Report card for King & his men
With Rangers four days into the
Dave King era, some might say it is too early to make any rash judgements or
final conclusions about the potential of his tenure. I would be one of them.
However things never stand still at Ibrox for even a moment and it is worth
making an early assessment about how things have gone ‘thus far’ and providing
a ‘report card’ of what we like and what we might not. So far.
Dave King era, some might say it is too early to make any rash judgements or
final conclusions about the potential of his tenure. I would be one of them.
However things never stand still at Ibrox for even a moment and it is worth
making an early assessment about how things have gone ‘thus far’ and providing
a ‘report card’ of what we like and what we might not. So far.
The first thing the new board got
absolutely spot on was the instant appointment of Douglas Park to the regime.
Park, an extremely well-respected businessman, with previous dealings with
Rangers, was touted as potential board material many years ago, and he made
good on that potential by investing in shares as part of the Three Bears. His
credibility and stock are extremely high, and with an estimated £100M personal
fortune his resources are deep.
absolutely spot on was the instant appointment of Douglas Park to the regime.
Park, an extremely well-respected businessman, with previous dealings with
Rangers, was touted as potential board material many years ago, and he made
good on that potential by investing in shares as part of the Three Bears. His
credibility and stock are extremely high, and with an estimated £100M personal
fortune his resources are deep.
However, in a backwards step, and
a very controversial move, Paul Murray praised and thanked the Daily Record for
‘courageous journalism’, despite their anti-Rangers reporting for the past
three years. Lest we forget, it was they who had the headline “RIP Rangers”
following administration and have repeatedly used Rangers’ plight to sell their
publication. Some say Murray
is deliberately trying to get the Record onside and this is a calculated move,
and I can only hope they are right. Otherwise it is a faux pas of epic
proportions.
a very controversial move, Paul Murray praised and thanked the Daily Record for
‘courageous journalism’, despite their anti-Rangers reporting for the past
three years. Lest we forget, it was they who had the headline “RIP Rangers”
following administration and have repeatedly used Rangers’ plight to sell their
publication. Some say Murray
is deliberately trying to get the Record onside and this is a calculated move,
and I can only hope they are right. Otherwise it is a faux pas of epic
proportions.
Onto more positive things again,
and King et al have shown an attempt to be as transparent as possible. When
questioned on his tax convictions, King did not hide, and stated that it has
not been an issue for anyone other than ‘the other side’, and said that inside
business circles it had never been raised by anyone. He also pointed out his
acquisition of a NOMAD (as yet unnamed) proved that credible operators in
stocks and shares are willing to discuss proposals with him. If his credibility
was in tatters and his reputation toxic, they would not.
and King et al have shown an attempt to be as transparent as possible. When
questioned on his tax convictions, King did not hide, and stated that it has
not been an issue for anyone other than ‘the other side’, and said that inside
business circles it had never been raised by anyone. He also pointed out his
acquisition of a NOMAD (as yet unnamed) proved that credible operators in
stocks and shares are willing to discuss proposals with him. If his credibility
was in tatters and his reputation toxic, they would not.
However, the more negative side
of this is his apparent refusal to actually name who that NOMAD is. If he wants
to show transparency and accountability then he has to show the gory details
like no one ever has, because Rangers are under more scrutiny in a corporate
governance sense than perhaps any other football side in history. The honesty
has to include everything, not just some parts.
of this is his apparent refusal to actually name who that NOMAD is. If he wants
to show transparency and accountability then he has to show the gory details
like no one ever has, because Rangers are under more scrutiny in a corporate
governance sense than perhaps any other football side in history. The honesty
has to include everything, not just some parts.
Then we have the more optimistic
notion that the manager search will be changing focus from the derelict “Old
Pals Act” under McDowall and previously McCoist, to a more ‘youth oriented’
approach. King wishes to do away with a ‘matriarch’ and bring in a head coach
who can bring the quality youngsters through, governed by a Director of
Football. This is a bold and visionary attempt at changing the old guard, and
it is worth applauding. Whether it works is another matter.
notion that the manager search will be changing focus from the derelict “Old
Pals Act” under McDowall and previously McCoist, to a more ‘youth oriented’
approach. King wishes to do away with a ‘matriarch’ and bring in a head coach
who can bring the quality youngsters through, governed by a Director of
Football. This is a bold and visionary attempt at changing the old guard, and
it is worth applauding. Whether it works is another matter.
However, in a more depressing
concession, Murray
has praised Mike Ashley’s acumen and stated Sports Direct are a partner and we
will be working with them. Given how loathed Ashley and his brand are among
fans, this idea surely is contrary to the way forward, but then, us supporters
are not privy to the contracts, and perhaps we are completely bound to Ashley
by various clauses, and as such it is better to butter your enemies up than let
them hurt you.
concession, Murray
has praised Mike Ashley’s acumen and stated Sports Direct are a partner and we
will be working with them. Given how loathed Ashley and his brand are among
fans, this idea surely is contrary to the way forward, but then, us supporters
are not privy to the contracts, and perhaps we are completely bound to Ashley
by various clauses, and as such it is better to butter your enemies up than let
them hurt you.
On the other hand, Park’s
statement yesterday, while perhaps a little tub-thumping and playing to the
galleries, was nevertheless the kind of bravado we have lacked. Its defiance
showed a clear message, and it summed up the kind of mentality we need on
board. It has to be said he and Gilligan have projected this kind of attitude
better than Murray and King have.
statement yesterday, while perhaps a little tub-thumping and playing to the
galleries, was nevertheless the kind of bravado we have lacked. Its defiance
showed a clear message, and it summed up the kind of mentality we need on
board. It has to be said he and Gilligan have projected this kind of attitude
better than Murray and King have.
There are many more aspects, such
as King wishing to build bridges with SFA/SPFL, today’s news that Llambias,
Leach and Easdale have been suspended pending investigation and Brian Kennedy’s
statement of investment intent, which are both positive and negative.
as King wishing to build bridges with SFA/SPFL, today’s news that Llambias,
Leach and Easdale have been suspended pending investigation and Brian Kennedy’s
statement of investment intent, which are both positive and negative.
As such it is hard to provide any
kind of conclusion as yet, as it should be, and it is certainly early days. But
here I have tried to take both the positive and negatives in as objective a
fashion as possible.
kind of conclusion as yet, as it should be, and it is certainly early days. But
here I have tried to take both the positive and negatives in as objective a
fashion as possible.
So far, we will see.