24 Apr 2021 10:17:45
Back to the EPL topic for a moment.

How many of us really truly feel we are ready and good enough to join? .

Are we good enough to stay off the bottom of their league? .

Personally I feel it would look much the same as my wee local junior club joining the SPFL.

Mind you my wee local club did well against a couple of SPFL teams a while back.

1.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 10:47:20
My opinion mate is
If Rangers and Celtic went down there we would eventually be up there with the top 6 easily

As if we were down there imagine the sponsorship deals we would be involved with
Imagine the tv revenue we would be getting and imagine the players we could attract
and with the massive world wide support we have we have buying up merchandise etc

they teams down there apart from the rich owners
The rest get decent teams together through the money they make from all the various avenues I’ve mentioned and both Rangers and Celtic would be no different if we were involved down there
Our stadiums would be packed out and tickets sales would be just as costly as those teams down there
If we were getting same payments as the English teams then why wouldn’t we be competing on all levels

That’s my opinion on it Billy mate and I firmly believe in what I’ve said mate getting same money we could attract great players were a massive club in our own right in a small pond.

2.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 10:48:15
And just out of Interest Ed how do you feel about the question
Given if we’re getting the same sort of revue as the rest down there?

{Ed001's Note - impossible to say. It depends on the revenue you had to start with. If you got off to a slow start you could end up dropping down and getting stuck, the Championship is a pig of a division to get out of. If you can stay in the top flight, gradually build revenue streams, then you could get somewhere. The problem you have is location. The reason Newcastle struggled to maintain their competitiveness, even when spending money, is because they couldn't attract players that far north. It is a struggle for Liverpool and Man Utd at times as well, as, for some bizarre reason, people want to live in London. It wouldn't be easy but I am sure both yourselves and Celtic would be able to build up the income to be competitive at least. However the location issue is always going to be a problem.}

3.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 10:48:40
We are nowhere near ready.
It's took us 5 years to win 55.
The EPL is another huge step up.
No European football to entice the top players.
It would be a long term project in my view.
How many of our current first 11 are good enough to compete with the top teams in the EPL every week?

4.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:06:45
Good points Ed
and some I never thought about properly
That’s why it’s always good to have your input mate
Much appreciated on a quick and as always an informative reply 😊.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome. The Newcastle thing was in my mind simply because I was having a chat with me ma last night as she couldn't remember who it was Newcastle lied to in order to sign. He didn't have a clue where Newcastle was, asked if it was near London and they said, oh yeah just a short hop away. So he signed. I can't remember who it was though.}

5.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:09:33
Ed. I can't see location being that a major issue. Look at the world class players that Rangers attracted during the 1990s (e. g. De Boer, Laudrup, Gascoigne, Butcher, Flo, Hateley) . Competing financially with giants like the two Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea is always going to be difficult but we should be able to compete against the rest of the EPL teams. I think the time is near where a major restructuring of British football is required.

{Ed001's Note - totally different. You attracted them because you paid them much more than anyone else. In an era where most players still had to worry about what they were going to do in retirement, you paid them so much that worry was removed. Also it helped that English clubs were banned from Europe for a large part of it. These days players don't need the money at all as they can earn more than they will ever be able to spend in youth teams. There are kids at Anfield on more than £35k a week. So they can afford to be choosy where they go. Don't get me wrong, there will always be options and you can get good players, but to compete long term you need to keep them and get more. With the reduced pool of options you would have more of a struggle than say Arsenal, in comparison, to attract players. Even if you were finishing above them, sadly.

Look at what happened to the likes of Laudrup and van Bronckhorst when London clubs came calling!}

6.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:21:41
We are used to winning leagues and, cups could we supporters live with not winning anything year after rear, thoughts guys.

7.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:22:57
100% agree ed.

{Ed001's Note - cheers Paul.}

8.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:36:27
Thanks for a very informative input Ed001.

And I like Paul 100% agree.

Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - cheers Bb.}

9.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:37:28
We did it up here for 9 years BB44 mate.

10.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:42:28
Rangers fans are also impatient. Some didn't want to give Gerrard 2 years, never mind a 3rd it took to build a team capable of winning a 2 horse race that is the SPFL.
How would some of us feel about scraping about in the bottom half of the table, possibly no progression for a few seasons as we try to build a squad capable of competing for top 10, never mind European spots?
You have to remember we as a fly have the mindset off always competing for trophies.
Even on our way back up through the league's we were expecting to be competing for Scottish and League Cups!

