It really is the biggest elephant
in the Rangers room, the topic few even acknowledge as being a problem, and
even fewer discuss.
Quite simply; how could Stuart
McCall motivate players to get Rangers promoted when almost all of them knew
they would not be involved in the Premiership if they succeeded?
You can discuss formation,
tactics, lineup, plan B’s all you like; but the fundamental truth is none of
the Rangers squad had the right motivation for promotion because every single
one of them feared/suspected they would not play a part if they managed to get
the Club up.
Even worse, why on earth did
McCall use players like Foster, McCulloch, Mohsni and Black at all when it was 99% certain none of
them would be staying at the Club,
never mind starting in the SPL for it?
Every time I saw Black being
brought on I truly worried his heart (or Mohsni, or Foster) was not truly in it
– because there was no reward.
Black was being released, like
the rest of those expiring this month; why would Ian Black care for Rangers’
promotion?
And McCall himself knew he was an
outside chance to get the job, so his motivation too was in question.
I concede this article is circumstantial
and has conjecture – I cannot read the minds of all the players; but it strikes
me that an entire squad having to give 110% to get promoted might not give
every percent when there was no prize for any of them if they succeeded.
The only one of the entire lot
who looked like he truly cared was Kenny Miller; who happens to be a Rangers
fan, and who might have been good
enough as a squad player in the SPL for Rangers. Oh, and who had had his
contract renewed a month earlier.
The fact the team as a whole lost
three of the six matches they played, and only actually won two, rather reveals
the truth. Sure, they are also absolutely terrible, but lack of motivation
surely played a part too.
Just a thought…