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This summer may prove to be unique in the long and glorious history of the Rangers. It would require a bear older than myself to remember the last time we began a new season without strengthening the first team squad during the off-season with incoming transfers. In fact, the only business being completed at Ibrox was the removal of a few high earners from the wage bill. The likes of Ferguson, Hemdani and Dailly have left and have yet to be replaced. This should come as no surprise to us all. Even as last season was drawing to its exciting conclusion, Walter Smith was ominous in his warnings to the fans. The first team squad would be reduced to around 20 and supplemented by players from the youth squad like Fleck, Wilson and Shinnie. With the inability to agree deals for the likes of Adam and Gow, the squad has not been reduced sufficiently to allow any incoming transfers. The dearth of incoming transfer news within the media in addition to the moves being made across the city led to much agitation amongst our support. In a previous article published nearly 3 weeks ago, I urged fans to be patient and not to over react to the situation. Many fans were furious that Celtic had spent circa Ã?£7mil (including on their new management team) whilst we had yet to make any moves and to date have only earned a fee from the sale of Barry Ferguson. It is natural that, with the league being a relatively tight affair last year, fans would compare our attempts to strengthen with that of the side who are traditionally our closest challengers. However, whilst we have competed almost head to head for the SPL title for the last decade or two, that aside the situations at the two clubs could not be more different. Celtic began this season is a state of disarray, sacking a more successful manager than Martin O’Neill because their fans required someone “Celtic Minded”. Key first team players Hesselink, Nakamura and Hartley have been moved on and the replacements have yet to settle. This was most notable in the performance of Fortune in Celtic’s opening competitive game of the season where they fell to defeat in the home leg of their European qualifier. Fortune missed a couple of sitters that had he scored would have given Celtic a fighting chance of qualification. Now, of course, it is too early to be drawing any conclusions on the player’s they have added to their pool this close season but it does bring me neatly on to the main reason for penning this article. Whilst fans bemoaned the spending power of our city neighbours including the Ã?£4million buy of Fortune, in the article previously linked I cautioned against the time needed for new signings to settle. Although we all recognise that we are one or two signings away from a strong squad, the benefits of a relatively settled and stable squad should not be underestimated. Continuity in the squad and in team selection means the players get to learn each other's games inside out and the rewards are reaped on the football field. Since first having the initial thoughts for this article it proved excellent timing that World Class manager Arsene Wenger has spoken out in the media with comments that support my viewpoint: It is perhaps fitting that the Frenchman was speaking out about this just after I decided to pen this piece. The excellent spectacle that was this year's Emirates tournament was the ideal setting to prove Wenger's assertion. In Walter's first season he made us difficult to beat through defensive strength. Last year Smith turned us into title contenders. And the signs from the ties against PSG and Arsenal this weekend point to the experienced manager taking the next step in the squad's evolution without the addition of fresh faces. We again adopted the 4-5-1 formation favoured by Smith when competing against a higher calibre opponent, but the major difference this weekend was that we had the attacking wide players to break into a 4-3-3 in possession and play attractive, passing football. Last season (as for the last couple of seasons) we have had the highest quality squad in Scotland as evidenced by our League and Cup double. We have lost a few players who made little to no contribution last year and were most likely to have a similar contribution in the forthcoming campaign. We have hardly weakened our squad at all, whilst the likes of Kyle Lafferty, Pedro Mendes and John Fleck have all had a further full season in Scotland to help settle them into the game up here. I, like many fans, will be expecting a more consistent contribution from Mendes and Lafferty in particular. In addition to the greater experience of a number of the players within the squad, we have the returns of Thomson, Naismith and Stevie Smith to bolster the squad. We finally have some realistic competition at left back for the consistent Bosnian, Sasa Papac. We are very strong in central midfield especially when Maurice Edu, who had an impressive end to the season last year, returns from injury. The wealth of options up front, at least for the domestic game, is incredible. We have speed, height, power, work rate and goals from different forwards. You may struggle to find another club with the goalkeeping option of McGregor or Alexander. Sure, left midfield continues to prove problematic. We have half a dozen players who can fill that position, but not one who has made it their own. We can counter this with a change in formation to a midfield diamond. Or perhaps one of the players within the squad will step forward and command a starting berth on the left. And again, we start a season concerned over our centre backs. Can Davie Weir play another full season at the heart of the defence? After playing 60 games 2 seasons ago as we marched to the final day of every competition we entered it was the consensus opinion that he could not stand up to another full season of football. Weir powered his way to another 47 games (more than any other player in the squad) including all but 2 league games and shows no signs of letting up. That said, we would all prefer competition for the first choice pair of Weir and Bougherra. Arsene Wenger is obviously a strong believer that buying new players is not the only way to improve your squad year on year. And looking at Celtic’s disastrous opening to the season it is clear that having to begin a new era at a club by ripping up the previous squad to create a new team, even when backed by the money men at the club, is a gamble. Spending money is no guarantee of success. If we have to begin the upcoming season with essentially the same pool of players that won the double last year I will not be concerned. Walter Smith has previously demonstrated the veracity of Wenger’s assertion that you can improve your team with work on the training field and not just at the negotiating table. When Smith took over the national team from Berti Vogts the country was a laughing stock ranked in the 70s or 80s. Whilst Vogts handed out caps to over 40 different players Smith again demonstrated the effectiveness of consistency, finding his best squad and dragging the national team back up the rankings and heart-breakingly close to qualification for the World Cup. He followed that up by leading us to the top of our qualifying group for the European Championships including a victory over the World Cup runners-up France. I am not trying to suggest that a lack of transfer funds makes Smith’s job easier. Of course any manager can benefit from a transfer kitty if he spends it right. However consistency of selection also strengthens a squad’s assault on the silverware and the team that Smith has been building since he returned to the club has been growing as a unit season upon season and team unity will have never been higher. Regardless of what does or doesn’t happen in the transfer market this year I am eagerly anticipating another successful season under the guidance of the legendary Walter Smith.

