It is part of hard-learned military wisdom that no plan survives contact with the enemy.
In a sense, a PR strategy is a bit like that.
A set of moves are discussed, and everyone knows their role.
Even the best plan depends on the execution, which means timing.
Yesterday I learned that this off-script statement from Sevco’s manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst caused some angst in the Blue Room.
“Seems like we have loads of money already now in the bank, which is not the case.”
I was told there was a well-laid-out plan to get some coordinated messaging out there during the international break.
The likeable Dutchman was speaking the truth, and Sevco does not have millions resting in their account.
It is also true that the death of Elizabeth Saxe-Coburg-Gotha two days after the Ajax game also threw the timescale out.
However, it was the admission from the Sevco manager that the ten-year-old club wasn’t flush with cash that forced the Blue Room to act earlier than they had planned.
For the avoidance of doubt, Giovanni was telling the truth as he knew it.
Indeed, my information is that the stark financial reality became apparent when he was waiting for the plane home to Fair Caledonia after beating PSV.
A member of the Sevco High Command told him to forget about the three new players he had requested.
Even with the guaranteed millions from the Champions League, it wouldn’t happen.
Therefore, that put his mood post-Ajax into some context.
This is a somewhat strange story of PR manoeuvres.
Usually, it is to spin some yarn to fool the public into believing something that isn’t true.
This one was designed to prepare the target audience, in this case, the Ibrox klanbase, to face up to the truth before the RIFC year-end accounts are published.
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My interpretation at the time was that, “already now”, implied that CL money will come but it’s not been paid yet; Aribo and Bassey money will be paid in installments… That kind of thing. I know clubs will spend that money once it’s confirmed that they will be in receipt of it, and when, but presumably Rangers are going to spend some of that money on paying down debts, which is objectively a good thing, no? That was my take.
Apropos your opening paragraph, it was Mike Tyson who, supposedly, said:
“Everybody got a plan until they get punched in the face”.