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Hartley has just agreed terms and will sign for celtic subject to a medical so the guy on ff is talking out of a*se.

Just 4 short weeks ago we had not much to shout about with our team and general squad depth. But is Walter slowly but surely getting things right ? If Thompson does sign and if McCulloch does sign then we are looking at a potential starting 11 of ---------------------------------McGregor------------------------------ Hutton---------------Ehiogu------------------Weir-----------------Smith Burke/Sionko-------Ferguson----------------Thompson----------McCulloch -------------------------Boyd------------Prso--------------------------- At the beginning of January our starting 11 was ooking something like : ---------------------------------McGregor------------------------------ Hutton--------------Svensson---------------Hemdani--------------Smith Burke/Sionko-------Ferguson----------------Clement----------Adam -------------------------Boyd------------Prso--------------------------- Now I know that we have only added a couple of new faces but I think that these new faces will make a BIG impact on our team. Yes, Weir and Ehiogu are old but they are solid and seem to have looked after themselves and they certainly are more commanding than we had in the team previously. Then in midfield I think we get an upgrade with Thompson over Clement (I liked Clement but I think Thompson is still an upgrade) and I think that McCulloch is an upgrade on Adam too (don't think there are too many doubts on that one). Let's not forget that Thompson will be available for the UEFA too (I think....) And if we do still get Hartley then we have what looks to me to be a very solid midfield more than capable of competing with Celtic. All we need now is one forward and I think we have the making of a very strong, dependable team AND squad. This bear likes to look on the bright side of things. I think WS is slowly but surely improving our playing staff. Hopefully he can get one or two more in before the window shuts !

Kevin Thompson for 2 million poor celtic are fuming i bet.

McGregor, Weir, Webster, Fergie, Murray & Boyd.

Gers favourites to land midfielder Mon, Jan 29 2007 18:26 Norwich boss Peter Grant wants to sign former Celtic midfielder Mark Fotheringham but admits Rangers are favourites to land him. The midfielder has been offered a two-year deal by the Canaries but Fotheringham is said to favour a move to Rangers and Grant admits he is likely to lose out to the Gers. The player is currently training with Rangers and a return to Glasgow looks to be on the cards. "He is a terrific player, a great skilful player with wonderful ability, there is no doubt about that," Grant said. "He went to Germany and did very well there and then went to Switzerland for a while and played exceptionally well and wants to come back to Britain. "Unfortunately, Rangers are in there first, but I have obviously spoken to the boy, he is very, very keen to come to Norwich. But Rangers are a massive club and if he gets the chance to go there maybe that's the chance he will take. But he knows I am interested so we will see how things go on from here." The Norwich boss seems certain he is coming to us. I must admit i have never seen him play, but his CV dosn't really make me break out in a sweat.

I know Walter needs time and he has stated he wont bring in others for the sake of it but after watching some players yesterday id like to identify where the areas of improvement are required. Keeper: McGregor has done ok since coming in. He is a decent SPL keeper but no more than that. He has produced some great saves but also had a lot of flaps. He hasnt had the best defence infront of him so hopefully the new recruits give him more confidence. Klos is still sitting on the bench earning 30k a week which is sickening IMO. I blame McLeish for not bringing him back but understand the German may have had an attitude. However he gave us years and years of quality. He is likely to leave in the summer meaning we are short in keepers. Defence: Firstly Ehiogu and Weir look comfortable but I did feel a bit for Svensson yesterday. I think he can improve. But its good we have those 3 plus Webster to come in. And we still have Papac (who might move on) and Hemdani can play there - so we are more than covered at Centre half. I hope we get Webster permanent. At full back we are sorted at LB. Smith has been good all season bar maybe 2 games but you can excuse that as he is 19. Murray came in recently and does a fine job and Papac can play there aswell. Right back depth is a problem. Hutton has done a not bad job whenever ive seen him play. His best game was against Celtic. But if he gets injured we are lost at RB as Lowning hasnt had a chance yet. So a RB is needed. Midfield / wingers: Ferguson seems to be playing a lot better recently and got himself forward in the last few games - about time! Hemdani hasnt had a bad game this season even if he hasnt set the stadium alight. They 2 look good in the middle but a little creative player and tackler would be a good purchase. Our wide players just arent good enough! Sionko had 2 good games at the start then has been Capucho in disguise since then. Adam gets on the ball a lot and tries a fancy touch or 2 but is totally ineffective. But to his credit he has scored a few. But his crosses never meet there targets. He is a good player to have on the bench. Burke has never been consistant. He does well in small patches but is then our injured for periods again, and he never looks a goal threat - something we need in midfield. So id say a left midfielder is top target with either a creative or solid player in there next on the list. Forwards: If Prso stays on next season (which looks likely now) it will be a god send. He can rest all summer and come in 100% for next season. The big man is going to be almost impossible to replace. He is a banker to start when fit. But who partners him? Novo is a trier and is loved by the fans. But he cant re-do his 25 goals from a few seasons back. He gets in behind defenders but cant always deliver the final ball. Boyd IMO isnt a the answer. He is a goalscorer and poucher but needs 5 chances before he takes 1. He is slow and has a poor first touch. Im hoping Ally can develop him. Sebo - Yet to have a run in the team. He looked dangerous when he came on against Hearts. Its time for him to start upfront. So to clarify: A few personell need to be identified between now and August. Right back, Left Midfield and upfront are the areas or concern.

