Rangers Football Club; a team soaked in history which dates back to 1872 when they were originally formed by four men from Glasgow, two brothers called Moses and Peter McNeil and two friends named Peter Campbell and William McBeath who named the club after an English rugby team. Since then, Rangers have gone on to win a world record 53 league titles, a national record of 26 Scottish League Cups and the Scottish Cup 33 times. In 1961, Rangers became the first British club to reach the final of a UEFA club competition, the European Cup Winners’ Cup, and went on to win the competition in 1972 beating Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in the Nou Camp, Barcelona. They also finished runners up on two occasions, losing to Fiorentina in 1961 and Bayern Munchen in 1967. Most recently, Rangers reached another European final, this time being the UEFA Cup in the 2007/2008 season. Recently the club has been struggling with financial difficulties of late which stretch back roughly til' 2003. The heavy spending by the club between 1998 and 2002, along with other clubs in Scotland, plunged Rangers into financial darkness which limited funds available to the recent managers: Alex McLeish, Paul Le Guen and now Walter Smith. It is evident that Walter Smith has had the toughest job out of the three managers as between the end of the 2008 summer transfer window and the start of the 2010 summer transfer window, Rangers have been unable to provide funds for the signing of new playing staff. Walter knew he had a job on his hands but pulled out all the stops to claim six winners' medals in three and a half years in his second stint in the Ibrox hot-seat. Rangers are pulling threw their tough financial struggle and managed to add to their squad in the summer with the signings of Nikica Jelavic, James Beattie, Vladimir Weiss and Rickard Foster. The club has recently be linked with a takeover by Scottish billionaire Craig Whyte who has some excellent plans for the club. Walter Smith recently declared that any takeover should happen as quickly as possible. Rangers, who play their games at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, have maintained a rivalry with Celtic stretching back over 100 years. The two clubs are collectively known as "The Old Firm".
Ok, so a brief description on the history of this great club and now I will turn to the Football Manager side of things:
Club Information
Club Name: Rangers Football Club.
Nation: Scotland.
Year Founded: 1873 (officially, 1872 originally).
Status: Professional.
Reputation: National.
Chairman Status: Enjoying life at the club.
Legends: Walter Smith, John Greig, Davie Cooper, Ally McCoist.
Icons: Brian Laudrup, Richard Gough, Paul Gascoigne.
Favoured Personnel: Ian Durrant, Jorg Albertz, Barry Ferguson, Mark Hateley, John Brown, Dado Prso, Alan Hutton.
Derbies: Old Firm Derby (v Celtic)
Fierce Rivals: Celtic.
Other Rivals: Aberdeen.
Finances: Okay.
Average Ticket Price: £24.00.
Average Season Ticket Price: £400.
Season Ticket Holders: 42508.
Estimated Value: £32M (Loan Debt: £20M).
Continental Competition: UEFA Champions League.
Media Prediction: 1st.
Squad Personality: Professional.
Captain: David Weir.
Vice-Captain: Lee McCulloch.
Club Facilities
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow.
Stadium Rating: ★★★★★
Stadium Capacity: 51,082
Stadium Condition: Very good.
Stadium Under-Soil Heating: Yes.
Stadium Roof: No.
Stadium Surface: Grass.
Pitch Condition: Perfect.
Corporate Facilities: Average.
Training Facilities: Top Training Facilities.
Youth Facilities: Very good youth facilitis + Youth Academy.
Youth Recruitment: Above Average.
Club Name: Rangers Football Club.
Nation: Scotland.
Year Founded: 1873 (officially, 1872 originally).
Status: Professional.
Reputation: National.
Chairman Status: Enjoying life at the club.
Legends: Walter Smith, John Greig, Davie Cooper, Ally McCoist.
Icons: Brian Laudrup, Richard Gough, Paul Gascoigne.