11.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:57:11
Very good points Ed like others I never thought about that, however like the Manchester clubs and liverpool I think we would be fine. There’s plenty of players out there. If, and it’s a massive if, we joined the epl, I think one of the 2 clubs would win it within 10 years. We would soon be ahead of the likes of Spurs n West Ham and Everton. maybe Arsenal as they seem to be really going backwards as a club in general. Look at Leicester and how they have broke into the top group. I think we could do that within 5 years and then aim to win it within 10? Maybe winning it is a stretch of the imagination, it would be better saying title contenders within 10years n that would be my aim I think.

12.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 12:16:18
Ingerrard aye but what if it never and went totally all wrong which could also happen. Looks at the massive clubs in england who have went down and taken years and year to even make it back to EPL. aye and that's with spending over 100 million on players. Fan base and size of stadium also does not make success.

13.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 12:38:25
Awe without doubt Paul mate it could easily go wrong. If we had the wrong manager bad recruitment n an off season we could easily be relegated mate. Just look at how quickly Celtic capitulated this season compared to thaw last couple under Rodgers. Even the scouting under him was poor. Totally get where you’re coming from mate, the current team would be lucky to make the top 10. Celtic would probably be at the bottom. But I’m looking at it in a way where sponsorship tv money and global appeal n what we could attract in terms of player managers etc.

14.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 13:08:36
Could it have been Asprilla Ed?

Btw a very well read piece on the epl,
All very true,

And the ban on English clubs did indeed have a massive impact on who came to Rangers

And cash of course

I still think if this team of ours can win all over Europe and be unbeaten in a entire season then they could cope in epl, investment and tv cash would see us compete, it would however take a good few years before they could be in the top 6 or so and that is without doubt a major concern imo.

{Ed001's Note - I don't know, I was thinking Asprilla, but considering he had been in Leeds just before then for a tour of the stadium and signing talks, you would think he would have some idea. Then again, he was mad as a March hare. I remember when he agreed to sign for Darlington and then did a midnight flit just before he was supposed to sign the contract. Not all there was Tino, but what a player!!}

15.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 13:13:36
Ed do you think it’s ever likely to happen old firm in England or British super league? For talking sake in the next 5/ 10 years? Just wondering what your thoughts are on that?

{Ed001's Note - I would have to say it is unlikely as it would require 16 Prem clubs to vote in favour. Even then, you would then need to convince the FA and EFL. Plus what division would they go into?}

16.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 13:14:42
Correct Paul.

17.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 13:37:21
Ed my reasoning would be that the premier league would become pl1 and pl2 with 2 leagues of 18, old firm joining the bottom tier? We can’t expect to jump in at the top as that is wholly unfair. Do u think this could be a viable option mate? Obviously there would be mega money involved and could appease the clubs who would be affected in some way.

{Ed001's Note - that has been talked about and rejected a number of times in the past, but you never know.}

18.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 14:52:04
I’m not too fussed either way, on one hand I would love the challenge of it all but on the othe we would lose European foootball for the foreseeable future. I’d be happy to do it but not bothered if it doesn’t happen.

19.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 15:39:44
Ed. Players will always come and go but Rangers and Celtic would, after the first year or two, have the benefit of the huge TV money plus sponsorship deals and global fan merchandise due to increased exposure. These 'elite' EPL teams can only sign so many players and if they choose to pay them £35k a week to play in the reserves then that is very sad. Financial 'fair play' rules still apply don't they? Right now, players like McGregor, Barisic, Helander, Kamara, Davis and Morelos, all international players, could hold their own in the EPL. Kent and Kamara too I think. Times have changed. Let's move on and give it a go if it rears its head. Nice debate though.

{Ed001's Note - I get what you are saying but that would only put you on an equal footing, at best, as all the others are already getting that money.}

20.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 17:22:42
Asprilla was a brilliant player did he not score a hat-trick against Barcelona for Newcastle in champs league?

21.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 18:34:25
asprilla was something else Some talent and always a joy to watch one way or another lol.