Source: Team_Talk
Time for fans to know details
TEAMtalk's Gareth Friel thinks Rangers fans deserve to know about the Ibrox club's future after another SPL title-winning campaign.[LNB] Rangers won the Scottish Premier League title last weekend at Easter Road with three games to spare to add to their League Cup success back in March.[LNB]The title win, along with Lyon's exit from the Champions League, means the Gers will go straight into the group stages of next season's Champions League. [LNB]So why are thousands of fans refusing to renew their season tickets? [LNB]The simple answer is that the club is in a real mess.[LNB]Will they have a new owner by the time they kick-off the defence of their title? Will Walter Smith still be in charge? Will Kris Boyd, Madjid Bougherra, Danny Wilson and Steven Davis among others, still be there?[LNB]Nobody knows and that is the biggest problem for fans.[LNB]Smith has yet to decide whether he will stay on as manager. He says the current business plan for next season will make it "extremely difficult" for Rangers to continue to be successful. "I'll never agree with it", he adds.[LNB]It sounds like Smith won't stand for more downsizing. Should there be no takeover, it is likely he will walk.[LNB]Some press reports suggest Andrew Ellis' proposed bid for the club is "dead in the water", others say it is "60-40" he will make a formal offer.[LNB]Apparently others are interested. Dave King, currently based in South Africa and a Rangers director, is said to be very keen but won't invest until "certain conditions are met". [LNB]Fans are once again being left in the dark. Do the "certain conditions" relate to the HM Revenue and Customs' inquiry over a tax issue? If not, then what exactly does it relate to?[LNB]David Weir, Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, DaMarcus Beasley, Kirk Broadfoot and Steven Smith are all out of contract shortly while Danny Wilson looks on his way down south after reportedly refusing to extend his contract. As it stands you would not back any of them to still be at Ibrox next season. And who could blame them given all the uncertainty.[LNB]Despite chairman Alastair Johnston and predecessor Sir David Murray claiming money will be made available to strengthen the squad, the last two years suggests that may not be the case. If the out of contract players are not replaced, Rangers could go into the Champions League against the cream of Europe with 14 established first-team players.[LNB]If that does happen, there will almost certainly be more humiliation to come on the biggest stage following 4-1 home defeats by Sevilla and Unirea this season.[LNB]Rangers fans, like those who plough their money into any other club, deserve to be told what is going on. [LNB]Yes, there will be certain legal restrictions on what can and cannot be made public at this stage.[LNB]But while fans are desperate to get rid of the discredited David Murray regime, no-one knows what Ellis' intentions for the club would be.[LNB]So what mechanism is there be in place to prevent Ellis from 'doing a Murray'?[LNB]The simple answer is there isn't one. And until the fans have more of a say - as they do in countries like Germany and Italy - the club will always be at the mercy of any wealthy individual.