http://sport.scotsman.com/football/W...the.5494329.jp

Obviously still 3 full weekends away from the Premier League starting but just wondered who the current favourites will be for winning and relegation. Man U start as favourites and are going for a first ever 4 in a row. Losing Ronaldo and Tevez means they are 50+ goals a season down (in all comps) and to lose that has to have an effect. They will still likely bring in a new face or 2 but so far I cant see Owen being a goalscoring replacement. I wonder how Chelsea will do under Anchelotti. This time last year everyone was raving about Scolari and they would be favourites but I said he wouldnt last the full season. They will be there or there abouts. I dont like to say it but I fancy Liverpool to be one step stronger this season and push Utd all the way. One of the positions they struggled to compare with the others was full backs and signing Glen Johnson certainly improves them. I still think their squad players arent as strong as Man U and chelsea but if they hold onto Alonso and get a partner for Torres then their first XI will be as good. A lot of people are writing off Arsenal but I think they will be stronger also IF they get luckier with injuries, but already Nasri has a broken leg!!! They signed a centre half from Ajax (?) which was badly needed. But if Rosicky gets fit then it will be like a new signing. I still think Wenger needs a quality keeper and a midfielder now that Narsi is out. Upfront Van Persie will be awesome and if Eduardo gets fit then they could have some pairing. Man City: They will certainly be a top 8 side but Hughes is going to have to keep a lot of ego's happy and gel the team quickly. He still needs better defensive players to give them a chance of making the top 4. If he gets Terry (no chance IMO) and Lescott then they will be in with a shout of top 4. Winners: Im going to say either Arsenal or Liverpool will win it!! Relegation: It will be 3 from Burnley, Birmingham, Wolves, Stoke, Hull, Wigan, Bolton and Portsmouth to go down. Id guess Burnley, Wigan and Portsmouth at the moment.

I reckon we might struggle if we do not bring any new players in as all big teams are buying players to add to there squads even if its bosmans a squad needs depth , and we seem to have lost a few players this summer but wont be replacing any a risky stratagy if you ask me , i know our hands are tied financially but we have freed up over �£50K per week in wages so surely we could afford to bring in a few players to boost the squad for an assualt on the SPL and Europe there are plenty of good players who are available on a free transfer just now. I know we will give the younger players more games this season which is fantastic but my fear is we will struggle for quality when it is required during the season due to injurys etc. Are things really that bad financially at Rangers ??? are we poorer than Hearts ? the Tims ? its so frustrating as its like we are the poor man of European football who has a everything must go sale every transfer window i would even say we must keep the likes of McCulloch and Dailly if we arent going to replace them. I am looking forward to seeing the youth get a chance at Ibrox but i fear we will come up short if we are drawn against the cream of Europe. Also i must add this has been the most boring and Frustrating post season summer ever for Gers fans i reckon. Roll on the Man City Game

Tevez has gone way down in my estimations now. He's a quality player who could pick any of the worlds top clubs to play for yet he chooses Man City. Money talks!

Official site

by Thomas Jordan MAURICE EDU'S lifelong dream growing up in America was to mix it with the world's top talents in the Champions League. The Rangers midfielder was beaming with delight as he managed to take a huge step closer to living out that ambition by helping the Ibrox club win the championship at Tannadice last season to automatically qualify for the group stage of the competition. But it came at a price. An injury picked up during the victory that secured the title was confirmed days later as being a knee ligament tear which denied the 23-year-old the opportunity to play in the Scottish Cup Final showdown with Falkirk at Hampden. However, it was the prospect of not being back in time for top flight football's most prestigious event that was one that sent a chill down the American international's spine as he faced up to the possibility he might miss the start of the Champions League. advertisement Edu, though, finds himself on course to be back in contention for Rangers' European campaign after spending the last four weeks stepping up his training in his homeland after going under the knife in June. He has now reported back to Murray Park to continue his rehabilitation under the watchful eye of the Rangers medical team. But the player is confident he is still on course to return in time to play in the Champions League. "Playing in the Champions League makes me even more eager to return," insisted Edu. "I've always dreamed of playing in the great stadiums of Milan or Barcelona. And there is a possibility of that happening now because we have automatically qualified for the group stage after winning the SPL title. "It means there is a good chance we could find ourselves playing against one of the biggest names in world football. "To score a goal in the Champions League at somewhere like the San Siro or Camp Nou would definitely be one of my career highlights." And it has provided the player with an extra incentive to get himself back to full fitness. "My knee feels a lot better," explained Edu. "Rehab is going very well and I'm dying to play. "I am still scheduled to return the second week in September. " I don't want to come back too early and risk injuring the knee again. I want to make sure I am 100 per cent fit when I come back. "You don't want to push yourself and come back too soon only to end up damaging the injury again, so I'll be sensible and listen to what the medical people tell me." Incredibly, Edu suffered the injury shortly after the half-time interval, but managed to play on for the rest of the match even though diagnosis later confirmed he had torn a ligament. That, of course, has probably delayed his recovery further, but such was his desire to make sure his new club won the championship that he refused to allow the injury to end his involvement in such a crucial encounter. But he was surprised to discover days later that it was such a serious injury. "I felt my knee twist when Darren Dods hit me and it hurt pretty bad," said Edu. "I was lying on the field for a couple minutes but got up, bit my tongue and let my adrenalin take over to help me finish the match. "It wasn't until a couple days later that my knee felt really stiff and I thought there might be a problem." The injury sidelined Edu not only for the Scottish Cup Final against Falkirk but also for the two US World Cup qualifying matches against Costa Rica and Honduras as well as the Confederations Cup. Edu had been included in the US squad by head coach Bob Bradley, but could only watch all the matches on television, something that the Rangers stalwart admits he did with some mixed emotions. "I was really excited and really happy for all the guys even though I wish I could have contributed," he added. "I think we played really well and fought hard. It shows that we're capable of competing against the best in the world. "Other countries have been looking down on us, but at the end of the day, they now see we are able to produce really good players." It has been an uneventful at Rangers with no new faces arriving, but Edu is simply pleased that they haven't lost any of their top stars despite speculation they need to sell off one before the start of the new season. "I think it's good that the core of the team stays," Edu said approvingly. "We know that changes can happen during the season but we also know that any players who are brought in are here to add quality." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2519877.0.0.php

