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...On a second consecutive season without a trophy. This season hasn't exactly panned out to be the way that many a Bear would have expected back in August once the first ball was kicked at Fir Park. Soap writers wouldnt have managed to write what was coming. After coming off the back off the previous season where we had our worst run in 20 years and finished out of the top 2 for the first time in 2 decades we all expected things to take a turn for the better. Instead we hit rock bottom by continuing a dreadful SPL run, early exits in both clubs including a home defeat to a lower division side and mass behind the scenes problems that led to the return of Walter Smith. We have talked about the problems that took place on many occassion so now its time to look forward. The first thing to be positive about is we improved our league position this season and since the turn of the year we topped the form table. These things arent quite what we want to shout about but its the first steady step in the right direction. This summer is going to be huge! Although that statement has a familiar ring to it. The man at the top - Sir David Murray - will be feeling a little bit of pressure to dip his hand into his pocket and provide Smith with some funds. Lets not pretend here, the average realist knows the squad needs major surgery but we are in no position to buy a new team, so Smith has to be shrewd and fill the key positions with the right players at the right price. If we can off load a few at the same time then that always helps free up some needed wages. But another job Smith and McCoist have is to get the players fit and in better shape. They also need to install harmoney in the dressing room again. They need to get complacency out the door as a few recent results have shown us. Off the park, we will be looking for Murray to improve the running of the club - but is that too much to ask and where do you start!! I'll leave that one to someone else! The team is now off for an all expenses paid trip to the USA for an end of season advertising match, while the fans are left to ponder whether to fork out the best part of 500 GBP to re-new their season tickets. Some might say Smith should leave a few of the first team squad in Glasgow and give them an early holiday as they seemed to finish early anyway - just after the last Old Firm Derby - and in place of them take the sucessful U19 squad to the States but that wont happen. So when the SPL kicks off in about 9 long summer weeks time, I will be extremely interested to see the look of our line up and whether it will be up for a challenge for domestic success again. We HAVE to be challenging for the title and we really HAVE to get the Scottish Cup back as 5 years without an appreance at Hampden for that cup is not good enough for Rangers.

Should maybe have put this in footy chat in a thread about the CL final. And despite his short stay in glasgow, but I just love RIno Gattusso. Observer article Some great lines in there. Including having to be told to calm down by the doctor as he can't sleep for days before games. And also having to be told to put clothes on for the World cup presentation. Legend.

Like he said he would of liked to get Brown but he cost far too much and we can get a few players for that type of money

Was Ally's last show last night, it wont be the same with out him. The mystery guest last night was tough, neither team got it and it was.... Walter Smith! Ally "Can't believe I didn't get my boss, well probably ex boss now"

Looks like we wont be buying out any contracts to free players then.

Was reading on the Daily Rebel website this morning about this spanish centre half and a few other players we are getting linked to, at the bottom of the article there is a bit about Kenny McDowall's thoughts on young Lennon, he mentions that WS and co are looking at the possibility of sending him out on loan. Just interested in Gersnetters thoughts on the best way to bring this lad through, do we send him on loan like we did with Adam and get him some first team experience or do we break him in to the SPL ourselves like we did with Hutton, Smith and Burke? Personally i think he has shown enough potential to merit staying with us where we can bring him on ourselves, depending on who we bring in during the summer, i would only keep him if we are able to give him a place on the bench most weeks. Thoughts?

Cuellar from Osasuna (Centre back) who is available on a Bosman and Garry O'Connor. Can't see O'Connor coming after the way he and Smith fell out when Smith was the Scotland manager

