After an excellent draw vs Benfica on Thursday night, Craig is joined by Rob to review that game and look ahead to a visit to Edinburgh to face Hibs on Sunday evening in the Scottish Cup.
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E Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to your latest inst over the Jail’s night weekly podcast by myself Craig gray the independent Rangers podcast made for fans by fans and as always all of our content is free and you can get us over at g.c. where you can see the Forum lots of
Articles and you can get over um on Twitter as well at jaet on line um just before we get into the podcast tonight i’ like to give um a shout out to our sponsors for his Precision Engineering they are a subcontract glaso based inuring company who have been a big
Commercial supporter of Rangers for many years and we’re absolutely delighted the backing up podcast you can get them over at Forest precision.com and you can also visit the forest Precision executive Lounge a starting new Hospitality are within the historic miand for information on how to B this unique
Intimate space you can email the club Hospitality rangers. co.uk um just before um introduce my guest tonight um you know we’re fully aware of the the incident that happened last night in Lisbon where and sadly one of our own didn’t make it home so just before we start want to to give her
Condolences from everyone at Jail’s net to and the family of Thomas and and our best wishes to his loved ones his friends and family at this difficult time and it’s an incredibly sad situation you can’t really put into words how how terrible it is but I
Thoughts go to to his family and friends at this tough time and but of course we we’re here to talk about and that game last night that took place and um here to discuss it with me as my guest Rob foret Rob not been on for for quite a
While actually um it’s not a bad time you be back on is it no no look at the draw I think um I good to be back on but just EO you’re you’re you’re kind of what you said there Craig as well you know thoughts and prayers with with all
The the the family and friends the fan that sadly died it’s it’s you shouldn’t be going to a game of football and not coming home so puts a bit of a Som not on it no it definitely does um but of course we we’ll get into that match last
Night um a two each draw um again credible result um in Europe away for home at a stadium I think we’re un beating against Benfica I don’t know if we played them before a couple of years ago but we’ve got we’ve got this thing about being in the lead against Benfica
And thrown it away we seem to do it every time and like Conor goon must be one of the only guys in the history and I stum I like to have scored own goals in both ends ‘s your your thoughts on the game overall man oh I mean I’m sortly d delighted
With the result I think you ask anybody and we probably would have bitten your hand off to to come away for a draw I think on the balance to play probably mostly are feeling disappointed but then to Come Away with a lead for that tie because you know there wasn’t many
Clearcut chances that that that Benfica actually created you know it’s ultimately two two kind of I would say mistakes one of them’s a different set of rules that we’re getting in NFL from a from a ball point of view and and an OG for for big
Goon um but I thought I thought the players battled for everything which is what which is what you want to see you could tell that towards the towards the end of the game some of them were really flagging but we still trying to push and
Give it at all and I think I think it demonstrates I guess how thread be the squad is at the moment with injuries you know we we’ve went we’ve went away to to Ben I think probably four four of our front line players that would normally be start
Not available for selection um and actually we probably deserve to win that game last night um so it was you know the result is great to bring back to hbrooks um it’s just really unfortunate that we that we never that we never held out and kept the leag yeah I mean that’s the
Thing as well even at 21 we’ve got a big chance with fabriel Silva but I think everyone’s shooting sh he just put it across the keeper like you know it’s like the thing that every coach tells a striker h hard across the keeper probably scor but I thought he had a
Great game last night to be fair to him and but in terms of you know the start Ben I mean you mentioned it there m it was people turn and say you know they dominated the ball they dominated possession it’s true but come think of I mean butland made a couple of great
Saves but I don’t really remember them creating any high quality chances and and at the end of the day the two goals that have scored one was a penalty which you know God knows if it’s a or not we’ll come on it shortly other one’s you know a disasterous own go thrower point
Of view under no pressure so um I think you know we we definitely are disappointed that we never we never got the the victory but you know as a decent result but that first go was it was brilliant and I don’t want to stay
Against it on a play but it kind of was and in the first 10 minutes you know Ben have been up the pitch a couple of times had a few Corners a p early pressure on his um and then the ball breaks is in the Midfield Dy goes in a nice way run
Everyone’s shouting Edge Edge Edge when they see Tom morren running in and I think Tom Warren said when the ball comes in he just put his shut his eyes and hope for the best and the best happened it was a it was a great goal I
Think it was it was brilliant and and and like you say it was it was good to see dandi involved in another in another goal Sila did some great work on that on that left hand side again but it was a lovely dink ball back just Into the
Danger area and and Lawrence you know kind of kind of like scottfield a bit of a delayed running to the danger area you know creating a bit of space for himself and getting on the end and you know after after a shaky few minutes to begin
With um you know I think say I would have loved to have been in that we end amongst the Rangers fans there because the limbs must have been brilliant I it would have been absolute bad um after that it’s kind of kind of the same old story in the game benf had dominating
Position but we were always looking pretty dangerous on the break and eventually on the stroke at half time um benf get the penalty um a very strange decision I mean look I’m not going to sit here and recite the high rules for everybody because that would B people to death
Right but I do think there is a thing in there in the rules about if it’s came off the player and it hits his arm it’s not a penalty the only thing for me that might have caused him to look back on it is it’s almost as if suit using his arm
Because he kind of knows that you know the ball’s either going to hit his head or it’s going to go behind the guy so I think it’s almost as if he’s mightbe put his arm out as a l of protection and once he’s hit the ball with his head