Super_Ally explores the wide-ranging implications of the now defunct Rangers TV channel and asks just how important this could be with European leagues again being mooted... http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=1 Whilst all fans of the Bluenose persuasion revelled in the demise of the Irish Broadcaster Setanta with the knowledge we will no longer have to suffer a distinctly anti-Rangers agenda from what should be neutral coverage of the Scottish game, it does bring to the fore an important question. What now for Rangers TV? Many of us will have ââ?¬Å?Sky+ââ?¬â?¢edââ?¬Â the RTV coverage of the 2008/9 Double Winners and their celebrations. Probably the defining moment of RTVââ?¬â?¢s short lived run was wee Nacho Novo serenading the lovely Lindsey Archibald with a rendition of ââ?¬Å?Ha ha Samarasââ?¬Â and performing "The Bouncy" on Ibrox Uncovered. RTV took a lot of stick in the early seasons it broadcasted. Excessive repeats of the few programmes shown throughout the week, the same games from seasonââ?¬â?¢s past played again and again and again and various quality issues were often levelled at the channel. However, in recent seasons the programming did improve. There were still repeats of games, but this may well be put down to who owned the rights to show matches from various eras. Ms Archibald, taking over as the face of RTV from Ali Douglas, improved immeasurably over her tenure. Indeed, persons associated with the channel were committed to a project exploring the club's founders. It is sad therefore that just as RTV really began to turn into a quality medium for Rangers fans to follow the club, the Tannadice/Ibrox celebrations and Rangers Mastermind being particular favourites, the demise of Setanta has led to uncertainty over the continuation of a Rangers dedicated TV channel. Further confusion has arisen from the fact that the dedicated Liverpool and Arsenal channels are still broadcasting. It appears however, that there must be a difference in the deals struck between these clubs and Setanta that has allowed the Premiership sides to continue to run their own TV channel. However, it begs the question, if these clubs can run their own club TV station, why canââ?¬â?¢t the mighty Glasgow Rangers. A club with an enormous global fan base; a World Record making and breaking history; and a majesty and mystique appealing to commercial broadcasters must surely be capable of a similar provision? I can understand most fans holding this view point and so it is important that we realise that for many years MUTV, perhaps the fore-runner of Club Football TV, was run by Man United as a loss making venture. In this time of financial uncertainty across the globe and with the knowledge that Rangers are looking to reduce our costs, cut the wage bill and hopefully enhance profit margins, the club could not commit to a loss making project. It is even more distressing then, that in viewing the Portsmouth FC website I came across a stream for PFC TV. Free on the website, I didnââ?¬â?¢t even need to subscribe (though having subscribed to the Rangers website sometimes gives you full access to other clubââ?¬â?¢s pages as they use the same provider). Unlike the Rangers website and Rangers World, there was no fee and/or no monthly cost for this facility. They had an interview link with a former player. With the recent demise of Setanta and RTV I was intrigued and clicked the link. It was a perfect stream, good quality and no doubt highly informative to the Portsmouth fans. With the knowledge of the free availability of PFC TV on their website I do wonder how a club the size of Rangers cannot produce an equivalent service. Sure, there are some fans that are never happy and will knock it whatever, but I am sure such a concept would be welcomed by many. Even the possibility of improving the Rangers World service (something I am ignorant of) and/or transferring the programmes from RTV to this medium should be explored. The feasibility of this could be ascertained by the club. Surely it is something that is worthy of investigation. I know from perusing various websites that whilst RTV was initially not well received, since the cessation of broadcasts many fans miss their daily fix of Rangers news and the behind the scenes insights that Rangers Uncovered allowed us, something hitherto unavailable. With European Leagues again being mooted by the Spanish elite, Rangers should once again be ââ?¬Å?Setting the Standardââ?¬Â to emphasise our world-wide appeal by not just providing a valuable service to the clubââ?¬â?¢s loyal fans but by making the club instantly accessible to all via modern technology. The current economic climate across the world means more than ever our commercial and marketing ventures are crucial to our financial well-being. The replacement of Rangers TV and the upgrading of our club website/Rangers World would go some way to addressing that.

Scottish Masters this weekend. Squad lists here. Mols to make his masters debut. Before the Mols story broke Durie was listed in our squad in the first link. The official site seem to think he's still playing but not listed on the Masters link. Durie has always been a quality performer in the masters, as has Walters. I watched it one season where we won the Scottish Masters, went on to the European masters and played Chelsea, Ajax and someone else. Van Vossen was romping it for Ajax. They beat us in the group, but we won the final. :spl: Nisbet scored a goal reminiscent of his iconic European goal in that tourney. Anyone else a fan?

From Contacts: Johnny Hubbard & Billy Simpson Tribute Events I am delighted to tell you that over the next few months there will be a number of tribute events organised for Rangers Legends Johnny Hubbard & Billy Simpson. When Johnny & Billy played for Rangers for 9 years in the 50s they were best friends and they are still best friends today as they go to all the Rangers games at Ibrox together along with their families. They can always be found in the Wee Rangers Club for a couple of hours signing autographs and chatting to all the bears. At 78 & 79 years old they are both a credit to our club and when we won the title this season the old boys went straight to Ibrox to wait on the team returning with the trophy. I am involved in organising 3 separate events for them and I am hoping there will be another couple as the interest of folks to get involved has been marvellous. If you are interested in attending any of the following events then please contact me. Saturday 18th July - Stonefield Tavern (Teddies) Blantyre John Bomber Brown & Mark Hateley will be saying a few words on the night and there will be a Q&A with Johnny & Billy. There will also be a raffle and auction. The Stonefield Tavern (Teddies) has worked hard to become a great Rangers pub so please take this opportunity to come along and visit the pub whilst having a great night out with Rangers Legends. Tickets are priced at Ã?£5 and can be bought directly from the pub itself or PM me and Iââ?¬â?¢ll get them sorted for you. Alternatively you can purchase tickets by post at the following address - - Stonefield Tavern, 225 Glasgow Road, Blantyre, G72 0YS. Cheques to be made payable to ââ?¬Å?Stonefield Tavern.ââ?¬Â Friday 2nd October ââ?¬â?? Sportsmanââ?¬â?¢s Dinner in the Wee Rangers Club This will be the main event and we are preparing a real quality night for everyone. The night will consist of a three course meal, top quality speakers (Jimmy Nicholl is the first to be confirmed), tales of their careers from Johnny & Billy and an auction including some real special items. Tickets are priced at Ã?£35 and will be sold purely on a first come first served basis as demand has already been huge. Mearns Castle Golf Day This event is still at the planning but will definitely go ahead as again demand has been brilliant. It will take a similar format to others with teams of four playing for what may become an annual trophy. More details will be posted in the coming weeks. If you would like to attend any of these events and I hope you can all make it along to the first one on the 18th July then contact me through PM. Finally I would like to say that it is an absolute pleasure to be running with these events to raise some funds for two wonderful Rangers gentlemen.

