ian1964

THE penny finally dropped for Lee Wallace. A night in the cells in 2009 after an incident outside a nightclub resulted in a fine of �£1,100 for breach of the peace. It was his second conviction after being fined �£1,500 for possession of an air rifle back in 2006. Wallace knew he couldn't continue down that rocky path and decided to knuckle down. And he eventually reaped the rewards as he broke into the Scotland set-up. He admits his new-found maturity has seen him avoid trouble and helped seal a �£1.5million move to Rangers. Wallace, who turns 24 next week, said: "All the off-the-field stuff was simply due to stupidity and down to myself. "It was a huge wake-up call for me because it affected my girlfriend and family. It was a case of knuckling down, being professional and training hard. "The penny dropped for me a few years ago. There was a wee blip but it was about working hard and just playing consistently with Hearts." Wallace, who has five caps, missed most of last season out with cruciate ligament damage suffered against Liechtenstein in the Euro 2012 qualifier last September. He admitted there was a slight concern he would not pass his medical at Ibrox but now he is focusing on getting into the first team. He said: "The international scene came along with that until the injury in September. "But again, I worked hard and I've just done pre-season - now things have gone the way they have today." Now Wallace will focus on trying to dislodge Sasa Papac from the left-back slot. He added: "I am ambitious and I want to play at the highest level - I feel coming to Rangers is a huge step for me. "I feel I can kick on even more as I am working with winners who are seasoned at doing this. I feel I will learn from the top pros here and it can only benefit me." Ironically, he will face his former club Hearts at Ibrox on Saturday and he is hoping the Jambos support don't give him too much stick. He said: "I hope that isn't the case. I am a pro and I'm ambitious. I want to try and progress my career." And new Ibrox team-mate Lee McCulloch believes Gers gaffer Ally McCoist has solved three problems by capturing Wallace for Gers. The midfielder reckons they have snapped up an international left back who can bomb up and down the park. A top class centre half strong enough to handle any big centre forward. And also a lightning-quick left-winger who can deliver deadly balls into the box. He said: "Lee is a very good player. He gets up and down, he has a good engine, he'll run all day for you, and he's very good with the ball. "So I think he'll be a great signing for us and it will give everyone a lift. "Lee's a good left back, but he can play centre half with his strength and pace. "I could see him going in there just now. "But I could also see him playing left wing with Sasa Papac behind him because he can put the ball into the box. "I'd say he is like Stevie Whittaker, only on the left side. He's a big boy as well - over six feet - so he ticks all the boxes. "To have someone able to play in so many positions is good for us. He can definitely enhance the team. "He's three players in one." McCulloch believes the fact Wallace is already a proven SPL star is an advantage. He said: "I have been in squads with him and played against him and he's a nice guy, down to earth, so he'll fit in well at Rangers. "I played with him for Scotland a few times and he knows what it's all about to play at that level." The bookies have made Celtic favourites for the new campaign. But McCulloch said: "I think Celtic have been favourites the last three years. It doesn't give us any extra motivation. It really doesn't bother us." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3708479/I-was-so-STUPID-now-Ive-grown-up.html#ixzz1Sn8Mbv00

Cardiff are ready to step up their interest in Dundee United striker David Goodwillie after completing the signing of Kenny Miller today. Scotland hitman Miller, 31, has agreed personal terms with the Bluebirds, but will finalise his Ã?£880,000 move from Turkish club Bursaspor once he passes a medical this morning. Now Cardiff boss Malky Mackay wants Ã?£2million-rated Goodwillie to join strike aces Miller and Robert Earnshaw in a three-pronged attack at the Championship outfit. Mackay said: “We need to improve our strength in depth in all areas. We lost 12 players this summer but I know the task in hand. But, in the meantime, Mackay is delighted to have captured 55-cap Miller ahead of SPL champions Rangers. Mackay added: “Kenny is a top professional footballer. With age, he is getting better and better as I see him year on year. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Cardiff-aim-land-2m-rated-David-Goodwillie-Dundee-United-striker-despite-interest-SPL-champions-Rangers-article773983.html#ixzz1SmUcgMZz

According to reports he will sign after he gets his medical this morning???,then again he may yet come to Rangers???

