Gosh, is that a fortnight already?
Two Saturdays ago - Scotland were playing, so absolutely no football whatsoever worth talking about. The Monday morning however brought perturbation to Chez Gub in both large and small doses. Large being the news that Barry Ferguson will have to go under the surgeon's knife once and for all to get rid of this hip injury he has been carrying for almost all of this season. The brow was furrowed further by the fact that he's prepared to wait until Scotland has played Germany in June before surgery.
I do have to ask - is Barry Ferguson out of his mind? Surely I cannot be the only Rangers fan out here who is of the opinion that Ferguson needs to be operated upon as soon as the final whistle has blown on Rangers' season and not after some poxy International? The way I see it, if Barry Ferguson wants to undo all the great work he has done for our club over the last 18 months or so, then he's going the right way about it. Someone in authority needs to tell him (not suggest) that recuperating at the start of next season from an operation that he held off getting because he wanted to play for Scotland is not an option.
Keeping with Barry if I may. He was then quoted in The Sun as saying 'I don't have to prove to ANYONE how much I want to play for Scotland.'
Well if that is the case, then why does Barry Ferguson need to shout it out in a newspaper then? What sticks in my craw here is that Ferguson feels he has to defend himself against a whispering campaign that can be traced back to Timothy.
It was left, as it always is nowadays, for manager Alex McLeish to waft some calmness over Govanhill when he intimated with a few soothing words to the effect that Fergie will be going in for his hip snip when it suits Rangers and Rangers only. Thank you Mr McLeish. Although I do think it's only fair to warn you that we will be watching this one with interest from the sidelines. Don't think you can give us the old oil at this time of the season then if everything turns out as we all want domestically, that you can change your tune.
THE LAUNCH OF THE RANGERS SUPPORTERS TRUST
A week ago on Wednesday also saw 'Berti's bumblers' in action so we'll just fast forward at this junction to last Saturday and the Partick Burgh Halls for the launch of 'The Rangers Supporters Trust'. Given that a lot of the people who were there have told us on the website how they felt it went and given that there's been an article or two about it in the Fanzine, I don't think I need to dwell too much on it.
The main thing to reiterate here is that the launch of The Rangers Supporters Trust was a smashing success and speaking to a dozen or so FFers over post launch and pre match cocktails the vibes were all positive and good.
The Committee thus far can give themselves a well-earned pat on the back for the spades of work they have already put in thus far. A thing for all of us to remember here is that they are ordinary guys who have had a wee bit of spotlight thrust upon them. We owe these guys (and the Committee also want a female on board) our patience and understanding. After all this is a journey that is new to all of us.
For my part I was heartened by the resolve of the Chairman of The Trust when it came to thorny issues like the relationship between The Trust and FF fanzine, and The Trust and the dogs at Mirror Group Newspapers. The ovation given to Mark Walters as he stepped up to take his position, as Honorary Trust Member, was special and will live long in the memory.
THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTEST
The last word about last Saturday morning. Thanks once again to Mr & Mrs Tego for the hospitality shown before the Trust meeting. I have to say it was the first time I've ever played 'piece n sausage' brag, mind you. Mrs T, was just administering the square slice onto the bread for hubby as I made my way into the Tego kitchen. Now Mr T at this point was looking at me and clearly thinking to himself, 'surely that bassa has had something to eat before coming up here, and he'll decline the offer if I ask him if he wants MY pieces n sausage? Only problem was, I hadn't read the script. 'Okay' I said, taking up the kind offer, 'That would be lovely.' So there you go, Feriens Tego gave me his last 'piece n sausage.' I won't tell you what he called me for having his last 'piece n sausage, but he gave me it nevertheless. I give you the host wit da most!
SATURDAY'S GAME
We didn't know it at the time but the Trust launch was the best part of last Saturday. What can I say? If Saturday's performance v the Jags is the way it's going to be over the final furlong of the season then a helluva lot of nerves are going to be jangled, rattled and smashed to smithereens along the way.
Apart from a quietly authoritative and competent performance from Bob Malcolm, then it is hard to know what positives to take from last week. What got me most of all is that there seemed to be a lack of urgency coming from the team. There was no bite or vim on display. Wake up lads, a wee (make that large) portion of glory is there for the taking for all of you if you really want it.
As I said, Malcolm played a blinder and Klos with two first class stops, which were the only things he had to do in the entire 90 mins, were the only ones who deserved pass marks. I don't think I'm alone in saying that just before the opener I was sitting thinking where the goal was going to come from? If nothing else Saturday's shocker means that although the two points dropped by the yahoos 24 hours later were welcome, they are not by any means decisive.
Once again it has to be repeated that our whistlers have declared that this term really is open season on Rangers. It was a disgrace that Gerry Britton (who makes Frank McGarvey look like a model of composure and calm efficiency) was allowed two lunges on Rangers opponents before being yellow carded for a stupid push right on half-time. Still, it was Khenny Chlark, mind you!
Hypocrisy # 1 - I see that dud Rangers centre forward of old, Alex Ferguson, was up to his old tricks once again and mouthing off before Man Utd's CL tie in Madrid. 'The CL's a fix' he wailed. Honestly, does anyone take his carping seriously anymore? Hey Fergie a word to the wise here, of course the CL is rotten to the core. How else would you describe a tournament that could feasibly allow the scenario whereby Man Utd could play the final on their own ground?
Not that I think it will be happening this season mind. Because I very much doubt there's any chance whatsoever that Fergie's side can overcome Real Madrid when next they play. Honestly there are no superlatives that are left to describe Real Madrid's performance against Man Utd in that aforementioned CL fixture. IMHO, what we were treated to for a spell in the first half was the greatest display of club football ever.
