An American Abroad (FM13)

[jasontoddwhitt]

Match Day 12

Walking down the corridor, I knew what I wanted to say to the guys following our victory. And as I came through the door into the locker room, it came out...

You guys think you can just show up and get by? Our energy level sucked in training all week, and that carried over into today's match. I don't care if we got the three points, that was a pitiful display of football. Over 47,000 people showed up to watch you guys and you were sleep walking out there. They deserve better than that. I know we're going to win the league. I know we're going up against teams full of part-time players. But the manner that you win is just as important. The way you play the game matters just as much. I would rather lose by playing our game than win playing like we did today. That was dreadful.

What I saw out there was not Rangers football.

And with that, I turned around and headed into my office. We won, I should be happy with the three points. But watching your team on the pitch just going through the motions just irks me. Hopefully, this puts a fire in the boys bellies.

Or it could have the opposite effect.

Rangers: Alexander (6.9), Cole (8.0); Hutton (60th - 6.7), Hegarty (7.1), Perry (7.3), Wallace (7.3); Mitchell (86th), McCulloch (7.2), MacLeod (7.7), Black (6.9), Templeton (8.7), Shiels (6.7), Kyle (7.3); McKay (81st)
Subs: Gallacher, Little
Goals: Kyle (10th)
Booked: Black, Templeton

Peterhead: G. Smith (6.7), R. Smith (9.0), MacDonald (7.0), Harding (7.0), Rodgers (7.1), McCann (6.9); Cowie (78th - 7.0), McLaughlin (6.9); McGlinchey (69th - 7.0), McBain (6.9), Noble (7.0), McAllister (6.9), Bavidge (6.9); Gilfillan (75th - 7.0)
Subs: Jarvie, Cox
Goals: None
Booked: None

Match Stats
Possession: Rangers 58%, Peterhead 42%
Shots: Rangers 9, Peterhead 2
On Target: Rangers 4, Peterhead 0
Corners: Rangers 3, Peterhead 0
Fouls: Rangers 10, Peterhead 6

Third Division Recap
With eight teams in action and 10 goals scored, the best viewing was to be found at Ibrox Stadium where a crowd of 47,109 witnessed Rangers' 1-0 victory over Peterhead.

Elsewhere, Dennis Wyness scored a good header from just inside the six yard box during Montrose's 1-2 defeat against Elgin City and 398 watched Annan's convincing 3-0 victory over Clyde where Lewis Hawke scored the best of the goals with a real poacher's effort from 12 yards.

Rangers are currently lying in 1st place in the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division. Rangers have won five of their last five games in the league.

A total of 48,246 supporters were out in force around the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division.

[jasontoddwhitt]

I always love mornings at the office before training. Gives me a chance to look over film from previous matches. A chance to read the paper. A chance to be.....interrupted by a phone call.

"Yes?"

"Jason, it's Jeff. Turn to Sky News, you'll want to see this."

And just like that, Jeff Agoos hung up and my day got better.

Quote:

In sports, dissension at Rangers? Judging by the comments from Rangers captain Lee McCulloch following a 1-0 victory over Peterhead FC, it would appear so.... "You know, we work our asses off in training and we get the win and then our manager says it wasn't good enough and thinks we don't care and attacks our effort. What the hell does he know? He just needs to sit back and let us play and quit micromanaging things he doesn't understand."

Yup, my day just got a lot better.
----------
I had my assistant manager Kenny McDowall fetch my captain before training got started. This was something that needed to be nipped very quickly. I can't be having my captain spouting off in the media about things. I'll unfortunately have to address it with the media in my press conference after training. That should be fun.

"Kenny said you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah Lee, take a seat. I'll get to the point as I'm pretty sure you know what this is about."

"About what I said to the reporters. Boss, several of the guys voiced their displeasure about you to me. So as the captain, I decided to air their grievances."