LEE WALLACE admitted he thought his move to Rangers was dead. Ibrox boss Ally McCoist captured Wallace yesterday and Alejandro Bedoya signed a pre-contract - after Hearts had originally rejected two previous offers of �£300,000 and �£1million last month. The Jambos slapped a �£3m price tag on the player and appeared to scupper the move but the 23-year-old Scotland star signed in a �£1.5m deal just hours before the Champions League signing deadline. Wallace, who signed a five-year deal, said: "There was a slight concern the opportunity was missed. "I just tried to stay as positive as I could and the professional way was to get on with my job. "I was concentrating on my side of things and getting fit for the start of the season." Wallace revealed he got the good news in a text from agent Gary Mackay which simply read: Call me ASAP! He said: "I have never had a message like that before and when it came I had a half feeling what it was about. "It is a huge step up. You walk out there and see the size of the stadium knowing you are going to get 50,000 fans every second week. "It is a great platform and obviously comes with great responsibility and huge expectations but it is a challenge which few could turn down." Midfielder Bedoya has shaken hands on a pre-contract move from Swedish side Orebro and will arrive in January. Earlier this week Gers had a bid rejected for the 24-year-old. Now they've secured the US international for nothing. Gers gaffer Ally McCoist, meanwhile, still hasn't given up hope of bringing back Carlos Cuellar from Aston Villa. St Johnstone chairman Geoff Brown, though, is ready to play hard ball after booting out a bid for Murray Davidson. It's understood Gers offered �£150,000 rising to �£250,000 but Brown said: "It fell far short of our valuation. I am not going to say what the offer was but let's just say the time it took to respond was the time it took to type out 'no thank you'. "If a player is regarded by a club like Rangers as being a first team squad man he must have a value. And they haven't come close to what we believe Murray is worth. "Any club wanting Murray has to pay the going rate and certainly not what was being offered by Rangers. "Murray will go on to bigger things but any deal would have to suit the best interests of St Johnstone." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3708624/Lee-Wallace-joy-at-Rangers-deal.html#ixzz1SmmnaJf3

I happen to think this is a good signing,the guy is young,talented and has the potential to get even better,he could be the Rangers LB for years. Welcome to the Rangers Lee

I understand what you're saying BD,but can you imagine if there was nothing coming out of Ibrox regarding possible signings,it would drive some fans crazy

Orebro midfielder Alejandro Bedoya is in Glasgow for signing talks with Rangers, STV has learned. The American was subject to an offer earlier this week from the SPL side, which was rejected by the Swedish club. But Bedoya has travelled to Scotland for talks and, although he could agree a pre-contract to join in January, Rangers haven't ruled out a move to sign him immediately. Speaking on Thursday, Rangers' director of football Gordon Smith confirmed their talks with the player. "We are hoping to get him on a pre-contract," Smith told STV. "We are in discussions about that. "It would be to start in January but if we were to sign him now, we would have to agree a fee with his club. That's under discussion as well." At international level, Bedoya got his big break at this summer’s Gold Cup when he was drafted in late to the USA team. The New Jersey born player has scored nine goals in 62 appearances for Orebro since signing in 2009. The midfielder was a member of the United States' squad for the Gold Cup in June, making five appearances as Bob Bradley's side reached the final before losing 4-2 to Mexico. The creative midfielder was also in the preliminary 30-man US squad for the 2010 World Cup but was cut from the final 23-man selection. Bedoya, who has been in Sweden since 2009, has 13 caps for the United States’ national team and is out of contract at the end of the Swedish season in December. Patrick Mork, the player’s agent, said he believed Bedoya would fit in well in Scotland. “Alejandro Bedoya plays with lots of guts and character," he told STV. "When you see him play you think British football. “He is a very hard working player, an up and down the midfield player. He can play central or right midfield and also on the right wing.” http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/263260-alejandro-bedoya-poised-to-sign-for-rangers/

