Rangers problems are well covered in the media and across the various online outlets. Players have left in their droves over the past two seasons and with, to date, nobody in the Ibrox in-tray, the manager has an ever-shrinking squad with which to pursue the same goals as before. The automatic route of qualifying for the premier European club competition is a real (if soon to be lost) privilege for the champions of Scotland, as the runners up route, as Celtic found to their cost, is fraught with difficulties. The financial problems at the club could have been worse without back-to-back titles and it is fair to say that any future spending will be heavily influenced by monies gained through European competition. It is no longer simple bragging rights that are earned through Champions league qualification but marked and vital revenues, making the SPL title absolutely pivotal in the short term future of the club.
I think it is fairly safe to say that little of the transfer activity taking place across the city is overly concerning to Rangers fans. The level of player coming in has been questionable and areas like the Celtic defence, which clearly needs more than a little work, have been left without the necessary change. What the influx of players does give Celtic is the scope to change a losing side if it is needed, to freshen the side up in poor spells and cover, however inadequately, any injuries. We will not have those luxuries and if you add a real doubt of any transfer activity in January the manager has to get Rangers off to a flying start.
Under Mowbray, Celtic tried to revamp a side in a short space of time and it was clear that as well as not bringing in sufficient quality, the attempt to change too many faces in a short time meant that Rangers closest rivals were left with no real bond and players who did not fit into the squad until the later stages. Mowbray also made the mistake of allowing his side to become heavily influenced by expensive loan players who, once returned to their clubs, would leave holes to be filled and no compensation for their departure. Rather than learning from these mistakes the Celtic board has sanctioned another spree and are certain to face some of the same problems. The quality of the players may be questionable but what is certain is that so many new faces will take time to settle into Glasgow life.
December aside, last season saw less flair and more grit from Rangers than perhaps we all would have liked. Some of the performances were turgid and particularly towards the end of the season, boring. With further cuts leading to a smaller squad - even allowing for the promised three players coming in - the chances of Rangers being able to sustain a season long period of dominance are slim and with little prospect of being able to shuffle the squad or inject fresh impetus through January dealings.
It is often, and rightly, said that no British league is won by Christmas but this season we could certainly have lost one; The early part of the season is going to be key. The greatest chance of Celtic regularly dropping points may be before any of their new players have settled and if Rangers can come out of the traps flying there will be ever increasing pressure on their new manager; an untried person in his role and prone to 'episodes' which reflect his previous problems of mind. Early points dropped from the defending champions will serve to give Celtic confidence and while Rangers are always capable of beating any Scottish side, chasing a team while using fewer players and having less in the way of scope for change is always a difficult ask. If Rangers can get a good start the rest of the season will not be pretty, but it would take a brave or stupid man to back against Smith having enough about him to maintain a lead in a two horse race; His record against Celtic is excellent and as we have seen over the past two seasons, success breeds success.
Some people on FF have been expressing confidence in the coming season. That confidence is not born of fantastical wishfulness or blind faith but a realization: that while the chips are down there is little to fear from a rookie manager with a poor squad in a cauldron of football, when we have a manager all about pragmatic doggedness and a will to win that has been transferred to a squad light on numbers but heavy in pride and spirit. It won't be pretty and it might not be inspiring but it has every chance of succeeding and despite the clear and obvious negatives this is a season that I am looking forward to more than most preceding it.
I have been lucky — lucky in those who were around me from the boardroom to the dressing-room. In time of stress, their unstinted support, unbroken devotion to our club and calmness in adversity eased the task of making Rangers FC the premier club in this country.
To be a Ranger is to sense the sacred trust of upholding all that such a name means in this shrine of football. They must be true in their conception of what the Ibrox tradition seeks from them. No true Ranger has ever failed in the tradition set him.
Our very success, gained you will agree by skill, will draw more people than ever to see it. And that will benefit many more clubs than Rangers. Let the others come after us. We welcome the chase. It is healthy for us. We will never hide from it. Never fear, inevitably we shall have our years of failure, and when they arrive, we must reveal tolerance and sanity. No matter the days of anxiety that come our way, we shall emerge stronger because of the trials to be overcome. That has been the philosophy of the Rangers since the days of the gallant pioneers.
That is precisely the attitude that we need to see from the players we have. The will to overcome obstacles, the desire to retain focus and dignity whatever happens around them and the point blank refusal to hide, either on or off the pitch when things are difficult. Last season's league cup final epitomized that attitude and from the first minute of the first game we will need more of the same. If they leave anything of themselves in the dressing room, they will fail. There has been little to indicate that this squad either know when they are beaten or see any type of failure as acceptable. Let's give the rest something to chace and see how they cope.
Momentum is a huge factor in football campaigns and the momentum is firmly with the reigning champions. A 53rd title has been given a nice close-season boost by the early departure of Scotland's other CL hopeful. The loss provides Rangers with a chance to ramp up the pressure on Celtic and prove that big headlines do not big players make. These new 'star players' will find their job that much more difficult if faced with a half empty stadium and nothing to look at but the back of the team they are chasing.