Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

[AMMS]

You've missed us, haven't you! See you in August, if not sooner.

[Borracho]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

How can we miss you when you were never here?

[seand]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

A promising start to the 16-17 season already.

[AMMS]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Hah, good one.

Tell you what will be strange for some though; we play really attractive football. This current Rangers side doesn't contain one player who can be described as a hammer-thrower. It's the smallest, fastest Rangers side I've ever seen, possibly ever, even our defenders don't kick people. Rangers sides of the past pretty much always had at least couple of players who could mix it physically when required, some were very skilled at that side of the game too, but not our current team.
Warburton has shown no inclination in that direction so far.

I watched Hearts on TV a few weeks ago and was struck by how physical and direct they've become, they weren't like that last season. I don't know that's pragmatism or not. It's interesting that Holt and King, both slight, quick players, have found themselves in our side this season. Maybe they are just too wee for the big league. We'll see.

[Geoffrey de Ste. Croix]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

In The Shining, Jack Torrance’s violent, antisocial, despicable, homicidal impulses and actions are influenced by ghostly presences from the past so the comparison is quite apt.

[E10 Rifle]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Warburton is a good manager, regrettably

[GCostanza]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

So presumably he'll go back to England when a Championship club with money come in for him?

[blameless]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

This current Rangers side doesn't contain one player who can be described as a hammer-thrower. It's the smallest, fastest Rangers side I've ever seen, possibly ever, even our defenders don't kick people. Rangers sides of the past pretty much always had at least couple of players who could mix it physically when required, some were very skilled at that side of the game too, but not our current team.
Warburton has shown no inclination in that direction so far.

I think Davie Weir's your trump card here - didn't start many fights as a player, but finished quite a few. That's a useful skill set to be able to teach players.

Anyway, welcome to the Premier division / SPL / SPFL Premiership / whatever it says on the tin by the start of next season. And three Glasgow teams in the top flight for the first time since 2004.

[AMMS]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Thanks Blameless.

GCostanza wrote: So presumably he'll go back to England when a Championship club with money come in for him?

I'd be very surprised if he left this summer, I think we'll get at least another season from him and possibly more than that. He's not your typical fitba man, he never played professionally and apparently isn't driven by money alone. I think the potential to manage in the Champion's League is a big draw for him, although whether we'll ever achieve that again is up for debate. Ultimately though I suspect he'll end up back in London again within a few years.

[ingoldale]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

I like the way AMMS referred to the SPL as the "big league".

[Mr Beast]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

After the way they thrashed Dundee I'm sure Rangers will do well. Hopefully Aberdeen can continue to improve and there will be a real title battle involving a number of clubs.

[Duncan Gardner]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

So how does the panel see the Teddy Bears doing next term? I predict fourth.

I should remind you all that numerous SPL-based NI internationalists should be in the shop window in France in June. Some are free agents and so available if Warburton wants to inherit Mike O'Neill's stardust. You could call them the Garvagh-ticos.

[blameless]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Given that Hearts appear good enough to finish 3rd in their first season back, I see no reason why Rangers couldn't finish in the European places: they're not as good as Celtic or Aberdeen, but should be comfortably better than ourselves, Motherwell, the Perth Fermers and the Highland duo.

[shackleford]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Wow, this thread took some finding. The draw for the brand spanking new Betfred (League) Cup will take place tomorrow. There are eight groups of five teams, split into four North groups and four South groups. The group winners and four best runners up go into the knockout round with Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs (ie. the teams who'll be playing in Europe).

Fans of obscure tournament rules will be interested in this: "In the First Round Group Stage there are three points for a win and one point for a draw, with drawn matches in the Group Stage going straight to a penalty shoot-out and the winner of the penalty shoot-out being awarded a bonus point."

Oooh, bonus point!

[KingsburySaint]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

The SPFL have made a great start to the new League Cup by ensuring no local derbies in Renfrewshire. Is there any need for the second seed pot?

I suppose it could be worse, Dumbarton are in the Northern section

[jefe]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Dundee wants to play a league game vs Celtic in Philadelphia what the hell?

[Duncan Gardner]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Surely they could find some proper cheese better than that synthetic shite?

[GCostanza]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

AMMS wrote:

So presumably he'll go back to England when a Championship club with money come in for him?

I'd be very surprised if he left this summer, I think we'll get at least another season from him and possibly more than that. He's not your typical fitba man, he never played professionally and apparently isn't driven by money alone. I think the potential to manage in the Champion's League is a big draw for him, although whether we'll ever achieve that again is up for debate. Ultimately though I suspect he'll end up back in London again within a few years.

Been linked with about 3 English clubs so far.

[blameless]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Dundee's owner is a US businessman (albeit a Texan rather than a Pennsylvanian).

Celtic love chasing the Irish diaspora's money, regardless of where they find it.

[Geoffrey de Ste. Croix]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Scottish cup finalgate: Towering figures of the Scottish Enlightenment speak out

[ursus arctos]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

You lot come from a seriously strange country

[blameless]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Kevin Ferrie is of course part of the Edinburgh rugby scene: you can practically hear him wanking himself with glee when he's writing about "drink fuelled yobs" at a football game.

[Calvert]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Geoffrey de Ste. Croix wrote: In The Shining, Jack Torrance’s violent, antisocial, despicable, homicidal impulses and actions are influenced by ghostly presences from the past so the comparison is quite apt.

To his credit, though, he showed no signs of being an Orange bastard.

[ursus arctos]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

You sure about that?

[Calvert]

Hi Honey, I'm Home! Scottish Fitba 16-17

Good god!
You're right.

UDA glasses and the complete lack of a bottom lip among the brethren is a dead giveaway