Some people are never happy:)

http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/

If the fee for Miller is �£600k then we should sign him ASAP

Exactly mate,the thing I don't understand is all the basis for the negativity was based on results???,that's the first time I've seen us play a full game and I'm quite confident in what I've seen,results mean nothing in these games,it's all about preparing for the coming season

Good run out tonight,the team is looking ready for the start of the season,if we can add more players then we will be in good shape for the coming season and 4 in a row

The Rangers fans are doing excellent as well

Aye,the young guns are looking good

Dirty wee bastard went right over the ball on Whittaker,glad he's ok

Aye,we look well ready for the Hertz game,get evry player that's on the bench a good run out

I would make a lot of changes tbh,it's only a pre-season game so all our players should get as much game time as possible,that also reduces the risk of injuries,the result is not important.

Brilliant goal from Davies

Very impressed with Eardley,sp,sign him up Ally

Nice break away there,good goal

That's the way I read it,he is challenging Wenger to make a decision as he knows Rangers want him

Nobody knows the reason for the stalling,however I'm guessing it all be down to his agent waiting from an offer from Spain,or elsewhere,or maybe it's got something to do with Carlos wanting a sweetener from Villa to go??,as I said who knows,but it's not worrying. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/west-midlands-sports/aston-villa-fc/2011/07/19/aston-villa-latest-on-carlos-cuellar-deal-97319-29079837/#ixzz1SXrlONxc

Why?................

I was just about to post that :boogie:

Kyle Bartley says he is ready to break into the Arsenal first team this season after making giant strides during his time at Rangers. The commanding central defender was on the fringes of ArsÃ?¨ne Wengerââ?¬â?¢s squad last summer but the manager decided another loan spell would be best for his development. Bartley headed to Sheffield United before making the switch to Rangers, where he excelled as the Scottish giants secured a League and Cup Double. Now, after fine-tuning his game and learning a thing or two in the high-pressure environment of Ibrox, Bartley feels he has what it takes to be an Arsenal player. ââ?¬Å?If Iââ?¬â?¢m honest, I donââ?¬â?¢t think I was anywhere near the level to play for Arsenal last season,ââ?¬Â he told Arsenal.com. ââ?¬Å?But Iââ?¬â?¢ve come back, I feel really strong and I feel that I am ready now. ââ?¬Å?I learned the demands of being at a top football club who are trying to win things and how important it is to be a champion and a winner. Every time you step on the pitch, you are going out there to win so there is a lot of pressure on you. ââ?¬Å?I think I can offer something else [because] I am a little bit different to the other centre backs. I like the physical side of the game and I see myself as a leader. If ArsÃ?¨ne decides that he wants me in the first team then that will be fantastic.ââ?¬Â Bartley wasnââ?¬â?¢t part of the squad that travelled to Asia because he had not fully recovered from a medial ligament injury sustained while north of the border. He will link up with the first-team squad when they return to training on Tuesday and the 19-year-old is hoping to catch his managerââ?¬â?¢s eye ahead of this weekââ?¬â?¢s trip to Germany. ââ?¬Å?I spoke to the boss on the Friday before they left [for Asia] and he told me that they had four centre backs [going on the tour] and obviously I wasnââ?¬â?¢t fully over my injury yet. Itââ?¬â?¢s just one of those things. ââ?¬Å?It was always the aim to get back for the start of pre-season because itââ?¬â?¢s an important time of the year. I will be back with them on Tuesday when they are back in training with a view to going to Germany with them. ââ?¬Å?He has said he doesnââ?¬â?¢t want me going on loan yet and he hasnââ?¬â?¢t made his mind up. My hopes are the same as every year, to be an Arsenal first-team player. Hopefully, this year, that will happen.ââ?¬Â http://www.arsenal.com/news/reserves-news/bartley-i-m-ready-for-the-first-team-now?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arsenal-news+%28News+Feed%29