\u201cWe got the upper hand in the first game and that\u2019s what they realised they needed to do.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThey were trying to get at us early doors. There were a few late tackles because in the first game Charlie Mulgrew strolled it. He was flicking balls over heads, playing nice and easy.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThey didn\u2019t like that so they tried in the second game to come out with more purpose and get in our faces and make a few late tackles. I\u2019m sure Roy Keane would have loved that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The diary mentioned last week to keep an eye on what Ikeche Anya does this week, and he told the Evening Times that he wasn’t ruling anything out;<\/p>\n “Whenever any team is linked with you it means you are doing something right But I just focus on the football and if things materialise then they materialise.<\/em><\/p>\n “I don’t know anything about it. I just try to keep my mind on the football because that’s what I love. I just want to see how far I can go.<\/em><\/p>\n “I don’t ever cut myself off from anything I am grateful for the opportunities that are before me.<\/em><\/p>\n “I wouldn’t say no to any sort of league – the German league, the Spanish league. I have been out in Spain before in my career. I just work as hard as I can to get the opportunities that come to me and try to grasp them when they come.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n He’d be a more than useful addition to the squad. Left back is the one area we don’t have reasonable cover. and he’s capable of fighting his way into the first team.<\/p>\n \u00a0There were developments over at Ibrox this weekend as well. Continuing with the military theme, the club announced only their fourth manager this year when Mark Warburton was given control of the war chest, which gave the support another chance to show they are losing the battle with reality.<\/p>\n \u00a0Warburton did eighteen months or so with Brentford, where by all accounts he did quite well, and is though of quite highly down there. Not quite highly enough to keep him in a job, but highly nonetheless. He’ll be joined by the talented Davie Weir as his number two-presumably the press will refer to him as Warburtons lieutenant, as they do like that theme over there.<\/p>\n \u00a0Not surprisingly, social media erupted into a frenzy as Ibrox supporters realised that they have got the brightest young manager in football. Warburton might turn out to be a class above the rest, but there’s really no evidence that he is. That didn’t stop the hordes from declaring he is the new messiah, and they should know.<\/p>\n \u00a0They’ve followed a few.<\/p>\n A couple of examples….<\/p>\n Warburton has managed at a higher level than anyone else in Scotland. By far the biggest name up here & a great coup for Scottish football.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0It would appear the board have delivered. Well done Murray, King, Gilligan et al. \u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n How much do you and Warbs want the Rangers job Sir Davie? This much. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \n \u00a0The press are drooling a little as well…<\/p>\n Gary Ralston , in the Record, heralds the brave new dawn…<\/p>\n Warburton, 52, and Weir, 45, have sought and been given assurances over their budget for players as they bid to take the club out of the championship and have agreed three year contracts.<\/em><\/p>\n They have already identified a list of signing targets and hope to hit the ground running this week before the first team squad returns to pre-season training later in the month.<\/em><\/p>\n Rangers released 11 first team players at the end of the season and the squad needs an extensive re-building job if it is to claim its place in the Premiership next season.<\/em><\/p>\n Warburton declined to comment to Record Sport today ahead of this afternoon\u2019s press conference<\/a>, but he\u2019s delighted to land the job he wanted most after recently being linked with Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday.<\/em><\/p>\n Former city trader Warburton and ex-Rangers skipper Weir teamed up last season to take unfancied Brentford to the brink of the Premiership, losing a semi-final play-off to Middlesbrough.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n While Gary Keown records it in the Herald, with a quote from Warburton that suggests he won’t be spending any money and isn’t the tactical genius we are all supposed to fear…<\/p>\n Warburton has detailed his vision of the future at his next club and much of it will chime with an Ibrox board looking at a wholescale restructuring of all aspects of their business and a target set by the new chairman, Dave King, of bringing in 45,000 season ticket holders.<\/em><\/p>\n “I strongly believe in youth,” said Warburton. “I really believe that you can get young, hungry players who can embrace ideas and you marshal them with one or two senior pros who can really mentor them. That is a nice balance.<\/em><\/p>\n “I am also a big believer in smaller squads. I think Brentford used the least number of players, 24, over the course of the season. I think that tells you that you can keep a squad lean and hungry.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Well, if there’s no money for food…<\/p>\n “I don’t want to come across as arrogant, but I hope very much that the way we played at Brentford last season tells you a lot about Davie and me.