As it is now midweek, and new manager Pedro Caixinha takes his third day’s training at Murray Park, the chance to sit and reflect on last weekend has me think about other things surrounding our football club. Mainly I am thinking about the way in which Rangers are perceived by the wider audience, and the blame lies solely at the door of our (so-called) mainstream media. Now this is nothing new, in fact it’s been the norm for as long as I can remember. However, the level it has/is now reaching is starting to stick right in my gullet!
Sunday’s match was a showpiece, contested by two great rivals, the giants of our domestic game. It is a rivalry felt and recognised the world over and is beamed out live across the globe to every continent. However, anybody witnessing Sky Sports coverage could be forgiven for thinking there were no Rangers fans allocated tickets. Instead, a Sky microphone was maybe placed on the floor of one of our famous pubs across Glasgow perhaps? There was one shot, of three banners in the away end prior to kick off, but that was it. Even 87 minutes into the game when Clint Hill equalised there was no shot of the 7,300 away fans who made the trip to Parkhead.
Sky seem to have an increasing habit of giving us as little exposure visually as is possible, but hope to catch us singing frowned upon songs by sitting a microphone as close as is possible in order to highlight (in their eyes) how bad we are. Add to that their smug couponed wee nyaff of a presenter David Tanner, seemingly almost in awe of the waffling former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan. You could almost see the cries for help in Neil McCann’s eyes. Co commentator Andy Walker’s sheer and utter distain for everything Rangers shone through like the only glow stick at a rave. This guy is as bias as they come, demanding cards a plenty for every Rangers tackle, while Celtic players escaped any condemnation when being overzealous or deliberately fouling.
The tabloids are no better, in fact they’re worse! Spouting lies and made up stories on a weekly basis through lazy journalism aimed at painting us in a poor light. The Scottish Sun and Daily Record have been caught out on numerous occasions by honey traps set by Bears online, showing them as nothing more than internet trolling hacks that copy and paste, rewording if necessary, for their own gain. This obviously delights the followers of every other team in Scotland who are only to please to jump on the in factual bandwagon and wave their anti-Rangers pics. Top drawer keyboard gangsters of the highest order who would shrivel if confronted in real life.
We then have the pundits from off the radio. Gordon Dalziel and Derek Johnstone apart (who I heard at least), every one of them told tales of a “East End injustice”, “lucky Rangers”, and “Celtic Robbed”! Messers Dalziel and Johnstone chose to credit Rangers, but of course were called out about their ties to the Ibrox club. Frank McAvennie predicted 8 goals plus against us, just a total lack of professionalism and/or respect on his part, but then, nothing less is to be expected for the guy who gave a stranger all his money to go a treasure hunt.
Moving on to the new managerial appointment, and more of the same from all of the above. “Yoo Hugh” from SSB was waxing lyrical about Pedro and his “Clear Delusion” at his remark Rangers have the best squad in the SPL, when in fact, if he had half a brain in his head, what Caixinha was actually eluding to was that he wanted to give his new squad of players a mind set that they were the best in Scotland. But perhaps the most disappointing opinion’s that I’ve hear over the past 4 days have been from our own supporters. Feeling the need to take to phone ins and social media to condemn Caixinha before a ball is even kicked. One guy called Clyde to state “I’m all for giving people a chance, but this is a huge mistake!” So contradictive you couldn’t make it up.
We famously chant “No one likes us! We don’t care!”, but I’m starting to get right fed up with it. If Sky can give airtime to Celtic banners celebrating our death (only in their eyes by the way) and referring to us as “Huns” then why can’t they show our fans celebrate a goal? Why is every Old Firm game televised as if it’s the ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone Show’. Perhaps now is the time for every Rangers supporter to stand together and say “NO MORE!” We’ve been kicked up and down the country for far too long, and EVERYONE has had a fly boot in! Perhaps it’s time to go down the BBC ban route and tell the TV companies to ram their pittance of TV deal percentage.
Perhaps it’s time for Jim Traynor and co to be shown earning their corn, rather than playing chaperone to new staff…..