Search the Community

Sky Sports News understands that Celtic's Aiden McGeady is to hold transfer talks with Spartak Moscow. More...

THE smog cloaking Moscow could not obscure Aiden McGeadyââ?¬â?¢s vision of the future. Being shuttled around a city wreathed in the smoke from spectacular forest fires, the 24-year-old was quickly coming to a decision. Or, rather, two decisions. He wanted to be in Moscow and he wanted to be out of Glasgow. The move from Celtic to Spartak Moscow was thus inevitable. McGeady is aware that his Ã?£10m transfer caused surprise, even shock in some quarters. The player had been linked with Barclays Premier League clubs, with Aston Villa leading the chase. Surely, the winger would be joining up with Martin Oââ?¬â?¢Neill? But that move foundered as the squalls at Villa Park gathered to produce the perfect storm that led Oââ?¬â?¢Neill to walk away from the club. In contrast, McGeady took a voyage of discovery. He flew to Moscow, talked to Spartak officials and seized the chance to accept another challenge. He will, of course, be handsomely compensated for his career move. Estimates of his wage range from Ã?£40,000 to Ã?£60,000 a week. McGeady will not discuss financial terms, but as a wealthy young man his protestations that money was not the deciding factor carry some weight. ââ?¬Å?What they were offering, not in terms of money but on the football side, was far greater than any other team who came in for me,ââ?¬Â he said of Spartak. ââ?¬Å?The lure of the Champions League was huge. And this is a better league, too. I also know that people get transfers from the Russian league to Serie A, to the Premiership, to La Liga. Frankly, it was best for everyone if I moved on.ââ?¬Â His first experience of the city sealed the move. As pedestrians coughed and spluttered under the fumes from fires, McGeady sat and quietly assessed what lay before him. ââ?¬Å?It was hectic, very cosmopolitan. I liked it immediately. I was trying to get my head round the idea that I would be here permanently. I wanted to see if I could see myself living there, and I could.ââ?¬Â His mind was almost made up before he stepped on the plane to leave Glasgow. McGeady was becoming restless, tired of living in a city where he could rarely feel at ease and increasingly appalled at the level of abuse directed at him. ââ?¬Å?I was getting fed up with Glasgow. I wanted to leave. Nothing against Celtic ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s Glasgow,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?If you are not a footballer, it is a great city to live in. There are loads of things to do and the people are very friendly but as a footballer it can be a nightmare. When you are out everybody either wants to shake your hand and praise you or they want to have a go at you. If you have a bad result, then even going to the shops is difficult. ââ?¬Å?You are hiding your face as you go past a group of people because they will shout at you. Moscow is bigger and maybe I can disappear into it a wee bit.ââ?¬Â McGeadyââ?¬â?¢s decision to play for the Republic of Ireland made him a target for a heightened level of abuse from the stands. ââ?¬Å?There are a lot of horrible places in Scotland for that type of thing: Tynecastle, Ibrox obviously is always going to be bad with the Celtic-Rangers rivalry, Motherwell, Falkirk. Some fans there hate everything Celtic stand for and everything I stand for as an Irish Catholic playing for Celtic.ââ?¬Â There is a defiance, however, to McGeady. ââ?¬Å?You enjoy going to those places because it makes it even better when you win,ââ?¬Â he said. He was always aware that to play for the Republic was to place himself squarely in front of ferocious criticism. He was warned when he made the decision as a teenager that the reaction would not be pleasant, but McGeady was surprised at the vehemence of what followed. ââ?¬Å?It begins in the warm-ups before games with all sorts of stuff being shouted at you, even from little kids,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?Fair enough, you can have a shout at somebody. Every footballer expects that, but some of the stuff ââ?¬Â¦ you would not get away with it in any other walk of life but because you are a footballer you are expected to tolerate it. But if it happened in public, on a street, then nobody would be surprised if it developed into a fight. It is unbelievable what some people shout.