Into July then and the new season is now upon us. The transfer window is open, pre-season training will begin next Thursday and preparations will be under way to ensure we retain our SPL crown. With key club figures at pains to say our squad size must be reduced and with the year-end finances expected to be somewhere around �£30million in the red, once again Walter Smith will have to be imaginative with his squad. Versatility has been his buzz-word since he returned in 2007. Players like Whittaker, Broadfoot, Dailly, McCulloch, Miller, Naismith, Novo and Lafferty have all been utilised in a wide range of positions as Rangers compete on all fronts over the last 2 seasons. For the most part, they've done OK but there's no doubt our lack of consistency on the park can be explained by a lack of consistency in selection compounded with players out of position. To add to that, we've already we've had several players move on - young and old - and we'll need more to go if we're to create finance for incoming players. Barry Ferguson remains our highest earner and if we can attain a decent fee for him and Charlie Adam, to name but two fringe players, we may have some flexibility in the transfer market. Players like Beasley, Gow, Graeme Smith and Webster should also be on the move. Even so, any new players will be minimal despite the expected ~�£5-10million bounty of the CL group stage. Key areas for strengthening remain a centre-back to complement 'Madjestic' Bougherra and perhaps allow Davie Weir an easier path to retirement. Meanwhile the wide areas of our midfield remain a problem - especially the left side - as the use of up to 10 different players there last season showed us. Therefore, a left-sided midfielder in the vein of Chris Brunt may indeed be our priority if we do manage to move on the surplus high-earners. Of course the �£3million fee over his head places doubt on our ability to not only sign him but entice him to Glasgow ahead of richer EPL clubs in terms of wages. Thus, with the doubt over who leaves and our budget, how can the manager be flexible with a necessary reduction in squad size and minimal funds to find new players? To add to that dilemma, the fans will expect a better standard of football, more consistency and less defensive play when we do play in Europe. As usual, the pressure on the manager will be high. As such, the answer may ironically lie in another head-ache that will come his way once two of our main midfielders are fit. Both Kevin Thomson and Maurice Edu are injured after being important components of our side last season. While neither player can be considered as tough as a Souness or an Ian Ferguson; their controlled aggression, strength in the tackle and mobility were imperative to allow the creative players such as Mendes and Davis to do their stuff. Therefore, the quicker they both return the better - though Thomson looks the more likely to make the season opener at Ibrox against Falkirk. However, what happens when Edu also retains fitness? Can we really afford to keep such an exciting young talent on the bench for another season? After all, it's doubtful that a central-midfield pairing of he and Thomson would be creative enough in the absence of genuine wingers in the squad? This is where the 4-3-3 formation comes in and I'll contend that makes sense for several reasons: - Playing Edu and Thomson in deeper 'holding' roles means we have a more solid unit for the tougher games without compromising on our need to retain attacking players. - Davis could move inside from the right to play in a free role behind the attack. His creative play is his strongest suit and he is all too often isolated on the right. With Mendes sitting behind him alongside Edu/Thomson we also have a player capable of picking him out when he does find space. - Our current lack of wide players means we don't have to play a Naismith, Miller, Novo or Lafferty in unfamiliar roles they're not as effective in. Instead they get to concentrate on their preferred attacking positions and compete for the two slots up front (or one if Boyd continues to score goals). - We also get the best out of John Fleck. The lad is a prodigious talent so we shouldn't be minimising that by shunting him out to left midfield. Let him compete with the senior players for the free role and we'll see the best of him. - The midfield positions are easily interchanged or rotated to ensure freshness and strategic flexibility when required depending on opposition. 4-5-1 can still be utilised if the situation really demands it. - We free up space for our full-backs to get forward. Steven Whittaker is a player that is at his best roaming forward with space in front of him. No winger allows both him (and to a lesser extent Papac) to support in space with players around them to help them keep possession (not their strongest suits) more effectively. - The strategy above means we may not need to sign a left-midfielder or even another defender given the added protection for the defence. Any money could be kept back for January when new players are often needed more desperately. 4-3-3: The answer to our problems - or a way for the board to hide decreasing squad quality and the manager to go overly defensive again in Europe? You decide!

