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  1. Don't know if you guys are aware of this provider of retro football clothing? The owner, John Scott, sells his Rangers t-shirts outside Ibrox on match days and now has two shots that stock some brilliant retro gear (Stockwell Street and Glasgow Airport). The design and quality of these items are first class (I have 6 Rangers t-shirts and have bought t-shirts for many members of my family for birthdays, Xmas etc). If you are looking for something different to wear or to buy someone, please check out John's site - http://www.fitbo.co.uk/ or pop into his shops or pop round to see him on matchdays at Ibrox Cammy F
  2. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=779&Itemid=2 First off, Iââ?¬â?¢d like to say I think it is too early for anyone to make their choice of the names Rangers have short-listed. However, I think their list is accurate enough (if too long) so before you make your vote, lets have a look through and see if the names mentioned are justified. * Kris Boyd There has been some surprise with regard to the strikerââ?¬â?¢s inclusion on the list. His recent form and general demeanour means Boyd will always be an enigmatic figure amongst the support. Arguments will always be evident between those that accept his poacher status and those that think his attitude detracts from his penalty box prowess. Thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubt though that his goals remain an important part of the Rangers team. As such, his 24 goals this season mean his PotY nomination is understandable ââ?¬â?? even if the goals have dried of late meaning heââ?¬â?¢s unlikely to win the award unless his form picks up dramatically as the season reaches its climax. Nominee rating: 6 * Steven Davis An ever-present on the right side of midfield, the Ulsterman is another player who has contributed well to Rangersââ?¬â?¢ challenge for the title. Intelligence, vision and the ability to score goals from midfield are his main virtues and these have been evident several times this season. However, as with the team generally, he lacks consistency and is often posted missing when the going gets tough ââ?¬â?? particularly in a physical sense. Davis will be another player whoââ?¬â?¢ll be looking to improve his form to have any chance of winning. Nominee rating: 7 * Pedro Mendes If you ask any Rangers fan who their favourite player is, the Portuguese midfielder will be one of the more popular answers. Creative, exciting and capable of scoring wonder goals, Mendes is crucial to any Rangers game heââ?¬â?¢s played. In saying that, since Kevin Thomson picked up his injury last November, Mendes has struggled to show the quality he did in the early part of the season. Sporadic rather than sensational arguably best describes his contribution but when he did pick up an injury last month he was missed. Will he be the one that can play Rangers to the title and attain an SPL medal and PotY award in his debut season? Nominee rating: 6 * Allan McGregor I think it is fair to say that McGregorââ?¬â?¢s inclusion on the short-list is puzzling to many. His form has improved since the start of the season but despite having 12 SPL clean sheets so far, Iââ?¬â?¢d contend that is down to the players in front of him as opposed to the keeper himself. Nonetheless, McGregor remains a vital part of the defence and one of the teamââ?¬â?¢s best assets. Unfortunately, recent international problems have shown that he is another player where his attitude may undermine his career. Nominee rating: 5 * David Weir It is testament to the 38 year oldââ?¬â?¢s longevity that Rangers retain the best defensive record in the SPL. Forming an excellent partnership with Madjid Bougherra, the Scotland international player deserves a lot of credit for his attitude towards the game. His lack of pace and poor distribution are well documented but it is his positioning, timing and organisational skills which seems to bring out the best in his defensive colleagues. Weir is 39 in the middle of May and his consistency of performance certainly makes him a valid candidate for Rangersââ?¬â?¢ PotY. Nominee rating: 7 * Madjid Bougherra Iââ?¬â?¢ve deliberately left whom I feel is the best candidate to last. The big Algerian arrived in the summer as a straight replacement for Carlos Cuellar and, given our European exit to Kaunas, was immediately under pressure to play well. And play well he has done! Indeed, his form has been that good that many Rangers supporters have already forgotten about ââ?¬Ë?King Carlosââ?¬â?¢ and some even rate ââ?¬Ë?Magicââ?¬â?¢ a better player. Certainly whenever he has been missing from the team (see our two losses against Celtic) we have struggled with him. Pacy, strong, aerially competent and not to mention his exciting forward runs, Bougherra has truly been a revelation at the back. As such, unless the above players really go on a run of excellent form, I can see no better contender for Rangersââ?¬â?¢ Player of the Year. Nominee rating: 9
  3. So in a tie that would have been extremely difficult when George Burley had his first choice to call upon, a comprehensive 3-0 defeat for a severely injury depleted side was not entirely unexpected. Indeed the bookies seemed to be expecting such an occurrence. For around half an hour, Burley�s injury ravaged charges were just about holding their own, if not looking entirely comfortable. Indeed Rangers forward Kenny Miller was unable to take the best opportunity of the opening period. The inclusion of the ageing Alexander, whilst expected after Kirk Broadfoot�s withdrawal, was not met with universal approval. Especially with an improving Steven Whittaker and a fit again Alan Hutton included in Burley�s diminished squad. The fears of Alexander�s inclusion were realised after just half an hour into the fixture. Alexander allowed Huntelaar to run in on goal unmarked, with Caldwell having also lost his man, and they were queuing up at the back post to nod into the Scotland net. The Burnley stalwart was a useful servant when fullbacks were hard to come by, but his days in the dark blue must surely be numbered. Impressive results such as defeating the French home and away in the last campaign were built upon a solid defence and a stifling game plan that kept the opposition at bay. So losing a goal so early in the game will have been a hammer blow to our chances. Shocking defending again from Dutch delivery from out wide, this time a corner, effectively sealed the 3 points for Bert van Marwijk�s side. Darren Fletcher allowing Van Persie a free run and header past the stranded McGregor from point blank rage. A thumping Gary Caldwell would halved the deficit, but the French referee (suspended by his own association for poor performance) erroneously ruled out the goal. Almost immediately the Dutch were at the other end and Berra crudely chopped down Huntelaar in the box, before Kuyt put the final nail in the coffin from 12 yards. We will always wonder what might have been had the referee not imagined an infringement when Caldwell towered above the Dutch defence to score, but the truth is Holland were well worth the 3 points and we must instead look ahead to Iceland tomorrow. Alan McGregor did little wrong and had little chance with the Holland gaols and should retain his place in goal with first choice Craig Gordon not playing regular club football. Alan Hutton finished the game at right back and is one of the few players of genuine quality in the Scotland ranks. If Scotland are to retain hope of 2nd place, Burley has to gamble upon the Spurs� fullback�s fitness. McManus is expected to be fit again and will likely return at centre back beside club mate Caldwell for the visit of Iceland. Despite Berra�s rash challenge at the third I feel that may be a little harsh given the Celtic captain�s form this season, but Burley will rely on his greater experience. Naysmith will likely retain the left back spot, largely due to a lack of competition, however he cannot allow dangerous crosses to be fired in as easily as Holland managed at their second goal. This is the part where the match previewer has to read the tea leaves and try to second guess the manager. Will he stick with 4-5-1 or will he try a more adventurous outlook. Whilst watching Miller undertake a thankless task was not unexpected and the right call against the third ranked team in the world. However if we are to achieve second place these are the game we should be looking to win, so a bolder 4-4-2 should be the way forward. After a cynical challenge by De Jong, Ferguson failed to live with the company with which he is so usually comfortable amongst. One wonders if that was the Dutch team�s intentions all along. The captain will be looking for a more commanding display in the engine room at Hampden. Manchester United star Fletcher is still struggling to reproduce club form on the national stage, he too will have something to prove when he takes to the field beside his captain. Gary Teale flitted between both wings on Saturday, but never really produced a telling contribution. I would start the industrious Scot Brown on the right of midfield. His combative style can upset his opponents, but his lack of positional sense and poor distribution would make him a liability when playing as part of only a central pair. On Saturday we were afforded the luxury of Brown in a central role with the craft and ability of Fletcher and Ferguson. However, with the midfield reduced to four we need greater discipline that his team mates will provide. Ross McCormack, one of the few Scotland players to emerge with much credit on Saturday would ideally play upfront after his encouraging attacking display. However, the previously mentioned injury situation may force Burley into deploying the diminutive hitman on the left. Miller had a thankless task as the lone striker and had we been able to deploy McCormack upfront I would have given the no doubt fatigued forward a rest. Unfortunately, the lack of depth in the squad means Miller should retain his place, with substitute Steven Fletcher a likely partner. The Hibs front man showed some glimmers of promise against the Dutch and should find chances easier to come by against our group 9 rivals. A 2-1 victory in Reykjavik, our solitary success so far, should give the team confidence ahead of tomorrow�s tie. Iceland, tied with Scotland in second on 4 points, are also desperate for the points, and a repeat score line is paramount if we are to harbour expectations of World Cup Qualification. The team are capable, the only question is will they produce the goods. Prediction 2-0.
