I never did have the pleasure of seeing Ally McCoist in his prime at Ibrox. I can imagine watching the finest finisher to ever pull on the Royal Blue jersey each week was quite a pleasure, though.
His name rings around the corridors at Ibrox as one of the best players ever. Fifteen years of his career, the top goalscorer of the modern period and a key role in the historic 9 in-a-row leaves behind quite a mantle. Is it a legacy that will ever be matched by another player? To say I am disappointed to have never seen McCoist as a footballer is a bit of an understatement, but last year, I certainly didn’t miss out on what Ally McCoist had to offer this football club. As he battled through the toughest time of the club’s financial history, taking not a penny for his efforts, he quickly resembled a heroic figure – sometimes seemingly carrying what remained of the club on his own shoulders as he no doubt suffered what was a tumultuous period in his personal life. When years and decades go by, and new generations of Rangers fans come to support the club, there is little doubt that they will be told of how it was Alistair McCoist that was the central figure of keeping the club together.
So, there are two sides to McCoist; the great player and the memorable leader, showing qualities on and off the park that make him one of the finest ever representatives of the club. This season, a new role was taken by Super Ally. Of course, although McCoist was already manager last season, he most certainly won’t be remembered, or judged, for what his players did on the pitch. This season, however, was a completely different kettle of fish. Although there were still off-field issues related to the club to be resolved, they were not issues that directly affected the playing and coaching staff. What McCoist has done, is build up a lead over the rest of the league which now sits at approximately twenty points. However, this is nothing that wasn’t expected, and with the budget the coaching staff had to work with, any other outcome would have been a complete catastrophe. And now as we reach the end of this season, with a squad that can’t seem to find the motivation to crawl over the line to the title off their own back, it has left a growing section of the support wondering if Mr. McCoist can quite possibly be the person to lead the club forward as manager. The side has a record of a loss, a win and two draws in their previous four games, but this is simply the tip of the iceberg. Standards have been extremely poor this season with a small yet well-paid band of players failing to impress in the majority of games. Attitudes have been horribly wrong, and players that have achieved success on a much higher level than the Scottish Third Division have been reduced to shells of their former selves. If the Montrose game from this Saturday can be taken as an example, it was by and large a very equal match – Montrose offered as good as they got and most certainly looked on a similar level to this Rangers side. This can be tolerated on a one match basis, but when this becomes the norm, one has to start raising serious questions of the side on wages their opposition could only dream of, and a coaching staff that should be far more equipped.
The scary reality, however, is that in the majority, the playing staff will be similar next season. Those players that have failed to flatter the paying fans week after week, and at times have disgraced the famous jersey they wear, in the whole currently sit upon long contracts on high wages. There is no obligation upon them to leave, and to be frank, what clubs would be willing to buy these players out of their contracts? Who would be willing to pay money for the likes of Black, Cribari, Shiels or Sandaza – let alone offer the wages that Rangers have offered these players? Add to this the fact that the manager is limited to what he can do by a transfer embargo, and this summer does not look an attractive prospect. Bosman transfers can be registered on September 1, but remember, a squad still has to be there to see Rangers through the first month or so of the season. This is not the time for wholesale changes as there simply isn’t a platform for them to be made.
So the question is very much prominent; does Ally McCoist have what it takes to see this squad of players (with some changes) through another season? He has shown a lack of ability to drag this group of players through the season, and Saturday’s tactics shows he has little faith in what they can offer. During his after-match analysis, he looked worn-out, defeated and devoid of ideas. Does he really have what it takes to see this club through another season as manager? What if next season dawns, and McCoist still cannot motivate these players? If the attitude that has manifested it way into the team carries on, how do performances pick up? How do you attract the fans to the ground? And most importantly, how can you assume that it will be enough to win Rangers promotion once more?
Or could he hold his hands up at the end of this season? When Rangers finally do win the league, the trophy is expected to be handed to them on the on May 4. Imagine a busy, vibrant and colourful Ibrox being there to salute his efforts as he holds that trophy aloft, before McCoist is allowed to walk away with his head held high? The hero, the icon and the legend, but perhaps not the manager. Who could judge McCoist – he gave it one hell of a shot, and he was there for us at our darkest hour? But could his iconic role be carried out in perhaps a different part of the club?
The fact of the matter, is that McCoist has shown very little evidence that he can be an efficient manager. At the moment, the decision to carry on in that role lies in his own hands.
For the future of the club, Ally, please think long and hard before making a decision ahead of next season. If there is any doubt that McCoist cannot fulfil the job better than someone else could, it is time he did the honourable thing and hand the baton over to someone else. With a legacy intact, McCoist will simply be remembered as the one that crossed the first hurdle on the road back to glory.
garrycarmody 