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Feb 26 2009 By Hugh Keevins ALLY McCOIST will help build a lasting tribute to Davie Cooper on Friday night ... then honour his old pal's memory by continuing the search for the Super Coopers of tomorrow. A debate about the health of Scottish football has raged since Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan attacked the level of criticism aimed at the last Old Firm game. McCoist doesn't deny some of the stick was justified but refuses to believe this country's well of talent has dried up. Along with Celtic coach Neil Lennon, McCoist will tomorrow help with the fund raising for a sensory park for special needs children in Clydebank, the town where Cooper began and ended his playing career. But Rangers' assistant manager refuses to believe the exceptional skills Cooper possessed, and which ultimately took him to Rangers and a place in the national side, have skipped a generation. McCoist said: "I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I'll concede Coop was the last of the breed of players who learned their football in the streets but I won't accept pessimism so far as the future is concerned. "The talent is still out there and Scotland will continue to produce the type of player who makes you feel the anticipation of the crowd whenever he gets on to the ball. "Kids don't play on the streets any more for a variety of reasons but that doesn't mean to say genius no longer exists. "Aiden McGeady has ability to go past people for Celtic. Aaron and John Fleck at Ibrox have it as well. They're the players who produce the stuff the fans go to the pub on a Saturday night and talk about. "The priority for coaches is to make sure the team they work for wins matches. If we don't do that, we don't have a job but football has an obligation to entertain After the Old Firm had been slaughtered for the derby game, I felt we went out against Kilmarnock with a 'Let's show these people' attitude. "Coop was the consummate entertainer. Whether it was the swivel of the hips or the 40-yard pass, he entertained no matter the fixture or the surroundings. "The highest tribute I can pay him is to say I worked many times with Ruud Gullit on TV and he was always raving about Davie and a game he played against him while he was at Feyenoord. "I like the idea of a lasting tribute to Davie in Clydebank because I first became aware of him in 1976 when the Bankies took Rangers to four games in the League Cup before we got rid of them. I won't name names but there were two Rangers full-backs who tried swopping sides of the park during the first of those games because one of them was getting such a chasing from this young kid. "Coop was, first and foremost, a humble man but when people talk about him they don't mention his medals, they talk about his skill." Cooper, who died in 1995, was revered by his team-mates at Ibrox and McCoist smiled as he recalled one occasion when they literally pulled his leg. He said: "It was Coop's testimonial match and we racked our brains over a gift. "Then one of the lads had a brainwave and got the right leg off a tailor's dummy and wrapped it up in brown paper with the message, 'What do you give the man who's got everything ?' "I couldn't put a price on what that left peg of his would be worth in today's transfer market. Beyond price I would say. "I appreciate there's more to the game than goalscorers and I say that as someone who made his name as one. Rangers had three quality finishes on Saturday against Kilmarnock and Pedro Mendes was outstanding with defence-splitting passes. "But fans love the genius of a Coop or a Jinky Johnstone or a Willie Henderson. We need more like them and I know they can still be found." Part of McCoist's remit is to help discover and develop stars of the future - a job a certain ex-colleague would never have expected him to take. He said: "I can guarantee Coop will be looking down at me shaking his head. The prospect of me in management would have tickled him. "Never a day goes by that I don't think about him and Tommy Burns. You might go from the Old Firm to work elsewhere but in your heart and mind you never leave Rangers or Celtic. "Stefan Klos once told me it was what distinguished the Old Firm from German clubs. "That's why Davie will be on my mind when I pay tribute to him in Clydebank on Friday night. He had that magic ingredient and others will come to show they have it too." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2009/02/26/exclusive-duty-is-on-us-to-find-the-new-generation-of-davie-coopers-insists-ally-mccoist-86908-21153912/

By Andrew Dickson MADJID BOUGHERRA is in no rush to leave Rangers after seeing his move to the Premiership from Sheffield Wednesday go sour two years ago. The Light Blues defender joined Charlton from the Owls during the January transfer window in 2007. But after an enjoyable spell at Hillsborough, the Algerian's time in London was disappointing as the Addicks were relegated just four months after he went there. Bougherra was recently linked with moves to Newcastle and Marseille but appreciates things don't always improve when you go to play in more prominent leagues. The 26-year-old has become a huge favourite amongst Gers fans thanks to a series of commanding performances alongside David Weir in defence. And after seeing shades of his happy time in the Steel City over the last few months in Glasgow, he is adamant he wants to remain at Ibrox rather than go elsewhere. Bougherra told Rangers News: "When I look back at it now, I think I've made some clever changes of club over the years as I've made gradual progress. I moved up from Gueugnon - a very small team - to Crewe then went from there to Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton. "Now I am at Rangers so if I was to move on again, it would have to be to a massive side because I'm already at one just now. "What I don't want to do is the same thing as I did when I was at Wednesday. I really liked it there and because the city was in the north, the people were all very friendly. "It was just like Scotland in that respect but I left after six months because I got the chance to play in the Premiership for the first time with Charlton. "I had gone to England from Gueugnon and when you see the Premiership on TV back in France, you want to go there quickly. "I was still young when I was in Sheffield and having just turned 24, I made the wrong choice to move from there. I went too soon. "Had I finished the season with Wednesday, I would have had more experience at that level and enjoyed myself more as I was very comfortable in the city there. "I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it at Charlton because I did but we went down and it wasn't such a happy time after that. "Here at Rangers, I am really settled. The fans are fantastic and the staff are the same - they have made me feel so welcome and it is better to stay here. "I have learned from my experience with Wednesday and now I know I should have stayed there longer. "By the same token, I want to stay here longer because I'm happy at Ibrox and there is no need for me to go. "I might get more money at another club or play at a higher l

Now that we are back in our rightful place, I thought it would be interesting to look back at the Carlos Cuellar transfer again and the many questions it raises. The facts 1. We are told by the club that he had a release clause in his contract and he asked for a transfer. 2. We had absolutely no cash during the transfer window that we could even afford to bring in a loan signing, so if Cuellar had not been sold we would not have been able to bring in Davis and Mendes (and Edu). Some may argue that this is an opinion, but having studied the accounts I don't think that there is any doubt it is a fact. Where would we be if he had not gone? In my mind there is no way we would have been able to afford Davis, Mendes and Edu had we not sold Cuellar. I believe that the plan was always to buy them, but either with the Champions League cash or the proceeds from the sale of Cuellar as any available cash had already been spent on Lafferty, Miller, Velicka and latterly Bougherra. Our domestic defensive record has been good, and is the best in the league, and would probably not be a lot better had Cuellar still been here. However I shudder to think what our midfield would be like without Mendes and Davis, and I think that the football that has been played this season, while not being great, would be a hell of a lot worse without the pair of them and Celtic would be running away with the league at this point. Did Cuellar actually want to leave? After we got knocked out of europe the club's website went out of its way to stress that the club had received no offers for Cuellar. Why did it do that? Was it code to let others know that we were open to offers? It was obvious to everyone who witnessed the Kaunus debacle that we needed at least 2 midfielders and but it seems that we needed cash to be able to buy anyone and Cuellar was our most sellable asset. Cuellar watched the Kaunus game from the directors' box. Unusual behaviour for someone who planned never to play another game for us. I was totally disillisioned with the state of the club when we got knocked out of Kaunus, Perhaps Cuellar was too and thought "tae hell wi' this"? Perhaps he had been told that there would be no further signings while he was still at the club? For me, there are too many unanswered questions just to assume that the club wanted Cuellar to stay and would not have sold him if he had been happy to stay. Conclusion We are top of the league and we would probably not be there had Cuellar not left, so I have to be thankful to him for that. There are unanswered questions as to whether he jumped or whether he was pushed. His performances were outstanding last season and our memorable trip to Manchester was due as much to him as anyone, if not more. I don't have any bad feeling towards the big man and I wish him all the best in his future career and a part of him will always be "Carlos Cuellar, Rangers centre half".