For our second Gersnet Interview, weââ?¬â?¢re delighted to welcome Rangers Supporters Trust media spokesman, David Edgar to the chair. David joined the Trust board 3 years ago and has done a fantastic job in his position. From radio and TV interviews to verbal jousts with broadsheet journalists, many Rangers fans will be more than aware of his combative ââ?¬â?? yet accurate and honest ââ?¬â?? style. Anyway enough of the compliments and onto the questions! David, obviously youââ?¬â?¢re heavily involved in supportersââ?¬â?¢ representation. Just how important do you think an independent organisation such as the Trust is for the fans? Itââ?¬â?¢s a vital organisation because as football grows more and more corporate, the fans are treated more like customers and their views are not taken into account the way they should be. Indeed, one of the main reasons for the RSTââ?¬â?¢s rapid growth has been the feeling of disconnection the fans have from the club. We aim to have two seats on the board of Rangers because we know then that supportersââ?¬â?¢ views would be represented in a clear, determined and erudite fashion. What would you say has been the most important Trust contribution since it was founded? It would be difficult for me to pinpoint that ââ?¬â?? it is like asking a parent to name their favourite child! Obviously, as someone on the media team Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that weââ?¬â?¢ve helped attack the negative, often vitriolic coverage of the club and the support. Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that weââ?¬â?¢ve represented our membersââ?¬â?¢ concerns direct to the Chairman and Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that the Board listen to us (which is not to say they always agree with us!) Iââ?¬â?¢m also proud that we are so heavily involved as our support modernise. Overall Iââ?¬â?¢m happy that the RST is a place where Gers fans can unite in their love of a wonderful institution. Some fans would suggest that itââ?¬â?¢s impossible for a support to own and run a football club. How would you counter that? Barcelona seem to do okay! I think there is a misconception that if the RST gained control of the board, weââ?¬â?¢d all give up our jobs and take cushy positions at the club! We arenââ?¬â?¢t naÃ?¯ve ââ?¬â?? I donââ?¬â?¢t know how to run a business with a turnover of Ã?£60m and I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t even attempt to. We would have in place qualified personnel from both the business and football community and charge them with the day-to-day running of the club. The board would be made up of elected officials who would have to answer to the members. If they did a bad job, theyââ?¬â?¢d be out! The main difference is that every fan would have a vote in the overall direction of the club. Many Rangers supporters continue to be annoyed with what they feel is a media witch-hunt towards our club. If this is the case, how would you recommend we deal with it? Well, the stock answer is to say ââ?¬Ë?do not buy/read/listenââ?¬â?¢ to that which offends you. But Iââ?¬â?¢m afraid that turning the other cheek is what brought us to this position in the first place. My suggestion has always been direct action. Write to the journalist, write to the editor, and stop your friends from buying these products. Let them know you are not prepared to put up with it. Itââ?¬â?¢s a lot better than it was in 2002/2003 when halfwit journalists were allowed to espouse their own bigotry under the cover of crusading against sectarianism. (I vividly recall a drunk who worked for a broadsheet newspaper at the time having the gall to lecture Rangers fans on morality!) Itââ?¬â?¢s still a hard fight ahead, but I believe that these constant attacks against us ââ?¬â?? especially the more hysterical ones (Nuremburg, anyone?) ââ?¬â?? have brought us closer together as a support and helped re-establish the community element of the support. Itââ?¬â?¢s blatantly obvious that we are treated differently from the other half of the Old Firm, but I like the fact that our support donââ?¬â?¢t just sit and moan about it, they get in the ribs of the people behind it. Recently, the Trust has been working with other fansââ?¬â?¢ groups to show unity in how we approach certain issues. How important is such teamwork? Vital. Many groups, one consistent message Thereââ?¬â?¢s plenty of room for debate on how we go forward, but the one constant is clear ââ?¬â?? we all love the Rangers and we all want to help shield it from things which could damage it. Onto less political matters now. Domestic success in recent years has been minimal for our great club. Do you think Walter Smith can turn this around and regain the title? I certainly do. Walter is a better manager now than he was when he left, and his organisational skills and ability to motivate players have been evident since his return. If you are my age, Ally McCoist is your hero, so it is terrific to see him back at the club. Itââ?¬â?¢s also great to see guys in charge who have blue blood running through their veins. As I said earlier, there is a gap between the players and the fans at ALL clubs in modern football ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s hard for us to see a guy going through the motions when his wage packet is bigger in a week than ours is in a year AND when weââ?¬â?¢d gladly play for the club for free! Walter and Ally wear their hearts on their sleeves and that resonates with the support. However, whilst both these guys are clearly very talented, they canââ?¬â?¢t work miracles; the Chairman MUST give them adequate resources to bring in the level of player required to gain success, not just domestically, but in Europe too (where Walterââ?¬â?¢s record in his first spell was patchy.) Weââ?¬â?¢ve messed around in the bargain basement Bosman bucket for too long now. What are your thoughts on the unsuccessful PLG era? These things happen. He is clearly an intelligent coach, but he looked at the end like he didnââ?¬â?¢t know what had hit him. The SPL is a strange wee league ââ?¬â?? good players have flopped here then done well in what youââ?¬â?¢d say were superior leagues. I think he felt it would be easier than it was and in the end, he simply didnââ?¬â?¢t want to be here. He made some very poor signings and some equally bad decisions, but he did some good things too ââ?¬â??I donââ?¬â?¢t think Charlie Adam would have had such a good season if PLG hadnââ?¬â?¢t been here. Do we need a large transfer budget to ensure we donââ?¬â?¢t fail again this year? How much do you think we can afford to spend? Weââ?¬â?¢ve got to spend Ã?£8-10m minimum. That shouldnââ?¬â?¢t be out of the budget of a club our size, and if it is, we should be looking at the financial management of the club and asking questions.