It’s going to hit his arm anyway so that might have been why they gave it I mean at the end of the day I think it’s very very unlucky I think I was surprised as well with the angles at the referee was given because if you seen the the angles
On TNT Sport we could see from behind the goal but it’s absolutely clear that s heads on to his arm um but the angles that the referee shown it shows s maybe getting a touch of the ball with he head first so I think that’s what maybe
Another thing that there he was deis did he hit it with he head first so very surprised that they didn’t show that angle and it was reminded me a lot of the the dund game a couple of years ago when um Mel us go get chopped off and
They never showed the angle from behind as well like we see on the T so I thought it was very fortunate very unlucky what was your thoughts in that penalty situation so I was exactly the same cig to be honest because you see everybody then posting the ifab rules Etc and you
Realize that you know it’s it’s he’s headed onto his own hand I think there was something interesting I did see on Twitter for John Walker and and it’s the distinction of the different competitions that in Ufa competitions that is actually still a pen they’re going to change the r next year but in
Domestic competition it is to that IAB R where if if you had on your own hand then it wouldn’t be a penalty so it’s not like the government bodies to to keep things simple and have one set of rules for every single competition you know and I think I think that’s where a
Lot of the confusion has come from you know live watching it in the game I was raging that it was a penalty because you you quite clearly see Su head in it get getting the contact with his head his arms his arm is out stretched but he’s
Got nowhere else to put it you know he’s coming over the Benfica player and he heads on his own his own arm and so from from from that point of view it was it was extremely disappointing that we got the decision against us um but there’s nothing you can do in
Those situations you know once the referee’s made his mind up it’s you know we we’re not going to keep going on about conspiracies and you know referees being it get us like other clubs we take it on the chin um and then we just got to part score again you know that’s
That’s that’s kind of what we do in these games well that was it I mean other teams could have went up the par school after the decision went go the way the weekend but um that was brilliant I mean you kind of feel you know deflated Dam shouting you know
Let’s just get into half time and and sort of reset doj Stell and has other ideas um the guy’s just been an absolute Revelation um he’s just an absolute machine I think that’s the only only way to describe it for him and I’m so glad that he’s finally get his first goal
Because he has been in a few Advanced positions um in previous games and I mean you can tell he’s a sort of Defender by trade with some he’s finishing but um luckily just stuck his Bo in the right place at at the right time last night and it it paid off and
There was another V check for offside I mean I was confused about what that was as well I don’t know if maybe it was Goldson being down and then like was go be interfering with play then you realize he’s about 50 yards on side and then the camera looks at DES and you’re
Like oh you’ve definitely just done something like surprise surprise um but the goals and again it came down from that left hand side um you know I think it was y man that that put the ball across um I thought he was Sil Sil sorry that that left hand side considering we
Didn’t have any natural Wingers playing out there and I think to have both of the goals come from that side’s very pleasant for our point of view and but it was a great ball in and you know as I say St just sticks his but out and it’s
Too woring that even more thems in that end no absolutely and and it was a great it was a great kind of run from Stell as well because again if you look at if you look at the way angle when you when it zooms out you know he’s he’s well
Outside the penalty area as that moves developer on the left hand side and for all I criticized him T in the first half because I thought NES was getting the better of him far too often you know he did a great job in anticipating the break of that ball you know sliding it
Sliding it down that left hand side and then Dela has the kind of shot come come cross and you know big douche is just there to stick in the back of the net and you’re right I think if if a player sums up what clont done to that Squad
It’s him because there’s just a willingness for him to go on that pitch and play wherever he can get a game and you know that he’s just going to give you 110% when he sticks a jersey on regardless of which position it is he’s playing and I think that’s the type of
The type of attitude in in um feeling that’s around the squad at the moment that that clemont’s brought in everybody seems be fighting for each other on that team just now and that’s that’s you know happening to see because I think if you if you contrast where we were and um
Before he came in and where we are now there’s a m difference in Attitude for all the players you know even even LST and stuff towards the end of that second half you can see he’s blowing at his backside but they’re still giving everything that they can um to to try
And to try and get over the line and get the result and and that’s down to that’s down to the spirit that we’ve got in the team just now I think it’s I think that that will that will help us as we as we get even more important games as the
Season comes to close no absolutely and going into the second half nothing much happened I mean to be quite honestly we had that chance with Silva as I say I think he should hit it across the keeper I think the manager mentioned it in his his postmatch
Interviews as well that you know that for me was a bit of a disappointment because you know I think maybe the the issue is such with silver I’ll use that because I can’t think of another one as maybe he’s not as clinical as as
You’re you’re W him to be but to be fair I thought I thought he was excellent on that left hand side provided something very different almost as if it was kind of a disguise for Yas to get into great positions and and overlap and he like to
Cut inside a few times um I mean where do you think Sila’s best position is because I don’t really know to be quite honest I mean he’s not an out and out number nine clont seems doesn’t even want to play him as a number 10 is he
Actually playing as a left Winger or is it just like a left-sided forward and I don’t know but he’s one thing is for sure he’s a very very intelligent footballer and he definitely enjoyed the the goal that we scored last night anyway the first one anyway absolutely I mean I was a bit