Favoured Personnel: Ian Durrant, Jorg Albertz, Barry Ferguson, Mark Hateley, John Brown, Dado Prso, Alan Hutton.
Derbies: Old Firm Derby (v Celtic)
Fierce Rivals: Celtic.
Other Rivals: Aberdeen.
Finances: Okay.
Average Ticket Price: £24.00.
Average Season Ticket Price: £400.
Season Ticket Holders: 42508.
Estimated Value: £32M (Loan Debt: £20M).
Continental Competition: UEFA Champions League.
Media Prediction: 1st.
Squad Personality: Professional.
Captain: David Weir.
Vice-Captain: Lee McCulloch.
Club Facilities
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow.
Stadium Rating: ★★★★★
Stadium Capacity: 51,082
Stadium Condition: Very good.
Stadium Under-Soil Heating: Yes.
Stadium Roof: No.
Stadium Surface: Grass.
Pitch Condition: Perfect.
Corporate Facilities: Average.
Training Facilities: Top Training Facilities.
Youth Facilities: Very good youth facilitis + Youth Academy.
Youth Recruitment: Above Average.
Board Expectations
Rangers Football Club is a massive thing to be a part of; there is huge expectation spreading throughout the whole and it is never an easy job to undertake. Whether your a player or a member of staff, many people in the world of football has claimed that the pressure of being at a club like Rangers, or for that matter Celtic, is to much to handle. Even in Football Manager, the level of expectation is portrayed expertly into the game. Here is some of what you can expect to be placed upon your shoulders when you take over the reigns as the manager of Rangers:
Scottish Premier League:
Right from the signing of the contract; you are expected to deliver success at Ibrox. Underachievement is not an option - FACT! Many players have came swiftly in the front doors to Ibrox Stadium and have left almost as swiftly. The main pressure the club will undertake is to win the SPL, year in year out. No matter what state the club is in financial or in general, winning the league should be your priority. It grants automatic access to the Champions League, should Scotland perform efficiently in Europe. If not, the winners of the league will be granted the 'easier' path in the qualification rounds with the runners-up having to go through the "best-placed" path which can draw you with teams such as Sevilla, Lyon, P.S.G, Stuttgart, Porto/Benfica, Fiorentina and Tottenham/Arsenal. Winning the SPL is a must for any Rangers manager and failing to do this may bring about consequences.
Scottish Cup:
The Scottish Cup is Scotland's main cup competition and like the SPL, the club are expected to win this every year. If this means by beating Celtic at any time throughout the competition then so be it. The Scottish Cup is always a difficult competition, with many smaller teams available to face in the third round which could provide tricky away ties. Although Rangers and Celtic enter in the fourth round, their are always tricky games available on route to the final so by all means it wont be easy!
UEFA Champions League:
In the first season, the club is expected to reach the group stages of the competition. Luckily, in a season when the club is at its weakest, this has already been achieved due to the success the club had domestically the season before. Never the less, 3rd place should be the minimum the club should finish which would guarantee European football beyond Christmas. Throughout your career as Rangers manager, the expectations for European football will change, even more so due to the introduction of Dynamic League Reputation. Strong performances in Europe is a must! With the financial level of the club, all the money that can be generated by participation is strongly needed.
C.I.S Insurance Cup:
The Scottish League Cup, the board do not require this as important, but its always nice to get a winners' medal :awesome: This competition could prove vital in your first season or two. With the gruelling fixture list that contains four competitions and such a little squad to work with; squad rotation in this competition is highly recommended!
Future:
Don't fret over the future of the club, you are in safe hands. Either after the first season or the second a board takeover will take place with club legend John Greig becoming the new owner. He will be very kind to you in terms of finance and will see the club out of its financial difficulties. In his first season he should offer around £6m, depending on performances in UCL in may be higher, and then may award more for Janaury. I got £6m in the summer that he took over and then he gave me £13m for January to boost the squad for the 1st Knockout Round of the UCL.
- To achieve these goals, the board believe the squad has enough quality and therefore has given you £0 to spend and only £5k jumping space in the wage budget. A few things you can try to get money to spend is when the money is divided out to clubs towards the end of August for competing in the Champions League, the club should get £6 million so if you request nicely the board might allocate some of this into the transfer budget
.. if not then try it again in January after the prize money etc. has all been collected. If these do not work, selling a few players or sticking to what you have will be the only options. Also in January, players will be transfer listed and therefore may be available on loans for the rest of the season for little payments up front suck as anything between £0-£100k.
So now you know what is expected of you, lets have a look at what your resources will be on the pitch.
Rangers F.C. - Playing Squad 2010-2011:
Regular starting line up ahead of Valencia v Rangers.
Regular starting line up ahead of Valencia v Rangers.
Goalkeepers:
Allan McGregor:
Allan McGregor, a youth product from Murray Park, has now gone on to establish himself as the number one goalkeeper at Ibrox. He has tremendous ability and has shown this in recent years but more so this year. Producing excellent saves through the season, domestically and in Europe, has attracted attention of people all around the world. Should you take the job at Ibrox, he could very well be key to your success.
Neil Alexander:
Another excellent goalkeeper which was captured by Walter Smith. Alexander plays mainly in cup games and to fill in for McGregor when injured. Despite only playing so little games, Alexander always comes big for the club when needed and should provide good back up.
Defenders:
Steven Whittaker:
Most probably the strongest right back in the squad. He can be strong at the back, has some pace and can provide a decent attacking threat going forward. Should you be able to get him in good form, he will be one of the most valuable players at the club and will attract heavy interest from the EPL.
Kirk Broadfoot:
A natural centre back turned right back/left back. The man can play anywhere in defence really. Despite lacking the true ability to be a first eleven defender, he can provide good back up in a season that rotation may be needed. Should you wish to retain his services, sending him out to the Championship will help him a lot. In my save, he went to Newcastle on loan in my first season and upon his return he has been excellent for me at the back.
Richard Foster:
A decent player on loan from Aberdeen. Can play right or left back and should provide decent cover for those positions.
Sasa Papac:
Nothing more than a loyal servant to the club. Playing at left back and becoming the only player surviving the Paul Le Guen era, Papac is first choice left back and you can probably expect some offers at the start of the game or after the first season. He is solid at the back and has some attacking threat going forward.
David Weir:
The 40 year old captain of the club! Still rated 3 stars by assistant manager Ally McCoist and is a rock at the heart of the defence. Replacing him at the end of the season is a must though as he will begin to deteriorate soon. In my save though, he played on until he wad 42, retiring just before the 2012/2013 season and to be fair, he is a class act. His stats never really dropped from what they started at when the save was loaded.
Madjid Bougherra:
The best centre back in the squad. Enjoys galloping forward to provide some extra attacking instinct and will be vital in any success you have! In my current game, he moved to Inter Milan at the end of the second season, do I need to say much more? He demands £30,000 a week so if you want to keep him your going to have to find a solution to gaining the finance necessary.
Andy Webster:
Struggles with injuries in real life for some reason, but in the game he seems to be ok. Will be another good piece of back up throughout the season. Of equal ability to David Weir, he would be a good choice to replace him should you not like the thought of having a 40 year old at the back.
Midfielders:
Vladimir Weiss:
On loan from Manchester City, the young Slovakian will be a vital member of the team in all competitions. Providing much needed spark and creativity into the team, the right midfielder should be one of the first names on the team sheet!
Steven Davis:
One of the best players at the club without a doubt. Davis can be a match winner and should be kept at the club by all means necessary. Provides some creativity in the midfield and always sticks in a great performance. Should also be one of the first names onto the team sheet. After a few seasons he should "make noises" about a move to a bigger club. In these occasions, I've simply told him that I understand his concerns and I want the club to progress in the same way. This has happened on 3 or 4 occasions now and he seems pleased you feel the same way and says he wishes to stay, for the time being.