This is not said to have a snipe at Man Utd, because, A - I couldn't care less what they do. And B - We simply have no right whatsoever to have a dig at the consistency of their performances at this level in Europe over the last seven years. But it has to be said they were simply brushed aside by the Madrid all-stars. They were ripped apart in spells and given a football lesson by Madrid in much the same way Juve tore us apart back in 95.
Yes, that is how I saw the gulf in class. And Man Utd are a class act. The only words I can use to describe Madrid's performance are the words the late John Rafferty used to describe our own Jim Baxter; "It is irrational and it stems from a great conceit or, perhaps, a myth, that in Scottish football there is an inspired, spontaneous geometry of purest origin which, when it comes right, will benefit even the defeated. For they could learn from the vision of perfection, a perfection that is of people, made by people, by wee, bitter, narrow, ill-educated men yet full of light and luminous grace."
Real Madrid on Wednesday night reached that vision of 'perfection, light and luminous grace'. And whilst we might never ever reach their standards, surely their example and level of achievement are what we must try and attain? Don't know about you out there, but watching Real Madrid in midweek
lifted my spirits and showed once again just how beautiful this game of ours can be.
CELTIC HYPOCRISY
Hypocrisy # - 2. Well, as we've said on so many occasions were there is hypocrisy in football, always but always, the yahoos will be well to the fore, and this week is no exception. I couldn't help but stifle a wry smile at the news that the yahoos have demanded that the last OF fixture of the season was not to be played on the weekend after their European semi-final 2nd leg. Jings, crivvens and help Sir Boab, it's taken a while - 24 years in fact - but the wheel has turned full circle. Here we have another prime example of the yahoos bending and twisting situations to suit themselves yet again.
Those of us of a certain vintage will remember back to the week of Wednesday 20th of March 1979. Rangers were due to face Cologne in the European Cup quarter-final 2nd leg, when all of a sudden Glasgow was hit by an Arctic blast that came out of nowhere. The tie v Cologne was delayed by 24 hours and even then we were lucky to have the game played, as all around the snow lay deep and crisp and even.
History will show that Rangers were eliminated after a 1-1 draw. But they had no time to mourn the defeat, as they had to turn their attention to the Saturday and the impending OF league, which was going to have rather an important part to play in the title run-in. This match was of course played at Hampden as had Rangers' previous OF home league fixture the previous November. Only problem was, because of the icy blast that had hit the city, the walkways, entrances and standing areas at Hampden were still covered in snow and ice and was decreed unsafe by the SFA and the league match was therefore postponed.
The yahoos were having none of it and the 'Kerrydale Karsi Amateur Dramatical Society' was soon in full swing. Chairman, Desmond White, was furious and the implication was that it was all a fix between Rangers and the SFA to stop the match going ahead because Rangers were down after being put out of Europe. The yahoos even went as far as suggesting that they would send in their groundstaff to help get Hampden ready in time for the game. Yeah like they would have allowed anyone to take over from their own groundstaff at the munky-hoose if the situation had been reversed? I hope that the younger Rangers fan reading this would also see the rather bitter irony in the fact that here we were less than a decade after the 71 Ibrox Disaster. And the yahoos were DEMANDING that corners be cut on matters of safety for the footballing public, just because it suited them to have this match played when Rangers' spirits were decidedly low. It makes you wonder why White and Co attended memorial services after the 71 disaster? For appearance sake, I suppose.
As I said at the top of this particular wee anecdote, the yahoos are the sleaziest, most despicable, two-faced reptiles in sport. And they will stop at nothing and change their tune at the drop of a hat to win. It is the Sellik way.
As I say, the behaviour of the yahoos in the early part of the week brought amusement. The quite unbelievable outburst by yahoo Chief Executive, Ian McLeod, in the aftermath of the last OF game being confirmed for the 27th of this month, takes us onto another level altogether. Not only should McLeod have the book thrown at him for bringing the game into disrepute. The
Police should be examining his words very carefully and asking themselves if they are an incitement to violence?
There would not appear to be any limits to which the people connected with this club will not stoop. Over the last six years we have seen a linesman and his wife and kids being hassled in the street. The windows of a referee smashed because Rangers had the temerity to win a game at the toilet.
And just to rub salt into the wounds, the yahoos hired a shrink to justify said behaviour. A Rangers player's windows were smashed because a yahoo fouled him. This year we've had another referee's home attacked because he was in charge of a game in which Larsson's jaw was accidentally broken. And now this latest attempt at inTIMidation from boardroom level.
As always it's the hypocrisy of Timothy, which grates the most. Scottish fitba is against them? Funny how they had nothing to say when the authorities let them away with the prize at the start of last month.
Just in case anyone's forgotten. They had an outstanding league fixture v Motherwell to be played and a free midweek in which to play it in, leading up to the OF league match at the munky-hoose. No histrionics then as I seem to recall. But enough of Twistin Timothy two face.
THE DEFENCE OF THE CUP
The teddies appeared to ease themselves through v Dunfermline in the Scottish cup quarter final replay. But was it just me or did the defence stink on Wednesday evening? I made it that Dunfermline carved themselves out at least three bona fide scoring chances, and that's three too many against dross.
So it's the city of Discovery once again this Sabbath. A repeat performance from the team in general and Arteta in particular, of the last time we visited Tannadice will do for me.
Just do it Rangers,
THE GOVANHILL GUB