“Rangers don’t have the budget to compete with Celtic”

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“Rangers don’t have the budget to compete with Celtic”


We’re seeing an argument for the defence arise in recent weeks which blames the quality of player Rangers currently have as opposed the manager’s performance. It is true, Rangers’ squad doesn’t match Celtic’s and the budget is certainly lower. Steven Gerrard does take his share of responsibility as well though, so he’s not untouchable by any means.

What compounds this argument though is the more curious reasoning that because our budget just doesn’t match Celtic’s, and we can’t truly compete with them, therefore everything is ok.

The problem here is that our budget is far in excess of any other club in the SPL, yet we’re only just matching them.

Looking at the table, it is evident Celtic have massively underperformed this season. No getting away from that – they’re horrible by their usual standards and in face of the money they’ve spent.

However, they are now starting to just pull away – win on Saturday and they have a six-point gap and a game in hand.

But that’s not our concern. Our concern is Kilmarnock, Aberdeen and to an extent, Hearts.

And that’s the problem. These teams are matching us, despite us spending a massively higher amount on players and wages. In fact they’re beating us.

Yes, it is true that the top of the table is close including Celtic, but it could be argued Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers era at Parkhead is starting to run out of steam. Rangers’ Steven Gerrard one has only just begun.

And yet, on a budget far greater than Aberdeen and Killie find ourselves likely going into the new year on level pegging with these teams.

Our issue is not that we’re not matching Celtic – there just isn’t the cash to do that. Our concern is that Aberdeen, Hearts and others are still matching us three seasons after promotion despite their budget being minimal.

Our manager signs his players, whoever the manager is, and whoever the players are, yet consistently now the top half of the SPL matches us despite, Celtic aside, being on about a tenth of the budget.

It’s become a recurring theme.

Some argue there has been progress this season, that the team just ‘is’ better and the squad has been improved.

Well yes it has and no it hasn’t. In theory, yes, a clutch of internationals have joined up and guys like Grezda, Barisic, Arfield and McGregor do undeniably bring a lot to the team.

But the reality is on the battlefield, the gloves come off and we’re left wanting whoever takes the field in our shirt.

Our players do not deliver their weight, and neither does the manager.

Not right now anyway.

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39 COMMENTS

  1. Eangers are spending money thats not there in order to compete with Celtic but, thats a flawed approach that can see the club go into a dark hole again

  2. I am glad to see that you have brought attention to the reality that, because of budgets, we cannot compete with Celtic. I wish we could, but it's not a realistic expectation at the present point in time.

    And I agree, that by the same logic then Aberdeen and Killie should not be able to compete with Rangers, although they have in recent seasons. The one thing that is different this season, compared to the previous couple of seasons, is that we had a very successful campaign in Europe which meant a lot of extra games compared to Aberdeen, Killie etc. Much better teams than Rangers, with massive financial resources and huge squads, frequently perform poorly after European games. So that "might" be a contributing factor to injuries and tiredness which looks very obviously affecting our recent games.

    After the winter break, we won't have all these extra games to contend with, and so we certainly "should" be able to open a gap between ourselves and Aberdeen, Killie etc.

    We will see…the proof will be in the pudding…

    • Agree and I expect us to finish comfortably in second place.
      IN argument is flawed. We are only 3 points behind Ceptic and Aberdeen and Kilmarnock are breathing down our neck, which in turn means they must be breathing down Ceptics neck too.
      Don't forget that teams like Aberdeen and Kilmarnock are picking up most of their points to compete against us from teams like Hamilton, Dundee, St Mirren etc. and there is nothing Rangers greater budget can do about that.

  3. Grezda , ,Barisic Arfield. They didn’t play yesterday. Oh they were injured. Hey they were injured. Read your other column. 10 injuries you quoted, missing out one. And no Dorrans? So 12 injuries. Gerrard wasn’t here for full transfer window, has inherited huge liabilities(e.g Pena). And we are 2nd top Of League. Celtic are poor. Resources are important but I believe board and Gerrard are heading in right direction. Anyway who in their right mind would come and play in Mickey Mouse league when there is much more money to pick up warming a bench in England. Soccer has been corrupted by Sky and T V deals. We have to be smarter. It will take years. Celtic have actually failed. Scotland must get teams in Champions league.

  4. It doesn't help, with players like Lafferty, who is increasingly, annoying me. He was fantastic form, when he was at Hearts, NOW, look at him. Woodwork-banging and no, goals. Pena, who people are insisting, we keep. I think he must go, in January. We are buying players who have no meaning of what it is, to play for Rangers. Act like they don't care, when they're here. I think Mark Allen has NOT, lived up to his 'so-called' reputation, with contacts and scouting. Livingston can find Dolly Menga, a hungry wee player, for peanuts and we waste 3.2 million, on Pena. I know that wasn't SG or MA's tenure, but chasing the likes of Jordan Jones and Steven Davis, is not going to get us to the top of the league, any year soon. There is, value for money out there. Rangers though, seem like they don't want to look further, than their own back yard.