  4. Unofficial U19's Match Report - Rangers 6 v ICT 2 Not long back and have to say that I was well impressed with the performance from the U19's today. Billy Kirkwood has gotten them playing some brilliant football and we appear to have 3 or 4 players who look to have what it takes to break into the first team squad. From what I witnessed today, I would say that Danny Wilson and Jamie Ness are the best placed at the moment and look first squad material. Both fullbacks Cole and Wylde can defend and also break forward to support the midfield and forwards. Archie Campbell has pace to burn and if he can continue to develop and improve on first touch and his decision making, we have a star in the making. His partner Hemmings is a strong lad who is full of running and who creates gaps in defence that the midfield can exploit. Hutton also looked a decent player and scored two goals, both taken well. Isa Bagci scored the goal of the game after coming on as a sub. The kicked off in front of a sizeable crowd (west enclosure was full and part of the main stand was well populated) and the opening exchanges were tense which is understandable given the occasion but Rangers gained the early advantage when Jamie Ness latched onto a brilliant pass from Kyle Naismith and slotted home brilliantly. Rangers then took control and bar from some dodgy officiating, could have scored a few more goals before the 2nd finally arrived in the 26th minute. Naismith was again the provider when captain Wilson headed home from a well taken corner. ICT suffered an unfortunate blow when their keeper came of second best in a challenge with Hemmings and had to be substituted. Rangers were rampant now and the third goal arrived courtesy of Kyle Hutton and the forth followed on the stroke of halftime with Stephen Stirling scoring. The 2nd half followed a familiar pattern with Rangers surging towards the ICT goalmouth and the loss of Ness to injury (replaced by Dick) didn't hamper our intentions or style of play. Kyle Hutton scored number five after a free flowing move where Archie Campbell outpaced the defence and squared for Hutton to slam home. The sixth goal was goal of the game - the pacey Bagci picking the ball up wide right, beating two defenders before sending an unstoppable swerving shot into the net. ICT scored two consolation goals, one from a very soft penalty award after Ross Perry had out-muscled the centre-forward and ushered the ball back to our keeper. By this time, Rangers were down to 10 men after losing Naismith (IIRC!) to injury having committed their 3 subs. Conclusions from the game - Rangers played a very positive style of football with a solid back four in which the imposing Perry and Wilson leading by example. A midfield four with two genuine wide men and two very mobile forwards who run non-stop. The officiating was poor - we were continually and wrongly flagged off-side and this cost us two decent goals. ICT were a very physcial team and we lost 3 players to tackles that were certain yellow cards (no ICT players were booked) and the referee didn't appear to be able to deal with these terrible tackles. Overall, and this is very positive, we do appear to have genuine quality coming through the youth ranks and for that, Billy Kirkwood must be given credit (and for the way that they play). Hopefully, we'll get to see some of these players in the fist team in the next couple of seasons. Cammy F -
  5. The way this season is panning out has similarites to Smiths final season in the 90s. A team running out of fuel fast! He continues to play guys who have nothing in the tank and players out of position. Although the quality of this team cant be compared to one in the 90s. But silly defeats like at home to Inverness remind me too much of Rugby Park and Pittodrie in 1998. McCulloch, Ferguson and Dailly all on the park/squad ahead of younger and fresher players like Aaron, Edu, Fleck is mind blowing. Ferguson along with Davie Weir is playing too much games. Everyman and his dog can see they arent fit to play every game so should be being used sparingly to get the best out of them, then we might see some better performances from BF rather than someone who isnt even a shadow of what he did 7 years ago. BF should start thinking about Rangers first rather than be an auto pick every game. Surely he must know he is struggling to run games these days. Celtic are no great shakes and I firmly believe if we had Davis and Mendes in the centre midfield they would have pulled the strings a lot better. Novo should have been on the right rather than coming wide left and Dailly coming on is an embarrassment after he hasnt kicked a ball all season. Lee McCulloch continues to be selected in every postion available. He does a ok job defensively by breaking up the odd opposition move but offensively and technically he offers nothing. The league and Scottish cup double is still firmly in our sights but if WS doesnt start to set his teams out with a hint of common sense then we will be runners up all on fronts. He needs to start playing to our strengths and forgetting about the opposition. Right now if we meet Aberdeen in the Scottish cup final id be surprised if WS made any changes from yesterdays 16 players. Next season we need to rid the dead wood once and for all. Mendes is suffering with 'past it' players next to him. He should be the focal point along with Davis, Thomson, Bougherra, Novo, McGregor and Papac for me. The rest aren't at the races. To think we started the season with about 9 strikers but WS still doesnt know who / want to play is concerning. Miller shows promise in some games but thats not good enough, his problem is when he has 1 bad game he will suffer more than the rest. Lafferty is the same, he shows glimpes of skill then shows he has no end product. But i dont think WS is doing any of our strikers favours by switching personnel and formation on a weekly basis. Young Fleck and Aaron are potentially good enough but the way they have been introduced is all wrong and the pressure on them could affect the way they develop. After 3 appearances each, both of these young players are expected to be match winners! Edu and Velicka continue to not feature in games but id rather see these two given some match time before judging. They deserve it more than half the team. We cant win every tournament but id rather see us lose after having a good go at the opposition, then we could hold our hands up and say there wasnt anything else we could do rather then picking the obvious errors that continue to baffle the fans.
  6. In light of recent results, Walter Smith, his tactics, his choice of formation and his negative outlook has come under increasing scrutiny. We are all hurting over a hugely disappointing weekend and it has lead to many questions and accusations rightly being levelled at Walter Smith. Less fans than ever before are convinced that the old campaigner has any answers. But where does this accusation of bottling the UEFA Cup Final come from? Is there any basis in fact for this argument? Should Smith have ditched the tactics time and again served him so well and saw his team oust teams of arguably superior quality? Should he have thrown caution to the wind, opened up our team and attacked Zenit from the first whistle? This same side that beat Bayern Munich by an astounding 5 goals to 1 on aggregate. Whilst many are angry that we did not try to win the game by setting out and attacking team from the start, I would argue the reverse was true. If we had completely changed our game plan, the tactics which saw us oust Fiorentina, Sporting Lisbon, Werder Bremen and Panathinaikos in the previous rounds, we would have left ourselves vulnerable to the talents of Arshavin, Tymoschuk and co. Playing a defensive line up aimed at stifling and containing Zenit and hitting them on the break was arguably Smith way of setting out his stall to win the game. We could have gone for the jugular from the first minute and been on the end of a 4-0 humiliation like the mighty Bayern Munich suffered in the Semi-Final second leg. Of course that is mere speculation. But when a team built on defensive strength, McGregor(or Alexander), Cuellar, Weir, Broadfoot and Papac conceded just 2 goals in 8 games on our way to the final. Whilst some may point to the fact that we only scored 5 in these same games that merely goes to strengthen my point and Smith�s case for the defence. If you don�t concede you can�t be beaten. Sure we needed penalties to eventually see of Fiorentina, but for the past few seasons they have been competing at the very top of Serie A and in that same season deposed the Rossoneri from the Champions League places. Whilst many fans contest is a one off game, a final and we should just go for it, are they right if it reduces our chances of winning the match? Sure, in hindsight they can claim to be correct because we did not win. That does not mean that Smith�s tactics, which proved so effective throughout the rest of our European competition were wrong. A number of factors conspired against us going into that final. The attitude of Cousin, costing himself a place in the final day squad. Our fixture backlog throughout the entire season, the number of games played in such a short space of time going into the final was unprecedented. Injuries to key players made our plight even more difficult. At the end of the day though, that is the nature of the game and you cannot fall back on these excuses. Many fans are frustrated. They feel Smith cost them the opportunity of European Silverware. I just don�t think that argument stands up to scrutiny. I don�t want to see our team attacking recklessly, just for the sake of attacking. I do not want to see us battered in the same manner that a Munich team blessed with the quality of Franck Ribery and other such stars were so easily despatched. I want us to play the game that gives us the best chance of victory. Playing to our strength, keeping the game tight and looking to hurt them on the break with the likes of Darcheville, Davis was the correct way forward. That does not excuse Smith negativity in playing a defensive 4-5-1 against teams who are not blessed with a greater wealth of talent. I am appalled at the decision to play in such a defensive, scared to get beat, too scared to try and win manner against your Aberdeen�s and Celtic�s. But let�s not tarnish Smith�s achievements in Europe of last season through an agenda and weak comparison with the dregs of Scottish football and one of the most impressive teams in European competition of the last 2 seasons. A team who went on to handily beat English, European and World Champions Man Utd. no less!
  7. Am I the only one who thinks he's pulling the wool over our eyes with his constant inept performances? Granted, he's probably been one of our better performers and probably our best player this season with the exception of Boogie but I wouldn't say that as a compliment, it just goes to show how garbage the rest of the team are. Apart from his goal against Sellick and his goal against Plastic Whistle what else has the guy done that sticks out in peoples minds? There's absolutely no doubting he has the quality, he's a CL winner with Porto so maybe it's the tactics that his current manager deploys that don't allow his talents to shine through. I'm hoping if that is the case then if/when WS decides to it chuck our next manager can bring the best out of Mendes. Is there more to come from him or is what we're seeing at present the best it's going to get?
  8. All Gersnet articles are posted on NewsNow and read by hundreds of football fans across the world. Indeed, our most popular site article has been read by over 6000 people - via the main site link alone! Obviously hundreds more often read when the articles are posted on other sites. These kind of figures often out-perform the daily newspaper contributions on the wires - both tabloid and broadsheet. Why else do we have journalists constantly criticising so-called 'unofficial' websites? To keep the pressure up, Gersnet are always looking for writers to work for the site. It's easy to see the quality of writing from every poster on the site so why not expand on your usual post by writing a proper article? Your imagination and ideas are our bread and butter so why not let as many fans as possible hear you on your soap-box? As a 'reward' for becoming an official site contributor you will gain from the following wee perks: 1. Special graphic 'Writers' button (ala our mod/admin one); 2. Larger pm storage facility; 3. Access to new private 'Writers' sub-forum; 4. Automatic entry into any Gersnet competitions; 5. The chance to win 'Contributor' of the Month Award (medal added to your Postbit) To be clear we're not asking for people to write constantly for the site. We usually publish one or two articles a week on the site, so each 'Writer' would only be featured every so often. Thus, if each 'Writer' could write one/two articles a month, that would be more than enough to keep the main site ticking over. Obviously you can write more often if you wish. Already we have several people writing the match previews and I'm happy for others to write match reviews or submit their player ratings for games. All ideas for content are welcomed and this is why we're opening the sub-form for such contributors to brainstorm. - Fancy your own weekly blog on the main site? - Interested in writing about the history of the club? - How about a regular 'MediaWatch' column? - Want to catalogue interesting pictures/videos of the club? You can do all this and more via our easy to use Joomla software and administration support! If you're interested, please pm me.
  9. Watched it on BBC3 last night. Another quality sitcom. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHKzsnU3JEo]Smithys entrance[/ame] Brrrrrrrrrrrrrra, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrra, BOOOOOOOOOM, BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
  10. ... Character, Discipline, Strength, Fitness, Innovation, Technique, Imagination, Ambition, Consistency, Motivation, Quality and Bottle. All necessary virtues sadly lacking from the players and management team at our club. Negativity is our buzzword and with a chairman who is AWOL and a chief executive who is incompetent, this has spread to the fans and is a factor that we see not only in online forums but across the board at Ibrox and beyond. Is our future that bleak? Who can change it? Who really wants to? It's no longer a case of 'Hullo Hullo' but 'Cheerio, Cheerio'. 'Ready' has never been more inappropriate.
  11. ARCHIE CAMPBELL has recently watched on as Gers teammate John Fleck forced his way in to Walter Smith's first-team plans and the young striker hopes to follow in his friend's footsteps in the not too distant future. Archie CampbellCampbell has been in electric form for Billy Kirkwood's under-19s this season, scoring 13 goals in 16 starts, and his ability to hit the net has kept his side in the chase for another domestic double. The Fife-born hitman joined Rangers at the tender age of 14 and came through the ranks with Fleck at club and international level. The pair featured for Scotland's U16s in the Victory Shield and were being touted as two of the most promising players in the country at that time. While Fleck has shot to stardom in 2009 Campbell has been continuing his development with the 19s and doing his best to impress so that he can take the next step in his blossoming career. At 17 he has plenty of time on his side but Archie admits he would love to be one of the next players from the under-19 squad to be drafted in to the top-team. He said: "I think the young players at the club have really been given a chance by the manager recently which is great. "Flecky, of course, has been brilliant but we have also seen the likes of Danny Wilson and Jamie Ness on the bench and they are only 17. "I am roughly the same age as them so hopefully if I can keep scoring goals I might get a chance in the future. "We will wait and see what happens but I think there is a big opportunity for all the players right now. Archie Campbell "Flecky has shown what can be achieved if you work hard, show the right attitude and impress the coaches here." Archie's pace and ability to find the net made him a stand-out as he progressed through the ranks at Murray Park. These attributes have again been evident in 2008/09 and he bagged a double against Hamilton Accies on Saturday to add to his impressive tally this season. He said: "I have been pleased with the way I have played this season and hopefully I am improving all the time. "I have managed to get a few goals and still have another year wit the 19s so I am happy with that but I know I need to keep working hard on every part of my game. "Right now I am trying to get stronger by working in the gym with the physios and this will help me a lot on the pitch." Rangers will take on Inverness Caley Thistle in the semi-final stage of the SFA Youth Cup on March 29 after the Highland Jags beat Old Firm rivals Celtic in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at the Tulloch Stadium. The tie will give the Murray Park starlets another chance to run out at Ibrox Stadium and Archie is not surprised to be facing Caley for a place in the final. He said: "I think most people thought that would be up against Celtic but I knew it was going to be a tough game for them. Archie Campbell"Caley made it difficult for us earlier in the season and I am sure they will do that again when they come to Glasgow later in the month. "But we are at home and the holders of the Cup so we will be confident going in to it and have a good chance of going through. "It's great the game is at Ibrox and we all want to get to the final at Hampden. Hopefully we can do that." The 19s have now extended their lead at the top of the league to four points after closest rivals Hibs drew with Celtic and Rangers romped to a 4-0 win over Hamilton on Sunday. Despite having a young squad Archie is confident his team have the quality and character to win the title again this season. He added: "The team have done great so far but we have to keep it going. "We still have a lot of big games coming up and need to have the right attitude going in to every one. "We are a young group of players but we are confident going in to every game and always think we can get three points." The 19s next match is against Dundee United on Saturday at Thomson Park, Dundee, kick-off 1pm.
