Soccer Football - Europa League - Group C - Rangers v Sparta Prague - Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - November 9, 2023 Rangers manager Philippe Clement celebrates after the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Listening to the Ibrox boss, Manneken Piss, you get the impression that you are watching a steady unravelling. I’ve seen managers come apart at the seams before, but it usually takes longer than this and it usually takes more than one defeat.
He has ranted at the media over simple questions. He has gone from supporting VAR to slating it. He was a big fan of Scottish officials and had no problem with any of them, and now represents a club wanting one banned.
Yesterday, he stopped trying to sound like Ange Postecoglou and veered into a pretty good impersonation of Derek Adams when he reported the return to his club of youth player Alex Lowry with the words “I didn’t want him back … Hearts said they didn’t want him.” Which is a fantastic way to keep the kid’s morale high, right?
But of course, the real headlines are being made by his assertion that Neil Lennon has done his team-talk for him. I laughed reading that. Imagine how Lennon himself must have felt.
He did it to get under their skin over there, but I bet he didn’t expect that Manneken Piss would actually respond to it in public. Our former boss must be ecstatic.
There have been a handful of occasions when Celtic have been the subject of sneering from across the city and foolish people in the media have suggested that we might “pin the words to the dressing room wall.” We have never responded to that with other than silence. Our players do not need the additional motivation, we are sufficiently professional without it.
But the Ibrox boss has said Lennon has done his team talk for him!
That must be some motivation; “Here’s your team talk; look at your record of failure. You are mentally weak.”
Do you see it being a winner? Do you see that doing much good? Lennon’s comments would have been a one-day story; it is their club’s own manager who has extended its life.
The thing is, their own fans know that Lennon was spot on.
There is no point trying to pretend that they have a team of serial winners when it is blindly obvious that this is not the case. Furthermore, this reeks of the standoff between Cantwell and Sutton; it is a distraction that a smarter individual would not have allowed to take a moment of his focus.
This guy is going to self-destruct once they start dropping points.
Nothing is more certain. You can see every one of the traits that assure a spectacular go-down-in-flames ending for this guy. I wonder if this wasn’t Lennon simply poking him to see how he would react. That he couldn’t get through his presser for the game tonight with snapping back is telling.
This guy is not just rattled, he’s easy to rattle. He is the managerial equivalent of Mad Dog Morelos; easy to wind up and thus easy to disorient.
And that’s all people should be doing now, trying to wind this guy up so he’s not thinking about anything else.
Then, any manager who wants to beat him will.
James, the Bloo Room could re-install Pedro ‘Hedges’ of Dogs and Caravans fame as manager and they won’t drop points.
As long as the MIB’s have control of VAR then we simply cannot afford to drop even 1 point till the end of the Season.
The Glasgow Derbies still to be played will most likely determine who wins the League and that is too close a call for my liking.
If we don’t bring in, at least the backup striker, Vata won’t do, and cover at left back for Taylor then I think we are handing them the title.
Think he’s a nut job, who’ll lose the plot if anythin disnae go his way. Always on at officials on the touchline tryin tae intimidate them as well. Does he ever blink btw ?
What a shady underhanded performance from Hibs last night, something stinks , utter bunch of non tryers.
At times like this, I prefer to look at the facts until the facts change. He’s won a cup, he’s closed the gap and within striking range. He’s qualified for Europa knockout stages.
He’s making a lot of noise but that’s to try and force his board into action.
Meanwhile we stagnate and regress with every window. Whether we limp over the line against a poor Sevco or not we have custodians taking us backwards despite record money in the bank. We have a recruitment guy who has never done the job before and us completely out of his depth.
Why don’t the bloggers get together and demand changes in our set up? I see Video Celts is on the ball. Why do we accept the Desmond/ Lawwell cabal? Time we demanded change before we hit our disaster as its coming. Just a matter of when.
A true rangers managerial legend in the eyes of the Celtic fans can say things to both P1ss off the board, ie truths and the fans, not sticking to the ‘no surrender’ narrative.
Their boy at hearts was supposed to come back the next best thing, touted on the Summer market for £10m + as another prodigy from the fantastic, breakfast second to none, youth set up of course with the help of their sales department at the record, Sun, herald and Evening times. Ain’t gonna happen now boys.
Tavs to the Arabs, Wright to anyone (again), Jack freebie to hearts, Roofe freebie, McLaughlin retire, Davis same, Davies sold to anyone
Ridvan most likely punted this window for a couple of mill plus add ons when he creates a new power sources from old footballs.
A few contracts up in May, will their be replacement monies? Will they still be paying for their last managerial folly. Will big Lurch be around to see the start of next season?
Answers on a postcard to therangerswhogivesafuk.
If it weren’t for his friendly officials he’d have had a worse start than Bealiola…..
HH
Thin Diesel is comin’ across as a bit ay a radge, likes….
Mad dog Morelos? That’s a tad naughty.
Hail Hail.