After Mike and myself having a wee mention about the 3-5-2 system on another thread, id wonder how many other Bears would like to see this given a crack. It is either a hit or a miss but if it is pulled off in the right way it can work fantastically. Martin O'Neill got it spot on in his early days at Celtic with 3 towering and strong centre halves. Mike made the point that it didnt work with England recently but i think thats down to 1) it was just thrown at the players 2) they didnt even try it in training bar once 3) it needs time We have 3 or 4 great options at centre half at the moment and also have a good sweeper type player (Hemdani) to sit infront to make it even more solid. Then it gives you 4 extra midfielders to keep possetion and be creative and it leave you with 2 up top. Id be a bit dubious in europe with it to start with but in the SPL i think we could destroy teams even those who play with the Dunfermline formation of - 10-0-0 It would suit the likes of Buffel to be the man behind the front 2 and allow Ferguson to be box to box with Hemdani sitting tight. Then we still have 2 wide men. Our team would look something like this: _______________McGregor______________ ______Svensson___Weir___Ehiogu_______ _______________Hemdani______________ Burke____Ferguson____Buffel_____Adam___ ____________Prso_____Boyd____________

SOCCEROO Jason Culina has been linked with a pound stg. 1million ($2.53million) move to Scottish giant Rangers, where compatriots Craig Moore and Tony Vidmar became household names. The Glasgow club has lost midfielder Jeremy Clement to Paris St Germain, leaving a void to be filled at Ibrox and Culina is keen to go. "Rangers are a massive club and, if their interest is genuine, I am flattered," Culina said. "It really is up to the clubs but I would like to play in the UK one day. However, I'm contracted to PSV (Eindhoven) for 18 months and I am committed to the cause." The 26-year-old is struggling to break into the first team at the Dutch league leader, starting in only a handful of matches this term. PSV spokesman Pedro Salazar-Hewitt played down the reports, saying no contact had been made between the two clubs. "I am normally made aware when something like this happens," Salazar-Hewitt said. "This is the first I've heard of it." Culina's British agent Dean Sheehan said the dogged midfielder would suit the British game. "If you're asking if Jason is what Rangers need right now then the answer is yes," Sheehan said. "The fans would love him, he'd score goals and fight for everything. (But) any sale is entirely up to PSV." Australian players have thrived in the Scottish Premiership. As well as Moore and Vidmar - who played 279 games between them at Rangers - Mark Viduka was voted Scottish Premier League player of the year in 1998 after scoring 27 goals in his first full season at Celtic. Culina was this week named alongside Viduka in a strong 20-man Socceroos squad for next month's friendly against Denmark in London, but is in doubt due to the impending birth of his first child. Fellow World Cup star Mark Bresciano could also miss the match, as his wife is also expecting their first child around the time of the match. AAP Del.

http://www.gersnet.info/fmrangers/newmain/110107.html First of all I think itââ?¬â?¢s quite important that we keep an element of perspective in this article. Not many Rangers fans like Bain in a personal way and that can often cloud judgement when it comes to the job he does. Martin Bain first joined Rangers in 1996 serving under former commercial manager Bob Reilly. At that time football was in the midst of a commercial explosion; TV money was high even in Scottish football and other opportunities were there to be grasped because of that huge media exposure. As a result, Bain ââ?¬â?? like other members of the commercial team ââ?¬â?? can say he was partly responsible for bringing in the large amounts of money to the club in those heady days. Because of his relatively young age in those days ââ?¬â?? he was 29 when he joined the club ââ?¬â?? Bainââ?¬â?¢s potential was spotted early by the senior staff. Although not having a background in football his good work in the commercial arm helped him secure the (rather vague and general) post of ââ?¬Ë?Director of Football Businessââ?¬â?¢ in late 2002 ââ?¬â?? a year after being appointed to the Rangers board. Of course that season really saw the Rangers financial downsizing begin in earnest. Although Mikel Arteta joined the club for a near Ã?£6million, Rangers fans started to see the influx of below average Bosman players such as Kevin Muscat ââ?¬Ë?complimentââ?¬â?¢ the squad. Alex McLeish was the manager and it was soon obvious that he, and Bain to be fair, would have a difficult job on their hands delivering success to the restraints of a club trying to ship excess baggage to attain an even financial keel. To that end, they were reasonably successful. McLeish delivered 7 trophies and Martin Bain made some difficult decisions to ensure Rangers (as of their 2005/06 accounts) were back almost into the black. Of course both still suffered for their thankless work. McLeish couldnââ?¬â?¢t achieve real consistency, and, as the Ibrox Scrooge, Bain was the ultimate supportersââ?¬â?¢ scapegoat of an unimaginative board and a chairman who had disappeared for a few years and lacked the ambition of his initial spell. In February 2005, nine years after his first arrival at Ibrox, Bain was appointed Rangersââ?¬â?¢ 4th Chief Executive. David Holmes was the first such employee and no-one can forget the club-changing work he did under the Marlborough administration. Since then, the club has had another 2 such CEOââ?¬â?¢s - Alan Montgomery and Bob Brannan (now the chairman of Dundee). Both perhaps had it easier than Bain working in less stressful times. Unfortunately, it was around this time that Bain was starting to make mistakes that this high-profile job couldnââ?¬â?¢t afford. Dragan Mladenovic, Jose Pierre-Fanfan and Olivier Bernard were just 3 examples of players that had to be paid off their lucrative contracts. Meanwhile rumours of staff fall-outs were rife. Retail director Nick Peel, long time club secretary Campbell Ogilvie and Youth manager George Adams were all moved on in quick succession amid rumours of disagreements with Bain. In more recent times, Bain has also been seen as incompetent in other areas. On holiday in the Alps while Paul le Guen and Barry Ferguson had their much publicised fall out and failing to get any sort of fee for players on the transfer list. Bainââ?¬â?¢s biggest detractors point to the success of Celtic and specifically their CEO ââ?¬â?? Peter Lawwel ââ?¬â?? as the main evidence for his failure. Continuing and unacceptable media problems, continued transfer market underperformance and continued poor relationships with his staff and our fans are all a marked contrast to Lawwel ââ?¬â?? who has to operate under the same financial restrictions and in the same market as Bain. In the last year we have seen 2 managers sacked from Rangers. The last 2 seasons have also delivered no trophies to our club. That is wholly unacceptable and that underperformance can be attributed to the mistakes and incompetence of Martin Bain. Sure, could be argued that, in the same way as the departing managers, he has suffered from a lack of backing from a chairman who seems to lack the fight and ambition for the challenges we face. However, our now infecund owner canââ?¬â?¢t be sacked which leaves the right hand man he groomed for the job. Mistakes have been rife and success has disappeared. Martin Bain should no longer be the Rangers Chief Executive. Now, is the time to make that change.

i realise their is another thread about this subject, but i want to let it be known that there are a Majority of fans out here who ALWAYS wanted this appointment and i believe we should all rally round our great new manager and his team. Its time to win back the scottish game from celtic and there is no better appointment that could have been made than the great Walter Smith. There has been grumblings from a SMALL, insignificant section of the support about how the appointment has been made, but if your a true blue then you wont even think about that, you will get behind Smith and Mccoist from the start until we win back the title from them. I urge fans of Rangers f.c not to listen to these Smith knockers or doubters as they really only have one intention at heart and this to see Rangers to continue failing in everything they do. Walter and Ally will bring us back the league given time and we must also start to do our job now and get behind their sellection every saturday. I welcome you back to Ibrox Stadium Walter, and Ally.