ââ?¬Â He has never regretted his decision to choose to play for Ireland. ââ?¬Å?When I made my debut for Celtic there was a huge fuss made about it. Now I am fed up talking about it.ââ?¬Â McGeady is, though, content about how his life has developed. ââ?¬Å?I am not afraid to make decisions. If I feel it is the right thing to do, then I will do it. It is that simple. And I will live with the consequences. I have lived with the Ireland thing for years. But I am happy with what I decided. Yes, it turned people against me. But I am not there to be anybodyââ?¬â?¢s mate.ââ?¬Â He deals with criticism boldly and without any attempt at false modesty. ââ?¬Å?I know what level of footballer I am. I know I can be better but some of the stuff levelled at me was just nonsense.ââ?¬Â McGeady addresses the two major criticisms he has faced as a Celtic player. The first is his goalscoring, though his record of one goal every five games is not too shabby. ââ?¬Å?I want to score more,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?I remember when I was younger and was in the youth team I used to score a lot of goals. I was a great finisher. I made my debut playing as a second striker but as I have played more and more out wide I have seemed to lost that part of my game, that ability to slot in the chances. I have lost that instinct to score. I want that back.ââ?¬Â The second criticism concerns the ââ?¬Å?no end productââ?¬Â mantra that has been a constant refrain by McGeadyââ?¬â?¢s critics. ââ?¬Å?How many times have I heard that from people saying that my end product is not good enough? Everybody can improve and I will try to do so, but what other winger sets up 14 goals in a season and does not take corners or free-kicks? ââ?¬Å?It is funny how people ignore statistics when they do not suit them. Pundits say it all the time and viewers and readers have it driven into them so they start to believe it. To be honest, it does my head in a wee bit and I will be glad to get away from that.ââ?¬Â The overwhelming impression is of a young man ready to move on. ââ?¬Å?It is a life experience. It is one of those things I will enjoy,ââ?¬Â he said of life in Moscow. ââ?¬Å?If I was not a footballer, I would like to go travelling.ââ?¬Â He added: ââ?¬Å?I hear people saying it is a bad move. Can anybody explain that to me? What if I stayed at Celtic and they were struggling and I am off form or am injured? I would be regretting the chance not to go. I donââ?¬â?¢t see in any way that it can be a bad move.ââ?¬Â McGeady, though, knows it will be a wrench leaving a club he loves and a family that is close. ââ?¬Å?Of course, there will be will be difficulties at first. I expect that. I can see why a lot of people would say no to Spartak because it is a tough move to make. I accept that but I am determined to get through it. I like the city already and it is a better level of football with the Champions League in the offing.ââ?¬Â He will, of course, be back in Glasgow regularly, perhaps on football business. The Champions League draw could bring him back to the city to face Rangers. He chuckles at the prospect. McGeady could also return later in his career to the club that nurtured him. ââ?¬Å?I will definitely miss Celtic Park,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?It is a great place to play football. It was an exhilarating arena especially when you were playing well. The noise level was incredible on Champions League nights or Old Firm matches. It was tremendous to hear the roar if you got past the full-back. ââ?¬Å?So every footballer would want to play there. Never say never. I am a Celtic fan so anything is possible. Celtic would be a good place to come back to play the last years of my career if they wanted me and I could still perform at that level.ââ?¬Â That is in the distant future. McGeady remains focused on his challenge in Moscow. ââ?¬Å?I am just desperate to play,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?I have only been on the park for 55 minutes this season. I want to go and win trophies for my new club. We are capable of doing well in the league and the Champions League is a fantastic prospect.ââ?¬Â http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/celtic/exclusive-aiden-mcgeady-explains-how-leaving-glasgow-is-the-most-eloquent-answer-to-his-detractors-1.1048663

A Centre half. The link is in French but the translation is below it. No quotes from the player or St-Etienne. http://www.footmercato.net/asse-accord-trouve-avec-les-rangers-pour-benalouane_53813 I'm in two minds whether or not to let Webster go. I think he's a cracking player but for some reason is always injured while on our books. He was fine last season, only missing a couple of games (I think) but the Ibrox/Murray Park injury kinx strikes again for him.

Can safely say I've not heard of him but this is the second LB we've been linked to in recent weeks.

Can anyone explain the how it is economical to spend more money on Jelly if he signs, circa �£7.2 million over a 4 year contract including transfer fee, allegedly �£4 mill. Paying Boyd �£25k over the same period accrues to �£4.8 million, for the finished article. And no I don't accept or have any faith in an alleged wages cap, to take that crock of shit to its logical conclusion, everyone should be paid the same, diddy or superstar.

Nikica Jelavic has been subject to a bid from Rangers, according to Rapid Viennaââ?¬â?¢s sporting director Alfred Hoertnagl. The Croatian forward, who was linked with a move to Celtic in the January transfer window, has been attracting interest from Blackburn Rovers this summer. Hoertnagl told Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung on Monday Rangersââ?¬â?¢ bid for 24-year-old Jelavic was ââ?¬Å?not practicalââ?¬Â, before confirming the offer made by the SPL title holders, the amount of which is unknown, was short of Rapidsââ?¬â?¢ valuation. 6ft 2in Jelavic, who moved to Austria from Belgian club Zulte Waregem in 2008, scored against Celtic three times across their two Europa League matches last year. The Croatian scored Rapidââ?¬â?¢s goal in their 1-1 draw in Glasgow, before scoring twice in the first eight minutes of the 3-3 draw in Vienna. Capped five times by his country, Jelavic has just one year left to run on his contract. He scored 18 times in 33 league matches last campaign, finding the net nine times in 12 Europa League games. This season he has continued his scoring form in Europe, scoring twice against Lithuanians Suduva Marijampole in the second qualifying round of the Europa League in a 6-2 aggregate victory. Because of his involvement in European competition already this season, Jelavic would not be eligible to play in the Champions League for Rangers unless they reached the last 16. Uefa rules forbid players playing for more than one club across both of its club competitions, except for the knockout stages, where a player can represent another side provided his previous club did not take part in the same tournament.

Walter Smith hopes to conclude the signings of James Beattie and Tommy Smith before Saturdayââ?¬â?¢s SPL opener with Kilmarnock at Ibrox. The Rangers manager says he has not totally given up on his pursuit of Rapid Vienna striker Nikica Jelavic ââ?¬â?? but that deal appears to be all but dead unless the player lowers his financial demands. Beattie is set to cost around Ã?£1.5million from Stoke City and was on his way to Glasgow for contract talks with chief executive Martin Bain. Rangers are believed to have offered Ã?£900,000 to Portsmouth for Smith and were waiting on an answer from the Championship side before entering into wage talks. The Rangers manager confirmed today: ââ?¬Å?We are in negotiations with Stoke and Portsmouth for the signings of James Beattie and Tommy Smith respectively. ââ?¬Å?It is difficult to say just how long it will take to conclude these signings ââ?¬â?? but we hope to complete both deals in time for the weekend.ââ?¬Â Beattie would look the more likely deal to be pushed through, with Pompey boss Steve Cotterrill insisting of Smith: ââ?¬Å?He isnââ?¬â?¢t a players weââ?¬â?¢d be looking to lose. ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s a good player, and whatââ?¬â?¢s been offered wouldnââ?¬â?¢t be the figure weââ?¬â?¢d put on him if we did want to sell.ââ?¬Â Jelavicââ?¬â?¢s protracted transfer from Rapid Vienna has rumbled on for the best part of two weeks. Rangers have tabled a transfer package of close to Ã?£4million for the 24-year-old, with a Ã?£16,000 a week wage offer, but he is sue a slice of any sale and senior sources at Ibrox, privately, have all but given up hope of his arrival unless there is a change in stance on his behalf. Smith explained: ââ?¬Å?As for Jelavic, I admit that one is looking more doubtful as there are complications there that we had not foreseen. ââ?¬Å?Things have not gone smoothly ââ?¬â?? but we have by no means given up on bringing him to the club.ââ?¬Â Smith will also arrange a closed-door game for Honduran international Georgie Welcome early next week in order to make a final decision on whetherââ?¬â?¢s heââ?¬â?¢s worth a deal. He was denied a work permit to play in a second-string game against Glentoran this week and could face red-tape issues. Arsenal kid Nacer Barazite also remains on trial. Smith said: ââ?¬Å?Welcome has been unfortunate in that he is not allowed to play in any public games and so we are in the process of arranging a closed-door game and we will make a decision on him after that. As for Nacer, we will continue to look at him.ââ?¬Â Smith also confirmed that he will continue to work right up to the closure of the transfer window on August 31 as he bids to beef up his squad. ââ?¬Å?We have only 14 experienced players in our squad right now and it is obvious that we need to add more in terms of quality and experience,ââ?¬Â he added. ââ?¬Å?We have been working on a number of other deals, but these players are in demand elsewhere and that has made it difficult. ââ?¬Å?But we will keep working on things until the closure of the transfer window ââ?¬â?? and we hope to be able to bring in another couple of new faces above the players I have discussed.ââ?¬Â Meanwhile, Kenny Miller should be fit for Killie despite suffering from shin splints. Smith said: ââ?¬Å?Kenny has been struggling, but the fact he has not played midweek for Scotland should allow him to be OK for Saturday. ââ?¬Å?It is not a chronic condition with him so that bit of rest should have sorted things.ââ?¬Â But the Rangers manager confirmed that Lee McCulloch, who is in any case suspended for the SPL opener, will need up to a fortnight to recover from the virus he is suffering from. Smith said: ââ?¬Å?Lee picked up the virus coming back from Australia and we expect him to take another couple of weeks to make a full recovery.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/walter-smith-confirms-beattie-and-smith-deals-1.1047824

So, so sad!

Ally McCoist has flown to America to run the rule over a batch of summer signing targets. The Rangers No.2 jetted out to New York yesterday along with midfielder Maurice Edu and will watch the USA friendly against Brazil at the New Meadowlands Stadium tomorrow night. There was also an MLS game between Chicago and New York Red Bulls last night which McCoist was set to take in as the Light Blues assess the qualities of several players being offered to them. Itââ?¬â?¢s understood boss Walter Smith has been tipped off about some of the up-and-coming talents beginning to make their impact at international level ââ?¬â?? and dispatched McCoist to watch them in the flesh. Maurice Edu has also passed on information on some of his countrymen and itââ?¬â?¢s thought players such as Alejandro Bedoya and Benny Feilhaber could be on the radar providing they impress. Bedoya is one of the most promising players within the American set-up and currently plays for Swedish side Orebro. The 23-year-old is a left-sided midfield player with plenty of pace which is exactly what Smith is targeting this summer. Feilhaber, 25, is operating for Danish outfit AGF Aarhus but it is thought his time there is coming to an end. Smith hopes to secure his No.1 summer target after chief executive Martin Bain flew back to Austria on Saturday for a second round of talks with Rapid Vienna over Nikica Jelavic. Bain has made a final pitch to the Austrian club with the transfer fee now around the Ã?£4million mark, while a Ã?£15,000-a-week wage offer. Rangers now want an answer after two weeks of talks ââ?¬â?? or else they will look at other options. The 24-year-old Croatian has said he wants to move to Ibrox, but a decision will have to be made soon. Honduras striker Georgie Welcome remains on trial, but insiders say a deal for him is no better than 50-50 as, although he has looked decent in training, he is behind the other players in terms of fitness and unable to be judged in games due to work permit rules. SportTimes also understands Rangers wonââ?¬â?¢t be making moves for any young players at Manchester United such as Danny Wellbeck. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/ally-mccoist-jets-out-on-us-spy-mission-1.1047031

