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from The Daily Record.

By jim Traynor on Mar 14, 11 08:37 AM in ALLY McCOIST will fight his two-match touchline ban but he should accept the punishment. He'll need all his reserves of energy and will for more important struggles which lie ahead. Depending on what happens over the next two to three weeks he will be taking over as manager of a club about to be revitalised or one sliding deeper into decline. And many are convinced it will be the latter. With the passing of every week Rangers fans lose hope that their club will be bought over and dragged out of debt. They look at the paucity of Walter Smith's squad and they must feel like weeping. Lloyds Bank, on the other hand, are delighted. Rangers' debt continues to fall and the next set of figures, which are about to be released, will show the Ibrox club now owe less than �£20million. No doubt someone at the bank will take pride in a job well done and it shouldn't surprise anyone if that person is in line for a whopping bonus. After all, that's what the banks do isn't it? They reward themselves for squeezing and destroying hard-working ordinary Joes even though it was their greed and stupidity that pushed the country towards financial ruin. And then they grab our tax money to get them out of the mess. It's instead of being forced back to school to do their sums again they grow fatter and richer by refusing to lend any of the cash back to people trying to buy or hold on to their homes and businesses. And of course the less they lend out the more for them to share in bonus payments which would be enough to keep loads of little companies and households going. They slap one another on the back, oblivious to the damage they cause. However, they are themselves insolvent. They are morally bankrupt. No doubt Lloyds will credit themselves for reducing Rangers' debt but there is nothing sharp, or even intelligent, in putting in place a repayment plan that is making it increasingly difficult for Rangers to remain competitive. While the Ibrox balance sheet is looking much better you have to ask at what cost has this been achieved? The answer won't be clear until the end of this season but it does look as though Rangers don't have enough players to handle the run-in. It's also fairly obvious they can't cope with Neil Lennon's Celtic, who have won three and drawn one of the five Old Firm clashes so far this season. Of course if Rangers were to win the remaining two Old Firm matches everything would look so much brighter but the problems caused by constant wage cuts to keep the bank satisfied would remain. They were there when Smith steered Rangers to back-to-back titles and a glance at any of his team sheets this season proves the problems are even worse now. No matter what Rangers do on the pitch between now and the end of the season McCoist will be inheriting a squad lacking in genuine quality and experience. And he will have to give serious thought to selling one of his few assets, Allan McGregor, to fund moves for a couple of players simply to increase numbers. His task will be practically impossible and his only real hope is Craig Whyte who is still waiting in the wings. However, he won't wait much longer. Time is running out and if Whyte hasn't been given the go ahead by the end of this month don't be surprised if he closes his cheque book, puts it back in his pocket and walks away. Several vague deadlines have come and gone but Whyte is smart enough to realise that buying Rangers solves only half a problem. The other half involves rebuilding a squad and Whyte, I suspect, doesn't want to leave that part to the last minute. He knows clubs and managers are already working on the ins and outs of transfer deals for next season and he would want to give McCoist as much time as possible to improve his squad. But nothing can be done until Whyte's offer has been accepted. If it isn't - Rangers' standards will continue to fall. Whyte's �£33m bid to take the club off David Murray's hands and out of the bank's control, and his promise to spend �£5m on players each season for the first five years of his tenure appears to tick the relevant boxes. But still McCoist and Rangers wait. Of course, there is the potential tax liability should Rangers lose their court battle with the taxman but it is understood some kind of arrangement has been put in place to deal with that as well. But still Rangers fans wait. Now they have to ask why. After all, Whyte has provided proof of funding and Murray, who said he would never sell to anyone who couldn't support the club financially, appears convinced by the Scottish financier and it's understood he's prepared to do the deal. So why the hold up? Who might be stalling? Are Rangers being used as a pawn in a wider game? Is the bank playing hard ball? If so, why? Someone at Lloyds could probably provide the answers but because of market rules and the cloaks of confidentiality bankers wrap around themselves there is only silence. Rangers have cut back to the bare minimum to repay their debt and there is an offer on the table which would rid the bank of the headache, yet nothing continues to happen. If Whyte is ready to get going and help finance McCoist's rebuilding programme but finds he is being blocked then he should say so. Rangers fans are entitled to know why this deal hasn't been concluded. They deserve to know who is holding up progress and why. But they should also be aware that the Whyte saga is nearing its end. The next few weeks will make or break his ambition to own Rangers. That also means the next few weeks could make or break Rangers.

Published Date: 13 March 2011 By ANDREW SMITH BEYOND the issue of how long Neil Lennon can possibly put up with a daily existence in which his freedom and safety, and those of his family, are being challenged lie deeply uncomfortable questions. How have we tolerated the fomenting of such hatred for so long to have brought us to this point? And what does it say about our society? The bullets in the post in January that were followed by a fake nail bomb this month have taken the death threats and intimidation against Lennon to unprecedented levels for any public figure in this country. Safe-houses and 24-hour surveillance have become necessities for the security of the Celtic manager, his partner and their five-year-old son. But such grotesque developments are in keeping with the disfiguring of ordinary life Lennon has had to contend with during his 11 years in Scotland. It has escalated now because his position has been elevated. It has always been there, though, and manifested itself in street assaults that have brought convictions for the culprits, sectarian slogans being daubed on roads, his retirement from playing for Northern Ireland after a paramilitary death threat received by the BBC and constant vile, viral hate crimes. The internet, indeed, as pinpointed by both his lawyer Paul McBride and First Minister Alex Salmond this week, is now recognised as the cesspit in which too much verbal savagery has been allowed to stew for too long. Yet, what truly disturbs is not the evidence of Facebook groups such as Hunt Down Neil Lennon And Shoot Him, Let's Hang Neil Lennon but what masquerades as acceptable comment on the 39-year-old in various forums. An "ah, but" element creeps in to justify the treatment of Lennon: "Ah, but, even though no-one should have to deal with death threats, he brings it on himself". Expanded, the haters would venture that it is his snarling, his loss of control on the touchline and, having been reared in Lurgan, his embrace of what Celtic stands for and rejection of all things Rangers that make him an accomplice in any wrong-doing perpetrated against him or his family. This is baloney that deliberately fuses and confuses two separate issues. Anyone is entitled to have no time whatsoever for Lennon. This, though, offers no legitimacy to those who believe that it extends to creating a climate wherein, it is believed, some serious criminals in Northern Ireland have felt sufficiently emboldened by a public mood in Scotland to embark on a campaign of horrific harassment. A campaign in which Lennon has been sent bullets and suspect packages, had distress caused to his parents in his homeland and been forced to have a panic button installed in his family home - a home which he and his partner and child have had to be moved from three times in the past month as a result of police receiving what they deemed "credible" threats. Ultimately, the targeting of Lennon doesn't come down to his personality. His bolshiness and bad-mouthing in the heat of battle are, away from games, underpinned - and so undercut - by an impressive intelligence and articulacy. It is a consequence, pure and simple, of his being an unapologetic, successful Northern Irish Catholic in a country where there is a virulent anti-Catholic strain among a section of the Rangers support. The apparent unwillingness to confront this issue head-on is one of the reasons the pressures on Lennon have continued to grow, and proved a primary motivation in McBride and Lennon's agent Martin Reilly putting firmly into the public domain the intolerable nature of what he is living under in a supposedly-civilised society. The same week Lennon received bullets, so to did fellow Northern Irish Catholics Niall McGinn and Paddy McCourt. Two more unassuming and affable blokes you could not meet. All three were then fresh from Celtic's first league success in a derby in two years. The hatred of Lennon has been hiked up in the ten weeks since, as Celtic have attained a hitherto long-surrendered supremacy in encounters with their bitterest rivals. Just as fans of the Ibrox club, for the first season in many years - appearing to take their lead from the Papal visit - have started giving lusty renditions of their No Pope of Rome ditty. It has barely been the subject of media comment, far less opprobrium, even if it patently comes under the charge of "incitement to religious hatred". There is hardly another football club in the world that could find themselves in the dock over that but still people are unable or unwilling to join the dots between the acceptance of such illegality and hate crimes directed at Lennon online, which must now be tackled as would internet fraud, terrorist threats and paedophilia. Lennon's ability, and willingness, to stay in his post, may come down to the seriousness with which attempts are made to take the heat out of a situation that is impacting on both his personal and professional life. He has not appeared before the media since the fake nail bomb addressed to him was intercepted in Saltcoats ten days ago. Assistant Johan Mjallby performed such duties ahead of Celtic's trip to Inverness today for their sixth-round Scottish Cup tie, which the host club have had to make special security arrangements for in order to accommodate the banned Lennon in the stand of the Caledonian Stadium. "He's been in the limelight for reasons that are not to do with football and that's why he has decided to sit this one out," the Swede said at Lennoxtown on Friday. "At the end of the day it's about Celtic Football Club and the players. That's what we want to discuss." Mjallby, who last weekend rejected the suggestion floated by first-team coach Alan Thompson that Lennon could step away in the summer, insisted the Celtic manager's demeanour had not been affected by the invidious circumstances forced on him. "He's going great," he said. "He's a strong character. You've even more admiration for the way the guy works so well with the team, supports the players and thinks about tactics (in the face of what's happening off-field]." Those in Lennon's circle and who have encountered him professionally have rejected the notion that he will quit, East Fife manager John Robertson describing him eloquently as "a warrior who would not walk". Yet despite offering similar sentiments, his agent also conceded that Glasgow was closing in on his client. "If we go out on a Saturday night then we go to places where people won't give him any hassle - but we're running out of places," Reilly said. "It seems to be wherever we go there's always problems for him." For a man who, it must be remembered, has been open about his battles with depression, it has to be questioned how sustainable it is to live in a city where, in recent months, walking down the street with partner and child has at times become a trial and a gauntlet for the three; quite apart from all the other desperate difficulties he has been forced to endure. Yet Lennon is doing a job he covets - perhaps feels as if he was born for - and, as the most decorated Celtic player to belong entirely to the post-Jock Stein era, has a keen sense of the club's history and his potential place within it. There is only so much it is worth going through to make a managerial mark anywhere, however beloved. That has long been passed with Lennon. Now he needs the will of government and football authorities to reset the boundaries of acceptable public behaviour. He deserves that; we must demand it. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport/Andrew-Smith-Scotland-must-ask.6733176.jp?articlepage=3

