Walter Smith's Rangers - dour, defensive and outrageously negative

Harsh on Walter Smith that mate, let's not forget how he kept Everton in a premiership under the worst working conditions imaginable...he did so with quiet dignity. Don't get me wrong I can see how far we've come under Moysie but I think before you judge Walter you have to remember the conditions. You can only polish a turd so much.

more utter rubbish from anonentity ,rangers were no where last season and in 17 months hes put some credibility back into rangers he never said once this rangers team were the finished article his first thing to do was to bring stablity back here which he did and the uefa cup run was a bonus sorry could you tell me where everton were during our run in europe answers on the back of a postage stamp to ...............................

You'd hope people would get into the facts before they write their articles. The Rangers Walter has inherited are certainly no world beaters, the quality of the side has been bemoaned by many a Bluenose ever since the start of the season. What he has done though is play his side - in Europe! - up to their strength. Football is not just there to entertain and if a team is good at defending, they will use that tool to be successful. Mind you, Rangers are not in the hunt for the SPL title and two cups because they apply the same traits as in Europe. Fact is that most of the teams they have left in their trail have been (vastly) supperior in terms of football technique and ability. Rangers have had a bit of ability and all that before too, many British sides have. But you need really good quality to be on par with the best in Europe and none of that was apparent in any British team outside the big four of England in the last two decades. As for his ability as a manager ... I do not doubt that most of those in current employment in the Premiership or Championship would like to lay their hands on even a tenth of the silverware Walter has achieved in his career. And make no mistake here, while people may believe that the SPL is a mickey mouse league, each and every team apart from a chosen few each season employ the tactics Rangers have used in Europe against the Old Firm as well.

lets not forget he got further than Moyes did in the same competition

Yes he took his team further than Everton and Tottenham. But the difference was penalties; Everton and Spurs lost out on penalties, going down fighting and playing good football. I don't really like either team, and Everton especially in the league are a solid but unspectacular team. A poor man's Chelsea, with a few good match winners, some decent players who can play the ball on the ground but with their real success based on a tight defence and sucking the life out of their opponents play. Spurs re the opposite; an absolute shambles of attack without anything to anchor the team at the back. But both had good European campaigns with good results and the promise of further development next season. In the cold light of day what have Rangers got? A manager in the Lawrie Sanchez/Alex Mcleish mould who can organise ten men behind the ball and nothing else??? If any Rangers fan thinks that this season is the starting blocks for future success then they are as deluded as any Greece fan who thinks they will defend their Euro 2004 trophy. The fact is Rangers have been a disgrace on and off the pitch. Anti-football is how Messi aptly described this team's approach. Comparisons between Rangers and say Liverpool of 2005 or the old Cattenacio teams of the 1960's are way off the mark; these were teams that played to their strengths but more importantly could actually play some football when it was required. Only Rangers fans and the Police officers who were attacked by these disgraceful animals will even remember this campaign in ten years time. This was awful football; truly awful with no ambition and every match was played for penalties. There were no highs; no moments of class or inspiration. It as turgid, dire and boring. Rangers fans need to look at their neighbours Celtic- they actually bothered to turn up to the 2003 UEFA cup final. It will long live in the memory of all who saw the game as one of the best UEFA cup finals ever. And their fans won an award for the best behaved in Europe that season. Even though their team lost there were no arrests or acts of violence- clearly something the horrific and vile Rangers fans haven't got the brains to comprehend. And Celtic beat Blackburn, Liverpool, and Stuttgart along the way. And in open play.

What your saying about Smith is true theres no doubt about that, he came up with the theory that ex-premier league players and a five man midfield is enough to stifle the likes of hibs etc. Then he just hoped that a long ball to darcheville would produce something. Its this tactic that got them winning games in Scotland and got them to Manchester (plus an unbelievable amount of luck- how Fiorentina didn't beat them i'll never know). But it's cost them now- the Bhoys are gonna take their three in a row (well deserved). The funny thing about your article however is that you rate Evertons football as technicolour, even though they play the same 4-5-1 as Rangers (admittedley with a more skilled level of players)

Red Army - Everton do play the same formation as Rangers - but with very different personnel. Our midfield 5 is Arteta, Osman, Cahill, Pienaar, and Carsley -- only one defensive player in there!