    • I don't think anyone is saying we must keep Pena. More we should try and get him playing well while we are stuck with him. As for Jones and Davis who knows if we're interested. Sounds like paper talk to me

    • Joe will you please please please stop banging on about a Dolly Menga!!! I've told you several times that he has scored 2 league goals for Livingston this season and those were his first goals since 2015. Yes, 2015, that is NOT a misprint. What in this, or any other world, makes that good enough to be a Rangers centre forward.

    • Don't patronise me. I was using him as an example of the value that can be had. Are you saying he's NO hungry like? You tell ME, nothing. Just so you know! Don't try and make a mug out of me again and don't, reply to any of my comments. Who do you think you are.

    • Quoting facts Joe not patronising anyone. There is NO value in a player that has scored 2 goals in 3 years. If you don't want people to respond to your quotes then you are on the wrong site.

    • Keep your nose out of my comments. You make a habit of trying to mug me off. I've got your number, pal. You've been asked nicely.

  5. Yeah, agree we should be doing better. But we all know it's not as simple as that. I'd give SG three transfer windows. I the team has more balance (as long as a natural LB is playing) we no longer get bullied. And has a few leaders (none of which are actually captain) imo we just need a couple of players to make a difference a CAM and a striker who can breakdown / through tight defences. The other teams have always raised their game for us. We just need that little bit extra. We're close and hopefully that means we can put significant resources into a couple of quality players. The last two summer windows have seen a complete overhaul. We'll certain we'll notice the difference after next summer

  6. Never mind the budget as an excuse we sat top of the league a couple of weeks ago and this was never mentioned then. It's the manager fault and he has to go

  7. Let's not blow this out of proportion here . Yes the Rotten Mob have more money and yes they do have 2 maybe 3 individuas who are better Ncham Teirney andsometimes Odsonne .However the others are at the same level we have . The big difference is the fact the nucleus of their squad has been together succesfusucc for the 3 seasons . We have not had that stability or transfer opportunities. It will come we need to be patient . I get frustrated at our lack of killer instinct against the lesser teams . If not this season then next we will make a good try to win the League . WATP

    • You want someone with cash to invest I give you Dave the Chisler king and his 50 million quid he promised us enough said King has to go and take Gerrard with him.

    • Scud and BlueBear – possibly the worst two,ill informed posts I’ve read in a long time.
      No clue whatsoever and an embarrassment

  8. Totally agree and more In.unless someone comes in with major investment and not just interest free loans then quite frankly we are completely fucked,septic have given us more chances with their poor results this season than ever before although the teams that have taken points off them have to be given credit as well I suppose,I truly believe we won't get a better chance than what we've had this season to Finnish above them and losing on Saturday doesn't bear thinking…. watp

    • I have taken view since he arrived that SG should be judged next season. Saturday is huge game and if we win we have chance this season. But I do expect us to finish 2nd. After break we have less games and hopefully less injuries. Important transfer window is this summer. SG will have had a year to assess fully what he has taken on. We seem to have a good acadamy but that is long term project. McCrory and Middleton are still kids and were a bit out of their depth yesterday. And we still have Mike Ashley to sort out. But we deserve a break and maybe Saturday we will get one.

  9. Some of the so called more expensive players smeltic have compared to ours,rogic 632k,tirny free,mcgregor free,forest free,lustic free,gordon free,thumb nut 1.25 mill,hendry 1.4 mill,ajer 540k,cristy 250 k,yes they do have more money but they only spent money wisely with only a few they payed big money for,they also bring more youths through than we do,also they don't get rotated every fucking game,i don't think we've played the same team twice since the start of the season….No Surrender….

  10. The bottom line is Gerrard is a complete fucking dud same as the bread man, the caravan man and Septic loving Murty and has to go, l believed all the hype about him but he has to go asap before we start getting pumped from the Accies

    • Not again BlueBear – another total embarrassing post. Are you supporting our manager and team or are you simply find8ng fault and criticising at every opportunity.

  11. The Players need to start showing a Hunger, A Fight for Each Other!

    The Squad also needs Bodies as we are Lacking in Depth In a Few Areas

    Fullback, Centre back, No.10, Strikers

  12. It is nothing to do with the money we have! – It is everything to do with the management we have had over the last 3 years and the boards terrible decisions!