CRAIG Levein made it clear to goalkeeper David Marshall last night that his Scotland career will be over if he plays for Cardiff City tomorrow. An elbow injury meant Marshall was one of five call-offs from Leveinââ?¬â?¢s squad to play in Sweden tomorrow night, with Scott Brown likely to increase that number to six. Marshall did fly to Glasgow to be assessed by the SFAââ?¬â?¢s medical staff so that the injury was confirmed before he returned to Cardiff, but the 25-year-old had been at the centre of a club-versus-country wrangle last week. Manager Dave Jones had asked for him to be released for a Carling Cup tie at Burton Albion tomorrow because of a chronic shortage of players at the club following a transfer embargo, but Levein refused that request. Marshall aggravated a previous elbow problem against Sheffield United on Sunday. There is no suggestion that Jones still intends to pick Marshall for Cardiff tomorrow, but if he does he will end his playerââ?¬â?¢s Scotland career. Levein is determined to be fair but firm with players and club managers and his message to Marshall was unequivocal. ââ?¬Å?If he plays for Cardiff on Wednesday I donââ?¬â?¢t think heââ?¬â?¢ll be back in the Scotland squad,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?To be fair to him he came up last night and I spoke to him. ââ?¬Ë?Marshââ?¬â?¢ came up at 10 oââ?¬â?¢clock last night and flew down first thing this morning. ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s got a problem with his elbow. Heââ?¬â?¢s had it for weeks. In my opinion, and in the medical teamââ?¬â?¢s opinion, heââ?¬â?¢s not fit to play on Wednesday. Iââ?¬â?¢ve got to look at these situations and listen to what my medical people tell me. I was really pleased the lad made the effort to come up.ââ?¬Â Graham Dorrans and Andy Webster also turned up to be assessed and ruled out by injuries while Alan Hutton has had an injection because of a groin problem and Lee McCulloch was briefly hospitalised by a virus. Brown was on the SFA flight to Stockholm yesterday but is almost definitely out of the game because of a heel injury. The number of call-offs was dispiriting but not catastrophic, and all were genuine. ââ?¬Å?I think weââ?¬â?¢ve got to put some sort of rules in place,ââ?¬Â said Levein. ââ?¬Å?If youââ?¬â?¢re playing in a game just before the call-up and you get an injury then I think itââ?¬â?¢s right that you turn up and let the doctors assess the injury, and thatââ?¬â?¢s whatââ?¬â?¢s happened. Everybody has played fair, one hundred percent. Itââ?¬â?¢s a reasonably high number of call-offs. But Iââ?¬â?¢m very comfortable.ââ?¬Â Hutton, Craig Gordon and Gary Caldwell ââ?¬â?? all first-choice Scotland players ââ?¬â?? have long-term injury problems. Scott Robertson and two uncapped players, Garry Kenneth and Everton goalkeeper Iain Turner, were called up to the squad to face the Swedes. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/more-scottish-football/levein-lays-down-the-law-play-for-cardiff-and-your-scotland-career-is-over-manager-tells-marshall-1.1047169

I wonder when he'll return this time?!?!

Walter Smith is a phenomenon. At the age of 62, after 44 years in professional football, he has become a Patton without the bluster, a Churchill without the growling. Well, not in public at any rate. In his final season in charge of his beloved Rangers, his enthusiasm for the task is that of a grizzled general who wants to go to war one more time, a leader who will inspire his men on their last charge together. He does it quietly, of course. After all, it is not as if his record doesn't speak for itself. Smith would need to be manager into his seventies and win every title from now until then to beat the legendary Bill Struth's managerial record of 18 Scottish championships for Rangers, but with nine league flags collected on his own - Souness left before the end of season 1990-91 - plus three as assistant to Souness, not to mention five Scottish Cups, five League Cups and that run to the UEFA Cup final in 2008, Smith's place in the Ibrox club's history has long been secure. There are still a couple of records he might want. As Rangers match secretary and then first manager, William Wilton won four Scottish Cups and ten league titles, the last of them just days before his tragic death from drowning in 1920. Victory in either the Scottish Cup or SPL would give Smith 15 of the big two, second outright behind Struth. A tenth league title would also bring him equal with Jock Stein's record of ten championships. So there is further prestige to play for, and Smith is relishing the prospect of another campaign, even as the club's financial difficulties continue and they have shed Kris Boyd, Kevin Thompson, Danny Wilson, and Nacho Novo, with no replacements brought in as yet. "Everybody that's involved, management, players, everyone, has to accept the challenge of a new season," said Smith. "It doesn't matter how many you manage to win, you still face a huge challenge to show that you can do it again. "If you look at it historically, there are teams that can get up there and win a championship, but to try and win it year after year is a difficult motivation for anybody. "I admire guys in sport who can repeat their success season after season, as that is the true test of any team or individual. "It makes no difference that this is my last season. You still have that determination to succeed and if I didn't, I wouldn't have come back for another year. The easiest thing for me would have been to say 'that's it, I'm finishing' but the determination is still there." Smith also knows not to disturb a winning formula: "We need to bring in a few players, everybody knows that. But we are set in what we do and we have been doing it for the past three-and-a-half years, there's no reason to change anything. As far as the organisational aspect goes, we will be doing exactly the same as what we have been doing." At least the immediate future of Rangers in David Murray's ownership is secure, to Smith's relief: "The situation has maybe been clarified. Last year we had four or five months of somebody going to be buying the club. Hopefully, if somebody is going to buy the club in the future then they do so in a bit quieter fashion than we had last year." How Smith keeps his patience in the face of banking intransigence nobody knows. Judging by recent reports, it appears he has a case-by-case kitty for acquisitions this month, so Rangers fans should not hold their breath for big signings as the debt-ridden club's entire budget is under constant accounting scrutiny. Lloyds Bank has apparently made it clear to Rangers that maybe, just maybe, it might allow some of the Champions League income - boosted by more than �£2 million to a likely �£12m-plus by Celtic's exit last week - to be spent on players in the January transfer window. But that's a banker's maybe, the kind on which you wouldn't bet your bottom, never mind your dollar. Smith merely commented: "I would hope that if we qualified out of the Champions League group then money would be made available in January, but that's a big ask for us. If we got into the Europa League knockout stages that would also be financially beneficial for us. We'll just have to wait and see." How will they fare without the goal machine called Boyd? "It's an important factor for us," replied Smith. "We saw a bit of what was needed in the second half of the season when he didn't score as much, but it's going to be a big hole to fill. Whatever criticism anyone - including myself - had of Boydie, he got us a level of goals that was invaluable." The spine of the team is already laid out, said Smith, with McGregor in goals, Majid Bougherra and the evergreen Davie Weir in central defence and Steven Davis and Lee McCulloch in midfield, and Kenny Miller and A.N. Other up front. Davis in particular will be a vital cog: "He has moved into the middle which I feel can strengthen us. We just need to fill in at the front with support for Kenny Miller, which we're trying to do at the moment." Main rivals as ever will be Celtic, and their difficulties against Sporting Braga should be ignored, said Smith. "If you change the number of players that have been changed at Celtic it would be difficult for anybody to mould a team to play. I've experienced it myself - you don't get any continuity if you make that many changes. I don't think that will be an indicator of how Celtic will fare once they settle down." When Smith ended his first tenure at Rangers, he announced his departure early in the 1997-98 season which did not end with Rangers winning a record tenth title in a row. Smith sees this three-in-a-row farewell bid as markedly different: "I don't think the circumstances we are in at the moment can be looked upon as anything like that. "It's just about whether we as a group, management and players, take up the challenge for another season." No one should doubt his ability to be Rangers' general one more time. This is Walter Smith's last hurrah, and that's worth shouting about. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport/Walter-Smith39s-ibrox-of-tricks.6463123.jp?articlepage=3

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/189229-georgie-welcome-poised-for-rangers-trial/

Hardly a day passes by without another player being linked to Rangers - be it in the unofficial media such as newspapers or forums - or even via official comment from Smith/Bain and stories on the club website. Given we've not paid a fee for a new player since Maurice Edu in 2008, yet have raked in millions since then from Champions League money and player sales, that would suggest we do have some sort of budget to strengthen our squad. Indeed, different figures have been mentioned - ranging from a couple of million to �£5million and beyond. Of course the club are consistent in trying to play down such figures and definitely don't seem keen on alluding to any kind of budget - even although they have confirmed (or alleged) reasonable transfer fees and wage packages for potential players. For example, Chris Eagles was supposed to be close to arriving on a deal worth around �£2million and �£15K per week over 3 years. That totals up to not far from the unsubstantiated �£5million 'warchest' oft talked about amongst the support. On the other hand, many fans are rightly cynical when it comes to such issues. Time and time again we're told money is available yet no players come in. Further to that, the hard luck stories are run out when the window eventually closes - 'he didn't want to come', 'we couldn't match another club's offer', 'SDM's private jet is under repair' etc etc. As such, it's difficult to argue with such people when the facts tell us we have the weakest Rangers squad (in terms of numbers) for over 20 years and an overall dearth in quality that will affect our competitiveness for the rapidly approaching season. Therefore, the issue perhaps comes down to two different scenarios: 1. Do we indeed have a reasonable total budget (say �£5million for fees and wages) and are bluffing a weak position to maximise our activity? 2. Or have MIH/Lloyds/HMRC, absorbed all of income limiting us to another Jerome Rothen type loaning signing if we're lucky? I'd like to gauge your opinion so we can come back at the end of August and see who has been proven right! Are we bluffing or have we already folded? :box:

