Walter Smith OBE Says GoodBye to the Beautiful Game & Rangers
The accomplishments of Walter Smith stand alongside any in the beautiful game. But despite an enviable CV that could fill a small compendium, two accomplishments, for me, stand out from the many, many others.
Firstly, there was that pinnacle of technical ability, the European Cup campaign of ‘92/93, when one more win added to the ten in the bag would have seen Walter stand to win the European Cup. No other Rangers’ manager can make such a claim. Not even the Dutch master nor the mighty Souness, although the latter was indeed far sighted in identifying the huge potential locked up in Walter’s grim adherence to duty, unimaginable fitness, something we don’t acknowledge nearly enough , and unmatched managerial apprenticeship, that included assisting Jim McLean scale the dizzy heights of Scottish and European football.
The second triumph was to match Jock Stein’s nine-in-a-row, and I suppose there was a cosmic inevitability to falling in the tenth season, at that final moment. To dominate such an implacable barbarian hoard for such a period is indeed a triumph of personal will and faith in the cause, over reasonable expectation. And may yet prove unique in the modern era. But that’s what makes football the world’s favourite game, you just cannot ever know.
Being a Rangers man of football his whole life, I’m sure Walter will take little credit from his other achievements. Like when he was taken to Manchester United by his great colleague, friend and mentor Sir Alex, to provide a steel for his all conquering phalanx; that elusive quality without which the brave falter and expire. Or when he was charged to expense £50,000,000 to improve an already dashing side. That was a huge challenge – improve the good. But Walter always knew the good was the enemy of the best and put his shoulder to the wheel once more.
I’m sure too that when he and Sir Alex fell heir to the great Jock Stein to take Scotland to the Mexico World cup in ’82, it was just another day at the office.
The great must inevitably accept the exceptional as their ordinary jurisdiction, and so must our Walter Smith OBE.
We have to accept that an era has come to a close. He heard Rangers’ and Scotland’s call to arms, never faltered and performed without pride, hubris, or self acclaim. Rare among his kind, he has set standards of behaviour not only for all future Rangers managers, but for all of those seeking to lead in the beautiful game. His magnanimity in triumph and graciousness in defeat tell us that the game is not a matter of life or death – it’s more important than that, and much too important to get angry over.
When Walter joined Rangers with Graeme it was a homecoming to a place he’d never been before. And true to his ethic he has been quick to share his failings and recant them, while speaking none at all of his heroic deeds, performed far and wide.
A modern Knight could not be more ably conceived, conduct himself more befittingly, not carry the flag more valiantly. Lets urge Alex Salmond and David Cameron to play their part and get the job done.
Again, I say: We lost out when the great Jock Stein was overlooked for his knighthood; lets make sure we don’t loss out with Walter.
I do not wish Walter a long and happy retirement from football, as is customary in these circumstances; it would surprise me not at all were he to reappear as coach of his local church team or leading Real Madrid to an El Classico. He’d that good.
I hope we knew what we had and appreciated it, but I suspect we heard the louder voices and did not. Let this not be an epitaph but a valediction; the boy done good.
When young, a prankster, when grown, feet of clay, Alistair must now step up to the plate and give us the man.
So where does Walter stand in the list of Rangers Managers? Probably the best.
But how can any of them be failures when they managed Glasgow Rangers?
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