Maurice Edu:
A strong centre midfield player who can also play in the holding midfield role. Can throw his weight about to win back possession and knows how to handle the pressure inside Ibrox.
Lee McCulloch:
Another strong midfielder who can play in many positions; centre back, left midfield, centre mid and holding mid. Also, the vice captain of the club and will be vital in the middle of the park throughout the first season.
John Fleck:
Although injury rules him out of the first few months, the young lad should go on to be an important first team player for years to come. A successful product from Murray Park, he will turn into an excellent player as he has done in so many of the recent FMs.
Attackers:
Nikica Jelavic:
A £4 million summer signing and is proving/will prove to be worth every penny. A strong presence up front, he is a vital team player and can score a many, many goals for the club. Strong in the air and with the ball at his feet, he may just prove the clubs best signing in the past few years. For me though, it wasn't to be and I offloaded him for e measly £1.5m in January 2012. Maybe he will perform different for you.
Kenny Miller:
Scoring 18 goals this season already he is proving extremely important. He posses great pace and can provide goals in big games! Will prove an important figure at the club.
James Beattie:
Another summer signing and a strong one at that. Should manage to bag a fair amount of goals considering the quality of the league. Even as he ages he will continue to bang in the goals and should probably be first choice.
Kyle Lafferty:
May be worth while looking at selling this man. He can be decent back up but with little to no money available in the first season, Kyle could generate some cash. Personally I like him but with so many quality strikers at the club he may find it hard to get into the team. Chips in with a few goals here and there but is not a consistent striker.
Steven Naismith:
Simply a revelation this season. Has grown into a fantastic player and is attracting masses of attention. Can play as a striker or on either wing and will be hugely important to Rangers. In my save, I play him up front in a 4-4-2 formation. He is simply brilliant and has been since I took over. Doesn't have the best finishing attributes but my god he can score goals. Is also now the club captain and performing well in his duties.
Summary -
The Rangers squad is incredibly strong and should be able to at least win the league in the first season. After this, participation in the Champions League will provide money for the club to spend to improve the squad. Should you pick the correct 11, you will have no major problems unless injuries and suspensions begin to build up. The weakest part of the squad is definitely left midfield with no immediate player to play there. When John Fleck returns from injury he can play there for the time being, along with Naismith and Lafferty but you may prefer to play these players elsewhere. The youth squad also gives you some added back up with some excellent prospects in Kyle Hutton, Gregg Wylde, Jamie Ness and Ross Perry. Gregg Wylde could also fill in at left midfield and has bags of potential. One of the vital points about the squad is its versatility. Many players can play in very different positions such as Naismith, Lafferty, McCulloch and Fleck.
Overall, Rangers F.C. is a huge club chosen no longer to be recognised by some. The club have won a total of 113 trophies, provides one of the best European match atmospheres throughout the world and is part of one of the most famous rivalries ever. Should you take over Rangers in Football Manager, it would provide you with a good place to start your career. Personally, I don't feel pressure at any team in the game like I do at Rangers; and to think it was only a game. Points are very rarely dropped by the Old Firm so it is always a close contest at the end of the season. In the game as well, there is always strong competition from teams like Hearts and Dundee United which can cause the Old Firm problems. You may think that managing in Scotland is simple, but more times than not it requires great skill, player knowledge and tactical supremacy to topple Celtic, or Rangers if you are Celtic. I strongly recommend having a go at managing Rangers as there are many things to achieve. You could simply take the club to their third SPL title in a row, you could try and do better than the work that Graeme Souness started and Walter Smith finished by winning more than 9 SPL titles in a row; or maybe you may wish to try and take them to a European final? Obviously the European atmospheres can't be portrayed in the game; but I would recommend even more to try and visit Ibrox for a UEFA Champions League game. It will be an experience you will never forget.
