RANGERS are finally a club on the up, on and off the field. That is the opinion of first-team coach Mac Gallienne, who aims to take the oldest club in Guernsey football off the bottom of the Cable & Wireless Priaulx League in his second season in charge.
Gallienne, as straight and honest as they come, is not daft enough to imagine the club will take the league by storm, but is adamant they are heading in the right direction.
Behind the scenes a growing number of people are improving the club’s infrastructure and facilities and it is no longer on the verge of falling apart.
On the pitch, the red-and-blacks aim to avoid the wooden-spoon and there is real hope that the club can land their first Youth One title in more than 40 years.
While visitors to St Andrew’s will be welcomed by much the same sort of first-team squad as last campaign, they will encounter new changing facilities, a new bar and a fresh outlook. ‘It’s a nice club . . . although it needed changing,’ said Gallienne.
‘It was an awful place - mismanaged is probably the best way to describe it.
‘Now it’s got the right, forward-thinking people involved.’
At senior level Gallienne has reason for optimism.
Dale Garland, arguably the top striker in local football, will be available for the first dozen games of the season, Morgan Cluett is back from university, Matt Solway has recovered from a broken leg and is ready to reinforce the defence and young striker Ross Allen will be available on a regular basis.
‘All we want to do is improve on last year when we had three wins and a draw,’ said a coach who will be assisted by former Sylvan stalwart Dave Brehaut and by Stuart Coburn, who will continue to play.
‘Three wins and a draw doesn’t sound much, but when you haven’t won for two seasons, it is quite a jump.
‘A good cup run wouldn’t hurt either.’
Gallienne said he was excited about the introduction of the Guernsey FA Cup. ‘It’s a good concept.
‘But it needs a couple of shocks in there.’
On paper a strike-force of Garland and Allen should give concern even to the best of defences and they also have a number of other talented juniors emerging, most notably Piers Ockleford.
He also has two good keepers from whom to choose in Chris Parrott - ‘one of the best keepers in the island’ - and island under-18 keeper Tom Le Tissier.
Chris Bisson, a left-sided player, is the only new signing, although before long Phil Sarl (October) and Duncan Flint (December) will be returning to the island to boost the squad.
‘I didn’t expect anybody,’ said Gallienne.
‘They [top players] are not going to move to a club like us at the moment,’ he said with his usual refreshing honesty.
‘But I’m happy to work with what I have got.’
It was Rangers, it should be recalled, who produced the shock result of the 2003-4 season when they beat North 1-0 at St Andrew’s.
It ultimately cost North the championship.
Gallienne wants more of the same and is confident he can take the club forward onto a higher level, even though he doubts he can lift Rangers to the title.
‘I can take Rangers to a certain stage - not all the way - but hopefully leave them in a better position than when I took over.
Article posted on 9th August, 2004 - 12.00am
Loading ...
Most Commented: