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FRANK LAMPARD says Rangers can cope with the red-hot Athens atmosphere and get a positive result against Panathinaikos like his Chelsea side did at Olympiacos. England midfielder Lamps came on for the last few minutes of the Blues' 0-0 Champions League draw at the Karaiskaki Stadium last night. Home fans in the capacity crowd made the ground a cauldron of noise and Gers are likely to face something similar at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium tomorrow. But Lampard believes Walter Smith's men have what it takes to handle fans' intimidation tactics and get the scoreline they need to advance to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup. A scoring draw would be enough to put Pana out on the away goals rule after the teams shared a goalless 90 minutes in Glasgow last Wednesday. Lampard said: "It is the type of atmosphere in Athens that every top player has to enjoy and Rangers have top players in their side. "You can't let the Greek fans have a detrimental effect on your game and you have to turn the way they act into a positive. "Even though the fans here support their teams very strongly, any player worth his salt will want to perform well in front of them. "The atmosphere will push them on and I don't think the Rangers players will have any problem." Lampard has first-hand experience of playing against Rangers, having taken part in Chelsea's 2-0 pre-season defeat to the Light Blues at Ibrox last summer. He has continued to monitor their progress since and points to the 3-0 Champions League win at Lyon in October as proof of what they can do in Europe. Lampard added: "I'm a Rangers fan actually and I definitely feel they can get past Panathinaikos and into the next round. "The progress the club has made in the Champions League this season shows exactly what they are capable of. "That is especially the case on their travels. We all saw what they did in Lyon and because of what happened then, I see no reason why Rangers can't advance. "Panathinaikos are a very strong side and similar to Olympiacos in that they are defensive away from home but they don't come out too much at home either. "They won't attempt to win by four or five goals. Instead, they'll try to wait for the right time to score and that really gives Rangers a chance if they start well." http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,5~1245887,00.html

The Rangers Football Club plc today (Wednesday, 20 February 2008) published its unaudited interim results for the six months to 31 December 2007. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Ã?· Ã?£10.0m (43.6%) uplift in turnover to Ã?£33.1m (2006: Ã?£23.1m). Ã?· Increase of Ã?£3.8m in profit before interest and tax to Ã?£3.1m (2006: loss of Ã?£0.7m). Ã?· Retained profit increased by Ã?£3.8m to Ã?£2.3m (2006: loss of Ã?£1.5m). Following publication of the interim results, Rangers chairman Sir David Murray, said: ââ?¬Å?These results are satisfying in that they reflect the progress the Club is making both on and off the pitch. ââ?¬Å?We invested significantly in our playing squad at the start of the season and, as we are leading the SPL and have qualified for the CIS Cup Final, that investment has been fully justified and we are very satisfied with the performance of the team to date. ââ?¬Å?It is also particularly pleasing to see the Murray Park investment producing returns, both in footballing success for our younger players and in the progression of home grown talent to the first team.ââ?¬Â Sir David Murray said: ââ?¬Å?We are pleased to see the Club return a profit in excess of Ã?£3 million and a significant uplift in turnover. Participation in the UEFA Champions League was, of course, highly beneficial to the Club. ââ?¬Å?It is very important to pay tribute to the commitment made by our supporters in the last six months. They travelled extensively in Europe at considerable cost and, at the same time, ensured excellent attendances at Ibrox and at away domestic fixtures. We are very grateful for this continuing support. ââ?¬Å?While playing in the Champions League was important to the Club, it is also essential for us to continue investment throughout the business in order to deliver long-term stability and success.ââ?¬Â CHAIRMANââ?¬â?¢S STATEMENT IN FULL The first six months of the financial year saw us qualify and participate in the UEFA Champions League Group stages against the champions of France and Germany together with the pre-tournament favourites Barcelona. We narrowly failed to qualify for the last 16 in what many termed the toughest qualifying group in the competition. The glamorous ties against Barcelona were enjoyed by our supporters, whilst the result in Lyon was one of the best in the Club's European history. Attention then turned to progression within the UEFA Cup. Domestically our participation in the CIS Insurance Cup Final is assured and qualification has been gained into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup. Our prime focus is however on winning the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Turnover for the six months to 31 December 2007 increased by Ã?£10.0m to Ã?£33.1m primarily due to the UEFA Champions League performance and market pool income, and the positive impact on ticketing and hospitality sales. As well as benefiting the Club financially, qualification to and competition in the spotlight of the UEFA Champions League has also increased the profile of the playing squad, with many enhancing their reputations in a wider arena. Operating costs have increased on the prior year as we have strengthened the number, composition and overall competitiveness of the playing squad. Profit before interest and tax in the current period of Ã?£3.1m is an improvement of Ã?£3.8m on the six months to 31 December 2006 and reflects the performance in Europe. The interest charge of Ã?£0.8m is higher than the same period last year due to the increase in the net debt over the period following the summer signings to strengthen the football squad. The resultant retained profit of Ã?£2.3m for the six months to 31 December 2007 compares to a retained loss of Ã?£1.5m for the equivalent period last year. Participation in the UEFA Cup will provide some financial benefit in the second half of the year although this is not as financially lucrative as the UEFA Champions League. It is satisfying once again to see the investment in Murray Park producing returns, both in terms of footballing success and in the progression of home grown talent into the first team squad. In January, media speculation forced the Club to comment on potential development and regeneration initiatives around Ibrox. We are continuing to review our options on this project, in conjunction with a number of other parties, and no proposals will be finalised until a full evaluation exercise has been undertaken. In the 2007 Annual Report I commented that we had renewed confidence and momentum heading into the new season. This has, as expected, proved to be justified and credit must be given to Walter Smith and his management team for the performance and effort of the playing squad in the current season. We look forward to the remaining months of the season with anticipation as we compete to bring silverware to Ibrox. Sir David E Murray

Thought this an interesting comparison and view from Russell who himself was a very good player for us and after the debates and merits towards both Boyd and Cousin was a good read. Cousin may be the better option, or more specifically, better suited to the lone striker role. I'd still play Boyd though for reasons that have been debated thoroughly over the last week or so.

KEVIN THOMSON will return to action tomorrow afternoon when Rangers Reserves take on Hearts at Forthbank Stadium. Kevin ThomosnThe midfielder has made a speedy recovery from a double hernia operation and has looked fit and sharp in training at Murray Park. With the first-team squad travelling to Athens tomorrow Thomson will stay behind to face the Jambos along with Amdy Faye, Andy Webster and Steven Smith. Manager Walter Smith confimred this morning that the Gretna game would probably come too soon for Kevin but hopes he may be available for the club's home clash against Aberdeen on March 1. He said: "Kevin has made a very good recovery and he trained well last week. "We are looking forward to getting him back again and are hopeful he can start to play sooner rather than later. "I think Sunday will come too early for him but we will see how he feels after Tuesday's match." The match at Forthbank will kick-off at 2pm.

May been discussed to deatb but I thought it was a good read. Can anyion e think of ANY other team in the SPL that wouldn't hav Boyd as a starter?

it seems to me that the exact same reason adam gets a game, boyd is left out. adam is one of those players who, in a way some players cant, a certain percentage of the time, actually scores or creates a good scoring chance. he done it last night. while a lot of the time he is beyond shit i cant recall how many times i've either said "aw, naw, what you bringing on him for at all?" or "he has been abject pish, surely he must be subbed" and he's done something brilliant as if to personally spite me. he is the classic percentages player - 90% or so of the time he is a passenger, but i think walter smith knows that there are going to be a few times every game or so he does something that could genuinly cause damage to opposition. and for that purpose he puts him in. but isnt this the very reason he doesn't play boyd? i realise they are different players in different positions but boyd doesn't seem to get a game presumably because he doesn't offer enough to the team enough of the time, even if, for a certain percentage of the time, he will score you a decisive goal. so, i dont really buy the "he doesnt do enough for the team" argument while adam seems to get played on the exact same grounds. it must be something personal with boyd. do you think we owe it to smith, a man who has in a dignified manner, completely turned our club from a laughing stock to serious contenders, to just accept him as knowing best about boyd?

Thought this was a great read. We've all debated the pro's and cons of Boyd on here. Some are for and some are against. Im a huge fan and would love to see him starting every game. 15 goals in 17 starts is phenomanal.

What team would you put out against Pana? McGregor SW Weir CC Papac Burke / Novo Davis Hendami Fergie SN / Buffel Cousin The reasoning behind this is that Pana will be big, strong and quick on the counter attack and we need to match all of that. I chose Papac purely down to his experience. I would like to see TB playing some part in the game as we will require all the craft and guile that we can muster to break down their defence. I chose Cousin as outwith JCD he is the only player currently on our books who can play the lone striker role on the European stage. In saying all that here is the team that I think WS will deploy McGregor SW Weir CC Papac Burke Hendami Fergie Adam McCulloch Boyd If he doesn't play Boyd, he will push Lee Mc up front and play SN. Cammy F

Playing devils advocate here, who got the better of the recent transfer window? Based purely on numbers, it has to be Celtic who have brought in Robson, Mizuno, Hutchison, Hinkel and Samaras. Robson's form this season suggests he will beef up their midfield and Hinkel is an international standard right back and if he can avoid further injury he should help beef up their defence. Mizuno is, if you believe the hype, the next Nakamura with amazing potential. Big deal. He scores amazing free kicks but does bugger all else so why get excited just because the Tims bring in a younger, more naive and untested version of said dead ball expert? Hutchison is 20 years old and has had a few first team opportunities but is surely not a first pick and has yet to show he can cut it at the top level consistently. So, again I ask, what is there to get excited about? Samaras is perhaps slightly different. He scored some good goals when he first arrived at Man City but quickly faded and showed that he is pretty inconsistent. Putting my cards on the table, I would have quite liked him to have signed for Rangers so the fact he has only a short term deal is prudent on Strachan's part as he strikes me as the type of player, like Lovenkrands, who disappears until it's contract renewal time. This makes him a dangerous commodity for the rest of the season. So, in summary, Celtic have bought some untested potential in Mizuno and Hutchison but have added solid squad players in Hinkel and Robson. Samaras could be dangerous in the SPL but he doesn't have this bear too worried. Turning my attention to Rangers, I have heard all the doom and gloom merchants and I have to agree that, on the face of things, we lost one of our best players in Hutton and didn't replace him. We also lost back up players in Carroll and Ehiogu but neither have played any more than a game or two and wont be missed. We have replaced both with Alexander, a Scotland squad regular, and Dailly. The latter is not a popular signing but he has been given a short term deal to provide squad cover. He wont be first pick for any of the back four or central midfield positions but he has the pedigree and experience which should be more than adequate to do a decent job in the SPL so lets not get our knickers in too much of a twist over this one because what else is the January transfer window for if it's not to add squad cover, in whatever positions are needed? Rangers undoubtedly needed cover for the midfield given that Thompson is out for around another four weeks so to see Steven Davis arrive from Fulham is a shrewd move. A bluenose all his days it shouldn't take him long to settle. He hasn't found himself in Roy Hodgson's plans at Fulham but he is a tidy wee player who has played regularly in the EPL so I would put him in the same bracket as Barry Robson in that he's a good solid squad player who is likely to play pretty regularly in the remaining games of the season. Daniel Cousin's switch in the opposite direction should be reviewed by FIFA next week and I will be surprised if he isn't allowed to go and good riddance I say. Whilst he was on the pitch and scoring goals I supported him as I do every Gers player but he annoyed the f*** out of me with his lazy play. It was all the more annoying when you saw flashes of the player he can be and you wonder why he couldn't do it more regularly. His comments in the press slagging of his team mates show him up to be a poor team player who is only interested in himself. His blatant mercenary attitude to getting a move to the EPL merely serves to highlight this further so au revoir Danny boy, thanks for the goals and good luck to you but you wont be remembered too fondly by this bear. Returning to an earlier point about the transfer window. You dont often see clubs splashing out and bringing in lots of players unless they have just brought in a new manager, or they are struggling to compete. This is exactly where I think Celtic are. They are competing with us, just, but they've been poor and are four points behind so advantage Rangers in the title race. Celtic's ropey defence has been their biggest downfall and Hinkel should help but it's the centre half position that they should have focussed on in my opinion. It's not like they've gone and splashed six or seven million on a top quality player that is likely to make a significant difference. Rangers are weakened in the right back position but if Smith and Webster can return to full fitness it will be like signing two new players. Darcheville, Boyd, Naismith & Novo should be more than capable of scoring the goals to win the title so bring it on - we welcome the chase. Stewarty

THE date is July 1, 2020 and Rangers' manager Barry Ferguson and his trusted assistant Lee McCulloch are plotting the club's defence of the domestic treble they won during the 2019/20 campaign. This might sound a bit far-fetched at the start of 2008 but Barry has revealed that he will take his first tentative steps into the world of football coaching at the end of this season with his good pal Lee. The Gers' captain, who celebrates his 30th birthday tomorrow, insists that he will play at the top level for at least another five years but is already making plans for when his glittering career comes to an end. Becoming the boss at Ibrox may be a distant dream for Fergie at this stage of his life but who is to say it will not become a reality in the future. If someone had said during the nine-in-a-row era that legendary goalscorer Ally McCoist and his partner in crime Ian Durrant would be back at the club as part of Walter Smith's coaching staff in 2007 they would probably have been locked in a cell in a straight jacket! McCoist and Durrant, of course, were famous throughout the 90s for their larger than life personalities and electric wit but as time has past both have become highly skilled coaches in their own right. Following in their footsteps is something that appeals greatly to Barry although he is the first to admit that he has a lot to learn as well as a lot to offer. Having made his debut against Hearts at Tynecastle on the final day of the historic 1996/97 season he has now played at the highest level for more than a decade and feels that passing his vast experience to the next generation of football stars in Scotland would give him a great deal of satisfaction. He said: "I have decided that I am going to do my coaching badges this year so that is something I am looking forward to. "I have been mulling it over for the past couple of years and finally decided to give it a shot. "The biggest thing for me would be to train young players and pass on my experience to them. "I think I would get a lot out of that but we will see if I can pass the badges I take later this year. "Myself and big Lee are going to do it soon and we will see where that takes us. "I know that Nacho did it with my brother Derek last year so if he can pass I am sure I do it also!" Hitting the big 'three zero' might be a frightening prospect to some footballers who view this as the end of their prime. Ferguson, however, insists that he has never felt better physically and feels that he is at currently at his peak in terms of fitness and stamina. He said: "There is no doubt that I feel fitter now than I was when I was 21 or 22. "Obviously when you get older you look after yourself a bit more than when you are young. "When you are in your early 20s being fit comes easy to you but I have learned a lot over the years and I am sure I will be able to play for the next five years no problem at all. "Rest, of course, is an important aspect as you get older but to be honest I would rather play in every game as oppose to train all the time. "That is not to say that I do not enjoy training because I do and I think I am working harder now than I ever have done at Murray Park. "My fitness is probably at the best level it has been in a long time." Like most people Barry feels the last ten years have flown by in the blink of an eye but having gathered eleven winners' medals during this time he has a lot of fond memories to look back on. Four League Championship medals, three Scottish Cup and four League Cup successes have cemented his position as a Gers' great but he is greedy for more and believes that Walter Smith's current squad have what it takes to bring the glory days back to Ibrox. He said: "I do not want to think about hitting 30 and, to be honest, I can't believe where the time has gone. "But to get eleven medals from my time at the club is a great achievement and I am sure I will win plenty more in the coming seasons. "I am back enjoying my football again and the whole place has been given a huge lift with the new management team coming in so hopefully I can win many more trophies before my career comes to an end. "Everyone can see when they walk into Murray Park that it is a happy place right now and that is the way it should be. "You should always feel happy coming into a place like this on a daily basis but in the past there were some players who did not feel like that. "But Walter and his staff have come in and changed everything. You look forward to going to work which is great for everyone." With Rangers currently in the midst of yet another hectic schedule of games it is not surprising that Barry will be spending most of his birthday at a hotel in Edinburgh with his teammates prior to Sunday's Scottish Cup fifth round tie against Hibs. The champagne will have to be put on ice until after the trip to Easter Road but he is hoping to make it a double celebration by securing a win against Mixu Paatelainen's side. "I have said many times that I am happy when the games come thick and fast. "People often ask me if I am tired if I play Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday but in this day if you prepare right and look after yourself you should not have any problems. "This week we have played against Hearts in the League Cup and then we follow that be taking on Hibs in the Scottish Cup. "As a footballer that is something you just have to accept and I will be looking forward to going back to Easter Road. "I think our 2-1 win there on December 29 was possibly our best performance in a long, long time but they now have a new manager in place so I expect them to be a different proposition to the team we faced prior to New Year." A daunting thought for most, I'd imagine! Happy Birthday none the less!

RANGERS Reserves will play in their first league match for almost two months when they face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park tonight and Christian Dailly is set to make his first appearance in a blue jersey. Stevie SmithThe Scotland international will start alongside Andy Webster in the centre of defence with Alan Lowing and Steven Smith (left) being utilised at right and left back respectively. Graeme Smith, Amdy Faye, Alan Gow, and Nacho Novo will also feature alongside Murray Park starlets Jordan McMillan, Dean Furman and John Fleck. The Reserves last competitive fixture came against Falkirk on December 4 and Ian Durrant's players will be desperate to kickstart their season in Ayrshire. Rangers currently sit fourth in the league with Killie only two points behind so this evening's game, which will kick-off at 7pm, is important to both clubs and should provide an entertaining 90 minutes of football.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=590&Itemid=1 The morning after the night before, eh? Iââ?¬â?¢m sure Iââ?¬â?¢m not the only football fan nursing the equivalent of a hangover this morning as the hype of January transfer window closes for another season. Internet forum server issues, ridiculous radio-phone rumours and around-the-clock satellite sports news excitement ââ?¬â?? coupled together they make for quite a cocktail of commotion and emotion. Hence the hangover this morning; especially when our team havenââ?¬â?¢t been as pro-active as weââ?¬â?¢d all like. Despite my article of Tuesday morning warning all Rangers fans of the unlikelihood of substantial investment in the wake of the Alan Hutton transfer, movement occurred nonetheless and it seems we werenââ?¬â?¢t far off securing the services of Italian striker Andrea Caracciolo from Sampdoria while we did manage to sign the Fulham and Northern Ireland midfielder Steven Davis on loan from the Premiership. Davis is actually a decent signing and although Iââ?¬â?¢m not personally a huge fan of loan deals, he will provide the kind of genuine back-up and depth required for Barry Ferguson and Brahim Hemdani as Kevin Thomson sits out for another two months. Obviously the Ã?£4million deal for Caracciolo was the most exciting rumour of the day and every Rangers fan waited with baited breath as we heard Walter Smith and Martin Bain were in Italy. Unfortunately (or as it may have turned out ââ?¬â?? fortunately) the huge striker chose to stay in his homeland and drop a division to Serie B to play with his former club Brescia. Itââ?¬â?¢s ironic that in the week one Rangers player leaves to realise his ambitions what seems to be our main transfer target lacks the same aspirations in his career to move to the UK ââ?¬â?? instead blaming a lack of self-confidence and the weather for his decision. Hardly the mental and professional discipline you want to hear from a player you want to spend the total of around Ã?£7million on! A lucky escape then perhaps? Unfortunately what this debacle does highlight is the further incompetence of our Chief Executive. Martin Bain quite simply is not up to the job. I bear the man no ill-will and in his Rangers career (over 10 years now) heââ?¬â?¢s done some good work in the face of constant criticism and financial downsizing while being the stereotypical lamb to the slaughter while his boss relaxes in France. A well paid ââ?¬Ë?yes-manââ?¬â?¢ nonetheless though and the way weââ?¬â?¢ve conducted our business this January (and in the past) shows just how out of his depth he is. To avoid any confusion Iââ?¬â?¢m not criticising the club about not spending the ~Ã?£10million from the Hutton/Cousin deals per se. As I wrote the other day, not spending it is understandable to a degree and Iââ?¬â?¢d much rather we were prudent and efficient in our dealings. However, if there was around Ã?£5million to spend, surely the old adage of not keeping all your eggs in one basket applies here? Weââ?¬â?¢re told that the club have scouted Caracciolo for months, yet we leave it to the absolute last minute to try and negotiate our way through the confusing world of the Italian transfer system ââ?¬â?? three clubs involved directly, other clubs interested, translators required and agents hovering with their claws as sharp as ever. Yet, ex-catalogue model Bain is deemed to have the tactical nous to navigate his way through such a tough deal ââ?¬â?? all in a few hours!? I certainly donââ?¬â?¢t pretend to be some sort of finance guru or transfer expert but time was never going to be on our side so instead of wasting time taking last minute flights to Genoa, we should have moved onto our next target. We do have one Ewan Chester, donââ?¬â?¢t we? Or was Willie McLies too busy hawking wee Broon again to furnish us with his usual brand of short-term client information? Certainly Martin Smithers and his merry band of under-achieving assistants are not justifying their inflated wages while the rest of us pay for the privilege of watching them let us down time after time. But, and this is the crux of the article, all the above does not mean we have a convenient get-out clause for not winning the league (or the other competitions weââ?¬â?¢re in). Yes, we should have strengthened while Celtic have done so (to a degree) but we still have more than enough talent at Ibrox to compete on all fronts. Losing Alan Hutton is a big blow and Daniel Cousin (if he does actually leave ââ?¬â?? more crazy dealings by our staff given the obvious FIFA rulings) is a similar loss. However, we have deputies more than capable of taking their place. Steven Whittaker has shown he has the game to develop into a fine player while a fit Darcheville and a determined Boyd would keep out most strikers out of many teams anyway. Christian Dailly and Neil Alexander may not be the most glamorous of signings either but both will provide competition for places and much-needed experience as we proceed towards our goals. As such, despite all the valid criticism aimed at the likes of Bain and despite all the obvious disappointment of not capturing another player or two, itââ?¬â?¢s vital we keep our eyes on the prize. A four point lead is a good one and should be able to defend this over the coming months with the existing squad. Three Old Firm games in two months will be the ultimate decider but we have nothing to fear in that regard either. So, confidence should remain, support for the players and manager should remain and no excuses will be accepted. The SPL is attainable and nothing less will suffice.

so yet again our manager opts to leave boyd rotting on the bench and plays Mcculloch who has been occupying the outside left position for most of the season in the lone striker role. Then he brings on darcheville who is plainly not match fit. And with a last throw of the dice Boyd is finally brought on as the match runs away from us. I said in an earlier post that Smith should sort out his problem with boyd, whatever it is. But the tea lady in the murray park canteen will get a place in the starting 11 before boyd these days, that is very plain for all to see. It almost cost us today and if our manager continues with his trend of not playing boyd it will cost us the league, of that i have no doubt. Its called cutting off your nose to spite your face walter. Sort out the situation with boyd pronto or you will end up in second place.

Now that's a promising looking signing. A 23 year old midfielder with Premiership experience, Northern Ireland internationalist and a Bluenose too. Hopefully his loan is just the start of a long & successful career here.

Well with Hutton away (or is he?) and Cousin back it will be interesting to see how we line up in the coming weeks. Whittaker will switch to RB as we have nobody else to play there. Lowing is under 34 so doesnt get a game. That means Papac is likely to come into LB until S Smith gets fit. Upfront will be interesting to see if Smith decides to stick with Cousin. JCD is fit again so can these 2 form a partnership until the end of the season. Will we go 4-4-2 or stick with 4-5-1/4-3-3?

Rangers have completed the signing of Ipswich Town goalkeeper Neil Alexander, which should free Roy Carroll to join Derby County. Alexander has agreed a contract until 2011 with the SPL leaders after Ipswich admitted they could not stand in the player's way. The Scotland international only moved to Portman Road last summer from Cardiff City, but did not hesitate to accept a move to Ibrox. "As soon as I knew Rangers were interested in me, I didn't have to think twice about coming here," Alexander told the club's official website. Very grateful "There was only going to be one answer for me. "I'm very grateful to Ipswich for not standing in my way. My manager Jim Magilton said it was a great chance that I might never get again and I agreed. "This is a fantastic opportunity to come to one of the biggest clubs in Europe and I'm over the moon." With Alexander now signed, Gers boss Walter Smith is likely to allow Carroll to complete his switch to Premier League strugglers Derby.

This week has been a bit embarrassing IMO for us and the bad management has came right at the very top with SDM. We are pushing a home grown player, who has been far out best player this season, out of the door AND paying him to leave whilst missing out on transfer targets left right and centre and end up with a striker back at the club who wants to leave. The Roy Carroll transfer is another uncertancy with him basically sitting in his car to make the journey to Derby when we sign another keeper yet we havent done this and cant even clinch a keeper from Dundee Utd!!! Now we want Derby's reserve keeper in a swap deal according to the papers - what did we sign Graeme Smith for? IF the Samaras deal had went through yesterday we may have been left with him and Cousin along with all our other striking options at a time when we are screaming out for a creative midfielder and some defensive cover for Weir and our full backs - especially since Hutton seems to be on his way to Spurs. What is going on :admin:

Listening to a debate about who should get the scotland job. I still cant believe we havent approached George Graham. We should be going to the best possible person. Obviously Sir Awex wont take it so we should work our way down the list - George Graham ticks all the boxes and has won the top league in england. Imagine comparing him with Mark McGhee?? What are the condentials here? McGhee is a good man and is doing well with MOtherwell, he handled himself with good dignity over the Phil O Donnell issue but thats not a reason to give him the job. Why are we not looking at Venebles aswell? We should be going for the best man possible and not JUST a scotsman!! If you were asked to pick someone for the Arsenal job should Wenger leave and given the option of Burley, McGhee or Venebles who would you pick?? No brainer - Venebles!! We HAVE to build on the good job Smith did and qualify for the next world cup. I dont think Burley, Burns, McGhee or Souness will make any improvement where as Venebles or Graham would. Its going to be one of that 4 but im hoping the SFA wake up before appointing one of them.

Much can be debated about Walters tactics in SPL / Euro games and his choice selections. But I wonder how he feels being back at Rangers with the club being ran totally different. He no longer can buy multi million pound players and has to pick and scrape from the bottom end of the market and the club are a selling club if the opportunity comes around - although in Cousin's case our hands are tied as he wanted the move - but in Alan Hutton's case the player wants to stay at lease until the end of the season. TBH he hasnt done too badly so far with some buys in certain areas. He's done well with McGregor in goal and brought him on to be a fine keeper. Cuellar at the back has been a bright spark for 95% of the season, I just hope we can hold onto him. Davie Weir has been solid throughout but needs a break at the moment. In midfield McCulloch and Thomson have been popular. McCulloch was a preferred signing of mine and got off to a great start this season but went off the boil for a few games but I expect him to be back to his best soon. Thomson remains a popular player with the fans. We'll see a bit more from Naismith soon IMO and hopefully Darcheville can stay clear of injuries for a while. In the last 12 months we have went from being a disaster to title challengers. Dont get me wrong Celtic arent a top club - they have some on field problems at the moment in the SPL - but I think credit can be given to Walter for putting us in the situation we are in again and playing in 4 competitions as we head towards the end of January. We can only ask for a bit more attractive football and that may take a little bit longer but should come.

Heard we're now chasing Wales goalie Darren Ward as Carroll is still desperate to leave Why not just stick with Graeme Smith as back up and use the funds elsewhere?