IT'S more than 11 years since he was the Hammer in Holland. But the Rangers badge has been nailed on for life. Tonight Jorg Albertz will again pull on the Light Blue top. Only this time he'll be wearing it in front of his TV at home in Moenchengladbach to cheer on Walter Smith's side. And he'll sit there praying someone can repeat his heroics of 1999 and bullet home a Gers winner in the Philips Stadion. The Ibrox side's star-studded attacking names of the past might be replaced by a team ethic based on defence. But Albertz is convinced they can still shock Fred Rutten's side and go all the way to the Europa League Final. Smith himself yesterday called for someone else to step into the Hammer's shoes tonight. Told of the comment, Albertz said: "I think I'm too old for it now! "I'd LOVE to be out on the pitch playing for the team but he's got a good squad and they'll work hard for each other. "Why can't the boys go there and get a draw or a win? "Walter's playing a little bit more defensively now and will hope they can sneak a goal there. "In the situation they're in that's not the worst thing to do. "I don't think they're in a position with the players they have to go out and attack and concede maybe two or three goals. "Hopefully they go out and get a goal and get a draw or a win. "Walter has proved so often in the past that he gets success. In Lisbon they scored two goals so why can't they do it again? "You don't have a Brain Laudrup or Paul Gascoigne who can decide a game on their own with a flash of genius. "You've got a good team that needs to work really hard together as a unit. "Do that and they can beat any team. You see it so often, an underdog beating the favourites. "It's why I think Rangers can go all the way to the final. Why not? "Do that and it would be one of the biggest successes for Walter himself. "This is not disrespectful to the team but he just doesn't have the big name star players any more. "Hopefully they can go all the way. Why not this year? "I'll watch the game here in the house. I'll just wear my blue shirt sitting in front of the TV - and hopefully I'm cheering." That was the case back in 1999 when Dick Advocaat's side travelled to Holland for a Champions League clash. Albertz's excited family had driven two hours from their home across the border in Germany to see him in action. But he was left simmering on the bench after being axed from the starting line-up. Disappointment soon turned to joy though when he replaced the crocked Claudio Reyna after 24 minutes. Then he proved a point to his gaffer by crashing home the dramatic 84th-minute goal to cue that famous crest-kissing and hands-on head celebration. Advertisement Albertz said: "Of course I was disappointed not being in the team. My family were in Eindhoven that night to watch the game but I knew the team before the game so they came knowing I wasn't in it. "They made their decision to go not just because I was playing but because they'd been Rangers supporters since I'd joined the club. "They wanted to be there for the team - but of course it's nicer when your son is playing as well. "I remember sitting on the bench in Eindhoven, desperate to get on to prove I should have been out there. "But the gaffer can only pick 11 to start the game. "I don't think he was doing things on purpose, although in my case it might have been a little bit different. I don't know. "I still had to stay focused so if the moment came when I was needed I was ready to perform. "When Reyna got injured it was my chance and I got into the game, scored the winner and of course it was a nice memory. "It was a very important goal because we won the game. "But it wasn't enough because that was the year we played the last game in Munich. We lost 1-0 and didn't get through. "So the goal in the end didn't help too much as things worked out. "But it was still a very nice memory for me and winning away from home showed we weren't too bad in Europe "That's in the past and now we're all looking forward to Rangers hopefully getting a good result." Albertz is still a frequent visitor to Glasgow and was back on the weekend for a dinner along with former Gers team-mate Lorenzo Amoruso. He didn't get to see the game against St Mirren on Sunday. But he did manage a quick word with Gers' manager-in- waiting Ally McCoist when he jetted in to see the first leg round-of-32 clash with Sporting Lisbon last month. He reckons the appointment of McCoist for the start of next season was the easy one financially - but will prove the right one in the end. Albertz, in the middle of some gardening back home in Germany yesterday, is also willing to dig deep to help his pal in any way he can. He added: "Not being disrespectful to Ally, he's a big name but not as a manager at the moment. "He still has to prove himself as far as that goes. "But it's very hard to get somebody in. "Everyone would love to work for Glasgow Rangers but they know the financial situation isn't the best and they can't buy any players they want. But I also think it's the best decision because Ally knows the club inside out. "He knows the players he's got around him so why not give him a try? "He's got a great teacher in Walter and I'm sure Coisty will have success with the club. "I spoke to him after the home Lisbon game. He's still a great character - the same as ever. "He's put a little bit of weight on, I know that, but he's a great guy and I love him. "If he needs anyone to watch a player, an assistant, phone me, I'll be there. I'll drop everything and be in Glasgow." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3457055/Cmon-Gers-pummel-PSV-and-feel-like-THIS.html#ixzz1G9XJco8D