Rangers approached season 2008 / 2009 on the back of a frustrating end to the previous season with opinions split as to whether 2007 / 2008 had been a success. On first look, it appeared that 2007/08 could be classed as a success, but under closer scrutiny, some fans, myself included would argue that 2007/08 wasnââ?¬â?¢t a ââ?¬Ë?successââ?¬â?¢. Yes, we managed to secure the domestic cup double. However, we struggled to defeat DUFC and QotS in the respective finals. We managed to take the SPL title race into the last game of the season, but ultimately lost the league race. There were many excuses given for losing the league and whilst most, if not all, had their merits, the truth of the matter was that we were so far ahead that losing the league was criminal. One aspect of the season that was a success was our European run. A good showing in the CL was followed by an appearance in the UEFA Cup Final. It was ironic that we started the 2008/09 season with a European tie and ironic that after such a great adventure last season, our European ambitions were killed off before they got started. Drawn against Kanaus, we fully expected Rangers to progress but sadly, we lost the tie and would have no European football to look forward to. We were hardly ââ?¬Ë?activeââ?¬â?¢ in the transfer market prior to being knocked out of the CL qualifiers with little or no players to ignite the imagination, never mind the season. Once knocked out of Europe however, SDM gave the green light for Walter Smith to sign much needed players. Carlos Cueller was sold to Aston Villa and we signed Boogie, Mendes, Miller, Lafferty, Velicka, Edu and Davis (apologies if Iââ?¬â?¢ve missed anyone). Joining CC out of the door would be JCB and Daniel Cousin but Daniel Cousin would deliver an unforgettable leaving present. Our SPL campaign stared with a trip to Falkirk Stadium and it was hardly an auspicious start to the league. We struggled from start to finish and can thank Allen McGregor for making a fine save from the penalty spot before Velicka scored on his Rangers debut when he tapped in a Lafferty cut back. We then welcomed Hearts to Ibrox and secured a 2-0 victory in a vastly improved performance. After setting up Velicka the previous week, Kyle Lafferty opened his Rangers account with a well placed shot from the edge of the box. We didnââ?¬â?¢t secure all three points until deep into injury time when Kris Boyd opened his account for the season from the penalty spot after Kenny Millerââ?¬â?¢s penetrating run was halted by a crude challenge. Next up was our first visit to our friends in the Granite city where we were denied a third successive victory thanks to the first of many questionable refereeing decisions going against us. After David Weir nodded us in front, we conceded a soft equaliser but wwnt on to dominate the game. As the match draw to a close, Beasley slammed home a sweet shot that everyone in the ground assumed to be the winner. However, the assistant referee flagged (wrongly) for offside and Rangers were robbed of a deserved victory. Hardly the ideal preparation for our first visit of the season to Parkheadââ?¬Â¦.. As per usual, we approached the OF game wondering what weird and wonderful team selection WS would deploy. As the teams were announced the surprise inclusions were that of Charlie Adam and Daniel Cousin. Both would play a part in what was an awesome performance and a fantastic victory. Daniel Cousin opened the scoring with a majestic solo effort leaving Wilson for dead before firing past the Polish Clown. Samaras equalised for Celtc, but Rangers went from strength to strength and steamrollered their hosts. Two goals from Kenny Miller on his return to Parkhead (one fantastic volley and one gift wrapped tap in courtesy of the Clown) added the icing to a breath-taking Pedro Mendes strike. Nakamura scored a late consolation direct from a free-kick for the home team after he was blatantly fouled by a blade of grass. That strike failed to dampen the celebrations in the away end as Rangers ran out easy winner. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR-hiAyFFIA&feature=related]YouTube - The Filth 2-4 Rangers (HIGH QUALITY)[/ame] Following the OF victory, Rangers faced Motherwell and Kilmarnock at Ibrox and securing six points from those two games was a must as our next away fixture as a tricky looking visit to Easter Road. We managed to secure all six points with two close fought 2-1 victories in uninspiring performances. In the middle of these SPL fixtures we played Partick Thistle in a League Cup fixture and can count ourselves lucky to have left Firhill with a extra-time victory. However, no one could deny the quality of our goals from Boyd and Mendes ââ?¬â?? two absolute screamers. Our visit to Easter Road was similar to our visit to Parkhead in that we completely dominated the game and ran out 3-0 winners thanks to two wonderful finishes from Kenny Miller and one from Boogie. It was a fantastic way to finish off the month of September as we were only scheduled to play two SPL fixtures in October. Firstly we visited Love Street for the final time with St Mirren languishing at the foot of the SPL title. We were absolutely woeful in the game and St Mirren deserved their 1-0 victory. We then travelled to a wet and wind-swepted New Douglas Park and found ourselves a goal down and staring at back to back defeats. Up stepped Kris Boyd to bag a brace and Nacho Novo secured all three points with a late strike. We also hosted Hamilton in the League Cup and Ibrox and progressed thanks to a 2-0 victory. Highlight of the opening months ââ?¬â?? the form of Pedro Mendes and Steven Davis ââ?¬â?? the 4-2 OF demolition and the 3-0 victory at Easter Road Low Point ââ?¬â?? the 1-0 loss to St Mirren plus the poor performance at Falkirk Player Of The Opening Three Months ââ?¬â?? Pedro Mendes Cammy F - :spl:

Read elsewhere that a �£5m bid had been tabled.....snap their hand of !