Rangers captain Barry Ferguson says he is happy that a move away from Ibrox in the January transfer window did not materialise. More...

Are this current Rangers team (squad) and management team skilful enough and tactically aware to continue to squander glorious opportunities presented to us to leave (at this time) ordinary and laborious Celtc team in our wake? After the debacle of transfer window and the ââ?¬Ë?who will leaveââ?¬â?¢ and ââ?¬Ë?whoââ?¬â?¢ll be left at Ibroxââ?¬â?¢ soap-opera, we were left with (almost) a full squad to pick from, and more importantly hadnââ?¬â?¢t lost any players who could be counted as crucial in regaining the SPL title from our most bitterest of foes. This could have been portrayed as a slight advantage as Celtc failed to boost their meagre resources, Wilo Flood being their only signing. Any slight advantage we have this season, weââ?¬â?¢ll need to grab on to and maximise to its full advantage, as as the credit crunch starts to bite, and with no signs of it abating (in fact, itââ?¬â?¢ll get worse and could hit season ticket sales, advertising etc) the refusal of some players to be whored out of Ibrox, and the fact that Martin Bain has made it impossible for us to move on fringe players (salaries and length of contract, thatââ?¬â?¢s his domain), weââ?¬â?¢ll probably lose anything between eight and ten players in the summer. Anyway, that argument is a discussion for another day / time. Presently, we have somehow found ourselves alive and kicking in a title race that appeared over at the tale end of the year. Celtc has stuttered dramatically since defeating us at Ibrox but yet, we have still contrived to pass up the opportunity to overtake them and leave them in our wake. To refuse such a gift once (Pittodrie) was criminal, to have refused such a gift twice is incompetence. When Walter went 4-1-4-1 at Pittodrie and included Lee McCulloch in place of Kris Boyd, he showed his hand to the entire SPL. His cowardly tactics showed that The Rangers now donââ?¬â?¢t have the ambition to travel to Pittodrie and back their talent to take care of a very average Aberdeen team. The tactics that day were a direct result of Celtc losing four goals from set-pieces at the same venue the previous week. Putting simply, Walter shat himself. Never mind some fans said, a draw at Pittodrie was an ââ?¬Ë?OKââ?¬â?¢ result and kept us in the title race. Sorry, that draw didnââ?¬â?¢t keep us in the title race, Celtcââ?¬â?¢s inability to see of the likes of Dundee United, Hearts and ICT has kept us in this title race. Never mind, an OF game is on the horizon, time for Walter and Rangers to redeem themselves. In the build up to this game, every Rangers fan KNEW that Walter would once again shit himself and go to nullify Celtc, even though there was very little, if anything to nullify. Once again, we refused to take the initiative and passed up the opportunity to overtake a stale looking Celtc team. Now, how many other chances will we be presented with? And if we are presented with them, will be capitalise on them? Will our manager find a backbone and realises that this is the opportunity of all opportunities? The latest instalment of OF mania was a dire affair, with Rangers not displaying any real ambition until the second half. Perversely, we actually played well in the second half and had sufficient chances to win the game. Nevertheless, it was hardly a sparkling performance. The only upside, it showed how ordinary our opponents really are. We are in a position where our form against the other SPL teams could lead to us gaining a points advantage before the split and the concluding OF game of the season at Ibrox. We have three home games in the next four, whereas Celtc travel to Fir Park and Tannidice, where we know to our cost, results are never easy to obtain. So, hopefully Walters negativity will go into hiding over the next month and we can do what Rangers should be doing. Installing a belief in our players and trust and back their ability to defeat opponents. Never mind worrying about them, let them worry about facing the Rangers. Recently, I was watching some old Rangers DVDââ?¬â?¢s and something noticeable jumped out. In our two previous SPL triumphs, we were always scoring goals early in matches. We set an exhilarating pace to the games, especially at Ibrox, that didnââ?¬â?¢t allow teams to settle. This meant that by the time 30 minutes had surpassed, we were well in control of the games. There were very few games that werenââ?¬â?¢t ââ?¬Ë?in the bagââ?¬â?¢ by early in the second half. Recently, we have been the exact opposite as we havenââ?¬â?¢t been imposing ourselves on opponents until the second half. The aftermath of the game has hardly been surprising either. Dubbed the worst OF game in history (it was far from that) and we are blamed for that ââ?¬Ë?factââ?¬â?¢. The referee making mistakes right, left and centre and the only controversy in the media is that Vinegar Of Castlemilk was ââ?¬Ë?harshly bookedââ?¬â?¢. Oh, and guess what, Celtc failed to win an OF game and the old ââ?¬Ë?sectarian cardââ?¬â?¢ is played by the ââ?¬Ë?impartialââ?¬â?¢ delegate at the game (Dick by name,ââ?¬Â¦Ã¢â?¬Â¦..). However, we can actually take solace in the fact that the media are more then happy to criticise our performance (on and off the field) as it is a sure fire indication that they are worried and are trying every vile trick in the book to deflect any attention being given to Celtcââ?¬â?¢s terrible current form. Cammy F -

KENNY MILLER is a shock transfer target for newly-crowned Russian champs Rubin Kazan. SunSport can reveal the Rangers striker is being tracked by the club set to make their Champions League debut next season. Now Kazan boss Gurban Berdiyew could swoop for the 29-year-old before the Russian transfer window shuts on March 1. They head a posse of Russian clubs, which also includes Spartak and Lokomotiv Moscow. They are willing to offer �£2million for Miller, who has 18 months left on his deal. Kazan stunned Russia as they swept to a historic first title. Their only real star is Ukrainian legend Serhiy Rebrov and Berdiyew wants to boost his squad before their new season begins on March 14. Ex-Celtic target Stephen Appiah is set to sign for Kazan on Monday after being at their Spanish winter training camp. Scotland star Miller could soon be set to follow. Although our transfer window has closed, Miller WOULD be able to join Kazan before March 1. The club is based in Russiaâ��s Tatarstan Republic and bankrolled by local industry. Ibrox bosses are still keen to offload a high-earner after banks ordered them to tighten their belts. Gers boss Walter Smith is a huge Miller fan but his hands would be tied if a Russian bid was tabled. Itâ��s understood Miller wouldnâ��t be put off by the prospect of moving east and would listen to any offer. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2237068.ece