Critical of him um and had a bit of an exchange with Grant um on Twitter about it it was more just because the show body element sometimes he was probably doing that in a little bit of the wrong position the little flip to the back
Heels and you know for me that was the only criticism I had of him last night I thought other than that he was he was fabulous on that left hand side um you know the work rate that he put in he he always looked a bit of a threat he was
Really intelligent with the the kind of space that he was picking up on that left hand side um and I think going forward you know we’re going to be lacking with given the state of injuries that we’ve got with with the the the Wingers at the moment that position on
That left hand side if he can still to if he can still perform to that level then I think that’ll be really good going forward because there’s no doubt he’s going to he’s going to naturally drift to try and support Des or whoever’s going to be playing in that n
Um and and if he can use that as a bit of a benchmark last night he’s only going to improve in that position the more games he plays there um but it was I think him and him and Redan had a really good um understanding of when Red
Vanan was coming inside he’d stay out wide and vice versa so they can develop that get Camp back in the 10 potentially when he’s fit you know because him and Silva looked as if they were building up a bit of relationship as well before before he get injured then you know
We’re going to have some really good options going forward well I agree um cor Goldson um obviously we all seen the goal last night he’s not been having a very good time lately um it’s a strange one because you I love big go I think he’s
Been brilliant for the club he made I think it was I don’t know if it was 300 or something like that appearance a couple weeks ago incredible achievement the guy’s fit is anything you know plays every game always does his best but this season um I think it’s probably been his Worst season
Maybe I don’t know maybe maybe his whole time at the club and I think maybe his first season there was a few T issues like was he was making a few mistakes but you could maybe understand it g him well well before and you could see the
Potential him but I think now after seeing how good he’s been the last few seasons you know to see his performances that it is a concern you know the thing that I’m kind of worried about now is this just a but we Goen and should he be
Dropped for the next game I mean I don’t think he’ll get dropped but I think maybe a bigger question moving on to next season do you think we should be looking at succession planning for Conor goon maybe trying to bed someone into the team next season for him to have
Actual one-on-one competition CU I think that might be part of the reason that al goon does but I’ve for performances he never gets dropped the next game he knows that his places 100% secure now I think John Su plays the same side as cornor Goldson but we’ve obviously seen
Them develop a pretty decent partnership recently and but I I do think that it might be beneficial for the club certainly season to look at trying to bed in someone else into the squad and it doesn’t even need to be to sort of slowly move go out it could just be to
Have competition that you’re directly up against a guy for a position and you know that if you make a mistake like you did last night you’re going to get dropped in Sunday it doesn’t need to be like over bringing in a replacement no and and I’m the same
Listen I think goon’s been a been a great defender for us um I think it is natural that when you see a player starting to make the odd mistake you know questionable decision making about letting ball balls bounds rather than going and attacking them you know every
Player that plays in that team is going to be open to criticism if if they’re form dips I think I think part of the problem is goon plays his best football in my opinion when he’s got a different partner next to him you know I think him
And balagan brings the best out of goon rather than with Su there always seems to be this you know mistaken to them when when both of them are playing together and I don’t know if that’s part of the problem is that because he’s got s next to him you know maybe they don’t
Communicate as much as balagan and and goon do when they’re on the pitch so therefore they’re maybe left trying to cover each other and I think that was probably um if you look back at the goal something that happened because somebody’s either not shouted or he’s just completely ignored the shout for
That for that OG because there’s absolutely no danger behind him MH and he he shouldn’t be going for that ball so somebody should be scaming at him to leave it and and communicating to to to help him make the right decision and it doesn’t look like anybody’s done that so
He’s tried to take charge and and made a really bad mistake now I’m not going to say I’ve seen some stupid stuff about Goldson going to cost his a league he’s not you know he’s one of the best defenders that we’ve got at this club everybody’s got a mistake in them I
Think it’ll be interesting to see what the lineup is in Sunday and whether balagan comes back in and how goldon plays at that point the other the other thing to see is you know he he is getting older I know he’s only 31 but the amount of football that we’re
Playing and he’s another present in that team you know we need to be in a position where we can rest them to get the best out of them the same with Tav you know tav’s not getting any younger and to to to to have them both being
Effective for us at some point we’re going to need to look at players that are going to be able to come in and challenge them in those positions but equally they can step up in the games or against ad dunde against some of the the the the the livingstones of the world
Because ultimately they’re going to need the rest to recharge the batteries and I think that’s probably one of the things that we’re seeing now is there’s been so many games that they played in that it’s maybe just a bit of tiredness that’s keeping in and that decision making is
Suffering as part of it um I don’t think he’ll be dropped you know because ultimately I think him butland t form a really strong partnership in in the defense it’s probably just going to be about who’s partnering him at the weekend um I’d be very very surprised if he wasn’t in the
Starting lineup yeah no yeah I think he he definitely won’t get dropped but it’s it’s definitely interesting point another one people call me crazy and I don’t rate him at all but Ben Davies see one thing about him I always thought that Davies was pretty decent in the
European games with Goldson like even last year in the Champions League you know the times where we look defensively a lot stronger and weren’t getting dubed was when Ben Davies was playing alongside goon you could see that they did form a bit of a decent enough connection you know Davy’s done well and