Very quiet on the Rangers news front right now, so thankfully we have Super_Ally showing us how the grandiose media coverage of the arrival of footballing God Tony Mowbray is somewhat flawed to say the least.... http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=801&Itemid=2 With the arrival of Tony Mowbray at Celtic confirmed last week, we have been flooded with glowing tributes for the scintillating attacking football Moggaââ?¬â?¢s sideââ?¬â?¢s treat the viewing public to. Any right minded individual is fully aware that it was for reasons other than football that led to the Celtic fans revolt against Strachanââ?¬â?¢s tenure. The outgoing manager was more successful than the darling of the demonic hordes; Martin Oââ?¬â?¢Neill, whose Celtic team employed a long-ball brand of football reminiscent of Wimbledonââ?¬â?¢s Crazy Gang. So the talk of the ââ?¬Å?Celtic wayââ?¬Â of playing football does not wash with this bear. Not since the ultimately unsuccessful, eulogised and over-hyped days of Tommy Burns have Celtic played any kind of exciting passing football game. One must remember it was Frank Rijkaard who first popularised the term ââ?¬Å?anti-footballââ?¬Â when referring to the tactics and game plan employed by Oââ?¬â?¢Neilââ?¬â?¢s charges campaigning in European footballââ?¬â?¢s second tournament. Fast forward a few years and another Barcelona employee (Lionel Messi) was levelling the same claim against Rangers. What the two games have in common is a positive result for the teams with the more meagre resources. Sour-grapes from the big spenders of Europeââ?¬â?¢s elite leagues? It is the appointment of Celticââ?¬â?¢s new manager, someone used to not winning in Celtic colours under Tommy Burns, which has again brought this issue into the media spotlight and onto the back pages of the newspapers. I watched a report on the BBC website with great interest yesterday. Whilst it was sadly lacking in substance and real in-depth reporting, it was none-the-less eye opening. Of the three Celtic fans they questioned (I guess the rest are in hiding after Rangers won the double) they were twice given the answer of entertainment as their main priority for the incoming manager. With a distinctly British bias to the list, the names that spring to mind, when considering managerââ?¬â?¢s who have provided entertainment in recent seasonââ?¬â?¢s include Arsene Wenger, John Hughes, Pep Guardiola and of course Mowbray. Wengerââ?¬â?¢s Arsenal has not won anything for 4 years. Hughesââ?¬â?¢ Falkirk narrowly avoided relegation and suffered the ignominy of conceding 7 goals in one league game playing a slick passing game. Mowbray of course refused to change his sideââ?¬â?¢s style during last yearââ?¬â?¢s Premiership campaign and whilst the other promoted teamââ?¬â?¢s managers led their team through a creditable first season culminating in retaining their top flight status, Mowbrayââ?¬â?¢s West Brom were sent back at the first attempt with barely a whimper. Now I am not going to argue it is impossible to play an attractive game and win things. Barcelona played some of the best football in Europe in winning a La Liga and Championââ?¬â?¢s League double this year. In some of their European fixtures the football was scintillating. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, Etoââ?¬â?¢o. The passing and movement was mesmerising. When it came to the crunch, in the semi-final against Chelsea they were fortunate to see off the opposition thanks to questionable officiating and a late goal as the beautiful football deserted them. And again, with Europeââ?¬â?¢s two form teams meeting at Romeââ?¬â?¢s Stadio Olimpico, the much anticipated quality football deserted both teams. So, yes, it is possible to play entertaining football and win. Itââ?¬â?¢s just very rare. Sticking to a strict mantra of playing attractive football does seem to be certain of one thing though. Ultimately, disappointment when the prizes are handed out at the end the season. Just ask Messrs Wenger, Hughes and Mowbray. Conversely, Ferguson, Mourinho and even Guardiola have shown flexibility. An aptitude to know when to sacrifice their footballing ideals to win the game. At a different level of competition, Walter Smith has shown the same pragmatism. Rangers battled valiant on four fronts 2 seasons ago. Competing for an unprecedented quadruple, we emerged with a creditable double. But not the two we wanted. Rangers could not tolerate another season without the big one last season. Again Smith emerged victorious with a double. This time he got his hands on the one we all wanted: the SPL Championship. Four trophies in 2 seasons, reaching the final match of every other competition competed for. That is the only measure of a manager and his abilities: silverware. History will look back far more favourably on Walter Smith than it will Tommy Burns. Mowbray would be better served aiming to emulate Burnââ?¬â?¢s nemesis than Burns himself. Hopefully, however, he will be fooled into believing the bewildering claims of the Celtic masses of preferring style over substance.

Cracking comparison between best practice in Holland and Scotland from pete... http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=800&Itemid=2 For those not aware, Scottish football is to be given a thorough and extensive review from the grass roots through to the professional game. Henry McLeish the former First Minister and an ex-East Fife youth player is going to examine Scottish football from the availability of facilities at grass root level right up to the professional game. As Holland has been one of the best countries in the world for producing world class players I would like to give an idea on how things work in Holland. Firstly football in Holland is based on being a community sport. Clubs are formed in Holland to give anyone who wants to play football the chance to play football. There is no looking in newspapers to try and find a team if you want to play - no matter how good or bad you are then there will be a club within a ten minute bicycle ride. These clubs differ in size with the biggest in being Quick Boys (Katwijk) who have 1783 members. They have 19 senior teams, 6 under 19 teams, 8 under 17 teams, 10 under 15 teams and 11 under 13 teams. Below this age group teams drop down to seven players and play on a half field. Players at all levels pay contribution money to the club so if you take 1783 x ââ??¬15 (average) per month that is a lot of money being pumped into your football club. The youngest age to join a club is five years old or to become five before a certain date. The first few years the cubs as they are called, normally just play within the club. They play 4 v 4 so as they will get as much time possible on the ball. At the age of six they move up to 7 v 7 on a half field with corners being half corners and a penalty from eight meters. The goal is the same size as a handball goal. No offside is played. Because the idea is to let everyone play football, every age group in the youth has the possibility to play 7 against 7. If there are too many players to form an eleven-a-side and too few to form two teams, then teams of seven-a-side can be formed. There are 83000 inhabitants in the town where I live and there are 8 football clubs . In total there are about 70 senior football teams. Behind all these senior teams come all the youth teams. These clubs are all set up to feed the top senior team (the first team). While most kids have the dream of playing for a professional club, getting into the first team for his club and the first team in his age group is also driving factor. A player who just fails to make the grade for the first team in his age group this season is not lost to the club and can go on to develop in the second or lesser team in his age group. That is where I feel many good players are lost in Scotland, as most boyââ?¬â?¢s clubs only have a first team per age group. The football clubs all have there own complex of pitches which are mostly owned by the council. The amount of pitches differs by the size of the club, most having between two and six full sized grass parks and a training pitch. The upkeep of the pitches falls partly under the cap of the council and often their social work department who employ subsidised workers. A 'canteen' where beer and wine is allowed to be sold is an important part of these clubs as it is a huge boost on the financial front. If you take the example of Katwijk above, then they have 19 senior teams. That means that they can have ten teams playing at home on match-days. Including reserves that is the possibility of having 140 people having a drink. Most away teams drink at least one beer or soft drink with the opposition before they return to base. That means you have the possibility of 280 people buying at least one drink. As I know for certain through experience many players spend the full afternoon in the canteen. The money these clubs make on match days, many pubs would be happy with the same amount in a week. All of the profit goes back into paying for trainers and the upkeep of the facilities which are partly the club's responsibility. Clubs are not permitted tax wise to make a profit through the bar so every penny earned must be put back into the running of club. Here is a quote from Edward Sturing - Head Coach at PSV: ââ?¬Å?The top clubs do not work alone. Without the thriving local football scene they would struggle. There is no organised schools football, but there are nearly 3000 local clubs of which 95 percent have a fully functioning youth set-up. Every weekend all those clubs play competitive matches in the age groups between seven and 19. Thatââ?¬â?¢s a lot of football and a lot of footballers. ââ?¬Å?In Holland the pyramid is very big,ââ?¬Â explains Sturing, making a triangle with his two hands. ââ?¬Å?To have so many local clubs for such a small country is amazing, because the base of the pyramid is so big there is a lot of quality at the top.ââ?¬Â Regional Scouts are regular visitors of club's youth games and the region's top 40-50 youth players are invited to be involved at regional level. A final region team is picked to play against other regions. Almost all youth training in Holland is based on the 'Coerver' training methods which is based on all training being done with a ball. Practice making perfect is preferred to jogging round a football field. Youth players have a natural stamina and working on the ball improves technique and stamina. In the youth setup there are not enough girls yet to form female youth teams, so female players play football with the boy youth teams. I have seen one female who made it as far as the under 17 first team. Not every club has a female team so at about 16 females have to look at moving to a club who do run one. That is perhaps one aspect of the system that should be improved in Holland. I think this article shows the big difference between Dutch football and Scottish football is at grass root level. Youth training and possibilities to play at a young level and grow through from cub to a senior first team level are hugely important principles often missing in our country. The chance to grow from five to fifty without searching newspapers to find a team. Football in Holland is community related, where grandfather, son and grandson will probably play for the same team. No fighting over football fields just 100% grass fields or sometimes synthetic these days. A football association which realises that the youth of today are the players of tomorrow and a government that puts money into sport without a lottery grant. Cambuslang Rangers, Pollock, Maryhill, Renfrew Juniors, etc. should be large clubs where anyone can play with the clubs thriving on a larger pyramid and contributions from players from all levels. There should be a full youth and senior program behind these clubs. Scotland has to build a pyramid with a proper youth football set-up being the foundation. Investment in the future is the way the Dutch look at things. Scotland should be doing the same. :spl:

Whilst every man and his dog is turning down the Celtic job, and bearing in mind that none of these names are even A-List are we still to believe that Celtic are some mythical, magical club, held in high esteem the world over? Martinez, Moyes, Coyle. None of these names seem enamoured with the prospect of the vacant hot-seat. Their current predicament got me to thinking; we often have the draw of their club over-hyped and the pull of the Rangers undersold. However, what does reality tell us? In the past decade or so, at management level we have attracted Dick Advocaat to Ibrox. He was assistant manager of Holland before succeeding Rinus Michels as manager, leading them to the quarter-finals of the World Cup. He also guided PSV to a domestic cup triumph and a league title prior to becoming manager at Rangers in 1998. A big name in football, out with the parochial Scottish game that struggles to look anywhere but within as the European game flourishes and continues without us. The manager who preceded the current incumbent, whilst not the roaring success that was hoped and expected was never the less, at the time, an extraordinary coup. Many of our ever impartial press laughed off suggestions of luring the precocious talent of Paul Le Guen to Govan. A man who had won 3 Ligue 1 titles on the bounce would be headed off to the likes of Real Madrid and was pie in the sky for Rangers fans. And yet, at the beginning of the 2006-07 season PLG was over-seeing the beginning of his Rangers tenure. Such is the extraordinary success throughout Rangers history, built upon managerial stability, that there have only been two other managers in our recent history. Alex McLeish and Walter Smith. Two successful Scottish managers. Smith is a big name in football, but as a Rangers man at heart, as with McLeish (who at the time had only the Hibs and Motherwell jobs to bolster his c.v.) it would be churlish to describe attracting either as a testament to our global pulling power for the biggest names in the game. A man who already has Rangers in his heart takes little persuasion. Moving on to the playing staff. Walter Smith brought the delights of Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne to Ibrox. Laudrup was a member of Denmark's European Championship winning team. He played for some of Europe's greatest club's; Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Fiorentina and then Rangers. He is a great player in every sense of the word. The greatest foreign player to ply his trade in the Scottish game. Paul Gascoigne was a prodigious talent. The most naturally gifted British player of his generation? His exceptional skill and exciting ability to leave defenders in his trail, showcased for Newcastle, Spurs, Lazio helped build his profile. It was, however, his tears at a booking received in the World Cup Semi Final at Italia 90, an iconic football image, that the game's fans will remember him for. An undoubted star player of his generation. The impressive list goes on and on. Andrei Kanchelskis. A Russian international who won the double at Manchester United. Arthur Numan starred for a successful PSV side winning domestic honours and representing the Dutch in an impressive showing at France 98 (Numan started every group game), before losing to eventual finalists Brazil. One of the games top left backs at the time he came to Rangers. Stefan Klos was a two team player. With his first club, Borussia Dortmund, he won league titles and the Champions League before continuing his success with Rangers. The fact he was never capped is down to the legendary Oliver Khan and yet is still one of the most perplexing statistics of the last couple of decades. Ronald De Boer, a legend of Dutch football, who starred most notably for two of European football's great sides in Ajax and Barcelona, made it 3 when he became a Rangers player. He was subsequently followed to the South side of Glasgow by his twin brother Frank during Alex McLeish's reign. The quality of cult hero Dado Prso was late to be recognised, until the Croatian was plucked from obscurity to star for French club AS Monaco. Prso has the distinction of being one of only 4 players to score 4 goals in a single Champions League game along with the likes of Dutch legend Marco Van Basten. Even the current team, built more on defensive solidity and a good team ethic rather than multi-million pound signings and individual brilliance, can boast former Premiership stars in Steve Davis and another Champions League winner in Pedro Mendes (His Porto side defeated Prso's Monaco in the final). The above examples show what an enormous draw Rangers have for the game's elite. From the passion of the fans, the history of the club to the majesty of the Archibald Leitch designed Main stand. Advocaat's legacy of ensuring the completion of the multi-million pound training facility at Auchenowie only serves to enhance this reputation and sell a wonderful club to potential employees. And I haven't even spoken of the heyday of English football in the 80's when Graeme Souness brought their brightest talents, such as England captain Terry Butcher, over the border. Now cast an eye across the city to the poorer relation. The "new" stadium. Made of mechano and falls apart under a light breeze. The budget built version of our impressive Murray Park. Look at the uninspiring names distancing themselves from the Celtic manager's job. Look back through the same recent history at Parkhead and try and identify a Brian Laudrup, a Paul Gascoigne. Even a Dado Prso. The only name in their recent history that may jump out is Larsson. However, he was a man who forged his name at that club. Celtic just does not seem to hold the same appeal to the global stars of the World's greatest game. No bias, no blue tinted specs. Unlike our parochial media my assertion is based in a look at the facts and not my own misguided prejudice. It was with great mirth I read the recent comments of a Burnley fan responding to one of the bitter persuasion's assertion that Owen Coyle would certainly give up a chance at Premiership football to oversee the talents of Paddy McCourt or Darren O'Dea at such a big team. "You're not even the biggest club in your own city!"