The Old Firm matches may no longer decide the title, but winning them certainly won't do either side any harm. The inconsistent form of Rangers and Celtic this season, and the ease with which the lesser lights in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League have pinched points from both, mean Sunday's high-noon duel between the Glasgow rivals will, in all likelihood, not prove decisive. And yet, there are benefits to be obtained from victory this weekend that stretch beyond mere bragging rights and adding another three points to the total. Recent history tells us as much. Rangers went to Celtic Park four years ago, just as they do this weekend, looking to get their noses in front in a championship chase that threatened to go to the wire. They travelled in hope rather than expectation having failed to win in the East End for five years, but found in Gregory Vignal an unlikely hero. The Frenchman, on a season-long loan from Liverpool, gave Rangers a second-half lead after a glaring error by Rab Douglas, before Nacho Novo confirmed the victory with a second late in the game. advertisement It took a final-day loss by Celtic at Fir Park for Rangers to ultimately win the title in the most extraordinary of circumstances, but it was that Old Firm win that imbued them with the confidence that they could go on to sustain a serious challenge for the championship. "After the game we went top of the league and then everything was open," Vignal told The Herald. "It made us more confident that maybe we could do something because we had not won there for so long. It was very close all the way that season, but everybody in our dressing room knew when we won away from home against Celtic that we had everything we needed to be champions. "It gave us a big lift. Not just because we went to the top of the table but because if you can beat Celtic in their stadium, then you feel you can beat everybody else. "We believed we could win every week and could be champions. Of course, it was not that easy and we lost games we should not have, but in the end we became champions on the last day. Big Marvin Andrews used to always say, Keep believing' and he was right." Vignal's wandering career has seen him make stops at Montpellier, Liverpool, Rennes, Espanyol, Portsmouth, Southampton, and Lens - where he is currently stationed - but it is his time in Glasgow, and the Old Firm match in particular, that he recalls most fondly. "These games are so important for both teams, for the city, for the fans, and for the players, too. It's not just about the match, but what it means to everyone going forward. I still talk about the Old Firm game with my mates here in France, as it was unbelievable. Liverpool versus Everton is a big derby but Rangers versus Celtic is even bigger. The stadiums are bigger and the atmosphere is better. It was an incredible experience to play in these games." Rangers were keen to secure Vignal's services on a permanent basis once his loan deal had expired but the player elected instead to sign for Portsmouth. It is a decision he still regrets four years on. "It was a big mistake for me to leave Glasgow Rangers. When you play for a British team, the spirit and passion is unbelievable and I would love to come back again and play in Scotland or England one day. "I should have stayed. I spoke with Alex McLeish and the chairman about coming back to play in the Champions League in season 2005/06 because I really enjoyed working with McLeish, the chairman, and Martin Bain Rangers' chief executive. If the Rangers chairman wants to call me and bring me back to Ibrox that would be amazing." Before then, however, the 27 year-old Vignal has some unfinished business to attend to, namely helping Lens back into the top flight of French football. "We are top of Ligue 2 so it's going well. When I came back, I told the chairman I would stay to help them get promoted back to Ligue 1 and when you say something like that you have to keep your promise. "I have one more year on my contract with Lens and if the chairman says I can go, I will try to come back to England - or maybe Rangers - this summer or the one after. I spoke to Newcastle and Middlesbrough in the transfer window and was very close to coming back, but I made my promise to Lens, so for now I will stay. But one day I hope I will be back." http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2488906.0.Vignal_away_victory_can_inspire_Rangers_to_title.php

RM poster 'BlueIsTheColour' gives his recommendations on how the club could look to improve via a more refined and wider-ranging scouting network. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=748&Itemid=2 Part One The Rangers of 2009 is not the club we all once knew. No longer can we attract Europe's best players when they are at the top of their game. In fact, nowadays we would struggle to pay their appearance bonuses, never mind their weekly salaries. The club is suffering the effects of an economic downturn and poor money-management from the Boardroom to the Manager's Office. In correlation with this fact, we are seeing a decline in the quality of performances produced on the pitch. There is no doubt about it; we are in the midst of a decline. Every year we have to sell our top players, qualify for the Champions League and continue to fill Ibrox with 50,000 fans, just so as we break even and don't record a loss year on year. Something has to change. David Murray and Walter Smith have constantly reminded us as fans that the days of big spending are over and that we cannot compete financially with the top European sides that are paying ludicrous amounts of money for players. But why are we making excuses for our predicament? We should be creating a new vision for the club, one which will see us compete in the Champions League, assert dominance in the SPL and become an attractive club again. I have such a vision; it is neither complicated nor costly. It is the creation of a multi-level scouting network which can identify the best young hidden talent from across the globe, find players who are within our price range and who will improve the squad and also give the manager a chance to explore avenues never before open to him. It is the future. At present, our transfer policy is very limited and many would say is failing. Our main source of players is close to home, from either the English Championship or the SPL. Due to the inflated transfer market in England, we are being forced to scrounge for bargains that may or may not improve our first team, or even be good enough to play for us at all. Walter Smith has spent �£30 million on players since returning to the club and only a handful of those signings have made a big impact on the first team. Too much money is being wasted when we can least afford it. The problem is that we have no real process of identifying players. It appears that our scouting system consists of looking to the over-priced English market, snapping-up the best talent in the SPL and attempting to sign any players that have impressed against us in Europe. That's hardly constructive, I'm sure you will agree. The whole system needs to be scrapped and reinvented. The pressure should not be on the manager to identify, scout and sign players whom he thinks can do well at Rangers. He also shouldn't have just one or two men who can go and report on players who catch his eye. I believe that the club should firstly appoint a Director of Football who will oversee the development of youth players, a new scouting system and will answer directly to the manager and Chairman. Following this there should be the process of hiring around ten top scouts, who will each bring a different wealth of knowledge to the club. For example, one or two scouts who have their finger on the pulse of the South American game, another two each for the Asian and African games, and the remaining 4 to report on the European game. This would only be a starting block, over time the network will inevitably expand and the more contacts the scouts can establish the more players that will be brought to the Director of Football's attention. Each scout will be responsible for creating an ever-changing dossier of players in their respective Continents who are great prospects, proven players or under-rated professionals. A list of between 15-20 of their top recommendations should be created, and constantly updated, for every playing position. Any specific talents or frailties should be noted as well as an in-depth description of how each player operates, the price tag and the possible sell-on value. Of course, this will not all happen overnight or be a quick-fix to our current problems. It is a clear and concise plan for the future which will have many benefits for both the club and the supporters. First and foremost it makes the job of manager so much easier. When he identifies a position that needs filled within the team he doesn't have to start his search from scratch, there will already be a vast wealth of information available to him on many players from around the globe. He has a knowledgeable Director of Football to consult with as well as each individual scout who can help find the player(s) who would be most suited to the manager's playing style and structure. This could inevitably reduce the amount of signings who are unable to make the grade in the Rangers first-team. There are also the financial benefits to such a system. It will uncover many talented young players who have yet to appear on the radar of the big European clubs and in doing so, give us a conveyor belt of talent from all over the world. If these players are successful they can then be sold on for much larger fees than the club originally paid without leaving gaping holes in the first team. The club can also save money by buying from poorer leagues than the English Championship, which will undoubtedly see superior players available for a fraction of the price of their over-valued English counterparts. The clubs' image will see a massive benefit, as will merchandise sales if an ambitious but prudent marketing structure is put in place. With the club finding players from all over the world, we can create an image of being truly global and use this to attract merchandise sales from football-mad countries like China, Japan and the USA where there is huge potential for massive revenue in this department. I won't go into too much detail on this point as it will hopefully be covered in more depth within another article. [CONTINUED]