By Tom English in Eindhoven IF MARTIN Bain, the Rangers chief executive, managed to suppress any cynicism he may have had at the Holyrood summit on Tuesday then the club captain, David Weir, wasn't nearly as cagey when Rangers arrived in Eindhoven for today's Europa League tie against PSV. Weir described the furore that has built up around the Old Firm in the wake of the so-called "Shame Game" against Celtic as nonsense and dismissed the idea that the fixture would ever get played behind closed doors, as some in the police have intimated. "It will never happen," said Weir. "It is the pride fixture of Scottish football. It has kept Scottish football going for years and you would be as well just closing down the league if that (closed doors Old Firm games] was the case." The captain, quite obviously unimpressed with some of the interventions from Holyrood and Strathclyde Police, didn't stop there either. "You play in a lot of games that have an edge," he said. "Throughout the course of your career you get involved in games like this. That is what football is all about. People love that. Everybody says it is Scotland's shame, but I know by going down south that everybody is talking about it. Everybody is saying Scottish football is on its knees but there has been more interest in the last week than there has been in weeks. "I think we have to be a bit more realistic and put things into perspective and move on a wee bit. That game is gone. As players you are ultimately disappointed to lose the game. That's the bottom line. The other sort of nonsense that goes with it is irrelevant." Weir is not blind to the connection between on-field aggravation and off-field trouble in these games, far from it. But he disputes the level of blame that can be attached to the Old Firm for, say, domestic abuse against women in the hours after Rangers and Celtic play each other. He also questions the rationale for police wanting to address players before Old Firm games to remind them of the repercussions of their actions on the street. "If you do that for this game," he said, talking about the upcoming Co-operative Insurance Cup final, "then you are going to need to do it for every game. I don't see how you can only single out one game and watch what you have to do in one match and not the others. I don't see why that should happen. It should be the case in every game. You have to be responsible for your actions on and off the field, whether you are a footballer or Joe Public. That is the way it should be. It should be at the back of your mind regardless of what you are doing, so I don't see why we should be reinforcing it before the cup final." The captain rejected the notion that last Wednesday's game at Parkhead was especially ugly - "There were no major incidents and nothing that merits politicians getting involved," he claimed - and defended the rights of players to be fiery at Hampden on 20 March. "If you sanitise it and take that out of football then we are in danger of becoming a society where we won't be able to do anything. We would end up constantly on the back foot worrying what are doing." Walter Smith - who, in a rare moment of football chat, revealed that Kyle Lafferty is fit to play this evening but that Vladimir Weiss is probably not - also revisited the summit. It is long been the manager's view that blaming the Old Firm for society's ills is a cop-out, that the nation's problems with drink and violence and bigotry go way beyond a mere football match, albeit a football match that is undoubtedly the catalyst for public disorder. Like his captain before him, Smith played down the somewhat emotional talk of last Wednesday's 'game that shamed a nation'. "You see things happening in England which are worse," he said. "Tackle-wise and otherwise. We see clashes between managers and other things happening on the pitch. That just goes as part and parcel of the game. Percentage-wise we don't do too badly in terms of handling a situation which is a fairly volatile one. I must stress, as a whole, in all the years I've been involved that it's not been too bad (the on-field discipline]. When the police flagged up a few weeks ago that there is a problem then we've all got to listen to that. The Wednesday game then made it worse. But would the social problem outwith Wednesday's game be any worse after that match than after previous games? "It's not actually what happens in the game which causes the problem (of domestic and general violence]. It's the game itself - the Rangers and Celtic Old Firm game at any time. It's a broader issue than just looking at what happens on the pitch. So, anything they try and do, yes, we'll agree to do it and it'll be helpful and we hope it can bring a certain calmness. Everyone has to play their part in that." Of course, he's got the small matter of a last 16-tie in the Europa League to contend with first. http://sport.scotsman.com/celticfc/Old-Firm-games-behind-closed.6731468.jp?articlepage=2

His departure to Boro was the beginning of the end of his career. He'll sink to the bowels of English football then eventually come back to some bottom rung SPL team. He was onto a damn good thing at Ibrox and his ego and greed got the better of him. Fool.

BAD boy El-Hadji Diouf should be booted out of Rangers following his Old Firm red card shame. That's the view of Express Sport columnist and Celtic and Scotland legend Charlie Nicholas. Diouf was involved in bust-ups with Celts boss Neil Lennon and the Hoops skipper Scott Brown during the Light Blues' 1-0 Scottish Cup fifth round replay loss at Parkhead. The Senegalese striker was also accused of clashing with the home physio Tim Williamson before being sent-off after the final whistle by referee Calum Murray for dissent. Diouf threw his shirt into the away end at time-up, but Nicholas insists he has seen enough of the controversial 30-year-old, who arrived on loan from Blackburn in January with a bad reputation for trouble. And he insists Ibrox chief executive Martin Bain and the board should lay down the law to manager Walter Smith. Nicholas said: "Get him out of the country and get him out of our league. "He had a chance to come to Scotland and clean up a sullied reputation, but he has failed abysmally.He should be ordered back down the road to Blackburn this morning. "Ibrox board members should be brought into play, they should sit Walter Smith down and ask him just how much more trouble this guy might cause. "My own view is that there's a strong chance he'll be involved in more flashpoints with Rangers and Celtic set to meet twice more before the end of the campaign, so I'd say: 'Thanks for your help. Goodbye and good riddance'. "He's not concerned about the team's ambitions. "It's all about what is going on within his own little world and, having seen him pretty much go out to get himself ordered-off, I will say right here and now that his world should be brought to an end today." Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/232542/Boot-out-Diouf-blasts-Celtic-legend/Boot-out-Diouf-blasts-Celtic-legend#ixzz1Faeyllyc

In the aftermath of another defeat to our greatest rivals last week, the tabloid headlines and talk of the sporting press haven't been about the football on display or lack of it either. Instead, it's all been about 'inflammatory incidents', 'shameful behaviour' and even more incredibly, how the various minor flashpoints in what is always one the feistiest events in Britain's non-fighting sports calendar have all of a sudden 'deeply embarrassed' the SFA. I'm not going to talk about the SFA, their embarrassing actions this season or their poor referees. I won't talk about cover-ups, their CEO, ref-gate, corruption or the sheer hypocrisy in the blazer-infested corridors of Scottish footballing power. Let's talk about something else... Win-win situations or what are more accurately called 'win-win games' in sporting and game events are relatively uncommon. A win-win game can be many things, but generally it's regarded as a game where a certain outcome is beneficial to both parties. A win-win game can however, be a game where one side will benefit whether they win or lose and in some (albeit infrequent) cases a loss can actually be more beneficial for one of the participating players or teams than a win would be. Therefore, in certain unusual circumstances both definitions of a 'win-win game' can actually apply. I never want Rangers to lose a game and especially not to Celtic, but if you're pragmatic about it, last weeks's Scottish Cup replay was a win-win game for us. I wanted us to win the game as always and that mostly comes from the heart, but I knew somewhere in my head that losing the game and going out of the Scottish Cup might be equally as beneficial to us. We have a threadbare squad stricken with injury problems and while winning last week would obviously have been cause for celebration, it would also have been very worrying because we already had a fixture pile-up which would have been worsened by progression in the competition. It's all fine and well for Walter Smith and Ally McCoist to try to give off an air of positivity by saying to the press/media when questioned about our mounting fixture list that we want to win everything we compete in and we should expect nothing less of our management. That doesn't mean that they aren't clever enough to understand the overall worrying situation that our team is in though and it certainly doesn't mean that they don't understand the concept of a win-win game. It's also fine for Ally McCoist to tell the press before the game last week after the team sheets had been released that they thought they had a team which could go out and win the game. Again, we should expect nothing less, but when I heard the team sheet, it didn't sound to me like a team that was designed to 'go out and win the game'. It seemed like a team designed to go out and not lose the game at best. We've become accustomed to Walter's tactics in Europe and many people even agree with them, including myself at times, but going to Parkhead and playing 5 at the back against Celtic is something for other teams to attempt, not Rangers. Not if we're going there to win. I couldn't believe it. The manager's options last week were definitely limited due to our injury headaches and having such a small squad, but even still, did we go there to win? I'm not so sure considering that we started the game without a real striker up front. Even after we went a goal down the only striker we had on the bench (Healy) surprisingly remained on the bench. Does that show any intent to win a game of football? Not to me it doesn't. Instead of telling Healy to get on there and score, one of our defenders was moved up front. Why not take the defender off and put on a striker? It might not have paid off, but it would at least have shown a level of intent to try to win. But no, a striker who would have burst a gut to try and score or create a scoring chance was left on the bench and we had one shot on target all night and zero attempts off target. Can you figure that out? So, where does that leave us? Well if you're being pedantic you might say it leaves us knocked out of the Scottish Cup, but in the spirit of the point I'm making, it leaves us with less fixtures to squeeze into an already clogged calendar and it leaves our challengers for the SPL title with additional fixtures. Was it a win-win game? Maybe it was...