  12. Pretty much every season since the latter years of Big Eck's tenure our squads bottle has been called into question. Time and again, the manegement and the players have shown it to be lacking. Granted last year, whilst Celtic showed the bottle to win it from behind, we were hampered by our member clubs the SFA and the SPL. Having fallen what looked a massive 7 points behind after defeat in the second Old Firm at Ibrox, our championship credentials were again being questioned. We were written off by Hogmanay. Fairly solid form by ourselves and a woeful run by Celtic saw their lead cut to a mere 2 points heading into the 3rd Old Firm tussle at Parkhead. Smiths negative tactics, perhaps further excacerbated by a lone front man, left many of us frustrated at not attacking a wounded Celtic who had been stumbling from poor result to poor result between the top of the table clashes. Despite our dominance, we only left Parkhead with a point and again many where wondering had we failed to capitalise on a chance to put the pressure on Celtic as we have done so often the last 3 seasons. Virtually gift wrapping titles to the dark side. It was not so much the bottle of the players that was under scrutiny, but that of the management team. Whilst the draw at Parkhead will still be looked upon as opportunity lost Smiths frugal approach, whilst being highly frustrating, ensured we did not fall 5 points behind again leaving us needing a favour from another SPL side. Going into yesterday's home encounter there was a weight of expectation from the fans. Win that game and we were back top for the first time in 3 months and finally putting pressure on Celtic. Asking questions of their bottle. 20 minutes into what should be a routine home victory and we were staring back into the abyss. Were the fans to be disappointed again. How could Scotland's greatest team regain it's fear factor and its ruthless winning streak. Questions were asked. And at last the Rangers are answering them. A 6 minute goalscoring spell effected by Miller and Boyd, orchestrated by Mendes, turned a potential upset into a 3-1 half time lead. The players played out the victory and attention turned to Sunday afternoon encounter. At long last a serious title challenge from Rangers when not distracted by the greater glory of European football and an unprecedented fixture backlog. The media, the fans, the players would be looking to Celtic to affirm their title challenge. Ask real questions of their bottle. Are they up to the task. On a treacherous Fir Park surface, Celtic did not produce the goods. A Motherwell equaliser costing Celtic a precious two points and allowing us to retain top spot. We're back on terms, albeit with a superior goal difference. But nothing has been achieved yet. We've merely put ourselves back in the race. Now to put the title out of their reach. Celtic are in terrible form for SPL title pretenders. 8 points from 16 since the Ibrox Old Firm Clash. With Celtic running through a poor run of form a winning run from Rangers would really turn the heat up on the Parkhead side. Those who argued a draw suited us more than Celtic last weekend pointed to an easier run in for us, a greater chance of Celtic dropping points. So this weekend's results could scarcely have worked out better. If we are really to ask questions of Celtic then we need to put together a strong winning sequence. No disrespect to our forthcoming opponents, but with mostly "bottom 6" sides to play, with the hardest games at home, we have a real opportunity to test their mettle. Leading into the split our upcoming fixtures read: Sat 28th Feb Hamilton (A) Wed 4th Mar ICT (H) Sat 14th Mar St. Mirren (A) (to be re-arranged Co-op Cup Final) Sat 21st Mar Hearts (H) Sun 5th Apr Falkirk (A) Sat 11th Apr Motherwell (H) Sat 18th Apr Hibs (A) If we have serious title aspirations only the visit of Hearts and the trip to Easter Road should give us any casue for concern. That is not to dismiss the other sides. It is merely a statement of fact. If we match their endeavour our superior quality should see us emerge victorious against these sides. Over the next 6 fixtures only Hearts and Motherwell occupy top 6 places, and both travel to Ibrox. Taking maximum points before our trip to Edinbrugh in mid-April could put serious heat on our title rivals and see them wilt. Given we play before them on 2 out of the next 3 fixtures to be completed (ignoring St Mirren) we have extra incentive to put pressure on them before they take to the field. Many will point to the old adage of "one game at a time". But if we can put together a run of consecutive victories befitting a league winning squad Celtic will struggle to cope with the onslaught of our title juggernaut.
  13. JORDAN MCMILLAN will have mixed emotions this weekend when he sits in the stands at New Douglas Park to watch Rangers take on Hamilton Accies. The young defender moved on loan to Billy Reid's side at the start of January and has grown fond of his new surroundings and teamates Jordan McMillanBut he has never hidden his love for the Gers and when his current deal with the Accies ends in May he will return to Murray Park with one objective in mind - to make the grade as a first-team player with the club he has always supported. Jordan will not feature in Saturday's game due to an agreement between the clubs but is now fit and ready for action having suffered a frustrating spell on the treatment table with a hamstring injury picked up in his first game against Ross County on January 10. Getting back in to the Hamilton first-team will be easier said than done for the 20-year-old who has watched on as the club went on a six game winning streak before losing in the SPL to Motherwell on February 14. They then got back to winning form against Falkirk last weekend. McMillan has been hugely impressed with the group of players he has joined and insists Rangers will have to be at their best if they are to get three points from this weekend's crucial SPL clash. He said: "Hamilton are definitely an up and coming team just now and there is a good mix of youth and experienced players. "The young lads are bursting with enthusiasm which undoubtedly helps the team. "I have been well impressed with the likes of James McArthur, James McCarthy and Brian Easton. "They have been very good and you can see that there are players coming through behind them for the future also. Jordan McMillan and Paul McGowan "But to balance things up you have more experienced pros such as Mark McLaughlin who has a key role for the Accies. "He is 33 and you can learn a lot from the way he conducts himself and his attitude to training and games, he is a lot like Davie Weir. "He always wants to help the young kids and that helps a lot. "I definitely think Hamilton has a great team spirit and they are going places. "They will be up for the game against Rangers and will go in to it with no fear. "They recently went six games unbeaten so I think the boys are confident they can beat anyone and stay in the SPL which would be a great achievement." Jordan is hoping he can now play his part in the SPL run-in with the Accies and show Billy Reid and the management team at Rangers that he is ready to take the next step in his blossoming career. He said: "It's been great being at Hamilton, I needed the change to be honest. Jordan McMillan"I have been at Rangers for a long time and found it difficult to push in the first-team this season "So I had to go out and gain a bit of first-team experience. "It's just a pity that I broke down with an injury almost straight away but that has cleared now and I am just desperate to get back in the team and get a few games under my belt. "Leaving Rangers was not something I never really intended on doing. "I always said that I am a massive Bluenose and in the last couple of seasons when I spoke to the Rangers News I always said I never wanted to leave at any point. I want to be kicked out the door. "But as a career opportunity coming to Hamilton has been hugely beneficial and it was something I had to do. "I spoke to a lot of experienced players and the coaches at Murray Park as well as my family. "I looked for advice from everyone really and with the size of the first-team squad at Rangers right now it is difficult to break through. "But being at Hamilton has opened my eyes a lot in a good way. "They are an up and coming team and are trying to establish themselves in the SPL as am I. Pedro Mendes "That is why I decided to join the club until the end of the season and I have learned a lot. "You are fighting for a different cause and I had to adapt quickly. "But it has been a great experience and I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of boys to be working with." Walter Smith recently admitted his first-team squad could be trimmed from 28 players down to 20 in the summer with several youngsters being drafted in to make up the difference. Jordan believes this will provide a massive incentive for every Reserve and under-19 player at Murray Park and he will be doing everything in his power to secure one of those places. He said: "Obviously when you are at Rangers it is more difficult to push in to the first-team because of the quality there and the size of the squad. "But it has been well documented that that the gaffer will cut the number down a bit and this could give more youngsters a chance. Kris Boyd celebrates"We will wait and see what happens but I have no doubt that there are players in the Rangers Reserve team that could come to Hamilton and play every week. "I look at things just now and there are young boys at the Accies who have played over 100 games at first-team level and you can see they have benefited from that. "Of course the pressures at Rangers are totally different and that always has to be taken in to account. "The team is expected to play well and win convincingly every week, a draw is seen as a disaster. "At Hamilton it is all about getting results. There was a stage there where the team did not play to their best but kept clean sheets and got points on the board. "Sometimes that is what football is all about. "So it is a different culture but it is something I am really enjoying and I am thankful to the manager Billy Brown for giving me this opportunity."