<\/em><\/p>\n “People refer to playing the game the right way. That is nonsense.<\/em><\/p>\n “It is about playing the game your way. If you win trophies by being very long and direct, so be it, but I like to have players who can dominate a football, are comfortable in possession and enjoy being in possession.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Win trophies ? He hasn’t won anything yet.<\/p>\n \u00a0We can only wait and see.<\/p>\n \u00a0Over the weekend Dave King disappeared again, deciding not to attend the EGM in case anyone asked him any tricky questions, and Mike Ashley couldn’t be bothered showing up either.<\/p>\n \u00a0They’ve a manager in now, and only need some players, some scouts, some coaches and some money to make a right good go of things….<\/p>\n \n Is it true that the court office in Glasgow was “extremely busy ” due to a number of cases linked to the OrangeFest last weekend ? Was there a higher number of arrests for violence than we have been told ? Media blackout ?<\/p>\n Surely not.<\/p>\n Not when the offensive behaviour act is back in the news. A study commissioned by the Scottish government carried out by Stirling university did exactly what it was supposed to do. It supported the Act.<\/p>\n \u00a0There’ll be a more detailed look at this in a follow up article, but the first question and answer \u00a0tells you all you need to know.<\/p>\n XSF_Q1B. In general, how interested, if at all, would you say you are in football? (This could be either playing or watching) <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a052% said not very or not at all.<\/p>\n so whats the point in asking them anything about the game, how it’s run or how it’s policed ? You might as well ask the cat.<\/p>\n It’s of no interest to them, which leads me to think they will have little or no knowledge of what they are being asked about.<\/p>\n But they got asked anyway.<\/p>\n F_Q2C. The following set of questions are about Scottish football, this includes any football matches in Scotland, or any matches outside of Scotland that involve Scottish teams. We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that your answers are always treated confidentially and are never analysed individually. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Er, more than half of those being asked have little or no interest in the game, remember…<\/p>\n “Generally speaking, sectarian singing and chanting at football matches is offensive”\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 54% agreed strongly, roughly the same as those with little or no interest….<\/p>\n “Sectarian singing and chanting at football matches is an important part of football culture” \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 56% disagreed, which probably included the 52% who have, er , little or no interest.<\/p>\n To be honest,with \u00a0the wording of the questions here I’m surprised it wasn’t a lot higher. no-one wants to tell someone that sectarianism is okay, and the singing and chanting is fine, because it isn’t.<\/p>\n \u00a0What it suggests is that , apart from those with little or no interest in football, it’s not a big issue for those who do have an interest. Possibly because it’s not as rife as the powers that be would suggest, and certainly not worth a law of it’s own, specifically designed to criminalise one section of society.<\/p>\n Further on…<\/p>\n “Generally speaking, offensive behaviour at and around football matches is harmful_”\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n You would think it would be 80, 90 per cent , even more. Offensive behaviour anywhere is harmful, surely ?<\/p>\n Only 50% strongly agreed, 32% tended to agree, but were probably bored by now and trying to get away.<\/p>\n Then sort of the same question;<\/p>\n “Generally speaking, offensive behaviour at and around football matches is harmless banter and should not be taken seriously”\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 51% strongly disagreed, 28% tended to disagree, while by now people were moving away from the interviewer, pointing to the bus and saying “Look mate, I really have to go. “<\/p>\n \u00a0Moving on…<\/p>\n Q4B. As a reminder, by “offensive behaviour”, we mean any comments, singing or chanting that could be perceived as racist, homophobic or discriminatory. Still thinking about Scottish football… To what extent do you support or oppose laws to tackle offensive behaviour at and around football matches\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n “As a reminder ” Just to prompt the correct and obvious reply…<\/p>\n 50% Strongly supported it. Less than those who said they were not really \u00a0interested in football.<\/p>\n Note Q6B…the wording….<\/p>\n XSF_6B. You previously mentioned you agree that offensive behaviour at and around football matches is generally harmful. Still thinking about Scottish football… In which, if any, of the following ways do you think offensive behaviour at and around football matches is harmful? (Please select all that apply) \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Did they ? Really ?<\/p>\n \n The full survey is here, with some graphs that emphasis the result they wanted, great big blocks who overstate the actual figures.<\/p>\n![\"Embedded](\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/CHcw6SzXAAEgQ8Z.jpg\")
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