Going on a free from Hearts and as far as I know don't have clubs yet. Both are decent players, Fyssas especially has plenty of experience. Used to the Scottish game as well. If WS decides to stick with the 4-5-1 then we have the three centre mids covered with Barry, Hemdani and Thompson, but once one of them is injured who caomes in? I think Brellier would be a good shout for this slot. As for Fyssas, he would give natural left back cover for Stevie Smith as I feel Papac still looks like a centre half being played out of position. Thoughts?

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=412&Itemid=1 After another soulless performance at Ibrox yesterday, it was disappointing to note that once again the three essential virtues in the title above were missing from much of our team. Right from the very first minute it was obvious that yesterdayââ?¬â?¢s game would be a pedestrian affair. Killie may have had a fairly offensive set-up but they played mainly on the counter from a defensive outlook. Rangers, meanwhile, again opted for the 4-2-3-1 formation that has been such a hit and miss this season. Certainly no-one can argue that against the bigger sides that formation seems to work pretty well. Even with Le Guen in charge we had some good results against European opposition as well as against the bigger domestic teams. However, itââ?¬â?¢s also pretty obvious that when we come up against more defensive outfits, we struggle with only the one striker. We just arenââ?¬â?¢t flexible enough when it comes to reacting to opposition formations. In saying that, we could employ any tactic we like but if we continue to go into games without the necessary mental qualities, we will always struggle to match teams who do possess them. That explains why we have lost many games this season to supposed sub-standard opposition. Of course, the Falkirkââ?¬â?¢s, Caley Thistleââ?¬â?¢s and Kilmarnockââ?¬â?¢s of this world are not better than Rangers. Nevertheless, when we fail to match the spirit of the underdog, we will not secure the points. After an excellent result and impressive display against Celtic last week once again our appalling lack of consistency was evident. We simply appear to lack the motivation and discipline to achieve this imperative goal. Given the fact that Walter Smith is renowned for having fine man-management skills that is extremely worrying 5 months into his new tenure. The negative signs are all there and have been now for a number of months ââ?¬â?? going on years. From some players being obviously unfit to others simply not applying themselves on the park; one must question the club discipline. Yesterday saw one of our greatest sons being remembered with what we all thought was a flawless minuteââ?¬â?¢s silence (none of that applause nonsense thankfully!). It is with extreme upset and disappointment though that after the match I quickly found out that two of our players couldnââ?¬â?¢t even take a few seconds out of their comedy routines to respect Kai Johansenââ?¬â?¢s memory. Both Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd ââ?¬â?? supposed big Rangers fans ââ?¬â?? preferred to share a private joke as the rest of the stadium (including the excellent Killie fans) stood in silence. Inexplicable behaviour from senior players which this fan cannot understand. Now, some fans calling for them to be sold is perhaps going a few steps too far but this disgraceful episode is another own goal from a set of players who, with each passing week, appear to isolate themselves further from the very people who pay their wages. At a time where the club are asking (and mainly receiving) the highest possible standards from the support, it seems the players canââ?¬â?¢t (or wonââ?¬â?¢t) match these minimal requirements. Ergo, I hope to hear about suitable punishments and apologies from the players involved. Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd have had decent seasons. McGregor has grown into the goalkeeping number one position very well and Boydââ?¬â?¢s goals are one of the main reasons we managed to secure second place. Both are now international quality players. However, simply having the practical qualities should never be enough to assume the job is done. Unfortunately, too many people at Rangers Football Club (and particularly the players) are simply just turning up and not applying themselves fully. Every Rangers employee should conduct themselves with the utmost standards of pride and professionalism whilst showing the kind of passion that should never be taken for granted. If anyone at the club canââ?¬â?¢t provide those minimal values then quite simply they are not good enough to be part of the Rangers. I sincerely hope as the end of this unacceptable season ends; every person at Rangers appreciates that second best will never be good enough. Whilst expectations have to remain realistic itââ?¬â?¢s not unreasonable to expect much, much more from our football club. Pride, professionalism and passion should be the foundations Rangers careers are built on. An occasional glimpse is not enough.

Smith has sent him packing, saying we are well covered at left back and it is not one of our priorities.

For our inaugural Gersnet Interview, we�re honoured to welcome Rangers legend and outstanding Scottish media pundit Gordon Smith to Gersnet Online. http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=409&Itemid=2 Many, many thanks to Gordon for helping us out.

Lads, the following is a new column I'm thinking of starting - the idea is basically just to keep an eye on the media and summarise the different approaches to their reporting of the news to try and get a more balanced picture. I'm undecided how worthwhile it is, so I'd welcome your thoughts for improvement or indeed if its just a waste of time: Mediawatch ââ?¬â?? the signing of Darcheville Introduction to the column for first time readers In this regular column Iââ?¬â?¢m going to cast a skeptical eye over our friends in the media. Itââ?¬â?¢s a poor manââ?¬â?¢s attempt to de-sensationalise newspaper jargon to get at the news underneath. Iââ?¬â?¢m certainly not free from bias ââ?¬â?? to paraphrase Wordsworth Iââ?¬â?¢m a ââ?¬Å?[Rangers] man writing for [Rangers] menââ?¬Â ââ?¬â?? but Iââ?¬â?¢m going to do my best to be free from the tendency towards sensationalism and spin we so often encounter when we have the misfortune of reading the papers, and try my best to be a suitable antidote for those tired of reading the same old nonsense in them. Where theyââ?¬â?¢re good, I shall even praise them! Daily Record Thereââ?¬â?¢s nothing quite like the signing of a new player to whip the tabloids into a frenzy. None moreso than the Daily Record. Every single hint of a fact that points to the playerââ?¬â?¢s tendency towards Ronaldo-esque greatness is not only highlighted, but made the central point of the article. Iââ?¬â?¢ll save you the hyperbole, the main points of the article are as follows: ââ?¬Â¢ Rangers handled the affair well, according to the Bordeaux president ââ?¬Â¢ Darcheville is a 2-3 million rated player, according to the Bordeaux president ââ?¬Â¢ The Bordeaux president only offered him a one year deal ââ?¬Â¢ Weââ?¬â?¢ve signed him on a two year contract ââ?¬â?? this fact, and the lure of playing in a foreign league in front of large audiences, he says persuaded him These facts are joined together with the usual references to who he turned down, both in the past (Liverpool) and in the present (Monaco/Bordeaux) to increase our sense of having captured someone important. The fact that he has only netted 37 goals in 5 seasons is played down by explaining Walter Smith is after his for his rocket-like pace and subtle touch ala Prso, which Walter rather more understatedly explained by saying: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve been to France a few times to see him and there is no doubt in my mind we are getting a quality player capable of doing a great job for us.ââ?¬Â But these are small points. Despite there being evidence of the usual signs of hyperbole the largest part of the article is made up of quotes, and the Daily Record is generally at its best when sticking to things people having actually said. You can read the article here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=gers-have-got-a--pound-3m-hitman-for-free%26method=full%26objectid=19076077%26siteid=66633-name_page.html The Herald Darryl Broadfoot paints a slightly different picture of the signing, as you would expect from a broadsheet. He sets the focus on the fact that this is the third time weââ?¬â?¢ve attempted to sign Darcheville. Perhaps in an attempt to palliate the sense of sensation in the tabloids, his main points are largely concentrate on his, according to Darryl, negative history. The main points being: ââ?¬Â¢ Previous attempts to sign him broke down at the negotiation stage (note Darryl is unwilling, like the Record, to claim that it was because we didnââ?¬â?¢t have enough money, even if it is the case) ââ?¬Â¢ He used to be fat ââ?¬â?? earning unfavourable comparisons to Ronaldo in France ââ?¬Â¢ He didnââ?¬â?¢t do too well at Rennes ââ?¬Â¢ Or at Forrest ââ?¬â?? the manager branding him a waster ââ?¬Â¢ His next manager, at Lorient, also considered him selfish and wasteful ââ?¬Â¢ The manager after that liked him. He scored 25 goals in two seasons. ââ?¬Â¢ He then moved to Bordeaux from whom we signed him: the support apparently never liked him because he stated his intention to make tons of money So, we see a perhaps intentionally bleaker side of Darcheville in the Herald ââ?¬â?? and though I tend not to like the trend in broadsheets to see pessimism as essentially the same thing as ââ?¬Ë?high browââ?¬â?¢ journalism, it provides good foil for the happy clappy image presented in the Record. You can read the article here: http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.1387462.0.0.php Conclusion All in all thereââ?¬â?¢s not too much to complain about today, and I hope this summary, and the contrast between the two approaches, has been in some way beneficial towards an understanding of our new signing. The following video is some of Darchevilleââ?¬â?¢s finer moments:

Seems Smith is looking to bring in Andy Todd of Blackburn. He has dropped down from the Blackburn first team. A 32 year old! I hope Smith is not going to strangle our youth set-up by bringing in too many older players.

So what's the thinking? I say, unless we sign someone spectacular to replace him then he should be our number one left midfielder next season. He may be lacking in pace, but with a pacy left back behind him (Stevie Smith) that shouldn't be a problem. His tactical and match awareness is coming on well, he delivers a decent dead ball and scores goals. I honestly think, if WS sticks with him, in a couple of years we will have a top quality left midfielder at the club.

Alan Hutton, Stevie Smith, Alan McGregor and Charlie Adam have all ( in my opinion) come through this season with flying colours but all bar smith have had their fair bit of critisism too. Hutton from the outset was a target for the boo boys at Ibrox and was the main whipping boy from the stands while Adam and Mcgregor to an extent got a few on their backs when things werent going our way. So now that we have signed Gow and broadfoot i have to wonder what lies in store for them. I have already read in a few posts that some dont reckon they are good enough for Rangers and fear they will suffer the same fate as Hutton. And thats before they have kicked a ball for the club. so what chance do they have? Do you think they will get a fair crack at the whip? And just how long do they get before we reject them as duds like some did with Adam and Hutton? I would just like to say that i hope everyone give thes boys a chance to prove themselves and not judge them on a couple of bad games that they might have. Its a big step up and its a big learning curve to make it at Ibrox so i hope that we can all get behind them and give them the support that will see them through. just give these boys a break.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=405&Itemid=1 As we did last week with the players, itââ?¬â?¢s now the turn of the staff to receive their end of season report cards. From Paul Le Guen to David Murray ââ?¬â?? all notable staff will be appraised. Today, weââ?¬â?¢ll begin with the managers and then weââ?¬â?¢ll move upstairs. So, make a cup of tea, open the Kit-Kats and let us know whether or not you disagree with Gersnetââ?¬â?¢s assessments. * Paul Le Guen It may seem a little strange analysing a manager who is no longer here but PLGââ?¬â?¢s effect on our season is still pretty obvious so itââ?¬â?¢s worth discussing. Initially, the Frenchman arrived in a blaze of publicity with an instant burden of expectation placed on his shoulders by the Rangers support. Itââ?¬â?¢s difficult to put a finger on exactly what went wrong but I guess itââ?¬â?¢s down to a number of factors. Firstly, although PLGââ?¬â?¢s success record was second to none, it appears his man management skills werenââ?¬â?¢t quite as refined. We all know about the various alleged fall outs with Barry Ferguson (and a few other players) but I think the main problem the manager had wasnââ?¬â?¢t with anyone else but with his own discipline. I think right from the outset, Le Guen felt that wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have too much trouble in Scotland. He didnââ?¬â?¢t do his research properly and his signings (although restricted in terms of affordability) were arguably too raw to make the instant impressions required. This, along with his far too stubborn attitude and his alleged failure to settle into the British way of life, means that perhaps the biggest personality clash was with himself. Secondly, and most obviously, the results and performances just were just not happening. A bright (and arguably unlucky) start wasnââ?¬â?¢t developed properly and the teamââ?¬â?¢s morale and confidence was built on a house of cards. One could sense footballing improvement over time but the least setback and we were right back to square one. Notwithstanding our excellent European displays, our form was far too patchy and PLGââ?¬â?¢s obdurate attitude to tactics and his incapability to fix our most basic faults eventually led to his departure. Not intending to improve the central defence in January was the last straw for the chairman. Thus, the PLG era came to a quick ââ?¬â?? and arguably premature ââ?¬â?? conclusion. It certainly didnââ?¬â?