  14. Another lengthy (but quality) article in the STS series with bmck examining the interesting very public and most unnecessary 'battle' between the internet loyal, the media and the club. Well worth taking 10mins to read this. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=758&Itemid=2
  15. Feb 26 2009 By Hugh Keevins ALLY McCOIST will help build a lasting tribute to Davie Cooper on Friday night ... then honour his old pal's memory by continuing the search for the Super Coopers of tomorrow. A debate about the health of Scottish football has raged since Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan attacked the level of criticism aimed at the last Old Firm game. McCoist doesn't deny some of the stick was justified but refuses to believe this country's well of talent has dried up. Along with Celtic coach Neil Lennon, McCoist will tomorrow help with the fund raising for a sensory park for special needs children in Clydebank, the town where Cooper began and ended his playing career. But Rangers' assistant manager refuses to believe the exceptional skills Cooper possessed, and which ultimately took him to Rangers and a place in the national side, have skipped a generation. McCoist said: "I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I'll concede Coop was the last of the breed of players who learned their football in the streets but I won't accept pessimism so far as the future is concerned. "The talent is still out there and Scotland will continue to produce the type of player who makes you feel the anticipation of the crowd whenever he gets on to the ball. "Kids don't play on the streets any more for a variety of reasons but that doesn't mean to say genius no longer exists. "Aiden McGeady has ability to go past people for Celtic. Aaron and John Fleck at Ibrox have it as well. They're the players who produce the stuff the fans go to the pub on a Saturday night and talk about. "The priority for coaches is to make sure the team they work for wins matches. If we don't do that, we don't have a job but football has an obligation to entertain After the Old Firm had been slaughtered for the derby game, I felt we went out against Kilmarnock with a 'Let's show these people' attitude. "Coop was the consummate entertainer. Whether it was the swivel of the hips or the 40-yard pass, he entertained no matter the fixture or the surroundings. "The highest tribute I can pay him is to say I worked many times with Ruud Gullit on TV and he was always raving about Davie and a game he played against him while he was at Feyenoord. "I like the idea of a lasting tribute to Davie in Clydebank because I first became aware of him in 1976 when the Bankies took Rangers to four games in the League Cup before we got rid of them. I won't name names but there were two Rangers full-backs who tried swopping sides of the park during the first of those games because one of them was getting such a chasing from this young kid. "Coop was, first and foremost, a humble man but when people talk about him they don't mention his medals, they talk about his skill." Cooper, who died in 1995, was revered by his team-mates at Ibrox and McCoist smiled as he recalled one occasion when they literally pulled his leg. He said: "It was Coop's testimonial match and we racked our brains over a gift. "Then one of the lads had a brainwave and got the right leg off a tailor's dummy and wrapped it up in brown paper with the message, 'What do you give the man who's got everything ?' "I couldn't put a price on what that left peg of his would be worth in today's transfer market. Beyond price I would say. "I appreciate there's more to the game than goalscorers and I say that as someone who made his name as one. Rangers had three quality finishes on Saturday against Kilmarnock and Pedro Mendes was outstanding with defence-splitting passes. "But fans love the genius of a Coop or a Jinky Johnstone or a Willie Henderson. We need more like them and I know they can still be found." Part of McCoist's remit is to help discover and develop stars of the future - a job a certain ex-colleague would never have expected him to take. He said: "I can guarantee Coop will be looking down at me shaking his head. The prospect of me in management would have tickled him. "Never a day goes by that I don't think about him and Tommy Burns. You might go from the Old Firm to work elsewhere but in your heart and mind you never leave Rangers or Celtic. "Stefan Klos once told me it was what distinguished the Old Firm from German clubs. "That's why Davie will be on my mind when I pay tribute to him in Clydebank on Friday night. He had that magic ingredient and others will come to show they have it too." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2009/02/26/exclusive-duty-is-on-us-to-find-the-new-generation-of-davie-coopers-insists-ally-mccoist-86908-21153912/
  16. RANGERS' defender Ross Perry has been in excellent form for Billy Kirkwood's under-19s this season and the towering defender is hoping to test his skills to the limit tonight when Scotland face France at the country's world-famous training and development facility at Clairefontaine. Ross is one of five Murray Park kids to be selected for the glamour friendly with Danny Wilson, Stephen Stirling, Gregg Wylde and Grant Adam the others who have travelled across the English Channel this week. Jamie Ness was also selected initially but will miss out due to injury. The game will be a useful exercise for Billy Stark's U19s as they prepare for their European Championship Elite Group qualifying games against Slovakia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and England in May and June. Having already progressed through a qualifying group consisting of Hungary, Azerbaijan and San Marino at the tail end of 2008 the Elite Group stage represents a far greater challenge with the team finishing top moving on to the final tournament in Ukraine in July. Tonight's opponents France are regarded by many to be one of the best European football has to offer at U19 level and they showed their potential by taking nine points from their three qualifying matches against Northern Ireland, Malta and Liechtenstein, scoring nine goals and not conceding in the process. Ross has been on the bench for recent internationals but would love to pit his wits against Les Bleus. He said: "I am really looking forward to the game at Clairefontaine and hopefully I will be involved. "I have not played in France before and it will be a great test for all of us. "We played against Holland recently and that was a fantastic experience even although we lost quite heavily. "To be fair I don't think we played to our best on that occasion, we were perhaps taken by surprise just how good they were. "But as a player you want to come up against the best teams in Europe and France are right up there. This time we know what to expect and will try to put on a good show. "The main thing is that we try to take as much from the game as possible and getting a good result would boost our confidence ahead of our Elite Group games coming up in May." Ross Perry, Rangers Ross is delighted that five players from Murray Park are involved in the national set-up and believes it highlights the quality of youngsters coming through the ranks at Auchenhowie. He said: "It's always good to see a group from your team being picked for Scotland as it shows we are doing well at Rangers and this is being noticed. "Obviously we are still in the running for a domestic double so when this is the case I suppose you expect a few of the boys from Murray Park to be selected and it's great to see familiar faces when you travel. "But in general I think we have a very strong bunch of players in the Scotland U19 squad this season. "A few of the lads are playing first-team football already so I think we do have the potential to reach the finals in the Ukraine later in the year. "We have a tough Elite Group to get through first but hopefully we can do well there. "The England game will be a really big one although I don't have good memories of the last time I came up against them. "I scored an own goal so hopefully nothing like that will happen this time around. "As I say it will be tough to qualify but we have to believe we can do it."
