I’ve already written on Gersnet about my initial opposition to Rangers accepting a role as a support act in Australia in November. Since then I’ve listened to more views on this and have had some time to think about it. And I’m still raging.
James Bisgrove mentioned it was an unparalleled offer, too good to refuse. My question would be why was that? Doesn’t that point alone get the spider-senses tingling? Mid-season, during a World Cup, when the best players and footballing world is focused on Qatar, we get a previously unheard-of offer from the other side of the world? We know celtics current manager has links there. We know celtic will be there and we’ll be playing them. Doesn’t this start to feel wrong already?
As I saw it, it took approximately 60 minutes for the real reasons of our involvement to be revealed. This fixture was leaked very quickly on the back of the monumentally significant civil action suit against celtic being revealed. For me, this suggests celtic having a bigger role in this than simply just another team in the competition. I don’t know what our board expected to happen but this is a big deal. In the context of Scottish football and our own recent troubles this is all tied together and connected, and it’s entirely predictable. I don’t know what the contract states but I would suggest this could be seen as a reason to exit that contract, or at least cancel or replace the game against them? It could easily be argued that this looks like the soul reason for our involvement and it would certainly go towards explaining the fee put forward to lure us in. Who knows where that money has come from?
As a minimum, I would expect our club and PR to come out swinging on the back of this breach of trust and goodwill. I’ve seen nothing. Mr Bisgrove was obviously told to front up and earn his corn but that’s pretty much been it.
In our 150th year, I want to see us play every big club possible and I want games across the globe to celebrate it. I want old friendships renewed and history made, relived and reignited with any number of famous clubs. And I want us making money at the same time. The fact we’ve chosen to play a couple of random Australian teams alongside our shameless, dishonest enemies’ reeks of laziness. Why not arrange our own tour and play 5 or 6 games across Australia? How about something in Dubai, Baku or the far East on way out or return journeys? That way we’d make money, increase our audience/exposure/accessibility, and keep our pride intact. But I guess that might also involve foresight and some hard work and planning.
Another reason for my objection to this game is the ethical point of view. I regularly give opinions and commentary on the plights of both the Grays and Gordon Woods in their fight for justice in the CSA scandal. This is not just window-dressing, this is a real human fight against terrible deeds and a prolonged cynical cover-up. Any backing from me is absolute and extends beyond tribalism and club loyalty.
Gordon is absolutely right. It’s insulting for everyone. Mistakes are allowed, but once you realise that mistake you have to act to correct it. This is the crux of everything in life. The misuse of the fixture to cover celtics bad news should have seen alarm bells sounding around Ibrox. There should have been an immediate response to at least address this aspect and put that right, even before looking to cancel the fixture. I cannot express how badly the club have failed everyone here. Personally, I cannot back the club commercial until this is put right. Rangers do not need this just now as we try to pull together for a title charge. I hope I’m wrong but this decision, and prolonged inaction, will stink out Ibrox for a long time. Possibly long after those making these decisions are gone. We do not need this but I can’t sit back and watch Rangers be used like this.
A one final thing. Rangers has still not satisfactorily dealt with their own share of the CSA scandal. Reparations, consequences, footballing sanctions, PR damage do not stop at celtic. The scale and the framework surrounding it may be entirely different but Rangers have left some unwanted threads hanging ragged. Mark my words, others will come after Rangers with everything they have to save their own skin and share or transfer any damage. Do we expect Rangers to be remotely ready for this and deal with it efficiently? Based on this Australian farce, I’d say that is a resounding no!
Upping the output 
For me it sounds like Rangers have been thrown this money to keep silent on the Celtic abuse scandal, we dont know what these 2 boards at both clubs do behind the scenes but sounds ever increasingly like the fans are the only ones who care about these issues while the boards tickle each others bellies for the cash and we’re not half of anything old firm brand.
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