.
Remember this is not gold bullion or Krugerrands we can lock away in a safe and punt 2 years later, it's a young football player coming to a club with the worst injury record in Western Europe. Its not that I expect J-A B to live down to my expectations its just that we all have to be clear that he is coming to the Presbyterian Palace for 3 reasons and 3 reasons alone, money, money and money
We as a club simply cannot afford to line the pockets of anyone to the tune of £2.4million per annum full stop, those days are gone for the moment and it's the current custodian and his reckless fiscal mismanagement that are the cause. For this bear this signing and any more like it that follow is simply a grand statement of intent that footballs Nick Leeson and John DeLorean intend to angel dive into the abyss on whose edge we currently stand. Some questions spring to mind:
· How many players in the last 20 years have we sold on for a handsome profit? (I can think of 3 Steven, Gio & Fergie, and we had to take Trevor back)
· What happens if circumstance dictates that he is here to the last year of his contract and goes for free
· What if he gets injured
· How many scouts can be employed for £2.4m
· How many scouting networks can be set up in how many continents for £2.4m
· How many youth players can be stopped from leaving to richer clubs for £2.4m
· How many Jamie McFaddens can you buy for £2.4m pa
· How many youth coaches can you employ with £2.4m
· Who else will be sold to pay for this new policy?
· Do you trust David Murray to formulate any policy for the long-term good of Rangers FC?
· Is there a 6 year plan, 10 year plan or a 15 year plan?
To my mind this is the classic alcoholic last bottle of vodka scenario. Think Nicholas Cage in the shower in Leaving Las Vegas and you are almost there, however rather than drunk to death we run the risk of being bled to death.
For years I read writers in this magazine who said it couldn't last, said we were living well beyond our means, who flagged up we were throwing good money after bad for foreign duds and mercenaries and through all of those years I chuckled and thought of the dour Scots mindset always looking for the negative, yet here we are staring into the chasm of our own making and handing out the parachutes are the men that brought us here.
Is the Trust the answer? I don't know but at the moment it's the only game in town that can address the situation, but it needs numbers. Don't believe the hype bears this is folly and recklessness that could kill us and even the sight of Ewan Cameron running round the Brox in his birthday suit cannot compensate this bear.
Immortal