craig

Again, how is he a snake in the grass Pete ?

Looks like a wee sly dig at Celtic....... Rangers assistant boss Ally McCoist insists moaning about the SPL's post-split fixtures is a pointless exercise. A number of clubs have complained about their lot since the final five fixtures of the season were announced on Sunday, including the Ibrox club's arch rivals Celtic. The Hoops have demanded an explanation as to why Rangers will end up playing three home games against Hearts when a trip to Tynecastle would have provided a much stiffer test. But McCoist said: "The split is what it is and you can mump and moan about things all you like. You just have to take your chances with it when you get them. "Everyone plays against each other once when the top six break away and you need to get on with it. Sometimes it works for you and sometimes it doesn't. "People will always find something to complain about but I'm certainly not doing it. We're happy with how the last five matches have worked out. "The SPL do their best to accommodate everybody and, while we'd rather play our last game at home, we haven't got that. That's fine and we'll just see what that brings us. "All of our matches will be tough, no matter where they are played, so we'll just roll our sleeves up, get on with the task in hand and hope that we win the league in the end. "We are going to have to do it the hard way by going to Easter Road and Tannadice and having to beat Aberdeen, Hearts and Celtic at home. "But you must earn the championship. "If we want to win the title, we'll have to show what we are made of. That'll be the case whenever we have to go and whoever we play and we've no qualms with how the fixtures have panned out." The SPL's primary concern when the post-split fixtures are compiled is ensuring each club ends up playing 19 home and away matches during the campaign. Instead of a second trip to Tynecastle, where they lost in November, Rangers will instead visit Hibernian for a third time. They have won both games at Easter Road so far this term but McCoist is adamant his side have not been handed an easy ride. He said: "Easter Road is a heck of a place to go for a third time. I remember going there as a player myself and we had some real tussles and right battles at the ground. "It's the same now when I go there as the assistant manager. "Sure, it's a good place to go and play football because they've got a fantastic surface there, but they make things very difficult for you too."

Yep, sporting life now reporting it is for the season too.

I haven't been his biggest fan since he returned from Blackburn (for football reasons ONLY) but surely, regardless of whether the team is playing better without him, we should still be considering him a loss. Far, far better to have a full squad to choose from. What happens is Edu or Mendes get injured ? You would prefer that we brought McCulloch or Dailly into the CM position rather than BF ? We have already seen this season that WS won't put Davis in there (who is playing poorly anyway) and has deployed McCulloch there. From what I see of our options, Ferguson would have been our best option if anything happened to Edu or Mendes and, if either of them were having an off-day, Ferguson would at least be a decent replacement. Who would that replacement be now ?

Of course you are correct - it can't just disappear. But there are TWO sides to this transaction - let me see if I can clarify : 1. Rangers receive 50 million from MIM. MIM pays 50 million to Rangers in the rights issue. his means that Rangers issue additional shares in favour of MIM (this is an increase in EQUITY, or capital). Rangers use said 50 million to repay debts. 2. MIM pay Rangers 50 million. MIM gives Rangers 50 million for equity shares. This has the effect of giving MIM an asset to the tune of 50 million (not much of a valued asset but an asset nonetheless - and one which should have been written down in value by MIM considerably at this point). This is where the debt doesn't disappear. MIM, assuming they used debt financing for the 50 million, now owe the bank 50 million. See the debt is still there, it is just that it isn't Rangers' debt. Where this all becomes clouded is in the relationship between MIM and Rangers. As I said, if SDM owned the shares in Rangers personally then Rangers would be fine. Given MIM have shares in Rangers it could be a bit more convoluted. It seems that Rangers should be a "subsidiary" of MIM due to MIM owning >50% of the shares in Rangers. However, even if MIM went out of business Rangers are not obligated to pay MIM's loans - not even the 50 million that MIM gave Rangers for the rights issue. To see some of the logic in this all you need to do is look at, for instance, AIG. Same can be applied. One division of AIG caused their downfall but the have no additional obligations to pay any money they received from the other group companies. What is happening, and would likely happen with Rangers, is that in the event of administration for the parent company, there would be a sell-off of subsidiaries. This could actually help us - reason ? Rangers are a loss-making entity at present and therefore any administrator would likely want us (Rangers) out of the way to stem the bleeding - they would, obviously, want a decent enough return though given there are some assets (Ibrox, Murray Park) still left.