Allan McGregor has handed in a transfer request He wants to got to Blackpool after Charlie Adam told him there was alot of big rides down there

A splendid 4-part in-depth article from 'therabbit' which discusses the obvious problems at Rangers with regard to player contracts. Well worth a read along with your sandwich over lunch... Part 1 "Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains” Life is good if you have the abilities to become a modern professional footballer. The Bentleys, the broads, the bank accounts, the buffed up egos and the bumper contracts. Such short footballing careers are nowadays followed by long forays into the media circus, property, showbusiness, modelling or literally anything that takes their whim. They have the capital to do as they please. Gone are the days when players had to accentuate their meagre pay packets with second jobs and 'retire' only to start their lives again as a member of the workforce at large. Nowadays distinctly average players can retire to a better and more comfortable life than a large percentage of the population could ever dream of. From the onset of professional football, the players gracing the hallowed turf across the land quickly realised that they were being paid more than the loyal fans who came to watch as their escape from the rigours of their weekly grind. With the rise of unionism (in the workforce) players began to seek employment rights and players' associations were born. With these rights came contracts. Stories of players now agreeing contracts readily with clubs without some form of barter, agent provocation or underhand tactics are tough to come by. This paucity is broken by some commendable examples including Paul Scholes, who notoriously turns up for contract talks with his dad and calmly thumbs through the pages in front of him before uttering the words, “that’ll do” and putting pen to paper or Lee Evans lookalike James Milner, representing himself with only some advice and representation from the English PFA. Perhaps the strangest story recently is that of England striker Jermaine Defoe, who ended up in a contract dispute as he was being represented by his mother who wasn’t a registered agent. However, sadly the trend is much more obtuse, sometimes sinister and more money hungry than these three pro’s. Wranglings over player ownership, image rights, agent fees, relocation bonuses and sponsorship, are far more common than anything else – especially with a figure of around 90% of the UK’s professional players represented by some form of football agent. But I suppose that in these times of multi-million pound contracts, Arab sheiks, Israeli super agents and Willie McKay; that kind of contract pontificating is to be expected. No one needs to be told about the recession that we find ourselves in, both individually and in this case, as a collective support and football team; but the issue of the football contract is a multi-faceted one. A football club's financial stability is largely dictated by payment to the members of staff that it has on its wage bill, as it is one of its main expenditures year on year. All football clubs are facing uncertain times financially, even some of the richest clubs in the world are feeling the pinch relative to years gone by. It is simply untenable for them to maintain payment of large contracts and bonuses to large squads of players. This is the quandary that Rangers have found themselves in of late and the topic for this discourse into 'Setting The Standard'. In actuality, it is a quandary that Rangers have been in for a while; too many players on the books with bloated wage packets that were never justified. It seems to run in cycles too. All too often have we seemed to have been lumbered with the contracts of a Capucho or a Lovenkrands or a Burke. As soon as we manage to trim one squad down, it is again swollen with players that do not deserve the wage packets they are on. Yes, getting players via the Bosman ruling is going to mean they are on slightly better wages than they would usually be, but the players we have signed using this method have not been of the required standard – perhaps with the exceptions of Boumsong and Prso. Does this lay the blame at the door of the manager, Martin Bain or is it the scouting system (or lack thereof)? The situation regarding contracts in contemporary football is an interesting one. The playing field was changed for good when the European Court of Justice ruled in the favour of the then unknown Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman and another sweeping change seems imminent as the case of Article 17 of FIFA’s transfer regulations (‘Webster Rule’) filters into the transfer system. The Bosman ruling means that players over 23 can move freely between employers once their contract runs its course and the Webster ruling means that players who sign contracts when aged under 28 are able to unilaterally break those contracts after three years. If the player is 28 or over, he can break his contract after two years. Compensation is payable, but crucially, a player's destiny lies in his own hands. Still with me? With that in mind, a key point of note is that the balance of power in terms of football contract negotiation has shifted in the favour of the player and not the club. Players now have the same rights as employees in every other sphere. Something that is not lost on Sepp Blatter at FIFA, who is still battling to convince the EU that football is an ‘exceptional’ industry in which ordinary labour laws should not apply. Nevertheless, the best employees (footballers) have full control over their own career and can move to whichever club offers them the best wage and they can demand a pay packet that they feel is befitting of their talent. This has several implications for football contracts. [CONTINUED]

Saw a list of this yesterday on Skysports but didn't really pay too much attention. For any player who has played in the Premiership, who would have the highest total value for all of their career moves. It's been bugging me senseless. So far I can think of Keane, Bellamy and Anelka, Crespo, Shevchenko, Berbatov, Henry, Ferdinand, Tevez?, Veron, Stam, Deco. I'm certain Anelka was top with �£96m and Keane was 4th with �£78m Cant find the stats anywhere though....

