Alex Rae found himself on the end of a radio humiliation last night as he was forced to admit that no other club in Scotland cares for the demise of the Ibrox clubs.
The debate started with the self pitying nonsense from Graeme Souness about how everyone is suffering from not having a tax cheating club stealing trophies, prize money and European places.
Since 2012 the evidence has been everywhere that clubs are thriving on a more level playing field with trophies shared around clubs that hadn’t seen success in a generation while St Johnstone and Inverness enjoyed their first ever national honours.
Rae’s main defence was the Sky Sports viewing figures for ‘Old Firm’ games but with many folk knowing that half of that gruesome deal died in 2012 they can see through the hype from the broadcaster.
The former Rangers (IL) midfielder isn’t slow to pick up media fees for his opinion on the Scottish game but with his guard down he claimed that Scottish is football is dying on it’s feet until that ‘argument’ was cruelly trashed!
After discussing Souness’ warning from afar Rae told Radio Scotland: “I texted a few friends, if Celtic continue in this vain and Rangers have such a way to compete with Celtic there will become a ‘disinterest’ after ten.
“The thing is that the actual dynamics are so far apart. And, listen, the majority of Scottish teams are rejoicing in Rangers demise. Graeme (Souness) has the ability to step outside of that because he is living down in England.
“The reality is that if you look at the viewing figures for the ‘Old Firm’ games recently they have absolutely plummeted and that’s due to the fact that there is no competition.
“When you went into those games in Graeme’s time they were very much eachy-peachy, any team could win on their day, the Old Firm, and if it continues to be a one horse race for a continuation of years it will become a total lack of interest in the whole of the game because there is no challenge. I totally get what Graeme is trying to say but that’s up-to Rangers to try and change that.”
A short discussion then followed about Sky Sports viewing figures which seemed a strange topic for the state broadcaster to describe with Rae using those figures to back up his ‘We’re all doomed without Rangers’ argument
Asked to respond Tom English said: “Alex this is bending the facts that Scottish football needs a strong Rangers. Scottish football is better off with a strong Rangers but it doesn’t need a strong Rangers.
Going on highlighting the nonsense of Souness’s argument English added: “Scottish football does not have a strong Rangers and Scottish football isn’t dying. He (Souness) wants to see Scottish football dying because Rangers inflicted grievous harm on itself, he wants to see it that way, it’s not the case, he wants other people to blame.”
Rae became more and more desperate.
He was asked of Aberdeen needed a strong Rangers and admitted ‘probably not’. Asked if Hearts and Hibs needed a strong Rangers he replied the same and was forced to sheepishly admit that other clubs don’t need a strong Rangers.
Rae dug a deeper and deeper hole as he tried to convince himself that anyone outside of the Ibrox clubs relied on or required the mythical strong Rangers.
The facts say other clubs are getting on with life quite nicely with the events at Ibrox nothing more than a source of humour for supporters.
In May 2012 the BBC reported that Rae received £569,000 in ‘EBT’ payements for his two seasons at Ibrox, Rae has never disputed that figure.