  17. Ruthlessness Requiredââ?¬Â¦ As the realisation that we are now back on top of the SPL finally dawns on Rangers fans everywhere, it is the realisation and the plans to stay there currently residing in the minds of our managerial staff that holds the key to determining if we are to finally end the famine on SPL titles. This is the time for ruthlessness, for relentlessness, for self-confidence, for taking charge of our destiny, for our management staff to install this into our players and ensure that no self-doubt or negativity sneaks into their minds. However, how is going to ensure that negativity doesnââ?¬â?¢t sneak into our management teams heads? That could be the greatest obstacle that we have to overcome in the title run-in. We are now in a position of strength, sitting proudly on top of the SPL, the time has come for us to become ruthless and relentless in our pursuit of the SPL title. We have the squad of players to secure the title, we have the skill to secure the title, we have the goal-scoring talent to win the title and we are certainly mean enough in defence to win the title. Do we have the ruthlessness? I certainly believe that we do, and the management team require to install this in our players. We travel to Hamilton on Saturday just as they have stumbled onto a decent run and are also inform. However, even given the above and given that undoubtedly, this game will be a test, if we approach the game in the correct manner, impose our strength and quality on proceedings, we have a fantastic opportunity to put pressure on a creaking Celtc before they entertain St Mirren. There are 12 games remaining in the SPL title race and we must take this unforeseen but hugely welcome chance of securing our first SPL title in far too long. After losing to Celtc, I donââ?¬â?¢t think any of us could have predicted that we would be allowed back into contention, never mind finding ourselves in pole position with 12 games remaining. Rangers teams of yesteryear would have seized this opportunity by the horns and would have steamrollered their way, and anyone who stood in their path, to the title. It is that steely determination and self believe that must be installed in this squad of players. Logically, there is nothing to stop us going on to win the title. All we have to do is match Celtcââ?¬â?¢s results over the next 12 games. We have the natural talent required and now we need the likes of Barry Ferguson, Pedro Mendes, Steven Davis, David Weir, Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller to step up to the plate and drag then team by the scruff of the neck whilst dictating the pace of every game we play in. If we impose ourselves in the correct manner in the remaining games, our goal will be achievable. Last season, we capitulated in the run-in and whilst the fixture list was partly to blame, so was the fact that the players didnââ?¬â?¢t respond in the correct manner and our manager decided that the cautious approach that was successful in Europe would also see us secure the SPL. How wrong could he have been. We cannot allow this type of negativity to creep into our play and approach this season so to that end, lets hope and pray that the management team have learned a valuable lesson. In retrospect, we could and should be in an even more healthier position as we could and should have taken full points from our recent visits to Parkhead and Pittodrie. The defenders of our tactics in those games will point that the points gained were good points as we are now top of the SPL. However, of he had been more positive and won both those games, we would still be top of the SPL and there would be distinct daylight between us Cetlc. Our Support And Our Role I find it frustrating to have to pen this type of article, one that has a pop at Rangers fans, but after witnessing Rangers going top of the SPL on Saturday without support from the stands left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. TBO apart, no one at Ibrox appears prepared to actually support the team off a Saturday now. There is little or no singing (again TBO apart) and it was embarrassing at the final whistle when there couldnââ?¬â?¢t have been more than 5,000 fans left inside the stadium to cheer the players off the pitch after them clinching top stop. Can I ask a serious question? Why do people go to Ibrox if itââ?¬â?¢s not to support the team? Is it me thatââ?¬â?¢s wrong in believing that vocal backing is part of the remit of being a supporter? Ask any Rangers player, or any ex-Rangers player and they will tell you that we are an extra-man. We can have an influence on what is happening in front of our eyes and what is developing on the pitch. Our vocal support can add an extra half-yard to a players pace, it can add to their determination. Given that, and given that our team will require every little advantage going in our quest to regain the SPL title, lets rediscover our voices and our passion for singing those glorious Rangers anthems and lets give the team some much needed and deserved SUPPORT. I have to say that this is aimed at the support generated (or otherwise) at Ibrox, as the away support have, as always, been nothing short of outstanding this season (given the obstacles and barriers that they encounter and off course, the press coverage that they attract). Their Support And Rangers' Response A mere 9 seconds into yesterdays game at Fir Park, the massed Celtc support chanted their first (of many) sectarian / offensive song. These sectarian / offensive songs were unrelenting over the course of the entire game. In fact, Lanarkshire Police were forced to enter the stands housing the travelling fans and were clearly shown evicting many fans singing these horrible and vile songs. Given that above, is it fair to say, and with some certainty that the SPL observer will have heard these songs, seen the Police ejecting Celtc fans and include this in their report? Can we look forward to Reporting Scotland and Scotland Today highlighting the above and showing the lyrics of the songs along the bottom of our TV screen? Can we expect the papers being full of condemnation and pleading with the SPL to dock Celtc points? Can we expect a week full or condemnation on the phone-ins? Can we expect, all we actually crave on this matter, parity? Off course, we all know that the answer to the above is a simply ââ?¬Ë?noââ?¬â?¢. Given that, what course of action would you like to see our club / custodian take? This is a perfect time for them / him to come out on the offensive. Personally, if I were in charge, or had any influence in what our response in this matter, I would invite the heads of sport from the BBC and ITV to Ibrox and show them a video of yesterdays game. I would then ask them of they had any plans to highlight the singing issue and if their answer was ââ?¬Ë?noââ?¬â?¢, I would politely thank them for their time and inform them that until they show parity, their organisations would be banned from Ibrox and wouldnââ?¬â?¢t be gaining interviews with our players or management staff. They would also be informed that until they showed parity, there would be a weekly article on Rangers World showing any sectarian or offensive singing NOT perpetrated by Rangers fans and showing that this wasnââ?¬â?¢t being highlighted by the media. I would then contact the editors off all Scottish newspapers and inform them the same. Then I would ask for a meeting with the SPL and ask to read all the reports from this weeks SPL games. If none of these reports show any mention of sectarian or offensive singing, I would show the SPL the video of yesterdays game and ask why their observer failed to mention obvious sectarian and offensive singing? I would then ask them if the observer who missed this obvious singing would be sanctioned for not doing their job correctly. If the SPL didnââ?¬â?¢t show signs of parity, I would inform them that Rangers FC would not be handling tickets for any further away games, or for semi-finals that Rangers appear in. Added to that, Rangers FC would be seeking to meet with all their Rangers Supports Clubs with a view of a blanket boycott of all away games (which would be shown at Ibrox free of charge). We are being bullied in this matter, and its easy for a bully to pick on a victim that is scared or wonââ?¬â?¢t retaliate. Once a victim shows some courage, the bully will inevitably find a new victim. Fighting someone who actually fights back isnââ?¬â?¢t something that a bully will do for long, it at all. All of the above isnââ?¬â?¢t rocket science and wouldnââ?¬â?¢t take long to implement. If done properly, it would ensure that parity was obtained and obtained quickly. All it takes is a Chairman with a back-bone who actually cares about the public image of his club and itââ?¬â?¢s fans. The bullies would soon run off and find another victim. Cammy F -
  18. Celtic defender Gary Caldwell says Motherwell's pitch is affecting the quality of football and that supporters deserve better. More...