We know the likes of Hemdani, Dailly, Gow and maybe Adam will move on. But what about players who are still contracted? Id like to see the following moved on: Ferguson - Past it! Definatly cant run a game anymore and is more of a passanger / liability than effective. He can look back at his Ibrox time with a fine record though! McCulloch - Shocking player. His game is so flat its unbelievable. Boyd does more work than him. I cant work out how he manages to get so many games in different positions. Thats what having a false attitude in training does! Boyd - This will kick off the Boyd debate again but i think he needs a fresh challenge. He had a good run of games at the end of the season but that doesnt cut it for me. Is it true he said he was too hot to play at half time? McGregor - This is a tough one and im split on it. If we could get 5-7million then id take it. He is a quality keeper on his day but he has went backwards on and off the park in the last 12 months. Possibly deserves one last chance. Velicka - Not too sure what the purpose of his season was. If he stays he has a lot to prove. I think the squad needs freshened up in general with some ego's and dead wood moving on.

The Scottish Cup final was an embarrassment to Scottish football. 1. The quality of football on show, particularly from the Scottish champions. 2. The spaces in the Falkirk end. 3. The half time "entertainment" of mascots playing against some random pieces of fruit and veg. 4. the smoke let off when the Rangers players went up for their medals so that half the crowd couldn't see the players. 5. Status Quo being played after the trophy presentation. and that's not even mentioning Nicola Sturgeon....

Must be odds-on to become the next Chelski manager now.

Don't want this to come across as a timmy-esque conspiracy theory. However, does the "best of a bad bunch" argument get trotted out when they win the league or are on top? I ask as I tend to avoid the papers etc when we've been beat or lost a competition. Charlie Ridiculous was so scathing of us it would have made RDB look foolish to have complimented us at all had he wanted to. As I say it seems this phrase is over used when we win. Was it used last year considering that the two teams have not changed massively in terms of overall quality the last couple of years. We've got a wee better maybe.

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2510967.0.0.php What a dickhead, are their fans really that stupid I mean when was the last time Celtic had a really good team and played nice attacking, attractive passing football while winning trophies? Do they mean the 1960s team of over 40 years ago surely not? They sign thugs, cheats and have had their fair share of flops Henrik was their first and last quality player they had for some time but even the team he was in was full of cheats and muggers........ I know their fans are not the best in terms of brains but how many actually believe good passing football is the 'Celtic Way', most by the sounds of it but how many have actually seen it apart from DVDs !!! Real Madrid, Barca, Man Utd etc have played great football consistantly for years, I wonder if their fans call it the 'Celtic Way'

Davis: Winning goal against Timmy in the 1-0 home victory. Scored several goals from midfield. Numerous assists. Mendes: Only 4 goals, but everyone a cracker. An OF thunderbolt. Whittaker: The goal against Killie that was out of the matrix. Cracking one in off underside of crossbar v hibs. Think there are a couple more I don't remember. Numerous mazy runs. Boyd: Van Basten effort v Partick. The long ranger v Motherwell. 29 others to go with them. Miller: 2 v the tims. Goal against Hibs in the 3-0 at Easter Road was quality. Few more goals and assists to boot.

Few cracking goals this month: Boyd v St Mirren Boyd v motherwell Whittaker v Hibs Velicka v hibs Also goal from the youths in the cup, but the 4 above were all top quality for different reasons.

Please say it is so (SDM and Wattie... ignore the offers we will no doubt receive !!!)...... from sportinglife Madjid Bougherra claims he is 100% certain he will still be a Rangers player next season after helping them clinch the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title. The centre-half has enjoyed an excellent debut campaign at Ibrox, prompting speculation he could be set for a move in the summer. He was linked with both Marseille and Newcastle but, with a league winner's medal and Champions League football to look forward to, insists he is going nowhere. He said: "For a player like me, I had never won anything and this is a dream for me. "I will say it again, 100% I will stay next season. When you see the fans behind you and know they like you, you can't move. It's impossible." Rangers chiefs admitted in January they could be forced to offload one of their key players in a bid to balance the books. But, now that a �£10million Champions League jackpot is secure thanks to their status as Scottish champions, Bougherra is optimistic not only of holding onto their best players but adding even more quality. He said: "I think with these finances, we can keep our players and bring new players. It's fantastic for the club to prepare for next season." Goals from Kyle Lafferty, Pedro Mendes and Kris Boyd secured the win over Dundee United which allowed Rangers to win the championship and end Celtic's quest for a fourth successive title. Bougherra knows Rangers were all but written off at the turn of the year when they fell seven points behind following defeat in December's Old Firm derby. But the defender claims he never gave up hope of bringing the trophy back to Ibrox. He said: "We have come far because we were seven points behind. But we didn't speak, we carried on working and now we are champions. "You can read all my interviews here, where I said the championship was very long and I knew the quality of my team. We are delighted to win." Meanwhile, Rangers skipper David Weir branded comments made by Georgios Samaras ahead of the weekend action as "stupidity". The Celtic striker claimed the Parkhead side were the better team and that Rangers would be unworthy champions. But Weir said: "The comments are irrelevant. I think anybody with any sense would realise it's just stupidity. "I'm sure the other team's players will be disappointed with that because it puts them on the back foot straight away. "I think we went about our business in the proper manner and did our talking on the pitch. That's always the best place to do it." At the age of 39, Weir could remain at Ibrox for a further year, admitting: "It's not for me to decide but I hope so."

Some of these are quality. My favourite has to be Rita dragging Chesney out the shop in Coronation Street.