…to understand where you’re going.

Bazza’s injured. But ahm noh worried.

Wee Burkey’s injured. But ahm noh worried.

Kris “Battle of the” Boyd is suspended.

Bob Malcolm, Marvin Andrews, Ronnie Waterreus and a few others have all left the club this summer. But, still - see me - ahm pyoor noh worried.

Coz Paul Le Guen is available, fit and Aye Ready to take his place in the Fir Park technical area this Sunday.

“La patate de Pencran” (The Pencran Potato) arrived when the chips were down. We’ve known since March this year that he’d be the 12th manager of Rangers Football Club. Everyone in Europe has known for the last two or three years that the man who guided Olympique Lyon to three successive Ligue1 titles - and laid the foundations, floorboards, carpets, stud partitions and ceiling for Gerard Houllier to retain the French Championship at the Stade Gerland - is the hottest property in soccer management.

Oh yes - The Gers will start their 2006/2007 League Campaign with the boiling jacket potato of gaffers at the helm.

He played 17 times for France, he played once for Brittany, he played almost 500 times for Paris St Germain and was a member of the first French side ever to win an untainted European trophy when PSG defeated Rapid Vienna 1-0 in the 1996 European Cup Winners Cup final in Brussells.

He had a couple of years managing Rennes, in his native region (did I mention he was born in Pencran, Brittany on 1st march 1964? - aye, I have indeed been at the Wikipedia again) and then he announced himself to the managerial world with his time at Lyon. Between Rennes and Lyon he took a year out - and it made him even better.

Between Lyon and Rangers he’s had a year out …

In truth, my opening sentences are a bit of a lie. I’m always worried. If I’m NOT worried going into a Rangers game - particularly one as significant as a season opener - then it’s only because my conviction that we’ll be slaughtered by the opposition is so deep as to have made me completely resigned to inevitable defeat. If I’m not worried, I’m just depressed.

This weekend - I’m as FAR from depressed as I’ve ever been.

In truth, no-one can say how the Le Guen regime will pan out. It could be a total fekin disaster. But, as he takes the comeptitive reigns, Le Guen has a CV and a reputation which even an eternal pessimist like maself cannot argue with.

Of course, we want a draw. The Old Firm team which has won the league for the last three or four years has begun their SPL campaign with a draw. The other one has won their opening game and gone on to lose the title.

Of course - that’s pish. it’s just coincidence. I want a fekin HUGE win at Motherwell on Sunday. But I don’t see it happening.

PLG, formerly of PSG, doesnae have all the players he wants on board yet and some of those he does want are injured or suspended. What’s more - it’ll take time to get everyone working to the new plan. At least - ooh, say … six months. Alex McLeish won the treble in his first full season in charge, Dick Advocaat did the same and Walter Smith managed the double in his - Waldo had to wait until his second full campaign before securing his treble.

So there’s nae pressure, Paul. But there’s a lot of love and a lot of hope and, this time, everyone in Red, White and Blue will be behind The Rangers manager 100%. (well, okay, there’s always some cu*t - but ye know what ah mean!!).

As long as we see the team moving in the right direction (ie towards the opposition goals as often as possible), we’ll be happy-ish. There’s always massive pressure at Ibrox to win the league - rightly so - but we have top respect both the fact there’s a big upheaval at Thw palace and that money is still fairly tight. We also have to respect our most dangeorus opponents.

Celtic have had a bad pre-season but they started last season with a 5-0 gubbing in the Champions League qualifiers and still won the league by a mile. You really can’t tell what they’ll be like. I definitely see Strachan as their McLeish so here’s hopng this’ll be the bad season which afflicted Eck every second year. And a lot of Bears will be interested in Hearts’ draw in tommorow’s Champions League qualifiers pots in Switzerland. Should it be a favourable one and Hearts get through to the Group stage it’ll be great for Scottish Football but also sure to drain the Tynecastle resources for an SPL challenge. This too is a problem for Celtic. I ain’t saying we’ve got a better squad than either of our two main rivals but we’ve got less strain on it, potentially, with only the UEFA cup to contend with between domestic matters.

Of the rest, I hope Aberdeen fall away - because I really don’t like them - but I wouldnt be surprised if Kilmarnock overtake Hibs as team number 4 in the league. It’ll be interesting to see how Motherwell open against us - P Le Guen isn’t the only new gaffer in this game.

Le Guen has us playing a new formation. The main thing for me is that it’s new, slightly complicated, and therefore sophisticated looking to the unsophisticated eye. He’s changing things and, going by his past record, he usually changes things for the good. I can see us finishing anywhere in the top three in the SPL yet , should everything work out, ye could also see us making the UEFA Cup final at Hampden.

From pessimsit to deluded optimist in just one move - a French moce.

Bonne chance, Paul and COME ON THE TEDDY BEEEEAAAARRSSSSS!!

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Published:
07.27.06 / 8pm
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