WALTER SMITH is the new manager of Rangers. Smith's appointment has just been confirmed and he will be joined in the dug-out by Light Blue legend, Ally McCoist, who also makes the move from the Scottish national team to become Rangers' new assistant manager, and Kenny McDowall, the former Celtic reserve boss, who becomes first-team coach. The new management team's first match in charge will be at Ibrox this Saturday against Dundee United, ironically the team where it all started for Smith. A club statement reads: Rangers Football Club today (Wednesday January 10, 2007) confirmed Walter Smith, Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall as the new Management Team. Walter, who first joined in 1986 as Graeme Souness' assistant before guiding Rangers to its historic Nine In A Row triumph, returns as Manager while Ally joins as Assistant Manager and Kenny completes the new-look backroom team as First-Team Coach. Chairman Sir David Murray commented: "It is a great pleasure to welcome Walter and Ally back to Rangers Football Club. I have great respect for both men and their achievements and I am convinced they will take the Club forward. "I would also like to extend a special welcome to Kenny. He has a terrific track record as a coach and will undoubtedly enhance our new Management Team." Smith, who has transformed Scotland's National side and managed Everton since leaving Ibrox in 1998, has signed a three-year contract with the Club. He commented: "I am delighted to return to Rangers as Manager. This Club has always been in my blood and I can't wait to get started. "I am looking forward to teaming up with Ally and Kenny. I worked side by side with Ally during our time with the National team and I am also delighted Kenny has agreed to join us at Ibrox." McCoist, the Club's record marksman with an incredible 355 goals in 581 appearances between 1983 and 1998, stated: "It was a privilege to pull on the Rangers jersey for so many years but I am delighted to return as Assistant Manager. "I was honoured to be named in the Greatest Ever Rangers Team and included in the Club's Hall of Fame but this is something really special. I know the Club inside out and I am ready for the challenge." McDowall, the former St Mirren and Partick Thistle striker who has a proven track record as a youth coach with Celtic FC, commented: "This is an exciting new chapter in my life and I am relishing the chance to team up with Walter and Ally at Rangers. "Working at Murray Park on a daily basis will also be a real thrill." Press Conference shortly.

http://www.sportingo.com/football/why-rangers-lost-their-way-and-celtic-became-old-firm-kings/1001,1593

Wonder when that meeting took place, seems to me that Smith was contacted either before PLG left or on the same day to have had a meeting with this guy so fast.

Just watched the highlights from Man U v Villa. Larsson played very well and could have had a hattrick. He took his goal very well. I know he is an ex celtic player but you have to admire him as a world class striker. He went to Barca and was brilliant and turned the CL final for them. He has now came to Man U and had an impressive debut. All this after 2 career threating injuries.

The backwards step taken by Rangers is starting to have an effect. A Scott Brown (Rangers fan!) quote in todays`press "Both players have attracted the interest of Rangers, but yesterday they said they would prefer a move to the east end of Glasgow. "They are two massive clubs, but now if Hibs and Celtic can come to an agreement then I would prefer to join Celtic," Brown said. "I know of Celtic's firm interest, and I think any player with ambition would be interested in being a part of what Gordon Strachan is building there." Putting last week behind us isn�´t going to be as easy as thought

Successful Celtic Reserve/Youth coach has moved to us apparently...