I make that the last 4 OF games that WS has been outclassed by Neil Lennon. In each of those 4 games we've been outplayed, outpassed and outmuscled yet he still decides to go with the same defensively naive formation in an attempt to slow the game down and score a goal. It's not working Walter so why don't you change it? WS simply doesn't have the players to play like this. He's trying to replicate the results we got against Celtic in the 90s but we haven't got the players to hit Celtic on the counter attack. There's no winger who can skin his marker and whip in a good cross like Walters and Laudrup used to do. There's no classy midfielder who can skip by a few opposition players before either scoring himself and make a defence splitting pass like Gazza used to do. There's no Wilkins or McCall type players who can spoil the game, win possesion and make a simple pass to the creative players. The last 4 OF results have been 0-2, 2-2, 0-3 and 0-1 and as I mentioned before, we've attempted to play the same way, even at Ibrox. Does WS not know any other style to play than defend, defend, defend? When things are going wrong does he not know how to change it? OK, we went down to 10 men last night so that didn't help matters but who can honestly say that if it was 11 v 11 last night things would've been different? There was no hope for us, the fans. We've seen it before and no doubt on 2 weeks on Sunday we'll see it again. Celtic have figured out that if you press us we'll eventually give away possesion due to the fact that our players lack any sort of movement. WS is to scared to lose matches that he has forgotten how to attack and due to this fact, I now go into OF games with the expectation that we'll lose because of that fact. A manager of the class and dignity of WS is being tactically out-muscled by Neil Lennon. That's a very depressing fact!!

CELTIC coach Alan Thompson last night blamed Ibrox star El Hadji Diouf for sparking Old Firm mayhem. Thompson claimed Diouf lit the fuse on an explosive Scottish Cup tie that saw 13 yellows dished out and three Rangers players sent off as Celtic ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Mark Wilson goal. Celtic boss Neil Lennon had a furious bust-up with Gers No.2 Ally McCoist on the final whistle and had to be hauled apart by their backroom staff. Itââ?¬â?¢s alleged McCoist told Lennon as they shook hands: ââ?¬Å?Why donââ?¬â?¢t you stay away from our players?ââ?¬Â in a reference to the managerââ?¬â?¢s earlier spat with Diouf on the touchline. McCoist and Lennon had also clashed in the first half of the fifth-round replay after the dismissal of Steven Whittaker for two yellow card offences. That left Rangers with 10 men and they were reduced to nine in injury time when Madjid Bougherra picked up his second caution. Diouf then lost the plot after Calum Murray blew for time and launched a verbal assault on the ref who flashed a second yellow just as Lennon and McCoist went nose to nose. Hoops coach Johan Mjallby also had to be pulled away from Diouf as he made his way up the tunnel at half-time. Thompson claimed his team were innocents and the on-loan Blackburn star started it all off when he aimed a dunt at Celtic physio Tim Williamson. He said: ââ?¬Å?Our physio went on the pitch as Whittaker was being sent off and Diouf threw a shoulder on him, which was dismissed. ââ?¬Å?However, Neil saw it and it has all gone on from there. ââ?¬Å?Diouf came over and said something to someone on the bench and we asked him to calm down. ââ?¬Å?Did our bench show discipline? Iââ?¬â?¢d say yes. ââ?¬Å?I didnââ?¬â?¢t see what happened with Johan at half-time, as for Neil and Ally at the end something has been said that wasnââ?¬â?¢t taken in the right way. ââ?¬Å?TV cameras show what went on but Neil has done nothing untoward.ââ?¬Â Asked if Rangers had lost their discipline, Thompson added: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t want to talk about Rangers too much but any team that has three red cards in one game Iââ?¬â?¢m sure will be looked at, yeah. ââ?¬Å?Rangers have players who play on the edge. ââ?¬Å?Overall, weââ?¬â?¢re delighted with our performance football and discipline wise. Ally and Neil may have had words and it went on a little bit from there but there is a lot at stake. Itââ?¬â?¢s understandable to a certain extent. ââ?¬Å?We got three yellow cards out of everything that went on. We asked players to be disciplined and they were.ââ?¬Â The SFA will this morning launch an enquiry into the scenes that shamed the Scottish game with the probe being launched on the same day Lennon goes before the beaks to appeal his six-match touchline ban. Thompson was asked if Lennon was absent from the media conference after the match so he could gather his thoughts. The coach said: ââ?¬Å?Yes. Heââ?¬â?¢s downstairs having a chat with Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell.ââ?¬Â Rangers boss Walter Smith tried to explain the McCoist-Lennon bust-up, saying: ââ?¬Å?Ally was annoyed Neil was being aggressive towards a Rangers player. ââ?¬Å?There was an incident involving Neil and Diouf and then another moment in the tunnel at half-time.ââ?¬Â http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/03/03/celtic-coach-alan-thompson-rangers-striker-el-hadji-diouf-provoked-all-the-trouble-86908-22962692/

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist had to be pulled apart last night at the conclusion of an explosive Old Firm Scottish Cup tie which is likely to be subject to SFA disciplinary proceedings. The Ibrox club, who lost the fifth-round replay 1-0, had three players sent off by referee Calum Murray who dished out 13 yellow cards in total, just three of them to Celtic who secured a quarter-final visit to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 13 March. Steven Whittaker was dismissed in the first half, Madjid Bougherra followed him in stoppage time and then El Hadji Diouf was shown his red card after the final whistle. The indiscipline extended to the technical areas and saw Lennon react furiously as he shook hands with McCoist, apparently in response to a comment made by the man who will be his direct opponent in the Old Firm rivalry next season. Rangers manager Walter Smith revealed McCoist had been unhappy with what he regarded as confrontational behaviour from Lennon towards Diouf during the match. The controversial Senegalese striker had picked up his first booking in the first-half after squaring up to Lennon on the touchline. "These things happen," said Smith. "I'm always reasonably quick up the tunnel, so I didn't see what happened. But the problem there was quite simple. Alistair was quite annoyed that Neil was being aggressive towards one of the Rangers players. That annoyed him more than anything else." Asked if he would still attend the traditional post-match meeting of the rival managers, Smith added: "I always go for a drink with the opposition management team after a game. It might be an interesting cup of tea this time, right enough. I'll referee." In the immediate aftermath of his final assignment as Rangers manager at Celtic Park, Smith defended his team's conduct and claimed referee Murray was wrong to send off both Whittaker and Bougherra. He accused the official of being influenced by the home support. "I felt Steven Whittaker's first yellow card was a soft one," said Smith. "I wouldn't argue with the second one, but he is unfortunate to have got the first one. Madjid Bougherra's first one was a yellow card, but the second one was clearly not. He slid in and clearly got the ball. The Celtic player's momentum made it look worse than it was. "I think the referee got carried away by the crowd's reaction on both occasions. It was a competitive cup tie but there were challenges I didn't think were worth yellow cards. As I say, I couldn't complain about Bougherra's first caution or Whittaker's second, but I felt they were both unlucky to be sent off. I'm not sure we committed that many more fouls than Celtic. There was nothing that left anyone seriously injured but there were yellow cards handed out throughout the game. It makes the reflection of the game worse than it actually was." Smith made no defence of Diouf's red card, earned when he berated Murray after the final whistle, but did claim there was an element of provocation involved. "He is an easy target and lets himself get wound up," said Smith. "There was a lot of frustration at the end of the game. He gets a bit het-up, that's the way he is." The teams will meet for the sixth time this season in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden on 20 March and have one more SPL fixture to play at Ibrox. Smith, who joked that he agreed with a call from senior police officer Les Gray earlier this week to ban Old Firm games, admitted that the number of times the teams face each other increases the tension. "Playing each other seven times a season doesn't help, but there has to be a balance there from everyone in terms of what is a level of competitiveness and what isn't. It certainly gives you plenty to write about, so I don't think you should complain too greatly. I have been involved for a long time in these games now. How many Rangers-Celtic matches have been like this? It is worse if you don't compete. We didn't compete at all in the last game here and got battered. "From our point of view, it was a better performance than the last time here. At least we made a tackle in this game, we never made one the last time. So there was a slight improvement there. "We were disappointed to lose a goal as early as we did in the second half. It settled Celtic. We had one or two flurries going forward, but there were not many clear-cut opportunities for either side." http://www.scotsman.com/rangersfc/Rangers-blame-Neil-Lennon39s-treatment.6727585.jp