You know tried to claim s’s goal against B in the first game I think Davy’s played against BS in the last game as well so I think certainly for the European games you know it could be a shout to play Davies along sign goon because you do have that
Sort of Natural Balance with each other and and I do think that in terms of intelligence I think Ben Davis is probably a more intelligent Defender than the likes in balagan um but you know what the two guys are they’re incredibly powerful but I think goon and Davies actually compliment each other
Quite well that being said I still want them to get sold in the summer for somebody that can actually defend um but I just maybe for the European games you know it could be something to look at absolutely I mean I think I think the interesting point will be the summer
Because if you look at if you look at the play that we signed in in January and I know we’ll talk about one of them in a we minute you know young players that have a point to prove that have got good quality that’s who I’d like to see
Us bring in at at Center half because that’s you know you talk about succession planning that allows them to learn from the likes of goldon while they are but also they’ll be hungry and they’ll want to push to that start Liv so it will give it will give Goldson and
But a bit more of a fight at that Center half position um so it it’ll be interesting to see what happens but no I mean I think I think it’s I think it is just a blip from from Goldman’s point of view you know the amount of folk that that
I’ve seen was some really harsh criticism it’s just ridiculous but then there’s always a there’s always a whipping boy that that eventually comes out nine times at a 10 it’s usually Tav um and I was a bit critical of his first half but second half I thought he played
Really really well and you know the one thing about Goldson and S of last night was a number of times where they threw their body on the line and and N more so than Goldson for the second goal you know he takes a bad one for the keeper
Get in there to try and challenge he was Brave for that um just thankfully the ref didn’t stop for a head knock otherwise it would have score I know that would have been interesting would and we mentioned him earlier Rob D brilliant for the first goal um I really
Like this guy um I think he’s just came and he’s been amazing sorry if you can hear that in the background there’s grittles cutting about so unfortunately I can’t do anything about that if you can he apologies to the audience um buty I think’s been been absolutely brilliant
Since he came in what we have needed from signings more so in January but any it doesn’t matter what window it is are players to come in and make an immediate impact it’s so refreshing that in this window we signed what three players and all three of them have made an instant
Impact all be it know about Cortez’s injury that’s unfortunate but at least in his short space of time he’s made an impact you know he he will have done something that will have contributed at the end of the season but dy I think’s just been been brilliant he does have a
Mistake in him I will say that I think you seen it at the K game where he kind of loses B the Midfield and then he to grab the the kly player back and luckily Jack B said he to save him um so he can do that but the guy’s energy is just
Just incredible um and I think as well just he’s both actually you know you’ve seen the goals that he scored his left foot and his right foot and then he cross it put in for Lawrence last night it just seems to be the sort of ultimate sort of boxto boox agility midfielder
That I think would be missing since probably Joo left I think I think he’s uh I think he’s got the potential be a great player um to be honest I think you’re right the the Left Foot Right Foot the two goals that he’s that he scored um in those in
Those first two games you know he’s a young player he’s going to make the odd mistake I think the good thing that that I I love about the signing is yeah we’ve paid you know a fair chunk of money compared to what we would normally pay
In a player but the potential of what we could get back on him I think is is pretty exciting um as long as he keeps that development going you know I think he he as you say he’s come in he’s slaughtered in really well you know he’s contributing to the team straight away
There seems to be there seems to be a real belief when he’s got the ball he always wants to drive drive forward with it as well and you know clemont’s been true to his work when he said that you know he wants to cut out that [ __ ]
Lateral pass and and we see that from the players that we’ve got in Midfield now there is a real desire to get forward another thing that he’s brought is you know I’m assuming it’s something that clont told the players to look at he’s not he’s not scared to have a dig
For the edge of the box as well which is what we needed um so I think I think there’s there’s a lot to be excited about there and and I made the comment um I think after the game last night that if this is the if this is the
Signal and the sign of what our signing policy is going to be moving forward then actually it’s going to be quite exciting because if we can pick up you know players like this from less unnown leaks with a bit of sell on value suddenly you know your player trading
Model looks a hell of a lot better than it’s ever been because we’ll keep them for a few years and then we’ll sell them on and ultimately that’s that’s what we need to get used to you know is bringing a player in developing them and then selling them for two three four times
What we’ve paid them for and hopefully along the time while they’re here they’ll contribute to the team and they’ll be successful um but I really do like him I think him and lrom um compliment each other quite well in the Midfield and they’re working they’re
Working really good as a a paer I think he’s a a fairly strong lad you know he doesn’t he doesn’t shy away for putting his foot in when needed but he’s also he’s also pretty good with the passes we’ve seen for Lawrence’s go was a lovely little dink into right into the
Danger area for for him to get on the the end off so I think he’s I think he’s been brilliant um and really really looking forward to see what he can do after a couple of months under the manager no absolutely completely agree and he hoping that he’s good fun
Continues um a direct question about the game last night Rob what would you say pleased you the most about the performance last night or not just the perform like it could be anything what please you most about last night and don’t say finding out about Bill Le’s dating
Profile everybody’s not about that for years so that’s not a surprise um I think I think for me it was just the fact that you look at you look at how many injuries we’ve got right we’ve got no natural Wingers there but we still had