McDOWALL urges fans to stay calm as transfer targets are pursued More...

He is all I like to see in a Rangers Captain. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/david-weir-unperturbed-by-celtic-s-financial-advantage-over-rangers-1.1043873 David Weir, the Rangers captain, is unfazed by the clubââ?¬â?¢s financial strictures that threaten to hand Old Firm rivals Celtic an advantage in the race to secure the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title this season. Facing the reality that they just donââ?¬â?¢t have the money to spend in the transfer market, the defending champions appear to have an uphill battle to make it three titles in a row, especially in the wake of Celticââ?¬â?¢s Ã?£10m transfer outlay. Celtic, under new manager Neil Lennon, have embarked on a spending spree aimed at winning back the SPL crown. Lennon, who predicted ââ?¬Å?bedlamââ?¬Â in his transfer dealings when Celtic returned from their pre-season tour of North America, has already signed Charlie Mulgrew, Cha Du-Ri, Joe Ledley, Daryl Murphy and Efrain Juarez, while Gary Hooper was in Glasgow yesterday for signing talks. In contrast, Rangers have not made a major signing for almost two years and manager Walter Smith has admitted that the club might be lucky to sign even a couple of players by the closure of the transfer window at the end of August. ââ?¬Ë?ââ?¬â?¢We have only got a small group of players because of the financial position of the club; we have had to sell a few,ââ?¬Â Smith said. ââ?¬Å?Hopefully, between now and the end of the close season, we will add a couple of players to that squad. But, so far, we have had no luck in that department.ââ?¬Â We have players who have gone the distance, who have won championships. They know what it means to play for Rangers David Weir, Rangers captain Even though Rangers are thousands of miles away in Sydney, Weir exuded confidence and a typical veteranââ?¬â?¢s calm. He remains upbeat and says the club can more than match Celtic because of the vast experience in the ranks. ââ?¬Å?We have to make do as best we can with what we have at the moment,ââ?¬Â Weir said yesterday. ââ?¬Å?You have to play with what you have got at the end of day. We have the experience at the club to cope with the situation. We have players who have gone the distance, who have won championships. They know what it means to play for Rangers. ââ?¬Å?We will just keep doing what we are doing and not worry about anyone else. As long as we can improve, I will be happy.ââ?¬Â Weir remains confident about Rangersââ?¬â?¢ prospects for the new season. ââ?¬Å?We all know the financial position at the club is tough, but we still have got a good base of players,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?Our aim is always to try and win the league and do much better in the Champions League.ââ?¬Â Weir says he is far from jealous of Celticââ?¬â?¢s spending spree. Firing a volley ahead of the new season, he suggested Celtic need to spend to catch up to where Rangers are. ââ?¬Å?No, Iââ?¬â?¢m not jealous [of Celtic]; they have got to go out and buy players because we have won the league in each of the last two seasons and they have to catch up to us,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?It is going to be a great season and we are all looking forward to the chance of defending our title.ââ?¬Â Weir said the four-team tournament in Sydney was the perfect preparation for the new season, despite suggestions that travelling such a long distance could seriously affect the clubââ?¬â?¢s championship prospects. He believes it will be a benefit to fitness ahead of the new seasonââ?¬â?¢s kick-off, although he said it was also important to win the tournament because that is what is expected of Rangers. After beating Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in the opening match on Sunday, Smithââ?¬â?¢s men play Sydney FC, the Australian champions, tomorrow. Weir anticipates a tough test even though Sydney lost 5-3 to AEK Athens in their opening match. ââ?¬Å?We want to win all three games because, historically, that is what Rangers are all about,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?That will never change. That is the nature of the cub. I only saw a little of the Sydney v AEK Athens game on television. I donââ?¬â?¢t know much about them but I am sure we will watch a video and get enough information. ââ?¬Å?I think youââ?¬â?¢ll see an even better performance from us against Sydney,ââ?¬Â he added. ââ?¬Å?We will have had more time to get over the travel and will be more used to the conditions. The weather is good here, certainly a lot better than our winter and that helps, as well.ââ?¬Â Smith admitted he is unlikely to make any changes to the side that beat Blackburn. Vitezslav Lavicka, Sydney FCââ?¬â?¢s Czech coach, was full of praise for Rangers. ââ?¬Å?They were very good against Blackburn,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?I was impressed, because they played some excellent football and they had not been in the country long. ââ?¬Å?We cannot afford to make the sort of defensive mistakes we made against AEK. As you saw, European teams will punish you for that. ââ?¬Å?Rangers have the players to make us pay for mistakes such as that, so we will have to play up to our best