RANGERS will never, ever leave Kris Boyd. Thatââ?¬â?¢s why Kris Boyd could never leave Rangers. The prolific Ibrox striker has a written contract until the summer of next year. But his emotional ties to the club will last a lifetime. Thatââ?¬â?¢s how he looks at it. How he wants it. Birmingham boss Alex McLeish came calling during the January transfer window and the hitman could have joined the Championship club in the heart of England. But it would have ripped the heart from him. Today Boyd, 25, talks openly about the transfer which threatened to rock his world. A deal which would have taken from him what he holds dearest ââ?¬â? his beloved No9 Rangers shirt. Ibrox chairman Sir David Murray left the striker shocked, stunned and GUTTED when he accepted a Ã?£4million deal to sell him on. But Boyd turned the move down flat ââ?¬â? because he knew life at Rangers is as good as it gets. He said: ââ?¬Å?I know there will be people out there questioning my ambition. ââ?¬Å?Birmingham is a big club and could be in the Premiership next season. Thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubting that. ââ?¬Å?But for me, if aiming to reach 100 goals for Rangers and playing every week with that No9 jersey on your back isnââ?¬â?¢t showing ambition then I donââ?¬â?¢t know what is. What people need to realise is that everything about me says Rangers. ââ?¬Å?From when I was a kid growing up to right here and now. Nothing has changed. ââ?¬Å?From my bedroom wallpaper and curtains to the tracksuit and jersey that I used to run about in ââ?¬â? it was always Rangers. ââ?¬Å?Thatââ?¬â?¢s not something which changes overnight. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m not going to wake up one morning and suddenly think the club doesnââ?¬â?¢t mean anything to me. ââ?¬Å?It means everything. To give that up, for ANY club, would be difficult. ââ?¬Å?I simply wasnââ?¬â?¢t willing to pack everything up, leave Ibrox and go play for another team. ââ?¬Å?I grew up a fan and here I am wearing the No9 shirt. Why would I want to walk away from that? It wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have just been sad for me but also my friends and family, the people close to me. ââ?¬Å?Everybody knows I have a good relationship with Alex McLeish and that will continue. ââ?¬Å?He is the man who signed me for Rangers and Iââ?¬â?¢ll forever be indebted to him for that. ââ?¬Å?Who knows, I might work under him again in the future. ââ?¬Å?For me, heââ?¬â?¢s a great manager and someone who has always been very good to me. ââ?¬Å?But I just had to turn down his offer. It wasnââ?¬â?¢t the right thing for me, joining Birmingham.ââ?¬Â Advertisement Boydââ?¬â?¢s goals-per-games ratio makes him one of the most lethal and prolific strikers in Europe. But as far as heââ?¬â?¢s concerned life at Rangers is as good as itââ?¬â?¢s ever going to get for him. He doesnââ?¬â?¢t expect the Premier League big guns to break down the Ibrox front door to sign him. Thereââ?¬â?¢s only one way for Boydââ?¬â?¢s career to go when he leaves Rangers ââ?¬â? and thatââ?¬â?¢s DOWN. He added: ââ?¬Å?I just donââ?¬â?¢t think Iââ?¬â?¢ll move to another club the size of Rangers. ââ?¬Å?I doubt very much that Iââ?¬â?¢ll have the top teams in the Premiership coming for me. ââ?¬Å?If I ever leave itââ?¬â?¢s going to be to a smaller club. ââ?¬Å?Quite simply there arenââ?¬â?¢t many better places for a player to play his football than Ibrox. Add to that the fact that I wear the No9 jersey and it is everything that I ever wished for. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s an honour for me pulling on that shirt.ââ?¬Â It maybe explains why Boyd has had the full support of the Rangers fans throughout this troubled month. AC Milan brought their biggest names to Ibrox on Wednesday for a glamour friendly. But on a freezing cold night it wasnââ?¬â?¢t Ronaldinho, Kaka or even David Beckham who received the warmest of receptions. It was Boyd. He was cheered on to the pitch as a second half substitute with the striker as popular as heââ?¬â?¢s ever been. But then the supporters have been vocal in their backing of their No9 since the moment that it looked like he could be on his way out. At Hampden for the Co-op Insurance Cup semi-final with Falkirk last week there was a huge banner which read: ââ?¬Ë?No Boyd, no goals, no title (again).ââ?¬â?¢ The striker saw it ââ?¬â? and he appreciated it ââ?¬â? and now he wants to repay them in the only way he knows how. Boyd added: ââ?¬Å?The fans have been brilliant. ââ?¬Å?Every person Iââ?¬â?¢ve spoken to has been supportive of me. ââ?¬Å?Not one person has given me a hard time. That means so much to me and I really want to pay them back. ââ?¬Å?The only way I can do that is by scoring the goals which win them the title. ââ?¬Å?I canââ?¬â?¢t imagine anything better than achieving that by the end of the season. ââ?¬Å?Imagine Iââ?¬â?¢d left in January. How would I have felt looking at the boys winning the league and not being part of that. ââ?¬Å?I would have been delighted for the club but gutted for myself. I couldnââ?¬â?¢t bear the thought of that. ââ?¬Å?We won two domestic trophies last season but the one we really want is the championship.ââ?¬Â But what happens after that? Will Rangers still look to flog the family silver in the next transfer window. Boyd fervently hopes thatââ?¬â?¢s not the case. In fact, he would love nothing more than to open talks with the club and sign an extension to his current deal. He added: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve stated that I want to stay with Rangers. ââ?¬Å?If the club want to sit down and talk to me about a new deal that would be great. ââ?¬Å?There is nothing I can do about that. Itââ?¬â?¢s all down to them in this case. ââ?¬Å?All I can do is keep giving my all when I step out on to the park. Thatââ?¬â?¢s my goal.ââ?¬Â http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2210739.ece

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan feels the current transfer window system unsettles clubs and players. More...

English footballâ��s television rights bonanza was in full swing last night as Sky paid more than �£1 billion to secure its grip as the main Premier League broadcaster. The company has kept its hold on the majority of live games, 92 out of the 138 matches available, by retaining its four existing packages. With the Premier League going to a second round on the other two outstanding packages, an auction thought to involve Sky, Setanta and ESPN, the 20 clubs will be hoping to exceed the �£1.7 billion from the 2007-10 deal and set a record. The bids arrived yesterday at the Leagueâ��s legal offices and Sky, the satellite broadcaster that is 39.1 per cent owned by News Corporation, parent company of The Times, ensured that it would not lose its dominant position by keeping the premium slots, including the Sunday 4pm kick-off. Although the Premier League declined to comment, sources disclosed that Sky had kept its four packages. No figures are known, but it is believed that the company will have paid close to the present �£1.314 billion. Related Links * Clubs bank on boom as world goes bust * Setanta to broadcast Premier League * Sale pitch, then Setanta calls off the game Only once in the Leagueâ��s history have domestic live rights failed to rise, in 2004, when they dipped from �£1.1 billion to �£1.024 billion, and there was a huge leap three years later. The clubs certainly set about the January transfer window as though confident that the revenues would not drop away. Barclays Premier League clubs spent a record �£160 million, defying the credit crunch that has afflicted so many businesses. While Arab wealth at Manchester City accounted for some of that spending, it is the television income that underpins the Leagueâ��s finances. Under European Union regulations, Sky is entitled to own five out of the six packages, and with ESPN, the Disney-owned broadcasting giant, joining the bidding â�� and Setanta desperate to keep the two packages it bought for �£392 million last time â�� there will be a further round of bids. The process is kept so secretive that none of the companies knows who it is bidding against, or how many rivals are involved. Sky was always expected to step up to the plate for the 2010-13 rights. Half-year results announced last week showed operating profits up 31 per cent to �£385 million. Broadcasters remain confident in the strength of the Premier League to attract subscribers. Money from the television companies has attracted some of the worldâ��s leading stars and two English clubs, Manchester United and Chelsea, contested the Champions League final last May. It is the most popular league in the world and, having recently missed out on the rights for German football, ESPN is known to have set about securing a significant presence in Europe by winning Premier League rights. Club chairmen will receive an update when they gather in London tomorrow. They will be relieved to know that the majority of the money has already been banked. On top of Skyâ��s input, the league has also sealed a deal with BBC for the 2010-13 highlights package for �£173 million, slightly above the existing cost. Setanta will be the most anxious of the bidders, having established itself in the market through its Premier League rights. More than �£5 billion has been ploughed into the English game by the television companies since the formation of the Premier League and Skyâ��s initial �£304 million investment. From the strength of the bidding yesterday, it seems as mutually beneficial a relationship as the day it started. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article5655101.ece