The balls to go and take the game to Benfica and and and and on on their patch you know that’s a team that has hasn’t been beaten in the Europa League and we W behind against them last night you know we we’ taken the league twice you know many teams after that setback
Of getting a a dubious penalty given against them might have felt sorry for themselves but as a squad and as a team they just rolled the sleeves up and got back on it and there’s so many times um where I think in the past when we’ve had
A setback we probably would have went you know went into your own shell and felt sorry for herself for the next 5 10 15 20 minutes and completely lost her head in the game whereas I think it I think it all comes for the manager you know he’s fairly levelheaded if anytime
You listen to him at a press conference he’s just focused on the next game the next the next period of play the next the next goal you know he seems to he seems to just drive the players on to to think like that and so for me the
Pleasing thing was that everyone behind and and that that we actually looked a real threat going forward when we had the opportunity I hell of a lot more clinical than we were against M well that wouldn’t have been difficult though and no that’s that’s a good point and
That that’s what we love to see rers fans just sort of digging ourselves out of nearly impossible situations that’s what we’ve done our whole lives as as Rangers fans so it was good to see that continue last night I mean I think for me personally the most pleasing thing
Mentioned it earlier this thought a them of succession because if you look at the players who made the most impact last night you’re looking at Lawrence you’re looking at diamandi Stalin Yas and Silva these are guys who are either completely new to the club or have got very limited
Experience and playing in these big European games and getting results for us but they were the guys that stepped up last night and actually your more senior players your tavs your loms your goon I’m not going to say they were terrible but they were kind of taking a
Back kind of a back seat to allow these guys to go and express themselves and for me that’s really pleasing that we’ve already had that crop come through that have had a great European runs and success and whatnot but now it seems like we’ve got a new crop coming through
That are going to be capable doing exactly the same and that’s really pleasing because it’s very normally in Europe especially with with clubs like Rangers you know you’ll have a good five or 10 years and then you’ll be rubbish for 10 years and then you might be all
Right for five years it’s very up and down up and down up and down but I think Rangers should be at a consistent level in Europe and it’s probably been the most consist that we’ve seen rers in the last four or five years and I think now that we’ve got players in
Are looking to improve on that get better and maintain the standards that have been set by the team before in Europe I think that’s that’s really pleasing and I’m really glad that that that’s been the case absolutely and and I think you know for me I think a lot of that comes for
That one belief as well you know I think the players the players have all bought into what clemont’s trying to build there you know I think as a manager he’s made it very very clear or it seems to be that he’s made it very clear these
Players what he wants and if they if they deliver for him then they’ll get the rewards and you can see that on you know with with the way that the players have going out you know cwell hasn’t been happy when he’s maybe been shoved out to right wing but he’s done it and
Clont has managed that situation well st’s come into the team doesn’t matter where he’s playing he’s happy to be playing you know Silva has has has has come in as you’ve said and you know he started as a n 10 he’s over on the left hand side
Now they they’ve all bought into we want success this manager is going to give us success so we’re all on board with him and whatever he asks us to do we’re going to go and do it and it might not be the prettiest of football at the time
You know again one of the best managers if not the greatest that we’ve had you know the The Honorable Mr Smith he knew how to get the best out in his second spell you know with that run to man Cher and that was back of the walls defend
And that was that was a squad that was built on playing for each other and playing together so if K can got half of the success that he did out of this squad then I think all be happy fans come the end of the season but is that
Togetherness in the squad that I’m really pleased to see at the moment considering the how difficult the first half of the Season would be no absolutely it’s been it’s been brilliant since the new manager came in and long may that continue and before we move on to our next topic guys just need
To give a shout out to other sponsors and that is football prizes um who are an organization that specialize in football competitions and match draws you like the latest prize it’s a chance to win a one of a kind P gas coin s Rangers ship display with built in LED
Lights and a TV showing the charismatic midfielders I Brooks highlights you can get them over at football prices. co.uk to enter the draw and or get is over at Twitter jaet online where you can get a link for that as well so that’s definitely a nice C to look out for um
Next point I wanted to mention Rob um going into the V and referees this week because I think it is important that we mention it and because I think it’s maybe borderl dangerous some of the stuff that’s been coming out this week um you know we had a call against us
Last night that was just as fortuitous as the penalty that was given against Celtic on Sunday the response you seen from both managers was a complete 180 Brendan Rogers blaming everyone but himself but the team but the board it was all John beaton’s fault and Philip
Clemont you know I don’t like the rule but it is the rules we get on with it I think for me that that kind of just shows the the difference and levels of of class and I think you’re quite clearly at the moment seeing a manager
On the other side the city who just seems to be creating these mental narratives um to try and drum up support off a fan base that he lost four or five years ago and I think he knows that you know regardless of what happens this season his earlier pills have definitely
Wined and you know for me cl Mon’s comments last night kind of summed up that that man and you know exactly what we want to see from the Rangers manager in my op in terms of the way that he command and handles himself absolutely let’s face it I’ve
I’ve said this for a number for a number of weeks and months now V is not the problem the problem are are the people that are using V and the referees that we’ve got behind it they’re not of the right quality and the right standard if
We really want to grow our game get more TV money then there needs to be a wholesale change at that level and and for me it isn’t well conspiracy theories that that FES are all out to get us if it is it’s the worst conspiracy theory in the