Celtic's busy summer in the transfer market shows no signs of abating after they signed Gary Hooper. More...

Algerian ace Madjid Bougherra still believes he could be sold by Rangers before the transfer window closes. More...

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2010/07/22/we-will-sign-the-players-to-help-walter-smith-win-three-in-a-row-for-rangers-pledges-chief-martin-bain-86908-22431209/

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3051683/Thomson-heading-south.html I'm astounded if all we can get for Thomson is a return on our money from when he signed. There must be something else to this transfer.

Aberdeen are poised to sign former England international midfielder Lee Hendrie on a free transfer. More...

Northampton_Loyalist examines the positives behind the club's challenges and suggests prudence may indeed be the long term solution we want for a successful club. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=284:what-doesnt-kill-you-can-only-make-you-stronger&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67

Rangers striker Kenny Miller has admitted that Kevin Thomson's departure from the club is a 'blow'. . . More...

From the guys at the Assembly Not a bad wee scheme this one...

So yet again I wander in to my local newsagent only to find Rangers financial affairs plastered across the back pages which incidentally is a stark contrast to stories currently being published about our rivals. Seems to me that if you are to believe the papers we are in no better position than we were in this time last year. Walter has made it clear Rangers can no longer afford to try and compete with the big boys in the transfer market. Gone are the days of the blue chip signings instead we must accept our best chance of success is to ensure our youngsters are making the grade for the future years. This is where my anguish ends and my optimism takes over. Rangers over the past couple of years have been lucky to have had the good fortune of Champions League income where our rivals have not. Now don't get me wrong our debt level is still considerably higher than other SPL clubs, however the income taken through our European exploits has improved the situation beyond what we could ever comprehend. This brings me to my analysis of affairs over the road. Our rivals are currently being linked with some relatively big signings, now I don't by any means mean these are "WOW" signings but in Scottish league terms they seem to be financially above what we as a club are willing to spend. It seems to me our rivals are in a similar position to what we were in after the Le Guen era... Walter came in and spent a good bit of money albeit a large chunk coming from the sale of certain players i.e. Hutton, Cuellar, but in the end Rangers outgoings were far greater than their incomings as we desperately tried to stamp our dominance once again on Scottish Football. This looks to be the direction in which our rivals are heading as their incomings are not exactly great with European income looking unlikely for another year. They invested last year and they seem to be willing to back their latest goblin to the hilt. I understand many Rangers fan are dismayed at the current lack of activity on the transfer front but I must reiterate that Celtic are speculating in hope of accumulating... if we keep our ship tight over the next few years and manage to ensure that they do not gain access to the honey pot that is the Champions League we will not be the ones in precarious financial situation but instead it will be those in the green and grey who are offloading their players in a manner which no one will see coming. So I say let them spend heavily as I don't see the current managerial staff as being capable of out witting the old fox just yet, don't panic as if we were to believe the papers we would be playing the youth team this year and continue supporting the team this year as it could well be a turning of the tide where our rivals realise that spending big with no guarantee of European football is just not feasible in today's climate. NO SURRENDER.