"Let's get one thing straight here Lee. I don't have any problems with questions or doubts. I'm not sitting in this office thinking everybody loves me. But if you have a problem with me, bring it to me. Say it to me in private. And if privacy doesn't permit itself, then bite your tongue. The media is already out trying to get us with everything that happened last season and our current situation. Let's not give them more ammo. Things that happen within the dressing room needs to stay in the dressing room. Don't give those savages anything like that. The media are a fickle beast. They'll love you today for what you said. But let me tell you something. You're 34...I'm looking to milk every ounce of football you have left in you. I've already heard grumblings from those reporters that you don't have it anymore.

"You don't think I have it anymore?"

"If I thought that, you wouldn't be here. If we were in the SPL, you'd be starting for my side. Look Lee, a mistake has been made. We'll move past it. I plan to address the team after training today. I would hope to hear something from you as the captain. I just trust you will make the right decision. I'll see you at training."
----------
Training went ok. It just seemed like when it come to being on the attack, the guys were a step slow. It was a problem against Peterhead. Peterhead's center backs were intercepting passes left and right. Hopefully it's not an issue against Berwick FC.

"Guys gather in. We've had a great first half of the season. We're right where we and everyone else expected us to be. We can't rest on our laurels. Peterhead gave us quite a scare. To the other teams in this league, when they play Rangers FC, it will be the biggest match of their season that fans will come out to see and we'll get their best shot. We should easily win promotion, but I want us to also reach the Final of the Scottish Cup to show those SPL teams that we are still a side to reckon with."

Lee McCulloch stood up when I paused to say something.

"He's right guys. We're going to win promotion. We should strive to win the Scottish Cup!"

Lee Wallace then stood up.

"I agree with Lee. Let's give our fans something to cheer about out there."

Emilson Cribari stood up as well.

"It'll be a huge challenge guys. We'll have to work hard. But it's a challenge I'm sure we can handle."

A smile crept across my face. Maybe these guys are finally getting it.

[kjking]

Following dude, really good stuff from you and Rangers

[Perfect Zero]

Great read so far. I like FM a lot; it lends itself well to dynasty write-ups

[jasontoddwhitt]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjking

Following dude, really good stuff from you and Rangers

Quote: Originally Posted by Perfect Zero

Great read so far. I like FM a lot; it lends itself well to dynasty write-ups

Thanks for following guys.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Match Day 13

"Anybody who thought we were going to earn 108 points in league play obviously had unreasonably high expectations for the season considering how fickle football can be."

Those were the words from Rangers boss Jason Whitt as Berwick Rangers held Rangers FC to a scoreless draw, snapping Rangers 12-match league winning streak.

"When a team is committed to putting eleven players in front of the ball, it makes it almost impossible to score," said Whitt. "We dominated the match in every facet. We generated three decent scoring chances, but their keeper made the saves."

It should be noted that Berwick sports the second best defense in the Third Division, giving up 16 goals in 13 matches and today marked their third straight shutout.

Rangers will have to figure it out quickly, as the Fourth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup is this weekend. Rangers will host Second Division side Alloa Athletic FC. Alloa currently top the Second Division table and entered the competition in the previous round, defeating Highland League side Deveronvale FC 3-0.

Rangers: Alexander (6.9), Mitchell (6.8), Hegarty (7.1), Perry (7.0), Wallace (6.9); McKay (66th - 6.7), McCulloch (7.0), Crawford (7.0), Hutton (6.8), Shiels (6.8), Templeton (7.0); Little (84th), Kyle (6.7); Black (60th - 6.7)
Subs: Gallacher, Argyriou
Booked: Perry

Berwick: McCaldon (6.9), Jacobs (7.1), Townsley (8.2); Brydon (71st - 7.0), McLean (7.9), Hoskins (6.9), Malcolm (7.0), Currie (6.9), Gielty (6.9); Janczyk (45th - 7.0), McLaren (6.9), Lavery (6.9), Easton (6.9); Little (56th - 6.9)
Subs: Beveridge, McNicholl
Booked: Currie

Match Stats
Possession: Rangers 63%, Berwick 37%
Shots: Rangers 11, Berwick 0
On Target: Rangers 4, Berwick 0
Fouls: Rangers 11, Berwick 7
Corners: Rangers 7, Berwick 3

Other Scores
Clyde 1:2 Montrose
Peterhead 3:1 Queen's Park
Stirling 1:1 Annan

[jasontoddwhitt]

