losses under Dick Advocaat, things have hardly improved - 2 draws in
Eck’s first 2 games have been followed by 6 straight defeats. In all 11
games, we’ve taken the lead in only one – the 3-3 game where we led
twice.
A Celtic manager remaining unbeaten in home OF games for 5 years is a
considerable record. There’s talk of O’Kneel moving on to greener
pastures this summer and he’d love to preserve his unbeaten home record
in what could well be his last home OF game. Can we stop him?
Yes is the short answer. The current Rangers team, albeit far from a
classic lineup, has all the attributes needed to topple an ageing,
creaking Celtic. We have pace & goals up front, creativity and bite in
midfield, strength at centre-back and a competent deputy for der Goalie
in Watterreus. The return of Barry Ferguson gives us the type of
probing, searching passes which can unlock defences. Saturday’s
demolition of Hibs has united Bears in joy for the first time in
months, if not years. Even notoriously hard-to-please Gub was moved to
wax lyrical on Sunday! So we have the players, we have the motivation,
we have the backing of the fans and we have the SPL title in our grasp.
How can we possibly fail?
Sadly, we can fail very easily and I fear we could be heading for an
almighty fall. The main pitfall can be summed up in two words – Alex
McLeish. We have a manager who has proved hopelessly inadequate at the
task of preparing a Rangers team for a visit to the Piggery. Six
straight losses is a shocking record and often performances have been
even worse than the results. A limp surrender in the 3rd SPL game in
the treble season was followed by a 3-0 demolition, a narrow Cup defeat
and an 89th minute winner by Sutton last season. This season, an 80th
minute winner by Alan “Handsome” Thompson was followed by a meek Cup
capitulation, where the sale of Boumsong the previous week effectively
handed Celtic the tie on a plate before kick-off. 6 games played, 1
goal scored, 9 goals conceded. In many of these games we failed to
create a single chance. The sheer one-sidedness of several of these
games has been worse than anything in recent OF history. Our (or rather
Eck’s!) recent record is truly pathetic and simply not good enough for
any Rangers team.
Will this Sunday be any different? Can Eck somehow up conjure up a
game-plan to outwit O’Kneel at the monkey house? Frankly, I doubt it.
The blessed Martin has shown time & again that he has Eck’s measure as
a tactician, despite playing the most one-dimensional game I’ve ever
seen from a Celtic team. The sight of that poisonous, pudgy little tit
Lennon bossing the midfield yet again in an OF game is as depressing as
it is familiar. It has to come to an end one day but when?
I’m putting my head above the parapet with this post because many Bears
object when Eck receives criticism after a bad result. “Where were you
when we won both OF games in November?”, etc. Well, we’ve just
witnessed an excellent display at Ibrox yet I’m right here saying that
all is not well.
Here’s my message to Eck. You have to prepare and pick a team to get
three points at Parkhead on Sunday. If you do, we’ll probably win the
SPL. Lose and we’re out of it. Personally, I don’t think you can do it
but I’d love you to prove me wrong. I’d like nothing better than to be
the butt of all the jokes on the FF board next week for my misplaced
pessimism. The chance is there for you to finish the most unwanted
record in recent OF history. To quote Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen
Ross, are you going to take it? Are you man enough to take it?
Do it Eck. Your time as Rangers manager has come.
Timperleybear