Back in 2007 Walter Smith returned to Rangers for a second spell, and it was one laden with glory. While Walter was a magnificent manager and Rangers’ joint best arguably with the legendary William Struth, he had a few quid in that second term at Ibrox.
Taking you through the numbers gives some idea of what he spent:
January 2007:
Kevin Thomson: £2M
Summer 2007:
DaMarcus Beasley: £1M
Carlos Cuellar: £2.5M
Steven Whittaker: £2M
Daniel Cousin: £1.5M
Steven Naismith: £2M
January 2008:
£0
Summer 2008:
Andy Webster: £500K
Kenny Miller: £2M
Andy Velicka: £1M
Kyle Lafferty: £3.2M
Madjid Bougherra: £2.5M
Pedro Mendes: £3M
Steven Davis: £3M
Mo Edu: £2.5M
January and summer 2009:
£0
Summer 2010:
James Beattie £1.2M
Vlad Weiss: £1M
Nikica Jelavic: £4M
Grand total over 3 years:
Around £35M.
What’s our point?
Now, bear in mind, Walter won the league from Celtic in 2009 for the first of 3IAR, having spent around £26M over the course of those first five transfer windows.
Steven Gerrard has spent £22M (£11M each summer) in his first three transfer windows – while 2009 was of course 10 years ago and things are ‘different’ now, Walter Smith did show what was possible with the kinds of funds Rangers’ board has given Stevie.
Indeed, observant fans will remember that just £2M on Kevin Thomson, plus free transfers like David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu (RIP) clawed back the calamitous gap to Celtic left by Paul Le Guen – overnight Walter Smith made Rangers effectively the best team in Scotland on just £2M spend.
This is not to say ‘Gerrard must win the league because Walter did on similar money’ – but it does bring into focus what can be achieved when the right players come in and the squad is well managed.
Time will tell if Stevie can live up to even half of the awesome reputation of his illustrious predecessor.
As you say, very much a different time especially when it comes to transfer fees. How much do you think Ryan Kent would have been worth during the Walter years? Certainly not £7.5 million that's for sure. However, Stevie has seemingly used the free transfer market just as well as Walter. Let's just hope the money he has spent turns out to be just a shrewd.
WATP
Wages are a lot different these days. Over the course of a 4 year deal you could be paying the same as the transfer fee in wages and bonuses
Walter Smith also had a different starting point, a team full of decent players, many internationals, who just werent performing under the previous manager. SG had a team with only 1 or 2 of the quality who could win you things. That coupled with the rise in treansfer fees more generally means in real terms Wlater probably spend 3x what SG has or evenr more.
I dont think we lack the quality we lack the belief. Rangers players still dont believe they'll win the league imo. Until they do we wont. The OF game was a worry for me. Even though Gerrard sh@t it nobody turned up!
There is no comparison to make, really. The 26 million Smith spent in 2009 would be like Gerrard spending 34 million today taking inflation into account.
Similarly the 22 million Gerrard has spent would have been like Smith spending only 16 million in 2009.
Not to mention the grossly inflated market now in which bang average players cost tens of millions. There really is no comparison to make.
In January 2007 the world record transfer was £46.6 million and the UK record was £30 million
Now the numbers are £198 million and £105 million. So more than trebled. This has been funded by TV money. EPL broadcasting revenue has gone from £1.024 Billion to £5.136 Billion. SPL money has doubled in the same time and we have lost all our money.
So not really a fair comparison. Walter could compete at least with English Championship teams. SG is fighting League 1 teams and Aberdeen lost a striker to an English non-league team.
Walter also inherited a slightly better team than SG, I feel.
All that aside, perhaps a fair comparison. So, "apart from that how did you enjoy the play Mrs Lincoln?"
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