World given the trophies that Celtic have won over the last few years you know the fact that if you look at who’s been given the most penalties awarded this season in the spfl it’s Celtic it’s not the referee’s fault they’ve missed the most you know and and it’s great to
Hear you know man just come out and and moan about the decisions that are given against them but did he say anything about the dodgy penalty that was given for him in that Hearts game so when you failed to criticize all of the decisions that go again the referees get wrong
That’s when you lose the argument from in my opinion you know he was he was laughing at the wrong decision that was made in the the the old F game when you know the the free kick was given against essers and that goal was chopped to that
The hand ball that Johnson made in that whole bizar situation about people making up offside images and stuff they were quite happy to lap it up then and and I think you’re right it is it is just a massive deflection um tactic at the moment by
Rogers to to try and create a bit of Siege mentality between the fans and the team because ultimately he’s trying to cover for his performances you know apart for beating the feeder Club dunde 71 it hasn’t been a good run against gam you know they surrendered what an eighto
An eight-point lead to a Rangers team that they thought was gone halfway through the season whereas clont has come in galvanized the fans galvanized the players you know all of the injuries that we faced and has still got his in a title race after such a disastrous start
Of the season so it’s no wonder that he’s tin to point fingers because he’s not going to take responsibility for the [ __ ] job he’s done himself um and I think I think that that’s what it is and until manager stopped doing that we’re never going to get to the real CR of the
Problem you know half of these referees that we’ve got up here shouldn’t be referee in football matches you look at the performance that M put in um in the m game it was ridiculous you know the fact is the fact that that was a clear red card that was missed and he
Didn’t even give a free kick or a yellow card for that sums up the state of referees that we’ve got in Scottish Football now there was no inquiry needed clemont says his peace and then he moves on to the next game now granted there are times where the club will
Raise the issue with the relevant authorities but we the only Club in Scotland that will do that um I think for me fulltime rest is something that we’ve definitely got to look at up here you can’t have you know what we’re calling a top tier football league in World
Football with part refs who are School teachers and have other responsibilities if you really want to grow the game of football in Scotland make the referees professional invest in them but also penalize them when they make mistakes in any Walk of Life if you make a mistake
And if you continually make the same mistakes you’re going to face consequences these referees don’t have any consequences which is part of the problem as well they don’t get demoted that often to the championship of League one if they’d had an absolute stinker and that’s something that I think the
The government body needs to look at as well because if there are no consequences they don’t care if they get the decisions right you know most of them are using VR as a Crux these days especially when it comes to referee and Rangers but as we see when other clubs
Are refereed the decisions are given quite quickly in their favor so for me it’s just all a cover up I think naming certain officials the way that he’s done is very very dangerous given the history and I think it was very irresponsible given that person that he named wasn’t
Responsible for any of the decisions all he did was highlight it to the referee to ask him to go and look to make sure that he’d made the right decision and it was the referee that changed his mind it wasn’t it wasn’t the person in the VR
Room that’s the thing as well Robin I wanted to mention Rogers sort of sounding Out John beon specifically and the thing is with Brandon Rogers despite people probably thinking otherwise maybe quite rightly he’s not stupid he knows exactly what he’s doing when he makes statements like this what
Has happened in the last week since he made those particular comments about John beon is you have had you know Celtics you know whipping boys in the media fan media groups coming out making up stories about you know Photoshop pictures five years ago and I pu and
Bill so the whole Rangers fans named a supporters Club after John Beaton not ever they just put it up as a flag cuz it was funny because Celtic fans were Ming about it for weeks on end during the went break so someone thought it
Would be funny to wind them up this is a level that these people go to whip up conspiracy theories and you mentioned it earlier John Beaton after that old from G 2018 he received threats to his life his home his family three people were arrested for doing that and for Brendan
Rogers to go and mention that guy’s name it puts all the blame all the deflection onto that particular official an official who has received those threats in the past so I think it’s deeply irresponsible and something else that I’ve seen as well this week is um something that another
Pundit a former Chelsea Striker an interview that he was involved in and they were talking about oh as John Beaton the Rangers Fan well that’s the one that they mentioned up in Scotland you seen Bobby Madden doing an interview with the BBC last year where the questions been Aon and it’s
Like I don’t understand like this sort of narrative that’s trying to be painted that oh this ref’s a Rangers Fan that’s that this ref’s a Rangers Fan blah blah blah blah because let’s face it right you know half of the Scottish population is probably going to be split
Down equally in the old F football and population anyway and the chances are the referees that we get some of them are going to have grown up supporting Celtic some of them are going to have grown up suppor Rangers it’s completely natural you can’t get away from it so
Why are we only talking about the ones who may or may not support Rangers why aren’t we talking about the ones that may or may not support shelie why isn’t that being fed in the media yeah and and and you’re right it is you know and and
Let’s face it John beaton’s that big a Rangers Fan that he decided to book Alfredo Melos for receiving a cloth line for hibs player remember that’s that’s how biger Rangers Fan he is he gave him a yellow card when he was on the receiver end cloth line referees are just incompetent
Up here I don’t believe that there’s a there is a there is a bias or somebody’s to get you you know I understand that that Walsh is allegedly a Celtic fan grown up but he’s just a terrible referee I’ve seen him referee school games the way that he does the spfl