Rangers boss Walter Smith today revealed how Neil Lennonââ?¬â?¢s treatment of El-Hadji Diouf sparked the touchline mayhem at the end of last nightââ?¬â?¢s Old Firm match. Lennon came out of his technical area to exchange words with Diouf as he complained to fourth official Iain Brines after Steven Whittakerââ?¬â?¢s dimissal in the Scottish Cup fifth-round replay. His actions angered Gers assistant gaffer Ally McCoist, who then had to be separated from the Hoops boss by coaching staff after the final whistle. It is not the first time Lennon has allowed himself to become involved with Rangers players in the Old Firm game since taking charge. He lambasted Steven Naismith for a tackle on Mark Wilson in the first cup game and was allegedly involved in an incident in the tunnel in that game with Vladimir Weiss and Diouf. The Northern Irishman also exchanged words with countryman Kyle Lafferty after his side had won 2-0 at Ibrox back in January. Smith said: ââ?¬Å?I think the problem was simple. Alastair was a bit annoyed that Neil was being aggressive to one of the Rangers players (Diouf). I think that was annoying him. These things happen. Playing each other seven times in a season doesnââ?¬â?¢t help.ââ?¬Â He added: ââ?¬Å?Diouf is an easy target for criticism and he gets himself wound up a little bit as he has done at the end of the game because it was a frustrating evening for us to see two players sent off. Thatââ?¬â?¢s the way he is. ââ?¬Å?I am not so sure we committed many more fouls than Celtic. I felt Whittakerââ?¬â?¢s first yellow was soft, although I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have argued with the second. Obviously I was disappointed with that. ââ?¬Å?Madjid Bougherraââ?¬â?¢s first yellow card was one, the second one was clearly not. He slid in and clearly takes the ball and the Celtic playerââ?¬â?¢s momentum takes him over the top. ââ?¬Å?From my own point of view I feel the referee got carried away with the crowdââ?¬â?¢s reaction. ââ?¬Å?It was a competitive cup-tie, but there were challenges I didnââ?¬â?¢t think were worth yellow cards. ââ?¬Å?As I say, I couldnââ?¬â?¢t complain about Bougherraââ?¬â?¢s first caution or Whittakerââ?¬â?¢s second, but I felt they were both unlucky to be sent off. There was nothing that left anyone injured.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/walter-smith-neil-lennon-antics-set-off-touchline-spat-1.1088363

As the title says, imo it's the only way we can save our season. Smith has no way of beating them now. Yes the ref was shocking but dont lets forget how shocking we have played in the last 4 tim games.

WALTER SMITH has banned his players from boozy nights out and trash talking on social networking sites as part of his bid to turn their season around. Record Sport told yesterday how the Rangers boss ordered his players into Murray Park last Monday on their day off for a crisis summit less than 24 hours after watching them slump to a humiliating 3-0 thrashing against Celtic. Now we can reveal explosive details of Smith's dressing-room address which has stirred his team back to life ahead of tomorrow night's return to Parkhead for a winor-bust Scottish Cup replay. Smith demanded that his troops rediscover their focus in time for the end of season run in by: Warning that any player caught nightclubbing will face disciplinary action. Blasting the use of Twitter accounts. Barring his players from posting any inflammatory remarks. Ordering them to keep their private lives off the front pages. Smith's training ground showdown has triggered an instant reaction from his players who have bounced back with a European glory night in Lisbon and a 4-0 SPL thumping of St Johnstone. Smith even went as far as to say his players were disgusted with themselves after their capitulation on derby day. But rather than go easy on them the veteran manager made it clear what he demands of them in his final three months at the helm. Record Sport can reveal that he was angered even before kick-off at Celtic Park when a Sunday tabloid splashed graphic details of a fight between the wags of keeper Allan McGregor and midfielder Maurice Edu. He has demanded that his players and their partners keep a lower public profile from here on in. And that includes using the internet to take cheap shots at Celtic. Smith has clearly reached the end of his tether and his players were left in no doubt that they will be in hot water if they are caught stoking things up again. Edu - who bagged the goal in Portugal which saw Smith's men into the last 16 of the Europa League - is a prolific tweeter with almost half a million followers. But his last comment came one hour before the derby on February 20. It read: Game time Old Firm derby let's go. A Rangers source said: "It is fair to say Walter went off on one during his meeting with the players. They have been left in no doubt over what is required from them from now until the end of the season. "He felt they needed reminding of exactly what is expected of them as Rangers players and his message seems to have hit the mark." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/03/01/rangers-boss-walter-smith-lays-down-the-law-to-players-to-turn-around-season-no-drink-no-nightclubs-no-twitter-86908-22957890/

ALLY McCOIST has already identified players he wants to bring to Rangers when he takes over from Walter Smith. And the manager-in-waiting is keen to land stars who can provide more quality and entertainment. Gers have enjoyed great times during Smith's second stint in charge but he has sometimes been criticised for being over-cautious. McCoist hopes to marry success with flowing football but knows pulling that off is far from easy. His great friend Tommy Burns had Celtic playing slick football in the 1990s yet won just one trophy in three years. That cost him his job. And McCoist knows the same fate awaits him if he fails to deliver titles. However, he believes he can find some players who will thrill the fans and provide value for money. McCoist said: "I've started to look ahead in terms of signing targets. We definitely need to bring players in. "My philosophy will be quite simple. You have to win. We need to win games or I won't be sitting here talking to you in the future. "In an ideal world you win with style. You will have players out there the fans want to see. "You will get people coming to watch this team who are genuinely excited about the players they are coming to watch. They will be here to see entertaining football but, most importantly, winning football. "This club has had wonderfully talented players throughout history. But it's probably had more winners than fantastically talented players. "That's not a criticism. Anything but. It's actually a compliment. "This club's history is riddled with winners - boys who wanted to do well and win trophies. "Ideally we want the fans to know they're going to be entertained AND win games of football. Our supporters know the score. They are intelligent people and know all about the situation at the club. "All I would ask for is continued support. There have been times when things have upset the punters and that will happen again because you can't please all the fans all the time. But I think we will get their support." Rangers' wage budget will be slashed by more than �£1million in the summer but McCoist feels he can be inventive and adventurous in the transfer market. He stressed: "In an ideal world the club will be bought over and investment will come in. At the moment we can't say with any certainty if that will be the case. "We need to plan for next season. I know the budget and don't see that changing dramatically unless someone buys the club. "It's up to ourselves to identify players and bring them in. "People will be leaving at the end of the season so we need new faces. "Only time will tell how good the hand I've been dealt is going to be. Sometimes you might be dealt a bad hand but can still play it well. "However, it won't be easy. We'll need to cut money off the wage bill. "That's not good news but we know the score. It's not like it will be thrust upon us with no warning. "It's up to us to plan for that. I need to persuade players to come here. "If I can't sell this club to a player I won't be able to sell anything. We have a wonderful fan base, a great stadium and a fantastic training ground. "We might not be able to offer the same finances as elsewhere but we need to sell the club to targets." McCoist will have to appoint a new captain in the summer when Davie Weir ends his playing career. He is likely to want a real Rangers man in that important role and Lee McCulloch could take the armband. The midfielder recently signed a new contract and has the backing of current skipper Weir. McCoist said: "Arguably, one of your most important decisions is the appointment of the captain. "We've had top guys like John Greig, Terry Butcher and Jock Shaw. All great skippers and great men. "It's vitally important we have a great captain again." Buying someone like Butcher would set you back more than �£20m these days - a sum McCoist is unlikely to spend over his entire tenure, never mind on just one player. However, he could be handed a bit more cash to splash if a new owner seizes power at Ibrox. McCoist said: "The ideal scenario is new owners come in and fancy me staying in charge. "However, it's natural a new regime might not want me in charge. "But I hope any new owners will be happy with the plan we have in place and give us a few quid to spend. "If they don't want me as manager then I'll be on the terracing with the fans supporting the team. Rangers Football Club is the most important thing. This club deserves the best." McCoist will be assisted by Kenny McDowall when he takes charge with Ian Durrant as first-team coach. But the 48-year-old hasn't ruled out adding to his backroom staff. Celtic boss Neil Lennon has three helpers at Parkhead - Johan Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker. And Gers gaffer Smith can also call on McCoist, McDowall and Durrant for advice as he bids to end his reign with even more success. McCoist said: "We will probably look at adding someone but I would have to say I couldn't be happier taking over with the staff I have. "I will have good men by my side and I'm thankful for that. "I have known Kenny for a lot longer than you would think. "Ian and I go back a long way and it's the same with our goalkeeping coach Jimmy Stewart and the fitness coach Adam Owen. "Stability won't guarantee you success but it's another positive. "I trust these guys too and that is the most important thing. It's arguably THE most important thing in management - you need people who are loyal and good." Should it be needed, Smith will also be there for guidance. The veteran boss doesn't plan to return to management when he brings the curtain down on his Rangers career this summer. He could be tempted back into football by a job overseas but McCoist knows he can always call his managerial mentor for some words of wisdom. He smiled: "Walter will be on the end of a phone. I don't have any doubt about that. "He might be on a golf course in Arizona but he has been told the phone must stay on. "I don't care if he's in a bunker or whatever and knowing his golf there is every chance!" http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/02/27/ally-mccoist-i-m-already-identifying-signing-targets-and-i-want-them-to-entertain-our-fans-86908-22953274/