    I have been shot down for this before but in my totally honest opinion Rangers don't need a superstar manager, a master tactician etc. Rangers can win this league and would have won it had we went for a manager who does the basics well and properly!. Shoot me down but 3 managers who would have a winning Gers by now would be Billy Davies, Alan pardew or Steve Clarke. I know they aren't all fans faves and might not be for Rangers for whatever other reasons but the facts are very simple. All 3 of these managers(and there is plenty more obviously, just used as an example) do what is required. They build good, strong teams that can compete, they get the best out of their squads and they build good bonds. That is Rodgers strengths at Celtic. He is no more a better tactician or better at building teams than the 3 I mentioned as an example! He took a Liverpool side that should have won the league and trophies, spend £300m and won nothing, humiliated them in Europe and most of his signings were duds. What he does have is the ability to get the best out of a group of players, mostly average! he knows how to make players believe in themselves and how to work as a team.

    Now take Billy davies for example with his record. Took a skint Motherwell to the brink of Europe, Took tiny Preston to within a hair of the EPL, Took Derby to the EPL, took Forrest to the play offs twice after long unbeaten runs. The point I am making is that give someone like that or Clarke etc the facilities at Murray Park, the coaches, the scouts, the squad(which I still say has some of the best players in Scotland) and 10m to spend and I would fancy us taking the league back and winning silverware. And I stress Davies is just an example! What I would bet is that we wouldnt be going into an Old Firm game at home wondering if our players are going to turn up, or into cup semi wondering if we will turn up.In short we would have a Rangers team akin to the winning Gers teams of old. Solid, reliable, hardworking, playing for the jersey and fighting for 90 mins and set up in a way that teams fear us whether home and away because they ALWAYS know we will be up for it whether its the first game of the season or the last! No harm to Gerrard, I like him as a man and as a player, but for me he is not the man for Rangers…especially not this early in his career. We have enough money, we have amazing facilities, amazing fans, coaches, scouts and so on and that is enough to win the league and silverware in Scotland, whether Celtic spend big or not..In my opinion.

    • Billy Davies has been out of management for years for a good reason. Alan Pardew isn't a terrible manager but Rangers are too big for him. Steve Clarke wouldn't take the Rangers job.

      That said, solid organisation and an understanding of basic defending and getting the simple part of the game right wouldn't go amiss these days.

  13. Billy Davies has been out of managment a loss less than Gerrard has been in it! And he has probably forgot more about football management than Gerrard knows! Rangers are too big for Pardew? Incase you haven't noticed we are struggling in Scotland to compete with Aberdeen and Hibs and haven't won any decent silverware for god knows how long! Can you imagine Man United thought like that when they went for Sir Alex or Porto when they went for Jose from Leiria? so to suggest we are too big for Pardew is snobbery and utter nonsense I'm afraid! Have we went for Clarke? No, so you don't know IN. Fact is, all three can build teams and have done and done it very well. That's the point..

    • Man Utd went for SAF following his winning the CWC and title with Aberdeen. To suggest he was anything other than special at that time is curious. Pardew couldn’t cope at Newcastle, you want to throw Rangers at him where he has to win the title? As for Clarke, he’s a Celtic fan born and bred and will be a strong contender to take over there when Rodgers leaves. We simply don’t agree with two of your suggestions. At all.

    • Credit to WH for at least offering potential solutions unlike many others on here. I don't agree with his solutions but at least he has offered them. There is absolutely nothing to suggest any of the names mentioned would be a success. All have failed at some point in their careers, in fact more than once, and that's why they are not working at the moment.
      Gerrard was an imaginative appointment, just like Souness in the past, that has brought our club back into the light. We stand a chance of attracting better players because of him. I personally, and everyone I know, believe he is doing a good job. We are better than last year with better players. We will be better again next year and the year after that. When that converts to a league title I don't know but I know it was never going to be this year.

    • Thanks Robrob57 – I know people don't share my opinions, totally fine. I am not saying I am right or others or wrong. I am not a Gerrard hater and i don't want him sacked. I just feel we would have been better going for someone with more experience this time round and that always comes more apparent going into these games against this mob when we look edgy in the build up! But this is where we are and I hope that he finds some form and it works out. Great point about Souness. You're also right, there is nothing to say the type of manager I mentioned would be a success at all. For me I just feel they would perhaps get more from a group of players who I keep saying for me are man for man the best in the country! Even Tav who I am not a fan of, I feel has some real quality but it doesn't seem to be used correctly for long enough periods of games. Frustrates me :). All said and done I am putting us on for a 2-1 tomorrow! It's gonna happen. If it does…It could just be the turning point for Gerrard and the boys finding some real traction!. All the best fella, WATP

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