Games and he’s just as bad yeah you know he makes terrible decision after decision it’s because they’re not very good because it’s a sideline it’s a part-time thing for them and they don’t focus on it and until you change that we’re never going to get better
Officiating all of this has done is to drive the narrative so any 50/50 decision that comes up in a really important game maybe on the 7th of April is going to go to that side of the city that’s all this is for all they’re trying to do is create an unfair
Advantage for themselves and and they’ve got lots of media um plac that will whip that frenzy up um and and it is unfortunate but until something’s done about it they’re going to keep doing it they’re going to keep applying the pressure through the Celtic minded pundits that
Are out there um and equally the other side of the city will say we’re doing the exact same thing against officials so it can you can have it always for me that they aren’t very good but I I think when it gets to the point of naming individuals is a very
Dangerous precedent and you got to remember what happened to Dallas as well over at that Stadium you know fans running onto the pitch to try and attack him getting a hit in the head and split open the head with a coin it’s not the first time they’ve done stuff with this
And it’s not going to be the last because the big bad nations are all to get them but it just it’s not a conspiracy that exist unfortunately well you’re right and that’s the thing we’ve had we’ve seen a lot of and Celtic fan groups this week guys that have got
Connections and you know access at the club coming out making accusations about John Beaton being a Rangers Fan talking about him um being in a Rangers bar after an old film game because he seen a photoshot photo on Twitter um talking about him being um a referee in favor of
Rangers but I’ve got some stats here in facts and let’s look at the facts if John Beaton is a cheat in favor of Rangers how come he didn’t overr the Celtic penalty like you mentioned if John beaton’s a cheap how come he didn’t just give shanklin’s goal and ignore the
Offside if John beaton’s a cheat how come Celtic have won 75% of games at he’s refereed compared to Rangers winning 70% of games at he’s Rift that means statistically that Celtic are 5% more likely to win a game that John beaton’s referee England Rangers are if John
Beaton’s a cheat in favor of Rangers how come he’s awarded Celtic more penalties than he has to Rangers he’s awarded Celtic 15 penalties he’s awarded Rangers 13 he’s awarded Celtic two more if John beaton’s a cheap how come Celtic have a 100% win record in the three Cup finals
He’s ref them in Rangers have been in five Cup finals since John Beaton became a professional referee and he hasn’t refereed a single Rangers Cup Final if John beaton’s cheating in favor of Rangers he’s got to be the worst cheat in the world and I think if you look at
Those stats that just sums up how mental these people are Rob um it does me and to be honest the one thing that I’m going to say is why let the facts get in the way a good conspiracy mate that’s ultimately what it is you know it’s it is absolutely ridiculous
And you know I can’t even remember where it was but there was a cracking thread um on Twitter that somebody posted about all the all the favorable decisions that a certain cup had got um and I think it was like a four or five tweet thread and
It was it was fact after fact after fact you know these things these things don’t exist there is no big you know Army of Na in the SFA out to get Celtic right if if there are it’s the worst conspiracy in the world given how many how many trophies they’ve won you know
And I think that’s s the thing we need to keep we need to keep pointing out that it’s a pretty crap conspiracy if they dominated the trophy count over the last few years now that’s not to take away from the fact that they’re breaking it that if we win this league we go
Straight into the new Champions League you know they can have all the pennies in the bank that they want but that Gap will get closed when we do win the league and when we do get into the Champions League you know they’re worried because we’ve now got a
Competent manager but looks of it with us who has got a good structure of identifying Talent around them now and means that we’re going to bring in a better quality of player they’re worried that they’ve seen the Improvement that he’s made on the bunch of Duds but they all thought we
Had and and the fact that we’ve managed to wipe it that Gap that’s what this is all staming from it’s not staming for the fact that they want to be moral Victors and they want to do the best for Scotty football if they wanted to do that they were the back Rangers and
Calling for transparency and and looking at the governance within the spfl they don’t give a toss all they want to do is create an unfair Advantage for themselves mhm now you’re spot on up um and it’s something that that will continue to happen with him should be yeah no manager should be naming
Referees the way that they’ve done um it’ll be interesting to see no definitely um but you know just what we get that off to guys but we do have a game on Sunday to talk about um that is a big game obviously every game’s a big
Game I love I love when you see that on Twitter it’s like the day of a match everyone’s like that yeah big game need to do like every game like that um but is a big game it’s Scottish cup it’s a quarterfinal it’s a t only
Won once in the last 14 15 years it’s a game against TBS um one of our lesser rivals in the league so to speak got a good record against TBS this year 401 I BR 31 at Easter Road and to be quite honest both of those Gam could have been
Um a lot more I’m expecting a slightly different game on Sunday not so much just because HS are a we bit better um but I think with the injuries that we’ve got at the moment um we’re going to be stretched and it’s probably going to be
A bit more difficult than it has been against TS this season plus as well a oneoff cup tie um you never know what can happen in these games and Easter road is always a pretty tough thing to go despite the fact that we seem to win League championships there all the time
Um but I Rob it’s going to be a tough game I I tried to ask him the the agenda going forward um what do you find the starting 11’s going to be but good luck trying to to set guess the manager at the moment I mean I don’t thinked on a
Press conference tonight so we probably won’t find about find out about any injuries until the day of the game just like it was in a good old days didn’t he find out anything until a before the game so it’ll be interesting I mean I think will be changes I can see balagan coming
In maybe barisich um it’ll be interesting to see what he does with lrom because he did look very very lagy um last night coming and in last sort of 10 20 minutes and Jack came on and but Jack done pretty well sort of interesting to see if he plays Jack head wistrom