RANGERS have named Harold Davis, Stefan Klos and Sam English as the 2009 inductees into the club's Hall of Fame. The trio have been recognised for the contributions they made in their spells at Ibrox as players and each man will be formally honoured at next year's celebration dinner. Harold DavisAt the event, they will join the 78 other men already listed on the Hall of Fame board which hangs above the Marble Staircase in the Bill Struth Main Stand. A strong, hard right-half, Davis played a key role in the excellent Light Blues team of the early 1960s. Along with the likes of Bobby Shearer, John Greig and Jimmy Millar, the Cupar-born player was a formidable opponent for those who came up against him. A superb ball winner, he was rarely caught out of position and seldom lacked the pace he needed to make a difference. Ex-Ger Sandy Jardine, speaking on behalf of the Hall of Fame panel, said: "Harry gave fantastic service to the club at a time when there were so many great players here. "He played more than 300 games for Rangers and was really well liked at Ibrox, not just by the fans but by the players as well. "Harry is a gentleman - you couldn't meet a nicer man and he later went on to be a coach here in the late 1960s and early 70s. "To this day, he still has a huge love of the club and he thoroughly deserves his place in the Hall of Fame." Klos was bought by then Rangers manager Dick Advocaat for just �£700,000 in 1998 from Borussia Dortmund. The transfer quickly turned out to be a good piece of business as the keeper went on to make himself a fixture in the team. Stefan Klos A Champions League winner with the Westfalen side, the German also made over 300 appearances for Rangers during his time in Scotland. Indeed, such was his good form that he minimised the impact of Andy Goram's departure from the club at the end of the previous season. Jardine added: "Our reasons for picking Stefan are simple - he gave Rangers fantastic service and he was at the club for not much less than nine years. "His stats will tell you how much of a contribution he made to the team and he did a great job. "Post-war, Andy Goram aside, he is arguably the best goalkeeper we have had here at Rangers." English was chosen because of the 44 league goals he scored for Rangers in the 1931/32 season. To this day, almost 80 years on, his haul remains a club record. The Irish striker's career was overshadowed by his part in the incident which led to the death of Celtic goalkeeper John Thomson in September 1931. As the Parkhead player dived for the ball, his head accidentally collided with English's knee and he died in hospital from head injuries a few hours later. English did not stay at Ibrox for much longer as he was deeply traumatised by what had happened and he moved to Liverpool in 1933. Had he not been involved in the tragic clash with Thomson, Jardine feels he could have gone on to become on of Gers' greatest ever forwards. He said: "Unfortunately Sam did not play for the club for a long time. He only played 82 games and scored something like 71 goals. "He is the record goalscorer in one season for Rangers and because of that, we've included him in the Hall of Fame. "There's no doubt that if he hadn't been in the tragic accident with John Thomson, he would have stayed at Ibrox a lot longer. "The unfortunate circumstances surrounding what happened led to his departure but we felt we had to recognise his achievement of scoring more goals than anyone in a season."

WHEN the January transfer window slammed shut at 5pm on Monday night it would have been understandable if Walter Smith breathed a deep sigh of relief. Having batted away more questions about player speculation than Babe Ruth hit home runs the gaffer can now focus his full attention on forthcoming games and he is not the only one glad to see the back of this unsettling period. Allan McGregor celebrates at the final whistleAllan McGregor was one of several first-team regulars linked with a move away from Ibrox in recent weeks due to his high market value but the club's No. 1 is delighted his immediate future is now set in stone. The talented keeper, who celebrated his 27th birthday on January 31st, admits he has unfinished business at Rangers and that helping his teammates lift the SPL trophy in May is at the top of his priority list. Leaving the club with a domestic treble hanging in the balance was never on Greeg's agenda and he is confident of adding to his medal collection from now until May. He said: "Personally, I am glad to see the back of the transfer window. "So much is said in newspapers and on websites about this player leaving or that one going somewhere else that it can become a bit annoying. "But, for me, all the rumours just go in one ear and out the other. "I don't tend to read papers at the best of times so I take everything with a pinch of salt. "If something happens and a player does move on that is part and parcel of football. "We have a very big squad and the biggest difficulty the gaffer has is keeping everyone happy. "If you have 28 players there are inevitably some that are going to be frustrated at not being involved, that is only natural. Allan McGregor saves a shot on goal "But I suppose the biggest worry in January is when you lose a key player, someone who has been a big part of the team in the first-half of the season. "Last year we sold Alan Hutton who was brilliant but Spurs obviously offered a lot of money. "At that time it was a blow but we regrouped and big Kirk came in and has done a great job. "That is the sort of thing that can happen to any club and you have to deal with it. "I am just glad all the rumours and speculation is now over and we can move forward." Allan McGregor, ScotlandAllan believes there is a steely determination in the Gers' squad to bring the SPL trophy back to the Ibrox Trophy Room in May and insists that if this dream scenario becomes a reality it will be up there with the best moments of his life. He said: "If we do win the league you will see on my face just how much it means to me, it would be frightening. "I remember how it felt to win the championship being on the bench at Easter Road in 2005 so I can only imagine what it would be like if we can do it this season. "But at this moment lifting the trophy is just a dream and it's alright saying you would love to win it, the fact is we have to go on and actually do it. "There is still a lot of football to be played and we have some massive games coming up. "The players here always stick together and if we have a disappointing result on a Saturday we pick ourselves up as soon as possible. "It's been like that a wee bit this season, there has been a lot of disappointing results but we are still in it. "We maybe shouldn't be with the amount of points we have dropped but we are and there is still so much to fight for." This weekend Walter Smith's squad continue their quest to retain the Scottish Cup when they travel to Forfar to take on the Loons in round five. Station Park might not be the most glamorous of venues but it is a place Allan holds close to his heart. Allan McGregor On February 24, 2002 the keeper was handed his long-awaited Rangers debut by Alex McLeish and he remembers it vividly to this day. The Light Blues were 6-0 up when Greeg's replaced Stefen Klos as a 73rd minute substitute but, nevertheless, it remains a highlight of his career. He said: "Going on against Forfar back then was great for me although it came as a real shock. "I was doing a wee warm-up at the side of the pitch and Andy Watson came over and asked me if I wanted to go on. "I thought he was at the wind-up because Stefan wasn't injured or anything like that. "But he was serious and I just said 'go on then, let's go' and that was me making my debut. "We were 6-0 up at the time and I didn't really have too much to do but it was still magic to get a game, I was buzzing. "I remember the changing rooms were small and it was really cold but it was a special moment for me. "You always remember where you made your Rangers debut."

PEDRO MENDES insists Rangers are in great shape to challenge on all fronts after no key players left in the Transfer Window and the SPL gap was closed to just two points. The Portuguese midfielder was one of a number of Rangers players linked with moves but none came to fruition. Now he feels Rangers can really kick on and realise their dreams of winning the top honours in Scotland. He said: "January is always a month of speculation about transfers and possible transfers but the main thing now is that the whole thing is finished, it's closed. "There was an atmosphere of uncertainty about the club. There was a different story each day about some club talking about a certain player. That can cause a little bit of doubt. mendes_160"We are now looking forward to the rest of the season. "To make things clear, from my part and the club's part there is a clear intention. Both parties were thinking the same way. "Any player that left in January would have been missed but no-one left so we have the same team. "The main thing now is Rangers. We have a great chance to win the title. "We are now in a good position. A few weeks ago we were seven points behind, now it is just two. "The problem we had was that we relied on other results but now can depend on ourselves because if we win the next league match we will go top of the league. "Everything is open to us. We wall want the same and the next four months will be very interesting."

by Thomas Jordan PEDRO MENDES today shot down fears he could have left Rangers in the transfer window. The Portuguese midfielder was the subject of a late move from Bolton, who were prepared to pay upwards of �£3.5million for his services. But having just arrived in Glasgow from Portsmouth in the summer, the 30-year-old held talks with chairman Sir David Murray a couple of weeks ago and told him he was not interested in leaving - despite the club's need to sell. Mendes said: "There was a lot of speculation during January, but it is closed now and we are looking forward to the rest of the season. advertisement "On my part and the club's part there was a clear intention for me to stay. That's what I will say about my own situation." Mendes believes that with the cloud of uncertainty now lifted from Ibrox, the squad can focus on challenging Celtic for the Treble. He added: "We have a great chance to win the title now. There has been a bit of doubt in the air recently because of all the speculation so I'm sure everyone is pleased that is finished now." Before Rangers get back to domestic business in the Homecoming Scottish Cup at Forfar this Sunday, they have a glamour friendly against AC Milan at Ibrox tomorrow night. Having been deprived of European football due to the disastrous KO in Kaunas back in August, the match against David Beckham and Co at least gives the fans a chance to see some big names close up. Mendes said: "It's a great game for us to look forward to as they are a fantasic side with some of the best players in the game. "Not having European football has been a big loss for us, and the main thing is we get it back next season. But this is a game to relish." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2486699.0.0.php

Rangers manager Walter Smith says keeping his top players during the transfer window has boosted their hopes of winning the SPL title. More...