The club cost him 6 mill, right ? That 50 mill from the rights issue though...... it could quite conceivably be that he felt he had no option but to invest it to save his investment, rather than being a direct wish to save Rangers. Re the underwriting of the debt. Cammy, you are wrong. The 50 million was a rights issue, that meant that it became debt of MIM (as he owns MIM and MIM bought the shares, presumably from some kind of debt financing) but on the books of Rangers it is EQUITY. Equity does not need to be repaid. The issue becomes clouded due to the structure of Murray's "empire". If Rangers were a standalone company then it is easy, Rangers do not owe a penny of that 50 million. If Rangers are a subsidiary of MIM (BD, help me out here..... cant be bothered checking) then we get embroiled under the whole structure. In looking further it seems that he owns Rangers from a blend of both personal and business shares. I think that it is spurious at best to suggest that because it was underwritten by MIM that Murray didnt open his own wallet. Is he not the MAJORITY shareholder in MIM ? If so then you really have to say he HAS opened his own wallet to the extent of 50 million times whatever his %age holding in MIM is. I am with calscot. I am no big fan of SDM and he may have used Rangers to his own advantage - but that 50 million, to some extent, was his own money (or the money of the financiers of MIM which, indirectly, still means his own money). Beat him with a stick by all means, but make sure that you are factually correct all the while. Rangers do NOT need to pay back that 50 million, as it stands. MIM do though, if they financed it (which is likely)......

Barry Ferguson is likely to miss Rangers' next two games at the very least, but it remains unclear whether he will play again this season. The deposed captain suffered a calf injury less than two minutes into Tuesday's reserve draw with Hearts at Stirling Albion's Forthbank Stadium and was forced to leave the field. It was the midfielder's first outing since he and goalkeeper Allan McGregor returned from the two-week suspensions imposed upon them for flicking V-signs at photographers days after indulging in a drinking session while on Scotland duty. Their antics also saw them banned for life from representing their country. McGregor was also playing yesterday when Ferguson appeared to hurt himself as he went to make a block tackle on Jambos' winger David Templeton. He left the ground with strapping around the injury and reserve-team coach Tommy Wilson anticipates he will definitely miss Saturday's Homecoming Scottish Cup semi-final against St Mirren and the following weekend's Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Hearts. Wilson told the Light Blues' official website, http://www.rangers.co.uk: "Barry just felt his calf pop. "He was really up for the game so I was really disappointed when he had to come off. "He was desperate to get back to action and has played for me a couple of times in the reserves this season when he was coming back from his ankle injury. "The doctor has examined him and strapped him up and I think he may have torn a couple of fibres in his calf muscle. "However long that keeps him out for I'm not sure, but I wouldn't imagine he'll be fit for this weekend or the week after."

Interesting..... and you know for SURE that SDM was not the one that pushed him out the door ? SDM has never said something out of one side of his mouth and said something out the other at the same time ? OF COURSE HE HAS. Likewise.... the reason he may have "wanted to leave the club ASAP" could have been because he was being pushed out the door - never think of that being a possibility ? Further, just because he signed a 5 yr contract and then 6 months later leaves does NOT necessarily make him two-faced. In fact, in some cases, it could be argued he was HELPING the club - tying himself to a long-term contract, at that point in his career, would mean that the club would inevitably get a higher transfer fee if he left. I am not BF's biggest fan but I thought it was generally accepted that he left because SDM wanted the money given the recent strategy of "down-sizing" at the club. I have to laugh at some fans that take whatever they read in print as gospel, when it suits, and then lambast the press because what they are reading is "lies, lies and damn lies" - again, whenever it suits. IF, and it is a BIG IF, BF was the one that wanted away then itstill doesn't show he is two-faced. He signed his contract 6 months prior. You never been in a job, felt good in it and then at some point in the future you think "balls to this, I want to do something else" ? BF doesn't have his enemies to seek, especially when many of them are in his own club's fanbase.

Liverpool also have a fight on their hands for that 2nd automatic CL spot - top 2 get auto entry, right ?

True John but at least those youths brought through wouldnt cost the club in terms of transfer fees.

Dorman at 700k plus his wages would negate Hemdani's wages. Hemdani isnt even close to the team so he will leave. The question is though.... will Dorman get close to the team ? Financially Hemdani leaving and Dorman joining would be awash.

Where was Fabianki going at Liverpool's second ? He was almost in amongst the fans !

Funny thing is that when I was Emirates and watched Arshavin play against Burnley in the FA Cup and I thought he was pish. Maybe still adjusting to the English game but he really did look poor (even though at Zenit he was immense). Different player tonight though. And..... Jon and I end up all square on the season - Phew !! Same again next season Jon ?

Gerrard was diving in the studio Gav

Hey, thought you wouldnt be responding at FT Gav ? Couldnt help yourself could you !

Wow wow wow 4-4

Looks like the Arshavin show - 4 attempts, 4 on target, 4 goals. WOW !!!!

I thought you would pick up on my "hate" comment Jon, given the Snooker thread.....

2-2 - poor defending by Liverpool this time. Decent finish though.

Liverpool deserve to be in the lead. I just wish Rangers would play with that type of tempo.

Whatever Jon - either way you make a habit of assuming that the rest of us are constantly on here - you are prone to the wee "no comment Craig/Gav/whomever" statement. Aye, shit defending from Arsenal. Man U will still win the league. I hate Liverpool..... much of it thanks to you Jon.

some of us have other things to do aside from sit on her 24/7 Jon ....... Poor clearance, decent finish. Game on as a draw doesnt help Pool.

You are right....... that is football. Get it up ye ! MON THE GOONS.

We posted at the same time.

Liverpool will definitely score if they keep this pressure up.