  19. By Andrew Dickson BARRY FERGUSON insists one bad derby with Celtic doesn't make Rangers a poor team to watch. Barry FergusonEver since the sides' 0-0 draw at Parkhead on Sunday, there has been much condemnation of the game as a spectacle. Many have said the Old Firm clash isn't what it used to be and claimed a dip in quality signings by each club has led to a more disappointing product overall. But Ferguson has hit back and is determined to prove Gers are still an entertaining team when they take on Kilmarnock in the SPL at Ibrox tomorrow. He said: "We've heard all week about the derby and we know it wasn't great game for people to see. "But I've played in plenty of great Old Firm matches and it's just a case that the latest one wasn't a great spectacle. "Hopefully we'll show that was the case tomorrow against Kilmarnock and we will give a better performance against them. Barry Ferguson"We want to go and entertain people. It would have been great if we could have gone out on Sunday and won 4-3 but it didn't turn out that way. "Now we'll move on. There have been plenty of times this season that we've played good football and we'll do that again. "People criticised us for the way we played last season, despite the success it brought us, and they're going to have their opinions. "But we try to go out and play as well as we can every week and we are still capable of doing that for our fans." Ferguson is eager to take Gers top of the league tomorrow ahead of Celtic's game with Motherwell on Sunday. It is more than three months since the Light Blues found themselves at the top of the summit but now they're only a victory away. Ferguson battles for the ballFerguson added: "We are under pressure this year and we know that so we need to handle that and win the league. "Now it's close again. After the last Old Firm game, people said we had lost the title but we're only two points behind. "We never believed it was over and if we win against Killie, we'll go top. That is a big incentive for us and I feel we've got a good enough squad to take the title. "When you set out at the start of the campaign, your focus is on winning the championship but we've not done that in the last three years. "That's not good enough. It was nice winning cups last season and getting to the UEFA Cup final but me and the rest of the guys in the dressing room really want the league."
  20. Keane away.... Benitez back to rotating his team... and now Gerrard out for 3 weeks....and we know how key he is! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7871386.stm Personally i never thought they could win the league anyway, they dont have near enough quality over the park to match Man Utd over a season.
  21. RM poster 'BlueIsTheColour' gives his recommendations on how the club could look to improve via a more refined and wider-ranging scouting network. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=748&Itemid=2 Part One The Rangers of 2009 is not the club we all once knew. No longer can we attract Europe's best players when they are at the top of their game. In fact, nowadays we would struggle to pay their appearance bonuses, never mind their weekly salaries. The club is suffering the effects of an economic downturn and poor money-management from the Boardroom to the Manager's Office. In correlation with this fact, we are seeing a decline in the quality of performances produced on the pitch. There is no doubt about it; we are in the midst of a decline. Every year we have to sell our top players, qualify for the Champions League and continue to fill Ibrox with 50,000 fans, just so as we break even and don't record a loss year on year. Something has to change. David Murray and Walter Smith have constantly reminded us as fans that the days of big spending are over and that we cannot compete financially with the top European sides that are paying ludicrous amounts of money for players. But why are we making excuses for our predicament? We should be creating a new vision for the club, one which will see us compete in the Champions League, assert dominance in the SPL and become an attractive club again. I have such a vision; it is neither complicated nor costly. It is the creation of a multi-level scouting network which can identify the best young hidden talent from across the globe, find players who are within our price range and who will improve the squad and also give the manager a chance to explore avenues never before open to him. It is the future. At present, our transfer policy is very limited and many would say is failing. Our main source of players is close to home, from either the English Championship or the SPL. Due to the inflated transfer market in England, we are being forced to scrounge for bargains that may or may not improve our first team, or even be good enough to play for us at all. Walter Smith has spent �£30 million on players since returning to the club and only a handful of those signings have made a big impact on the first team. Too much money is being wasted when we can least afford it. The problem is that we have no real process of identifying players. It appears that our scouting system consists of looking to the over-priced English market, snapping-up the best talent in the SPL and attempting to sign any players that have impressed against us in Europe. That's hardly constructive, I'm sure you will agree. The whole system needs to be scrapped and reinvented. The pressure should not be on the manager to identify, scout and sign players whom he thinks can do well at Rangers. He also shouldn't have just one or two men who can go and report on players who catch his eye. I believe that the club should firstly appoint a Director of Football who will oversee the development of youth players, a new scouting system and will answer directly to the manager and Chairman. Following this there should be the process of hiring around ten top scouts, who will each bring a different wealth of knowledge to the club. For example, one or two scouts who have their finger on the pulse of the South American game, another two each for the Asian and African games, and the remaining 4 to report on the European game. This would only be a starting block, over time the network will inevitably expand and the more contacts the scouts can establish the more players that will be brought to the Director of Football's attention. Each scout will be responsible for creating an ever-changing dossier of players in their respective Continents who are great prospects, proven players or under-rated professionals. A list of between 15-20 of their top recommendations should be created, and constantly updated, for every playing position. Any specific talents or frailties should be noted as well as an in-depth description of how each player operates, the price tag and the possible sell-on value. Of course, this will not all happen overnight or be a quick-fix to our current problems. It is a clear and concise plan for the future which will have many benefits for both the club and the supporters. First and foremost it makes the job of manager so much easier. When he identifies a position that needs filled within the team he doesn't have to start his search from scratch, there will already be a vast wealth of information available to him on many players from around the globe. He has a knowledgeable Director of Football to consult with as well as each individual scout who can help find the player(s) who would be most suited to the manager's playing style and structure. This could inevitably reduce the amount of signings who are unable to make the grade in the Rangers first-team. There are also the financial benefits to such a system. It will uncover many talented young players who have yet to appear on the radar of the big European clubs and in doing so, give us a conveyor belt of talent from all over the world. If these players are successful they can then be sold on for much larger fees than the club originally paid without leaving gaping holes in the first team. The club can also save money by buying from poorer leagues than the English Championship, which will undoubtedly see superior players available for a fraction of the price of their over-valued English counterparts. The clubs' image will see a massive benefit, as will merchandise sales if an ambitious but prudent marketing structure is put in place. With the club finding players from all over the world, we can create an image of being truly global and use this to attract merchandise sales from football-mad countries like China, Japan and the USA where there is huge potential for massive revenue in this department. I won't go into too much detail on this point as it will hopefully be covered in more depth within another article. [CONTINUED]