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=582&Itemid=1 As we approach the last 7 days of the January transfer window and lose our most prolific league scorer, The-Insider once again lets us know of the rumours (yes, rumours not fact!) that he has been hearing over the last few days. First off, with Daniel Cousin signing for Fulham all the debate is who will replace him and how much of the �£3million will Walter Smith get to spend. The answer is not very much as once all the parties get their hefty cut of the transfer fee; and Rangers still looking to address their debt, that will only leave around half of the initial �£3million figure. It must disappoint and concern all Ranges fans that in seasons where they continue to support the team so strongly financially (despite no success and little defence from the club when criticised) that certain people continue to make so much money out of transfers. The three most common names linked with a move are S�¸ren Larsen, Luke Moore and, now, Kyle Lafferty of Burnley. Of those Larsen is the most affordable but Rangers retain an interest in all three. Larsen and Lafferty offer the most direct replacement in terms of style of play while Moore has already visted Murray Park and has viewed property in the West End of Glasgow. Unfortunately, Villa want �£3.5million for his services and, at this stage, Rangers cannot afford that fee. To counter the finance issue, as revealed last week by Gersnet, Alan Hutton's Rangers future is still very much in the balance. As we told you last week, Spurs increased their weekly wage offer by over 50% after dealing directly with Rangers and not Hutton's agent. Since then Hutton has sacked his agent John Lonergan and any move to London is still on the table with Rangers being keen to sell. Certainly with Ehiogu and Cousin now having left the club and no replacements brought back in, further pressure will be on Sir David Murray to buy - more so if Hutton and/or Buffel also leave. As we said last week, two or three suitable signings could mean the difference between a title-winning side and not winning any trophies whatsoever. The-Insider will keep you informed over the next week.

By STEPHEN HALLIDAY Rangers have recalled Filip Sebo from French side Valenciennes. DANIEL Cousin completed his expected signing to Fulham today after Rangers accepted an improved bid of �£3 million for the Gabonese international striker from the London club yesterday. While Rangers find themselves well in credit on the sale of Cousin, manager Walter Smith stated he will not use the funds to sign a replacement striker during the current transfer window. We have chosen to bring Filip back into the fold. We have never lost faith in him. Sebo was signed by the then Rangers manager Paul le Guen who made him his ninth signing, from Austria Vienna with Rangers agreeing a fee of �£1.85 million Walter Smith will consider approaching the rest of the season with the strikers already in his squad, with Sebo poised to make an Ibrox return. Kris Boyd, still the club's top scorer despite spending much of the time on the substitutes' bench recently, will be hopeful his manager does decide not to replace Cousin from outwith the existing squad and will go head to head with Sebo for the second strikers role, with Darchville claiming the number one spot. Cousin revealed his delight at finalising his move to West London. "I am pleased that the two clubs have been able to reach an agreement to enable me to sign for Fulham," he told the club's website. "I enjoyed my time at Rangers and I am now excited by a new challenge that awaits me. I look forward to playing well for Fulham and competing in the Premier League."

Apparently we are interested in him as a replacement for Cousin.... Taken from Sky sports Lille duo Nicolas Fauverge and Kevin Mirallas are both being linked with January moves across the Channel to Britain. Fauverge, 23, has emerged as a candidate to replace Daniel Cousin at Rangers. Cousin has taken advantage of a clause in his contract to talk with Fulham after they lodged a �£3million offer. Now Walter Smith could be forced into the transfer market for a new target-man and he could make another move on the French market.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=578&Itemid=1 With the January transfer window already half-way closed, itââ?¬â?¢s time for Gersnetââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?The-Insiderââ?¬â?¢ to divulge what heââ?¬â?¢s been hearing deep in the fitness rooms of Auchenhowie. First off, to the disappointment of most Rangers fans, it seems the Alan Hutton saga is NOT finished. After turning down a deal of Ã?£20K p/week and considering the immediate thoughts of his heavily pregnant partner, it was felt Hutton would be staying at Rangers until the summer at least. However, Spurs were keen to get their man and our mole has told us they are confident Hutton will move south next week for Ã?£8million plus add-ons which take the deal up to around Ã?£10million. The London club increased their wage offer to Ã?£33K p/week and the lad understandably felt this money was too good to turn down for the long term future of his family. He is genuinely disappointed to be leaving Rangers but it appears the club administration were keen to move him on considering the money involved and the fact Steven Whittaker can slot in immediately at right back. This leaves the question of how much of this money will be invested back into the team. Information is tight in this regard but thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubt SDM would be under pressure to use the money if suitable players are available. One such player is SÃ?¸ren Larsen of FC Schalke in Germany. As Gersnet revealed last year, the club are scouring the German leagues for players and the huge Danish international is one player that has come to light. He would be available for around Ã?£1.5million and with the future of Daniel Cousin still doubtful, Walter Smith sees the player as an ideal replacement for the lone striker role. It is expected that two other players will follow Larsen through the door before the end of January. One is Portsmouthââ?¬â?¢s Matthew Taylor who would at last fill the gap Rangers have at left-midfield while providing further cover for the left-back position. Taylor would cost a fair bit more and would also command the kind of wage that does not fit the current club structure. However, Rangers are still very hopeful that a deal can be done in keeping with the finance available. Depending on other players linked with moves out of the club (including Thomas Buffel, Ugo Ehiogu and Alan Gow), Rangers will make one more signing before the end of the month. German defender Frank Fahrenhorst is still one central defender that may fill the bill as the manager looks to positively influence the reliable Cuellar/Weir pairing. If Andy Webster can prove his fitness and sort out his contractual issues that may not prove necessary but rumours are abound Walter Smith has lost patience with the Scotland internationalââ?¬â?¢s situation. What is for sure the next two weeks will be extremely interesting. Circumstances can change quickly and while most Rangers fans would prefer Alan Hutton to stay at the club, if he does leave its vital the money received is invested back into the team to ensure the strongest possible challenge on all competitions ââ?¬â?? especially when one considers the congested fixture list. Being four points clear at the top of the table should not mean we are resting on our laurels. Two or three suitable signings could mean the difference between a title-winning side and not winning any trophies whatsoever. The-Insider will keep you informed over the next fortnight. :box:

