Swiss-German, No, The About Turn Was More Swiss-Italian

I ALWAYS understood Sepp Blatter to be from the "German" part of Switzerland; the way he bailed-out once it became clear the FBI is on his case was almost "Italian-Swiss". Did he get a trusted aide to approach the Feds and try to cut a deal? Only time will tell.

Any how, he is going and, the sooner the better. However, like all leviathans, the good ship FIFA will need a skeely skipper to turn it around; it might need the "guid lords" in the crew to get their feet wet, to bring it safe to port. The succession is now, more-important than ever.

It will be difficult to clean-up the stench which will continue to surround the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Indeed, such are the sums of money involved, it may well be impossible to re-schedule these tournaments to different venues. Also, it needs the right man in place - he has to be acceptable to UEFA, the confederation with the most money, and to the nations which are home to the global giants whose cash feeds the whole thing. Getting that person will not be easy.

When I heard yesterday of Blatter's bail-out, I thought of two Scottish gentlemen, the late David Will, who lang syne spotted the former ice hockey net-minder was a wrong un, and gentleman John McBeth, of Clyde, who has never received the apology he so-richly deserves for pointing-out what a parcel of rogues were running world football, and who paid such a high price for so-doing.

BUT, back to domestic matters and what happens next at the Rangers Tribute Act.

If the Lap Top Loyal are to be believed, the RTA are going down the two Ws route, with Messers Warburton and Weir, having seen Brentford, about to take the high road north to save the Ibrox institution.

I don't know too much about Mr Warburton, but, if he uses his loaf, carefully checks out what is expected of him and what financial support he will get, then all might be well.

I had a second cousin, once removed, who was rather good at kicking a football. This talent took him from the Ayrshire juniors to the First Division in England - as the Premiership then was, to an FA Cup winner's medal and to a good number of Scotland caps.

He then started a coaching career at the very bottom and slowly worked his way up until, one day he was approached to take-over one of the fallen giants of the English game. That club was languishing in the Second Division, was very much the poor relation in a two-club city and was going nowhere fast.

For my cousin, there was no instant fix. It took him two and a half seasons to get them back to the top flight, a further season to overtake their local rivals, but, by the time he retired, ten years or more later, his club wasn't just the top one in his city, but, in the whole of England.

He laid the foundations for years of dominance as his successor built marvellously on the legacy he inherited. That cousin was Willie Shankly, or Bill Shankly as the football world knows him.

I would suggest, if Rangers can identify and recruit a modern-day Shankly, they just might get out of the predicament into which the RTA and the ethos which surrounds it has thrust them and get back to being "Rangers"; but, I fear they are in such a mire, a quick fix is impossible.

It will take a manager with Shankly's work ethic, determination and genius to turn them around - is there such a man out there?