  22. Dear Mr Branson REF: Mumbai to Heathrow 7th December 2008 I love the Virgin brand, I really do which is why I continue to use it despite a series of unfortunate incidents over the last few years. This latest incident takes the biscuit. Ironically, by the end of the flight I would have gladly paid over a thousand rupees for a single biscuit following the culinary journey of hell I was subjected to at the hands of your corporation. Look at this Richard. Just look at it: I imagine the same questions are racing through your brilliant mind as were racing through mine on that fateful day. What is this? Why have I been given it? What have I done to deserve this? And, which one is the starter, which one is the desert? You don't get to a position like yours Richard with anything less than a generous sprinkling of observational power so I KNOW you will have spotted the tomato next to the two yellow shafts of sponge on the left. Yes, it's next to the sponge shaft without the green paste. That's got to be the clue hasn't it. No sane person would serve a desert with a tomato would they. Well answer me this Richard, what sort of animal would serve a desert with peas in: I know it looks like a baaji but it's in custard Richard, custard. It must be the pudding. Well you'll be fascinated to hear that it wasn't custard. It was a sour gel with a clear oil on top. It's only redeeming feature was that it managed to be so alien to my palette that it took away the taste of the curry emanating from our miscellaneous central cuboid of beige matter. Perhaps the meal on the left might be the desert after all. Anyway, this is all irrelevant at the moment. I was raised strictly but neatly by my parents and if they knew I had started desert before the main course, a sponge shaft would be the least of my worries. So lets peel back the tin-foil on the main dish and see what's on offer. I'll try and explain how this felt. Imagine being a twelve year old boy Richard. Now imagine it's Christmas morning and you're sat their with your final present to open. It's a big one, and you know what it is. It's that Goodmans stereo you picked out the catalogue and wrote to Santa about. Only you open the present and it's not in there. It's your hamster Richard. It's your hamster in the box and it's not breathing. That's how I felt when I peeled back the foil and saw this: Now I know what you're thinking. You're thinking it's more of that Baaji custard. I admit I thought the same too, but no. It's mustard Richard. MUSTARD. More mustard than any man could consume in a month. On the left we have a piece of broccoli and some peppers in a brown glue-like oil and on the right the chef had prepared some mashed potato. The potato masher had obviously broken and so it was decided the next best thing would be to pass the potatoes through the digestive tract of a bird. Once it was regurgitated it was clearly then blended and mixed with a bit of mustard. Everybody likes a bit of mustard Richard. By now I was actually starting to feel a little hypoglycaemic. I needed a sugar hit. Luckily there was a small cookie provided. It had caught my eye earlier due to it's baffling presentation: It appears to be in an evidence bag from the scene of a crime. A CRIME AGAINST BLOODY COOKING. Either that or some sort of back-street underground cookie, purchased off a gun-toting maniac high on his own supply of yeast. You certainly wouldn't want to be caught carrying one of these through customs. Imagine biting into a piece of brass Richard. That would be softer on the teeth than the specimen above. I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was relax but obviously I had to sit with that mess in front of me for half an hour. I swear the sponge shafts moved at one point. Once cleared, I decided to relax with a bit of your world-famous onboard entertainment. I switched it on: I apologise for the quality of the photo, it's just it was incredibly hard to capture Boris Johnson's face through the flickering white lines running up and down the screen. Perhaps it would be better on another channel: Is that Ray Liotta? A question I found myself asking over and over again throughout the gruelling half-hour I attempted to watch the film like this. After that I switched off. I'd had enough. I was the hungriest I'd been in my adult life and I had a splitting headache from squinting at a crackling screen. My only option was to simply stare at the seat in front and wait for either food, or sleep. Neither came for an incredibly long time. But when it did it surpassed my wildest expectations: Yes! It's another crime-scene cookie. Only this time you dunk it in the white stuff. Richard.... What is that white stuff? It looked like it was going to be yoghurt. It finally dawned on me what it was after staring at it. It was a mixture between the Baaji custard and the Mustard sauce. It reminded me of my first week at university. I had overheard that you could make a drink by mixing vodka and refreshers. I lied to my new friends and told them I'd done it loads of times. When I attempted to make the drink in a big bowl it formed a cheese Richard, a cheese. That cheese looked a lot like your baaji-mustard. So that was that Richard. I didn't eat a bloody thing. My only question is: How can you live like this? I can't imagine what dinner round your house is like, it must be like something out of a nature documentary. As I said at the start I love your brand, I really do. It's just a shame such a simple thing could bring it crashing to it's knees and begging for sustenance. Yours Sincererly...
  23. by Thomas Jordan FORFAR will have to invest in additional floodlights if they want to cash in on their rearranged Homecoming Scottish Cup clash with Rangers on February 18. The Third Division minnows are still desperate to land an �£82,500 windfall from Sky TV for their fifth round showdown with Walter Smith's men that was postponed yesterday. Rangers are furious with the SFA for leaving it as late as the morning of the game to carry out a final pitch inspection - despite making concerns known last Thursday that forecasts of minus seven would put the match in jeopardy. Smith and his players travelled to Dundee on Saturday to prepare, and many supporters were already well on their way when the match was finally postponed at around 9am. advertisement Forfar now have just over a week to make arrangements to improve their floodlights to enhance the quality of pictures should Sky - who have agreed to show the St Mirren v Motherwell replay live the night before - agree to screen the fixture. Forfar secretary David MacGregor said: "We're hoping Sky will stick with us. There will be an issue with floodlights. I think we'd need to get extra ones in to enhance the quality of the pictures. But that's something we'll talk to them about if they are still showing the game." Rangers chief executive Martin Bain accused the SFA of incompetence following the last-minute postponement. He blasted: "We wrote to the SFA on Thursday afternoon highlighting the long-range weather forecast and we sent them a copy of it, which indicated temperatures on Saturday would drop to minus seven. "All the SFA said was the earliest a pitch inspection could take place was 24 hours before kick-off and they'd take cognisance of our comments. Clearly they have not." Station Park did pass an inspection by a local referee on Saturday morning and, while the club had three separate plastic covers on the pitch overnight, arctic temperatures meant there was never any realistic chance of the game going ahead. The SFA, however, have hit-back. A spokesman said: "We have every sympathy for fans who had begun their journey when the game was called off. "We were working on information that the temperatures were going to be consistently low over the weekend - that's why we called for a pitch inspection yesterday morning and why we kept the referee up there overnight. "The pitch was perfectly playable yesterday. It wasn't even touch and go. But there was a dramatic drop in temperature on Saturday night that wasn't forecast. "The Forfar groundsman said it was minus nine at one point. I don't know what more we could have done." Refree Eddie Smith made the decision to call the game off and said: "A lot of areas on the park were solid and covered in ice and for the safety of everyone involved I had no hesitation in calling it off." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2488025.0.0.php
  24. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRhvUJIwbV0]YouTube - Swearing Parrot Total Nutter Sparky[/ame]
  25. By Andrew Dickson LEE McCULLOCH hopes he might have a future as a defensive midfielder after impressing in that role for Rangers last night. The former Wigan star turned out in the position against Aberdeen last month and produced an excellent performance in the Light Blues' 0-0 draw at Pittodrie. Lee McCullochHe had another outing there yesterday in the 2-2 friendly draw with AC Milan and once more gave a good account of himself. Having linked up with Pedro Mendes and Mo Edu in the engine room against the Rossoneri, McCulloch is looking to build on the progress he has made. The 30-year-old has been used everywhere by Gers in the last 18 months except at full-back and in goals. But while he maintains he'll happily play wherever Walter Smith puts him, it goes without saying that he's determined to make a place in the team his own. McCulloch said: "It was good to sit in midfield with Pedro and Maurice in front of me. I really enjoyed it. "I think when I'm playing either at the back or as a defensive midfielder, I can influence the game a little bit more. "I don't get to do that if I'm playing wide on the left or the right and I'm not really a winger, although I know the manager has his reasons for putting me there sometimes. "I'll go out and play to the best of my abilities wherever I'm used and I'll play anywhere to get a game. "But against Milan I thought I did really well in that sitting role and I'm really pleased with how things went for me. Lee McCulloch tackles Ronaldinho"I didn't think I would play as many games as I did last season so it's not a great surprise to me that I've been used less over the last few months. "But the gaffer knows I want to play. There's not one particular position I feel I should be used in or aiming for and I'll go with whatever decision the manager makes." McCulloch and his Rangers team-mates took plenty of heart from their meeting with Carlo Ancelotti's Serie A superstars. DaMarcus Beasley gave the hosts a second-half lead and Sasa Papac secured a draw after Alexandre Pato and Kaka struck for the Italians. McCulloch added: "I thought we did really well in the first half and that we passed the ball around to the same standard as Milan. "In the second half, they probably came into the game a little bit more and really showed their quality. "The players they brought on are fantastic but we played some good stuff and showed great spirit so I'd say 2-2 was probably a fair result overall."
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