FOURTH ROUND

Sebastien Faure had a smashing return from injury today, scoring in the 23rd minute as Rangers FC defeated Second Division Alloa Athletic FC 2-0 to advance to the fifth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Rangers dominated the match but still found issues trying to get the ball in the net and the Rangers faithful were worried that the Hornets would find a way to hit them on the counter. However, Rangers were strong defensively and Alloa were unable to get a decent scoring chance and only one shot on target that Neil Alexander saved easily. Finally, in the 63rd minute, Kyle Hutton launched a ball 50-yards up the field that Dean Shiels was able to beat the defense to. The first shot was saved by Scott Bain but the rebound went right back to Shiels, who scored his fifth goal in league action to make it 2-0.

"Alloa did the same thing that a lot of clubs have been doing to us and that's flooding the midfield to restrict space," said Rangers boss Jason Whitt. "It kind of limits what we can do offensively, but then again, it limits what they can do offensively and so our defense didn't have to do much to keep the shutout intact. I like goals, as do the fans, but I love wins more, no matter how we get them."

Rangers advance to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup, where they have been drawn against SPL side Motherwell FC. Motherwell defeated Second Division side Stenhousemuir 4-2 to advance.

Rangers: Alexander (6.9), Cole (7.4), Hegarty (7.2), Faure (8.2), Wallace (7.4), McCulloch (7.0); Hutton (67th - 6.8), MacLeod (6.9), Black (7.0), Templeton (6.9), Shiels (8.1); Perry (75th - 6.8), McKay (6.6); Little (67th - 6.7)
Subs: Gallacher, Argyriou
Goals: Faure (23rd), Shiels (69th)
Booked: McKay (44th)

Alloa: Bain (6.7), Tiffoney (6.9), Verth (5.9); Meggatt (75th - 7.0), Gordon (6.7), Djebi-Zadi (6.3), Laurant (6.9); Doyle (62nd - 6.5), Simmons (6.8), Young (6.7), McCord (6.7), Docherty (6.7), Megginson (6.9); Cawley (67th - 7.0)
Subs: Dallas, Paixao
Booked: Simmons (62nd)

Match Stats
Possession: Rangers 62%, Alloa 38%
Completion %: Rangers 88%, Alloa 79%
Shots: Rangers 13, Alloa 4
On Target: Rangers 6, Alloa 1
Scoring Chances: Rangers 5, Alloa 0
Fouls: Rangers 11, Alloa 11
Corners: Rangers 5, Alloa 2

William Hill Cup Fourth Round Action
Forfar 0:3 Hibernian
Dundee 0:4 Celtic
St. Mirren 2:0 St. Johnstone
Ross County 1:0 Peterhead
Partick Thistle 0:2 Hamilton
Morton 1:3 Aberdeen
Hearts 4:1 Turriff United
Cove Rangers 2:0 Girvan
Raith 3:1 Annan
Dunfermline 1:2 Queen of South
Inverness CT 2:0 Montrose
Livingston 0:3 Ayr
Dundee United 2:0 Kilmarnock
Falkirk 3:0 Airdrie
Motherwell 4:2 Stenhousemuir

[jasontoddwhitt]

Rangers continued their unbeaten streak in league action to 15 following a 2-1 victory over Queen's Park and a 4-0 victory over Stirling.

Rangers will travel to Montrose to take on Montrose FC in a battle between the two clubs at the top of the table. Montrose has fallen behind the pace being set by Rangers, and a win by the Light Blues would Rangers open up a 12-point lead in league action.

The only problem Gers have at the moment is that they may need a bigger physio room. Three players are out for the match against Montrose (Kevin Kyle, Lee McCulloch, and Ross Perry) and a another (Sebastien Faure) is doubtful. Rangers boss Jason Whitt told us he's not worried, as the young players have shown an ability to step up when called upon and they will be called upon again. I asked him if the Spaniard Francisco Sandaza would be available for selection, but Whitt told me that with the length of time Sandaza has been out, he's still working on match fitness in the reserves and is not available. Sandaza was originally injured back in September.