ONE man has taken so much flak since he first donned the Rangers jersey. He has taken more abuse than I've ever seen heaped on ANY player at my old club. Well, this morning I say to El Hadji Diouf: Take a bow, son. Yes, I wrote in SunSport that his spitting shame would have earned him a battering from my old Nine-in-a-Row mates. I stand by that. Last night, though? Last night I was in the midst of the Rangers support in Lisbon who saw the on-loan Blackburn Rovers star work his a*** off for the Ibrox side's cause. I thought he was brilliant and led the line so well in his role as a solo striker. I leapt for joy when he buried that header from Steven Davis' pinpoint cross and I was delighted for him. He earned his first goal for Gers. Three years ago when Gers won through against Sporting Lisbon did anyone truly believe that Walter Smith would lead them all the way to the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester? No way. Well, why shouldn't this team believe they can go all the way to the Europa League Final in Dublin? My mates were texting me last night and saying McBookie have Gers at 33/1 to win the Europa League. Well, I might just take a piece of that. Make no mistake this was a triumph fashioned by The Gaffer. He had to drag a performance out of these boys after they had surrendered so tamely in that awful 3-0 Old Firm defeat. Now I really feel this can kick-start Gers' season again. As Marvin Andrews used to say: Believe! After a poor season by his own lofty standards, this was also a great night for Davis to get back towards the levels he can reach. It was a killer ball for Diouf's goal and I was gutted Gers then fell behind to a team I believe were poorer than them over the two legs. The ending, though, was fairytale stuff and it was terrific to see dyed-in-the-wool Gers fan David Healy as the architect of it. When his low cross came fizzing over I was just praying for one of the Gers players queueing up to bundle it home. Maurice Edu did and I discovered what it was like for those punters who followed us through the Nine. I nearly had a heart attack in the celebrations! Now? Well, the SPL might be scratching their heads this morning - but Walter, Coisty and their players can hold theirs high. The dramatic away goals win in Lisbon will mean a frantic few weeks for Rangers as fixtures are crammed in left, right and centre. But Walter wouldn't have it any other way after another night to remember on the continent. I must admit, for a while it looked like Rangers had blown their chance of going through to a last 16 clash with Dutch aces PSV. But had they crashed out, they'd have wondered just how it had all happened. Once more though they never gave up, never let their heads drop. Gers' last visit here will forever be remembered for a quite brilliant individual goal from Steven Whittaker. This time though they left as winners thanks to a TEAM performance to be proud of as each man did the job Walter asked of them. At the back Davie Weir led by example after bravely rolling out of his sickbed to take his place and inspire those around him. Until he was subbed with 20 minutes to go, he proved my point that his experience is still vital - and that he WASN'T past it after Sunday's Old Firm defeat. Diouf might have his critics for what he's done in the past without a ball at his feet. But last night he showed the reason Walter decided to take him to Ibrox on loan last month with that energy-sapping shift. He set the tone for me. It would have been easier for Gers to crumble at 2-1. After all, they have been written off and pilloried for such a woeful show at Celtic Park on Sunday. I know from experience there's no hiding place at Rangers when the s*** hits the fan. Believe me, those players will have been told by Walter that they let the club down against Celtic. He will have gone over the video and SLAUGHTERED them. One by one. Last night they started to repay a debt to the manager - now who knows where they can go from here? I can't wait for the PSV tie now. As big Marv said: Believe! Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3432575/Els-angel.html#ixzz1EyBBynWL