Celtic have tabled a late bid for arsenals anthony stokes. Bugger!!http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/falkirk/6235101.stm

Seems we are in for another Hibs youngster. I was wondering if it would not be cheaper for Murray to buy the whole club,it may be cheaper buying in Bulk than player for player. On a serious note it would seem we have Murray Park. Hibs have the talent to fill it. What are our Scouts Doing? Many of the Scottish youngsters that are making it big at other clubs, are discarded by Rangers at youth level. Who makes these decisions? Have they the vision to spot a talent? This is not only a thing of these times it is throughout our history. Kenny Dalgliesh was also deemed not good enough for us Maybe time to look into our assesment of young players and get someone in with the vision to spot these talents.

http://www.gersnet.info/fmrangers/newmain/050107.html Who�d have thought it? Walter Smith and Ally McCoist to be the new dream team! Is this a master-stroke by McFly or more short-term appeasement followed by heartbreak? Smith is obviously a man with Rangers in his heart. During his earlier stint we had some great times and his contribution to the 92/93 CL run and 9iar cannot be underestimated. However, at the same time, he had millions upon millions to spend; was up against a faltering Celtic and despite that one great CL season our European record was very poor. How will he cope with no financial backing and a Celtic who are now well in front of our mismanaged outfit? In some ways I can understand why we would bring both of them back. Smith is proven at SPL level and McCoist will fix the dressing room disharmony. Thus, as a short-term solution until a new man could be brought on board I'd be quite happy but as a long term solution I'm not so sure. It had been rumoured that Billy Davis was the long term candidate to succeed PLG, but given that era ended so prematurely, I don't think we were ever going to be able to tempt him away from Derby at short notice - especially given the compensation we'd need to pay. If Smith is part-time and McCoist the only full-timer poached from the SFA, then that's cost effective which as well all know takes precedence nowadays. More so if, as rumoured, McCoist, Gary McAllister or maybe still Davies is to be groomed to take over eventually. Of course, that would require long term planning and ambition and unfortunately the current administration don't have that quality. Bloody hell, our chairman and his CEO couldn�t even arrange for their holidays to be different times to keep maximum order in one of their absence! No, short-term appeasement is what Murray is always about. This appointment will deliver that but it won't appease the ever-increasing number of us who expect that little bit more vision. Just last November Murray was telling us that PLG would be here for the long term and his managerial position reviewed at the end of this season. What changed his mind so quickly? Was it Ferguson and the playing staff? Was it the unacceptable results and inconsistency? One can only assume it was the former as he didn�t sack Alex McLeish so eagerly last season when he should have. One thing is for sure Smith should bring stability. Smith was also never Barry Ferguson�s biggest fan in his early years so that might ensure our ex-captain won�t rule the roost as he might expect. We certainly need dominance in the changing room and leadership throughout the club. I don�t think PLG gave us that but I�m not so sure Barry Ferguson or Sir Davie McFly do either. Papering over the cracks just about sums it up. Can one obtain an honour for that?

GRAHAM SPIERS January 04 2007 What does everyone make of this? A good read IMO. It's not often Spiers comes out in the press and backs a Rangers manager. Pity he had to have a dig at the RST though.

I know that it's easy and clich�© but just think about it. We thought we'd turned the corner and IF we'd beaten the bottom half teams like we should have: Dundee Utd Falkirk Inverness St Mirren We'd have an extra 11pts and be SIX behind Celtic. IF you extend that to beating Celtic like our domination of the game deserved then that could have been THREE points behind. IF Celtic hadn't showed resilience and fought back to draw a few games and beat Falkirk, we could have been ahead. Celtic are going through a bad patch as all championship leaders do, but they have shown guts, determination and the crucial ability to grind out results. We on the other hand have been handed a fantastic opportunity to get back into the title race and have shown ourselves to be gutless and useless against the wee teams. Surely if the SPL is harder than it looks, the hard part is not taking international players on high wages and motivating them to beat teams on less than a tenth of the wage? Surely that's the easy bit... I think this shows that it's not so hard for a manager to guide one of the OF to the title even with a shaky start, it's just our manager has balls up big time.

Shocked at this as i thought he would stay to the end of the season and play in a 1st team. So the only reason he must be going back to Arsenal is that some one is going to buy him. It says an SPL club and hopefully Mr Le Guen has to spke to Wenger saying that he wants to sign hi as he would be a great signing

I thought he would go to Charlton after his medical. He is a player i think we should have pulled out all the stops for. That toughens up Celtics average defence by a mile.

2-0 the Arabs Good result if it stays that way !

He say's he is proud to be the Rangers manager, surely he can see that a local guy is not only proud to play for Rangers but to also be captain. To be honest we are seeing an improvement and in my opinion playing better football than last year but we are far from the finnished article.