¢t pan out as many of us hoped and the disappointment is still seen from a large part of the Rangers support as we speak. Would we eventually have improved under Le Guen? Would we have finished in second place? Would the player relationships have improved? Would Barry Ferguson still be captain? Would any new signings have fixed our obvious problems? Would we be able to mount a SPL challenge next season? These types of questions are still impossible to answer if PLG was still in charge. Meanwhile, the very fact Walter Smith has answered them positively means it was the right decision to appoint him. There are obviously positives to retain from the previous managerââ?¬â?¢s spell in charge. The re-emergence of Alan Hutton is not down to Walter Smith as many people argue but down to the fact that Le Guen persevered with the right back through the bad results and performances. The same goes for the likes of Charlie Adam and Kris Boyd who despite never really being outstanding have played an important part in this season. The recall of Nacho Novo bringing hard work and spirit just when we needed it and placing more responsibility on Brahim Hemdani also yielded some long term rewards. Moreover, the much criticised 4-2-3-1 formation which PLG couldnââ?¬â?¢t get to work consistently has now been the spine that Smith has used to secure second place. For these benefits, we should be big enough to appreciate the contribution Paul Le Guen had in them. To conclude, its obvious PLGââ?¬â?¢s tenure was a failure. However, I think there are enough glimpses of a French hand to suggest itââ?¬â?¢s not as clear a failure as some would have you believe. Score ââ?¬â?? 4 * Walter Smith I think the best way to approach Smithââ?¬â?¢s 5 months in charge is to immediately answer the questions above. Iââ?¬â?¢m not sure any Rangers fan was as excited as they were about PLG regarding Smithââ?¬â?¢s arrival. The appointment smacked of the usual David Murray short-termism and many thought it was a backwards step. However, it has proven to be the right one. The saying may be familiarity breeds contempt but in Smithââ?¬â?¢s case (backed up with his Scottish management team) it was a case of familiarity breeding assurance. Immediately, Smith set about his work in the most straightforward manner. He brought in two experienced centre-halves to fix our obvious defensive frailties whilst retaining a conservative attitude to tactics. The appointment of Ally McCoist would have helped alleviate the dressing-room tension and Kenny McDowall being snatched from Celtic showed Smith wouldnââ?¬â?¢t be denied in what he wanted. As such, although improvement wasnââ?¬â?¢t huge, it was evident and morale lifted quickly. David Weir was an inspiration at the back, Barry Ferguson was back playing to his full capabilities in midfield and results (although not always performances) were coming in. Also, of vital important was an away Old Firm win in early March which showed the management team hadnââ?¬â?¢t lost any of their blessings when it came to these fixtures. Clinching second spot at the weekend with another convincing win over our arch rivals showed that the appointment was definitely the right one. Being undefeated domestically since Smithââ?¬â?¢s arrival was an impressive turn around. Yes, second place shouldnââ?¬â?¢t be deemed acceptable but in this seasonââ?¬â?¢s context it was imperative. Now, the fans can look forward to next season with a smile rather than a frown. However, the smile may not be as big as weââ?¬â?¢d all like. Paul Le Guen had brought some excellent European tactical nous and Smith has already shown signs of weakness at this level. We all know from Smithââ?¬â?¢s previous years that the European arena isnââ?¬â?¢t the best part of his CV so doubts will linger about his suitability in that regard. In addition to that negative, the last few years have seen a few younger players break into the first team. Steven Smith, Alan Hutton and Chris Burke have all contributed to a fair degree so it will be interesting to see if Smith intends to explore the potential of some of the younger players such as Lennon, Shinnie and Furman. If he can do that, deliver domestic success and achieve the holy grail of European level consistency and respectability, this could be an even more successful period in charge for Walter Smith. Obviously, thatââ?¬â?¢s easier said than done and heââ?¬â?¢ll need the funds to do so but he certainly wonââ?¬â?¢t have the same kind of cash that he did in the 1990s. Can he take this second place and improve upon it? The jury still remains out but appointing Smith has shown it wonââ?¬â?¢t be any less risky than employing the so-called cream of managerial talent. Score ââ?¬â?? 7.5