http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/

Our current situation - It's time to face the inevitable then rebuild for the future. When you drill down to it, The Rangers support, to a man, has known at the back of its collective mind that the situation we are in is dire. Many of us will be in agreement that weââ?¬â?¢ve been urinating into the proverbial wind for 3 years yet miraculously, we have managed to avoid getting wet. Sooner or later, the stranglehold that being owned by Sir David Murray has placed us under was always going to come close to killing us. I say Sir David Murray rather than Lloyds bank specifically, as our current situation has been clouded by the usual sea of half-truths, speculation and contradictions that weââ?¬â?¢ve now come to expect from the Ayrshire millionaire. I wonââ?¬â?¢t sit here and try to claim the moral high-ground by claiming recent results against the filth havenââ?¬â?¢t had any impact on what Iââ?¬â?¢m about to write: They have, and Iââ?¬â?¢ll get to that later. However, let me start from the very beginning of this, probably the most sorry episode in the never-ending series that is ââ?¬Å?The David Murray Showââ?¬Â.. It all started in January 2009. Rampant speculation built up suggesting that our top goal scorer was subject to a bid from Alex McLeishââ?¬â?¢s Birmingham. The source was originally an article from The Scottish Sun that was brief and lacking in quotes ââ?¬â?? normally the tell-tale signs of a non-story. Unfortunately, it didnââ?¬â?¢t quite work out like that, the bid from Brum was legit ââ?¬â?? and the then-chairman was about to inform us of news that would utterly stun us. After coming off of our most commercially lucrative season ever...Iââ?¬â?¢ll write that again for extra emphasis ââ?¬â?? After coming off of our most commercially lucrative season EVER ââ?¬â?? The chairman was about to confirm that despite all of this, in no small part down to a historic European run the year before ââ?¬â?? our finances were once again down the toilet... Murray told the Guardian at the time... "If we did not take this action [selling Boyd], it could have been bad but there are far worse situations developing around us and I will not allow it to spiral again. Rangers have to be run on a sound fiscal basis." In typical Murray style, however, he was soon to contradict himself completely after the transfer window closed when he said.. "The Boyd situation is simple. We received an offer that we believed, collectively, Walter Smith, manager and Martin Bain, chief executive represented good business. "The player then went to Birmingham and refused terms. That is where it stands. But Rangers will go on whether the player goes or not. In that sense, it is immaterial whether he stays or goes." I donââ?¬â?¢t know about you, but I see two statements that glaringly contradict one another. That wasnââ?¬â?¢t the end of it, however, a leading football agent told national commercial radio station TalkSport the same month, that literally ââ?¬Ë?every Rangers player was for saleââ?¬â?¢, with the likely culprit Wullie McKay later declaring that Rangers CEO Martin Bain had instructed him to sell a raft of high earning first team stars, citing McKayââ?¬â?¢s ability to ââ?¬Å?get the job doneââ?¬Â as the reason behind him being allocated this particular mission. Murray issued a ââ?¬Ë?denialââ?¬â?¢ in The Sunday People soon after which actually confirmed McKayââ?¬â?¢s claim in a roundabout way. So we were back up the financial creek without a paddle. Despite a debt that was dwindling, a tremendous run to a European Final, solid season/match day ticket sales and several impressive fees recouped for players that we sold that culminated in what was officially the most commercially lucrative season in the history of Rangers Football Club ââ?¬â?? Our debt somehow increased and we needed to make drastic cuts It was truly one of the most shocking revelations in our recent history, and it left us wondering where our money was actually going. In the summer of the sale year, Rangers managed to cut the wage bill by well over Ã?£200,000 per week (Over Ã?£10m a year) by moving on a raft of first team squad members. To the credit of Walter Smith and the board, the club maintained most of our key players but we were left well-short of numbers in the squad, a huge potential problem that thankfully was not exploited by faltering then-Celtic manager Tony Mowbrayââ?¬â?¢s inability to field a team capable of challenging for the SPL title. To make matters worse ââ?¬â?? our solitary signing that season, Jerome Rothen, had his loan spell at the club cut-short after an ineffective first half to the season. Despite the support rationally assuming that we would be able to bring in a player or two using Rothenââ?¬â?¢s estimated Ã?£18,000 per week wage, an assumption further justified by the departure of another high-earner in Pedro Mendes to Sporting Lisbon, the Rangers support were again left scratching their heads as there were no incoming transfers to the Champions in the January window of the 2009/2010 SPL season. ââ?¬Å?Mystifiedââ?¬Â just didnââ?¬â?¢t do justice to the general feeling of the Rangers support then, or indeed now. After we won the SPL title for the second consecutive season in 2010, it appeared that following some pleading words from Walter Smith himself, those big bad bankers who had been subject to a tongue-lashing or six from him over the previous months decided to relent and kindly let Rangers buy players ââ?¬â?? with money raised from selling yet more players from our already thread-bare squad. We were all left pleased with the quality of players we brought in but once again, the number of players who moved on last summer was more than the number that came in, and with our continued reluctance to promote youth in decent numbers...or use youth in Cup competition domestically given our hectic schedule, we were again left to face a season at home and abroad with a woefully small squad. For just over two years, Rangers have been fire-fighting and, as I said above, urinating into the wind without getting wet. Nobody should be surprised that this is happening, it was only a matter of time. The reality is that on-field failure and the ââ?¬Ë?huge problemsââ?¬â?¢ I speak of are hopefully going to be the precursor to change at Ibrox. Walter Smith and Martin Bain have done an outstanding job of keeping the club together during these turbulent times ââ?¬â?? that should never be forgotten and both men, Walter in particular, should be commended for this. His contribution since coming has only furthered his status as a legend despite the split opinion of his on-field approach. Something from the previous two years that I sadly canââ?¬â?¢t spare the Rangers management team and board from, however, is the constant stream of contradictory information and statements that has come from them. One minute ââ?¬Å?everyone is for saleââ?¬Â, the next ââ?¬Å?we donââ?¬â?¢t have to sell anyoneââ?¬Â. On other occasions weââ?¬â?¢ve told the world ââ?¬Å?the bank runs the clubââ?¬Â only to play it down days later. Our current chairman, who appears to have vanished without a trace, has justified our constant flip-flopping on the issue by saying our relationship with Lloyds bank is ââ?¬Ë?a fluid situationââ?¬â?¢ i.e. our status with the bank changes all the time as per their business needs. Sadly, that statement has never quite cut it for me, and the only thing fluid about this whole thing is in the way weââ?¬â?¢ve had the piss taken out of us by those who run the club. Fiscally, theyââ?¬â?¢ve done a remarkable job with a fair-share of luck involved. Keeping Davis, Bougherra, McGregor and others when weââ?¬â?¢re so up against it financially is something to be proud of. I personally decided that Rangers would not get another penny from me after that cup game. I donââ?¬â?¢t need to state the obvious about the difficulties many of us have paying for tickets when we have families to keep in this climate, the teamââ?¬â?¢s approach in this one-off must win fixture, along with yesterday and the other league game in January really symbolised the problems we have. Our first team appear to be a spent force ââ?¬â?? lacking in interest and focus because they have zero competition for a first team place. Our manager, like him or not, just doesnââ?¬â?¢t do squad rotation or youth promotion unless his hand is forced. So we now face a situation where our first team at the moment isnââ?¬â?¢t good enough and we canââ?¬â?¢t and wonââ?¬â?¢t change it. But we still pay our money and I think despite the small decrease in numbers, the club have taken our blind loyalty a little too for granted by anyoneââ?¬â?¢s standards. Weââ?¬â?¢ve all wanted a change of approach, change of ethos and a complete shift from the short-term, ââ?¬Å?boom and bustââ?¬Â mentality that has saw us teetering on the financial brink twice in less than ten years. Sadly, due to the furthering financial problems in recent years we have regressed even from that. We do not have the talent on or off the pitch to run Rangers effectively anymore. As a support, we have been very kind to the board and management team ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢ve taken everything said to us at face value. But the time has come for proper communication with the man who truly holds all the cards, Sir David Murray. Questions about the ongoing HMRC tax investigation, links between Murrayââ?¬â?¢s companies and the aggressive attitude of Lloyds bank to Rangers over what is a perfectly manageable debt from a club who have implemented some shrewd fiscal measures in recent years have not been met with satisfactory answers. Rangers quite like it when we pay our money, sit down and shut up. We canââ?¬â?¢t do it anymore ââ?¬â?? we just canââ?¬â?¢t. Answers to many, many questions are required, and only the man who has disappeared into the night can answer them properly, he still holds all of the cards. One wonders if the warning that Sir David Murray claimed he was trying to send us by selling Boyd in January of 2009 is the real reason behind the financial handcuffs that have been placed on us, with anonymous, invisible bankers quite happy to take the blame and be the ââ?¬Ë?faceââ?¬â?¢ behind the cuts as it gives them just cause to get their money back quicker. There arenââ?¬â?¢t too many other arms of Murrayââ?¬â?¢s empire that can raise seven figure sums by selling off assets relatively quickly. Our club bemoan financial pressure from the bank on one hand yet announce excellent half-year profits on the other, they blame the bank for the restrictions yet charge us through the nose for games weââ?¬â?¢ve actively tried not to win, they demand we pay for our season ticket in advance over a short timescale at inflated prices while warning us that we canââ?¬â?¢t spend money and are open to offers for our star players despite the relative success weââ?¬â?¢ve had recently in maintaining them. On field failure is the excuse the money men need to make further cuts ââ?¬â?? and itââ?¬â?¢s the excuse many of our support will need to get off their backside and demand change at Ibrox ââ?¬â?? along with clarification on what our real problems are. Enough is enough, our expectations have been managed very well by the club ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢re quite tolerant of the hardships we face now...because weââ?¬â?¢ve so splintered and blindly loyal that we refuse to speak up en masse. So long as the season ticket cash keeps rolling in, change will be delayed that little bit longer. We need to stop propping up a system that is not sustainable in the medium to long term, a regime of noble-yet-helpless individuals fighting the tide of faceless penny-pinchers...who for all we know may include our current owner, and face being flattened by the big truck weââ?¬â?¢ve been waiting to knock us down for two years. As I have no doubt that with the unrest this could all cause, we will emerge from the wreckage a much stronger force, able to plan effectively for the future. This is and always has been about more than one title or season ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s about getting our club back. Sorry if this is negative, but I donââ?¬â?¢t care how we get that ââ?¬â?? the sooner we face the inevitable, the better as far as Iââ?¬â?¢m concerned.