Four points clear again then. After a couple of unconvincing but completely imperative away victories, is the league in the bag or are some bears counting their chickens a little bit too early? Certainly I can understand why some will be feeling confident. The wins achieved last week were the kind of games we just havenââ?¬â?¢t secured three points in recent years. All too often we drop points in games against so-called lesser opposition in matches where more brawn than skill is required. As such, while weââ?¬â?¢d all like to see silky soccer and three goal wins, sometimes one just has to settle for keeping possession and relying on our strikers taking their chances when they come. Thus, although we could easily have dropped four points against Gretna and Caley, the team should be praised for working hard and securing wins in these difficult matches. Especially when one considers our enforced fortnight break which was always going to affect our sharpness and fluency. The next month will be huge in terms of determining our success this season. We have matches in all four competitions and the outcome of these games will show just how capable we are of competing on all fronts. For most Rangers fans the SPL title will take obvious precedence over the UEFA and domestic cups. At the same time though, weââ?¬â?¢ve not won a thing for nearly three years so we should rightly be looking to win everything. That may not be realistic (especially in European terms) but our ambitions should be high and when we have played well this season we have competed with the very best Europe has to offer. To be able to do this weââ?¬â?¢ll need a strong squad with reserve players capable of coming in. Losing the outstanding Kevin Thomson for the next 6 weeks is a big blow and we can ill-afford further injuries in central midfield. Barry Ferguson has not had his best season but has shown signs of a return to form lately. Similarly, Brahim Hemdani offers a composed holding player and his class shines through on most stages. Losing either of these players in conjunction with Thomson could be a fatal blow even if Dean Furman is impressing at reserve level. As such, with ten days to the closure of the transfer window, Iââ?¬â?¢d be looking for Walter Smith to strengthen this area. Rumours are rife about who is leaving and who may be joining. Hutton, Cousin and Buffel all said to be on their way out while Larsen and Moore apparently close to coming in. All things considered, continuity must take precedence over money but if Hutton especially is to leave, this bear would like to see a significant portion of any transfer income invested into a new creative midfield player. For most of the season weââ?¬â?¢ve lacked such a player so if we could secure one (even better if theyââ?¬â?¢re left-sided) that could not only provide the spark the team needs but the depth talked about above. Similarly, Ugo Ehiogu has moved back south, so another centre-half is still appealing. Carlos Cuellar has proven a snip at Ã?£2.3million so if we could spend this kind of cash on another similar player, this would bode well for our title challenge. Davie Weir has done very well but has also shown glimpses of poor form, while his lack of pace and deep positioning does affect the team tactically. If Andy Webster can prove his fitness then he could save us money but relying on him is rather risky given his record and contract problems. The reason Iââ?¬â?¢m perhaps being overly analytical here is that I genuinely feel we are only two or three players away from having a real decent side. Considering the average age of the squad, the relative inexperience of some, the Scottish backbone and the potential to improve, a reasonable financial investment into the team could yield real dividends. Ã?£12million was spent in the summer ââ?¬â?? a fair amount in todayââ?¬â?¢s SPL financial climate ââ?¬â?? but if we could spend some more now (but only on the right players) such a gamble could bring the SPL title home to Ibrox and provide the foundations for more success to come. To conclude, we are more than capable of winning the SPL (and more). However, we should not rest on the laurels of a four-point gap and if SDM is serious about the clubââ?¬â?¢s long term future, further investment is required to maximise our chances of bringing the successful times back. Public sound-bites and moonbeams about regeneration and stadium redevelopment may be exciting and ambitious but first and foremost I want to see Barry Ferguson lift the SPL league trophy in May. Then we can decide on how to build further on this and finally take Rangers FC into the new millennium. http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=581&Itemid=1