Just noticed this in a piece in the Sunday Liam... http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=walter-plans-german-camp--%26method=full%26objectid=19053725%26siteid=64736-name_page.html

Thats 1 donkey away, about 3 to go. Ok he got a nasty injury which is never nice but he just doesnt have the abililty to play for Rangers. But fair play to him as he always showed committment and had a good attitude especially during the Ferguson / PLG saga as he was put in the difficult situation by being made captian and then got it taken away from him. I wish him well wherever he ends up.

Taken from the official site: Views? I have to say I don't know much about him other than recognising his name from playing too much Championship Manager.

seems we are on his trail and the initial sings are good as he is interested in playing for us. All we need is the nod from fergie to give it the green light. Another major plus is that like many of our other singings hes had a career threatening injury so this makes me think that the big man is on his way!

Was it really only 12 months ago that we witnessed what some of us described as the ââ?¬Ë?worst Rangers team in historyââ?¬â?¢ crawl to 3rd place in the SPL playing terrible football? It seems longer, but I suppose that can be expected after the promises of ââ?¬Ë?moonbeams of successââ?¬â?¢ and ââ?¬Ë?investments that would rock Scottish Footballââ?¬â?¢ from serial liar SDM. In hindsight, and given SDM history of false promises, we should really have known better. It could be argued that this season was just as bad, if not worse than last. PLGââ?¬â?¢s revolution never really got off the ground and whilst Walter Smith has steadied the ship somewhat, watching Rangers isnââ?¬â?¢t really ââ?¬Ë?prime-timeââ?¬â?¢ at the moment ââ?¬â?? although weââ?¬â?¢re expected to pay top dollar for the privilege. Another close season arrives and another mass reapplication for season tickets will follow giving our esteemed leader the belief that we the fans are totally behind him and believe that he is the right man to carry us forward. Oh, weââ?¬â?¢ll have his lap-dogs in the media telling us that he has a new found hunger, a desire to put us back on top, a list of first class signings queuing to sign ââ?¬â?? just to ensure that those of us swithering will give him (another) benefit of the doubt. I am still unsure if Iââ?¬â?¢ll renew, but if I do it will be in spite of SDM not due to another bout of his lies leaked to the press. There is so much wrong with our club at the moment, it is hard to pick out something positive to talk about in the lead up to the last OF game of the season. I suppose the U19ââ?¬â?¢s thrashing their Craptic counterparts in the U19 Cup recently shows that there might be some gems finally coming through the system. Players like Stevie Lennon, Shinnie, Fleck and Perry to name but 4. The U19ââ?¬â?¢s also have a chance to claim the league title which will have been decided when you read this. The latest fan initiative by the RST and fanzines, Rangers First is also worth a mention and going by recent games, especially out-with Ibrox, the first signs are that this is working and the Rangers fans are warming to this initiative and actively encouraging songs without the unnecessary add-ons. However, the major issues that surround the club are still there for all to see and there doesnââ?¬â?¢t appear to be anything coming from the club that would suggest that these will change for the better. The most worrying is the money, or lack off that the manager will receive to rebuild the team in the summer. We urgently need at least 10 players, most of them ââ?¬Ë?startersââ?¬â?¢ but feel weââ?¬â?¢ll be pinning our hopes on players like Gow, Broadfoot and Naismyth (instead of the likes of Brown, Koevermans etc) and if we are, and I hope Iââ?¬â?¢m wrong, weââ?¬â?¢ll be back here in another 12 months wondering where it all went wrong and what if anything will change to make things right again. Cammy F