The 'Setting the Standard' project continues with another fine article by CammyF. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=739&Itemid=2 "When the routine bites hard And ambitions are low And the resentment rides high But emotions wont grow And were changing our ways, Taking different roads Then love, love will tear us apart again" Writing an article on the merits, success (or failure) and ambitions of Murray Park (and any Youth Development programme), it would probably be more apt opening with the lyrics from say Teenage Kicks rather than the poetic prose of Ian Curtis and Joy Division. However, the ââ?¬Ë?Setting The Standardââ?¬â?¢ project covers every facet of Rangers Football Club and will touch on every aspect of ensuring that The Rangers are the standard bearers, the example that is used when case-studying a football club. Rangers should be innovators, Rangers should be leaders, Rangers should be ââ?¬Ë?first classââ?¬â?¢, exemplary. The opening lines to 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' are very apt at the moment in relation to supporting The Rangers. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ routine is biting hard, and is hard to stomach as second best appears to be acceptable to the current regime. Our board or directors and our custodian have set their ambitions low and arguably, this has led to a rise in resentment for growing section of supporters. As for changing our ways, hopefully, the ââ?¬Ë?Setting The Standardââ?¬â?¢ project is a tiny step in that direction. Hopefully we wonââ?¬â?¢t take different roads, as to ensure that we set the standards and are successful (in the long-term) we require all of the fans to be united and to push for the improvement that is required. Love of Rangers tearing us apart? Well, weââ?¬â?¢re all well versed at having our emotional strings tugged and our hearts torn-apart by follow, following The Rangers! Of course the difficulty with offering criticism of the club is that you often have the present Ibrox incumbents informing anyone that willlisten, that those behind such criticism are 'faceless and clueless'. However, the twist to this accusation was that those of us who were termed 'faceless and clueless' were then offered the platform to reveal ourselves and to offer solutions for the identified problems. Firstly, Iââ?¬â?¢d like to introduce myself as I was one of those deemed as ââ?¬Ë?facelessââ?¬â?¢ (Iââ?¬â?¢ll cover clueless later - it may not be as easy to argue as faceless is!). I, like every Rangers fan requesting positive change at the club, am simply that: a Rangers fan. Therefore, I am not faceless, I am present wherever and whenever Rangers play. Rightly or wrongly there are those within our support who put supporting Rangers as their main priority ââ?¬â?? it is what they live for and it is what they spend the majority of their income on. I do not fall into that category, I spend the majority of my disposable income on supporting Rangers, I suppose I am lucky (at the moment) to be able to do this but like many others, this may change due to the current economic climate. Anyway, I am digressing. Given that the above covers the ââ?¬Ë?facelessââ?¬â?¢ part of the accusation, lets tackle the more important and less clear cut, clueless part. I will agree with Sir David Murray, I am no 'captain of industry'. I will also admit to the fact that I am not a football manager nor am I a tactical genius. However, I do have and am entitled to an opinion on any matter relating to, or directly affecting Rangers Football Club. I appreciate sometimes criticism maybe overly aggressive or pointless without solutions so I'm glad Gersnet (and RangersMedia) are tackling this via constructive suggestions for improvement. As such, I would like to offer a solution regarding youth development which would also benefit first team players due to what I believe is the failure to completely utilise the facilities at our disposal at Murray Park. Dick Advocaat encouraged Sir David Murray to invest in a training facility that was in all honesty long over due. This training facility was to serve as a state of the art venue that would supplement and improve our players skills and be used to groom the best young talent so we wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have to rely on huge transfer fees to ensure that we remained as the top domestic club. At the same time, we wanted to use such a facility to make inroads into the European Elite (before going any further, this is where Rangers should be, end of story). Can any of us claim that Murray Park has delivered on these worthy aims? Of course it hasnââ?¬â?¢t (John Fleck, Alan Hutton and Alan McGregor arguably being the exceptions rather than the rule). Coaching wise, we are still witnessing the inability to retain possession at a throw-in. We struggle to effectively defend nor attack at a set-piece. Our ââ?¬Ë?shootingââ?¬â?¢ is nothing short of awful. Yet, we have the perfect setting for addressing all of the above, and if nothing else, Murray Park should ensure that we can get the basics right. All of the above is just systematic of our overall problems. Unable to get the basics correct, our problems snowball from there. This issue is easy to rectify and is something that shouldnââ?¬â?¢t have to be discussed. All our players should be coached in these skills and made to practice them time after time until they can deliver on a consistent basis. If this requires extra and/or longer training sessions, then so be it. Our wingers and full backs should be able to (9 times out of ten) deliver a ball into the box that doesnââ?¬â?¢t strike the first defender. All outfield players should be able to consistently hit the target from distances up to 30 yards from goal. All our players should be able to take an effective set piece. None of this is rocket science, just something that has to be coached into players and continually worked at. The issue of Youth Development is something that I have written about on websites and fanzines since the inception of Murray Park and before. If the custodians had utilised and set in place a true youth development model (say modelled on clubs like Ajax or Auxerre) we would be reaping the rewards already (both financially and player wise). However, once again, we were undone by our Board's continued short-termism. The good news is, this can be address and rectified. This will require funding (hence the reason it should have been addressed during the days the custodian was throwing money at managers and players), logistics, administration and, most of all, time to work and a determination for it to work. The fans would need to play their part by being patient as well. Such a youth redevelopment strategy is an essential part of our future. This goes beyond having the cream of Scottish youth players at Murray Park. This is about having youth teams, scouts, coaches etc entrenched in every footballing region in the world. This would require having ex-players working on our behalf in their region. These players would set-up / utilise a network of contacts to identify and sign the best talent from their region. These players could be brought to and schooled at Murray Park, or we could leave them to flourish were they are. Imagine someone like Jorg Albertz covering Germany, Arthur Numan covering the Netherlands, Craig Moore covering Australia, Claudio Canigga covering South America and Brian Laudrup covering Scandinavia. All these ex-players were internationals who served their countries with distinction, who embraced being a Ranger and whose opinion would matter to a kid deciding on where his future lay. As far as I am aware this idea has never been considered within the corridors of power at Ibrox. If tackled correctly, it would ensure that we had a steady conveyer belt of talent not only to take Rangers to the next level, but to sell on when and if required. Again, this isnââ?¬â?¢t rocket science and has been done to varying levels of success on the continent. We have close links to Dutch Football so getting an insight, report, feasibility study et al shouldnââ?¬â?¢t take that much effort or resource. The hard work would be implementing, managing and ensuring that this project was the success that it could be. Again that would take time but the benefits would surely be worth it? Another possible money-making idea relating to the Youth Development is insisting on a sell-on clause to be inserted into any Youth players we sell. As an example, Motherwell sold Ross McCormack to Cardiff and we, as developers of McCormackââ?¬â?¢s talents went unrewarded. Martin Bain should ensure that any young player leaving Ibrox for pastures new has a sell-on clause inserted into their contract allowing Rangers to benefit from any sale of these players. Any money raised from this should be ring-fenced and used and reinvested into Murray Park / Youth Development. Of course, all of these ideas and suggestions can't be successful overnight. They would take years to bear fruit and problems would occur throughout. But would we be any worse off? Challenges are not insurmountable and the risk surely smaller than our short-term high player turnover strategy? Over to you Rangers.

