Mince v Bridies - Stodgy Fare

IN a moment of weakness on Monday night, I watched the Forfar v Rangers game on BT Sports 1. Well, when you're getting it for nothing, it pays to use this channel occasionally.

 

The game was mince. The Rangers' performance firming-up my conviction that, as a coach, Ally McCoist is more a taxi than even a bus. There are guys on there in Rangers' strips who are, to use my dear departed father's expression: "Not Rangers Class".

 

Forfar were a typical Dick Campbell team - they ran and ran; goat tore-in with abandon but, I wouldn't back them to win at Auchinleck. However, if, as full-time players, that Rangers team was collectively any good, they should have won by at least three clear goals. That they didn't demonstrates what a poor state they are in.

 

I now confidently predict, if McCoist is still in charge next season - Rangers will NOT go straight through the Championship back to the Premiership.

 

 

 

NOW to the other staple of the mainstream football media - Manchester United. The English media's fascination with attempting to sack David Moyes never ceases to amaze me. It was clear to me, long before old red nose finally retired, whoever took over had more courage than sense, since, they were always going to be in danger of presiding over decline.

 

Moyes is a good manager, his record proves as much. However, football history is full of evidence of managers who did well with comparatively little money at somewhere below the top level, who failed when handed a big club 's cheque book.

 

I do not think Moyes will be added to this number, but, he will need to be given time to adjust to the different demands which are made on United's boss, over those he dealt with so well at Everton.

 

It hasn't helped him that Fergie left him with the poisoned chalice of key men reaching, or going past their sell-by date and the legendary United development scheme being in one of its periodic fallow periods.

 

When you watch his contribution to Juventus's run to the top of Siere A, it is clear that Fergie's failure to keep Paul Pogba at Old Trafford has hindered Moyes's succession. Likewise, the injuries to Rooney and RVP haven't helped the new man.

 

Perhaps the arrival of Mata will help. Also, if I was Moyes, with Vidic injured, I'd be tempted to give the armband to Darren Fletcher.

 

It was noticeable that Fletcher was the solitary United player who scored in Wednesday night's penalty shoot-out loss to Sunderland. Something else to take from that game might be - given that, after their goalie's 119th minute mistake, United were out of the competition - there isn't much wrong with a club which can come back and force a penalty shoot-out from a losing position; even if their collective nerve subsequently failed in the shoot-out.