Um I think he’ll probably go with with Sila maybe G Des a bit of a rest um and maybe Mand will come in start because he seems to be okay um I think that’s what will happen and what about yourself with the the starting 11 M I think you’re right I think balagan
Balagan might be a set to come back in and partner goldon at the center um at the center defense I would be surprised if he brought barisich back in at the moment given given how phenomenal his performance was in his last game um that he played for us um
The only other thing against in the last round so maybe he’s c bar you never know maybe maybe but I can’t see it mate um I think I think Jack might I think you’re right jack might come in I don’t know if he’ll rest Lonny um just because of how
Important he is to the team um you know I think I think he might bring mos in but I think he might start silver on the left um and des’s up front it is going to be it is going to be a case of who feels freshest after that was out on
Thursday and and and how much recovery they’ve been able to get into the legs because yeah there was a few of them towards the end of that game that that looked absolutely drained um and it’s and it’s whether they can you know get some special coffee for Dr Waller to to
To recover in time for game the only saving grace is it’s a half five kickoff there’s a bit more time for them I guess to recover and get you know get some get some relief back in the legs um until they need until they need to play but I think for
Me the good thing is that that whoever comes in should be more than good enough to be able to do a job you know if you look at if you look at the last 10 games um that we’ve played hibs um we won eight and DW one and lost one
So I don’t think was the one situ was that I think so it’s a pretty good V to be fair I mean that’s what 80% the last 10 games yeah so we’ve done you know we’ve done fairly well hibs hibs are y a we bit you know they got beat off hibs and
Celtic in the last six games they’ve drawn against aine and Harts they’ve beaten dundy in Ross County um I think it’s one of these ones where we’ve probably got Scar Tissue but given how convincingly we beat them at Easter Road I’d like to think that with the
Right start in 11 and the right Focus for the team it should be a game that we’d be would be able to see off fairly easily it’s going to be tough but I think we get through and then hopefully we can get to the international
Can get a bit of a rest get some players back and get ready to go again cuz that’s when the that’s when the real the real pressure starts to ramp up no you’re right I mean speaking of scar tissue I’ve got severe Scar Tissue with hibs and cups just in general across my
Life the first game that I remember playing HBS in the cup was the the CIS cup semi-final where we we lost in penalties at handen do you mind that I think did Frank Deo miss a penalty that night remember can’t remember it was ages and then you know obvious and later
On we beat them in 2008 Scottish cup I think but that was after a replay that was when part in the touchine when I was looking at it um this is the first time we’ve played them in the Scottish cup since they beat us in 2016 oh so hopefully hopefully that’s
Not an omen that will repeat itself but I I mean I think I think if you look at it on the basis of the the recent form you know I think while while hibs might cause us some problems we should have more enough to
Be able to see them off you I think the the the the job that clemont’s done means that we’re a bit of a different animal um you know I think the other thing that really helps is you’ve got to keep a light butt at the back that you
Know if they do get a chance then there’s a really good there’s a really good bet that he’s going to be he’s going to be making a crack and safe to keep it to keep it out mhm thing is with HS as well they’re very suspect at the
Bank especially if they’re going to play the like H and Stevenson but going forward they are they are pretty decent you know they’ve got the like and vent is decent we all know Martin Bo’s a threat um Jo I suppose is is a decent player so going forward they are they
Are decent and we’re going to need to be on our game defensively but like you said it’s it’s good that we’ve got a goal like Jack b d to bail is out if we do make and a p z to help eleviate people’s feels about Cup games and I completely forgot about
The pet Cup game againsts Easter the 621 so I’ll just count that as a major trophy anyway I’ll just count that as like a major cup one against hibs because it’s probably the the best we’ve got to go back on this Millennium against the in the cups to be to be
Quite honest that’s fine if if if if there’s ever a note to close the show it’s that it’s that moment of massive positivity well listen Tav Tav scor a kick that game he’s got a Hab of scoring three kicks against him so hopefully hopefully the captain pulls a than
Sunday the other one that’s good at scoring against hibs is my Big Mate Des so he’s scor both his both his appearances againsts this season so hopefully it’s h hopefully it’s three in a row well both times coming off the bench and they were just just rounding
Off the wind were two really cute finishes as well by the big man so no let’s hope for a winning Sunday Rob BL I’ll just ask you for your prodution what you think this going to be uh I think it might be a tighter game this time so um maybe 2-1 31
Rangers I think it might be 31 I think there’ll be lots of goals and you know I normally don’t want both teams to score and well obviously I don’t want both teams to score when it’s ranges what am I saying but normally I put that mys as
Well I might actually put on both teams to score my B buer this weekend I just feel that the way that both played the last few weeks they might score but hopefully we fre up by that point if they they score and they can they can have a we consolation
That group of eighty olds in the corner can you know sing really weird things and and get get a buzz out of it but um that’s all from us tonight guys um we be back um to sorry in Sunday after the game um Alec Anderson will be doing his
Usual um postmatch reaction it’s going to be John David and Grant on the flagship show on Sunday at half n what it’s left to do now is thank my guest for coming on Rob thanks very much for coming on mate it’s been an absolute pleasure as usual it’s been brilliant thanks so much
For having me and thanks to everybody that’s out there watching and listening appreciate it absolutely guys you can get um podcast if you’re watching it on YouTube just now you can always into to um the start at any point to us to from the start um and we’ll be on all of your
Usual podcast Riders as well but thanks for now guys we’ll see you in Sunday let’s hope for our Rangers win byebye
2 Comments
Need to tell Sky to GTF, make SPFL a 18 team league, play each team twice and get another sponsorship 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Brother Maddens a good guy😂🇬🇧🇬🇧