is a horrific journeyman that's been in the right place right time with regard to success at this club. Discuss. I never thought thought as a follower of the beautiful game that my own beloved club would become a team of fucking hammer throwers/ IT's not even just that. IT's how bloody arrogant and stupid he is? Everybody knows Lafferty is a horrific finisher and playing him has probably cost us progression Every year this website rings more and mroe true http://www.toffeeweb.com/club/managers/Smith.asp

Before I start, I'd like to make it clear that this league still has a long way to go. As always, any defeat should be taken in context and not used to write off title challenges or make other teams look better than they actually are. However... Yesterday was a total disgrace from our players and the manager should not escape criticism either. Ironically, I doubt many of us would have disagreed with the starting XI - even if a few of the players have been under-performing generally this season. Sure, a 4-5-1 may look immediately defensive but we still had the offensive players to make it work effectively. For whatever reason most of the team simply downed tools - and not for the first time this season. Indeed, that is the most worrying aspect of yesterday's defeat. Like at the end of the Advocaat reign and during the final months of the McLeish era, our team look devoid of ideas, lack inspiration and are utterly vacant in their commitment. To make matters worse the management team seem incapable of motivating them or reversing our backward spiral. When one considers our next manager is partly responsible for this negative trend, it is safe to say that worry soon turns to fear. The malaise and uncertainty running through Rangers Football Club is nothing new. Our financial issues are debated daily and the last decade has been one of short term outlooks with little long term security. We have an owner who runs off to France when the going gets tough, directors who are too busy defending themselves to defend the club, players whose only loyalty is to the coin and fans who'd rather argue with each other than get together to lobby for solutions. Nevertheless, obviously one defeat to Celtic isn't the end of the world. Win our games in hand and we're only two points behind. Beat them at Ibrox in the next SPL game and we could very well be in front again. Certainly, what happens on the park is directly related to how we perform off it. And arguably that's why caution appears to be the mainstay of our tactical outlook. How can any team play with abandon when they know their manager is leaving, they know the club owner couldn't care less and they know they'll only be offered a pay-cut despite any potential success? However, that doesn't explain our inability to do the basics right and work hard for your team-mates. The way the Celtic team hunted in packs and were physically stronger than every one of our players made me more than angry sitting watching the game. Yet, our players just bent over for more while our manager refused to make any changes that may have helped us influence the game a bit more. Let me be clear again. Walter Smith has done a fantastic job in both his tenures at the club. To win 9IAR was incredible but to come back and keep us competitive for four seasons, winning two titles and coming close to more - as well as taking us to the UEFA Cup final - compares just as well. For those successes he'll have my eternal thanks. Unfortunately, he can't escape criticism either. Being loyal to players is an admirable trait. Being stubborn tactically has yielded results I didn't think were possible in some games. But sometimes he can take these virtues too far which quickly turns positives into negatives. Quite simply there are a few players in this team that have not performed this season - outwith the odd game. Key personnel like Whittaker, Bougherra, Davis and Edu to name a small selection were again awful yesterday - awful; yet all completed the match and it is unlikely any of them will be dropped for the future. Persevering with guys so obviously short of confidence isn't being loyal - it is merely making things worse. Of course naming a few players arguably isn't fair. These guys aren't the only ones who appear to lack the quality and belief required to retain the title. Bad passing, poor shooting, dreadful set-pieces and unacceptable attitudes are prevalent throughout the side. Every player needs to ask themselves if their contribution is worthy of the huge salaries they earn. Lamentably, as seen yesterday I just think the problems are now too numerous for us to be considered capable of winning the league this year. That's not defeatism but simply being realistic when looking at the evidence. I honestly don't see how players so obviously low in morale and lacking in character can turn this around. The next few months will be the biggest test of Smith's managerial career and will determine his legacy for many. Can he respond? Finally, there's no shame in losing. Whether it be the game yesterday, or the title this season, sometimes being second best happens. However, what is important, and what is absolutely vital for our club's future, is the way we react it it. We can feel sorry for ourselves and turn an Old Firm loss into a meek title concession. Or we can finally show some pride and use the hurt from yesterday to give us the spark required to get back into this title race. Rather than raise the white flag of surrender, we need to regroup, "to fight and gain the victory". The future is now.

CRAIG WHYTE'S �£33million takeover of Rangers is this morning on the brink of completion - and it does NOT hinge on the outcome of the Ibrox tax case. Sunsport can reveal that the HMRC probe into Gers' finances will not affect the plans of the multi-millionaire venture capitalist and his deal partner Andrew Ellis. Ibrox insiders remain confident they will emerge from the investigation into offshore payments to stars without a penalty to pay. This week behind-the-scenes talks have taken Gers fan Whyte close to completing the complex deal that'll end Sir David Murray's 23-year reign. Next week Gers' financial figures are expected to show that the club's debt level has fallen to below the �£25m mark. Now the Whyte deal WILL be completed before the end of the season and it will mean this: # The sale of the club will go through with Whyte aided by Ellis paying around �£33m for Murray's 92 per cent share. # Rangers will be guaranteed a total of �£25m worth of investment in the playing budget over the next five years - in effect �£5m per season before any money brought in by Euro success and other avenues. # Ally McCoist, Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant being given the chance to take control of the first team when Smith bids an emotional farewell in May. Gers have come through some of the very darkest financial days of their history and survived after Murray appointed turn-around specialist Donald Muir and Mike McGill to the board. It's understood Muir and McGill - one of steel tycoon Murray's most trusted voices within his own empire - helped win a crucial vote to stave off a board bid to take the club's debt to �£50m. With that manoeuvre quashed, Lloyds were then persuaded to keep the club's annual player wage bill at the �£16m level and not engage in a policy of slashing it to �£10m-a-year that would have in effect have handed domestic domination to Celtic. Now it is hoped that Rangers will emerge from the mire as a club that operates within its means. The reality is Gers will still sell the club's best players to England. Lifelong Gers fan Muir, brought in by Murray to help rescue his entire empire, has been painted as the enemy within by sections of the support. Now the ship is steadied and the Whyte deal is imminent. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3421235/Whyte-on-brink-of-takeover.html#ixzz1EMAjxNWD

In kyle Lafferty. Quite frankly I just dont see anything that would make me want to pick him in any squad never mind Rangers. As a striker he lacks the most basic abilities. He has a poor first touch, is a poor finisher and a distinct lack of composure in front of goal. But Smith continually selects him. Hes has plenty of chances to prove himself but with every passing game he just gets worse. We often comment in here that were playing with ten men with him in the side. I would really love to know why Smith still picks him. I really cant see it my self.

I just got a horrid shudder. Walter's final season in his first spell was littered with an aging squad, his stubborn refusal to change players, and Celtic finally getting the measure of us. It seems to be going the same way again - we had a strong start to the season, but since winter started we've been off the pace and have now been outwitted by Celtic 3 times (I include the 2-2 cup draw). Lennon is dominating Walter now, and for me Smith is starting to unravel a little. He's not going to undo all the good work he's undoubtedly done, but I have a horrible ominous feeling that a fresh and hungry Celtic are going to wrest this league back unless Walter can force us to get the right attitude again. I mean I accept it's fickle after a 6-0 demolition of Motherwell and a strong second half V Sporting - but OF managers will always be judged ultimately on their OF results, and while the grand picture of Walter's is pretty good, this season Lennon has had the measure of him and it could mean the difference between first and second place.

Not a lot. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/9403029.stm?

Periodically I receive the message below when trying to access a particular forum page. It's always page specific and always permanent. It happens whether using PC or Apple. At the moment it's happening on page 3 of the Walter Smith topic started by Totti - but not on the first two pages of thje same thread. Any ideas? Internal Server Error The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request. Please contact the server administrator, webmaster@gersnetonline.co.uk and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error. More information about this error may be available in the server error log. Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.