A post that Shroomz will enjoy and will make MF irate. :devil: I make no apologies for stealing this from FF, I thought it would be a good post to stir debate and bring a bit of optimism to the board after what was a fraught transfer window:

A frantic day of transfer activity is anticipated as clubs have until 1700 GMT before the window slams shut. More...

A Glimmer Of Hope It appears that everything and anything that is related to Rangers at the moment is as gruesome as the plot in an Allan Guthrie novel, isnââ?¬â?¢t ironic that we have been given the kiss-of-life in our quest to regain our title for the first time in 4 years? Following the fortunes, performances and results of our beloved club usually through gaps in clenched fingers and with bated breath, isnââ?¬â?¢t the easiest at the moment (that is an understatement). Despite our, and other, results going in our favour over the weekend, the overall performance from Rangers is no better than dross. However, we do have the ever improving and at times exhilarating performances of John Fleck to give us hope and some newfound confidence that the art of running at pace, pinpoint passing, guile, strength and belief in ones own ability isnââ?¬â?¢t a dead art in and around Ibrox. This was penned hours before the transfer window is due to close, so as I write this, John Fleck is still a Ranger! Iââ?¬â?¢ll touch on the off-field furore surrounding Fleck as this cannot be glossed over. Now, John Fleck wonââ?¬â?¢t have been the only 17 year old in a nightclub at the weekend, but he should know better. I hope that Walter Smith fines the lad and that the lad learns his lesson. It is also worth critiquing the coverage of this ââ?¬Ë?incidentââ?¬â?¢. When a Celtc player is accosted in public, you read about sectarian abuse, sectarian thugs, sectarian language etc. When a Ranger player is involved, this is downgraded to ââ?¬Ë?yobsââ?¬â?¢. Wonder why that is? Anyway, back to the positive side of this, as yet, short success story. We have all heard, read and seen Fleck over the last couple of years and we have all been raving about this young prospect, and rightly so. It isnââ?¬â?¢t often that such a talent is unearthed, coached correctly and is able to turn promise into real class. John Fleck has all the attributes to become ââ?¬Ë?the real dealââ?¬â?¢. If early glimpses of Fleck are to be built upon, we have a lad that is destined for greatness. We all want Fleck to develop like some of his predecessors; Hutton, McGregor, Ferguson et al, rather than bursting onto the scene only to disappear like; Adam, Burke, McCormack and McLean. Last seasons cameo in the Scottish Cup Final couldnââ?¬â?¢t have failed to wet our appetite for Fleck to burst onto the scene this season. He has been unlucky with injury and this meant that his opportunities were curtailed to a certain extent and we are now only beginning to see glimpses of his undoubted talent. If John Fleck can continue to mature and improve, there is no guessing on how good this player could be. He has all the attributes; fast, strong, character, awareness, guile etc. His strength of character was summed up at the penalty on Saturday. For a seventeen year old to physically out-manoeuvre and out muscle, not only the overetly physical Dundee United defence to win the award, but to out-muscle anyone who was going to attempt to stop him taking the resulting penalty. As someone near me commented; ââ?¬Ë?Baws of steelââ?¬â?¢. Now that we have a genuine reason to be cheerful, I donââ?¬â?¢t want to sound negative here, but we as fans MUST allow Fleck the space and opportunity to blossom. As will be the case, heââ?¬â?¢ll have off days, heââ?¬â?¢ll miss sitters, heââ?¬â?¢ll misplace passes. When this happens, we MUST stay with him. We mustnââ?¬â?¢t get on his back (ala Burke, Adam et al) and we mustnââ?¬â?¢t expect John Fleck to carry all our expectations on such slender shoulders. John Fleck is the genuine article and we MUSTNââ?¬â?¢T ruin him before he has an opportunity to deliver on his unmistakable promise. Back In The Race Thanks to Aberdeen and now Inverness Caly, we are well and truly back in the title race, and with out next SPL fixture being the third old-firm game of the season, we have the opportunity to go top of the pile. There will be plenty of time to analyise the forthcoming OF game as well as the merits of differing tactics and team selection. If we prepare correctly and enter this game with correct team and tactics there is no reason as to why we canââ?¬â?¢t get the performance and result that would see is leap-frog Celtc. However, that is for another day. Saturday saw us once again struggle to open up a very compact and resilient Dundee United defence. Whilst we werenââ?¬â?¢t at our best the officials once again didnââ?¬â?¢t help our cause. I thought that Grainger should have received a yellow card (at least) for his awful tackle on Nacho Novo which will see Novo miss at least 3 games (why did our medical staff allow Novo to continue for 20 minutes after being clearly in agony with this injury?). Television evidence also shows that Kyle Laffertyââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?goalââ?¬â?¢ shouldnââ?¬â?¢t have been chocked off for off-side. He is clearly on-side and BOTH linesmen were quick to flag Rangers players off-side all game. The referee got the penalty award correct no matter what Craig Levin says. Looking at our performance, only Boogie, Novo (prior to injury) and Fleck rose above mediocrity and there are a few players who could and should be offering more. However, three points is three points and coupled with Celtcââ?¬â?¢s inability to defeat ICT (even after another incorrect off-side decision going their way) has allowed us to close the gap and given us another opportunity to get back into pole position in the SPL title race. State Of The Nation It isnââ?¬â?¢t often that I deviate from Rangers in my rants, but a couple of incidents that occurred on Saturday, coupled with the economic down-turn has moved me to discuss the dwindling state of this once great nation. On Saturday evening, a man was murdered in my street, allegedly knifed to death by a 16 year old youth over an argument relating to volume of music being played at a party (this wasnââ?¬â?¢t late, 10:30PM). The Mobile Police Incident Unit sitting round the corner the only reminder of this incident. Whilst discussing this with a friend yesterday, he told me about an incident that he witnessed on returning from the football on Saturday. He was walking towards Paisley Road West and saw a young Rangers fan being threatened and chased by knife wielding thugs (sounds like a headline from the rags). Now, after doing some investigation, it appears that this isnââ?¬â?¢t abnormal behaviour in and around that area. This really saddens this ââ?¬Ë?old-timerââ?¬â?¢ who whilst being able to remember gangs et al, canââ?¬â?¢t remember them carrying knifes as freely and readily as the youth of today. Is it now the norm to complain about noise level and get knifed for your troubles? Is it the norm for gangs of youths to chase down kids whilst wielding (not necessarily using) knifes? If so, our country is further in the shit that even this old cynic believed it was. Cammy F ââ?¬â??

Transfer window has now closed. Boyd is still here! Mendes still here! McG still here! Bougherra still here! and........ Fleck still here!

On a permanent deal, according to The Sun anyway. Another promising player dumped by WS.