I know it's been prbably done to death but where are we gonna get the players that will make the difference next season? The past few years we seem to have trawled Europe to pick up duds. I think, and obviously so does Walter that closer to home is the best bet. Gow and Broadfoot have signed so who else? Scott Brown is an obvious target and seems realistic although if the reports are true that both Spurs and Boro are after him then there is a possibility that he could be priced out of our league. Even the Mhanks getting involved will probably put the bidding war beyond us with their CL cash. I personally think we should go for Russell Anderson to shore up the defence. He has been mega consistent over the last 3 or 4 years and would give 2 from Anderson, Webster, Weir and Broadfoot. That is a Centre defence I could live with! Also, we desperately need cover for both full backs. 3 months ago I would have said we needed a first choice RB but the way Hutton has come on has been impresive but if he or Smith are injured then we're snookered. To cover these positions Steven Whittiker is the way to go. He can play both sides and is a young lad with a big future. He'sgood enough to give genuine competition. The next one to go for is up front. We're not gonna get Koevermans, not if he is building the sort of reputation he seems to be. He'll go to bigger and better thab the SPL I'm afraid. Healy and Naismith are more realistic. Healy has the strength and power and is proven on the international stage. As for Naismith, we've all seen him and the boy is class. Those two, plus the enigma that is Kris Boyd would give us the goals that'll make a succesful season. Midfield is where I'm a bit stuck. I want Fergie gone, he's not a captain, he's too big for his boots and he isn't conducive to a settled dressing room. Hemdani should be our lynchpin next year as he has been this season but who to put in alongside him? Thompson is to defensive and I think we'll be outpriced for Brown. I think next year is the year for Thomas Buffel to come to the fore. Walter has to start with him, build his confidence. The guy has the talent and now is the time for him to show it.

This is depressing in a way. Why dont the other clubs want to advance and have a 2nd SPL to try and boost revenue etc!!! The worst part is the SPL may invite the other 8 clubs in and have this breakaway which will create 2 leagues of 10. Who is honestly running the game in Scotland??? They are a joke!!! Everyman and his dog outside those in charge realise we need to expand the SPL to at least 14 teams and scrap a lower division and make it 3 leagues. The likes of Dundee, Gretna, St Johnstone, Livingston, Partick and Clyde are all capable of holding there own against Dunfermline, St Mirren and Motherwell etc and we should have a 16 teams in the top flight. We could be playing each team twice then have some sort of breakaway / split where the bottom sides have some sort of play off and the top sides play each other again.

From Ajax website Ajax will play two friendly matches in Scotland in preparation for the 2007-2008 season. The Amsterdam side will face Glasgow Rangers and Falkirk FC. Ajax will play against Glasgow Rangers in the Ibrox Stadium on Tuesday 24 July. Glasgow Rangers, 51-time champions of Scotland, is the former club of, amongst others, current Ajax youth coach Frank de Boer. Currently, familiar names such as Thomas Buffel and Dado Prso(unfortunately not) are on the teamlist of the Gers, who are managed by Walter Smith and his assistant Ally McCoist. Ajax willl face the Scottish powerhouse at 8 p.m. local time.