Search the Community

I apologise for the length of this article but I think the subject has to be covered properly as opposed to restricted. Sectarianism in Scotland - The Simpleton's Solace When Rangers beat Celtic (or progress in Europe for that matter), the reaction from some quarters is always easy to predict. Either blame the referee or if that isn't possible when the light blue's were clearly hard done by, then place the focus on to what songs the Rangers fans sung. Let's be clear from the outset and do something that these dangerous people refuse to consider and be objective. Some songs Rangers fans sing are offensive. Moreover, I can also understand that other dirges such as 'No Pope of Rome' or imbibing hitherto harmless ones with stuff like 'FTP' could be seen as less than tolerant. Ergo, I personally feel that using chants like this has nothing to do with supporting Rangers and only gives credence to the flawed opposing argument that only one club have a serious problem with such issues. However, when discussing this subject I think it is also important to highlight that, while people may find offence at any specific term/song/chant, absolutely none are banned in this country per se. More than two weeks ago a summit was held within the Scottish Parliament to discuss the issue along with the broader subject of Old Firm associated troubles. In addition, once again the SNP Government promised funds of over half a million pounds to deal with said topic. When one considers that the previous Scottish Labour government also spent millions on combating sectarianism, one must ask where this money is actually going given a solution seems no less near than ever before? Furthermore, dialogue with football supporters in respect of the sport's contribution to this wider social disease remains minimal. You or I weren't invited to any summit; just talked down to instead of with once again. To that end, when the summit findings were announced, I took the liberty of contacting all the neutral authorities involved in the matter - the First Minister, the Justice Secretary, Strathclyde Police, ACPOS, the SFA, the SPL and the Leader of the Opposition in Scotland - Iain Gray. In my letter I specifically requested a list of proscribed songs/terms/chants which could be applied under the 'Unacceptable Conduct' rules oft quoted by the footballing organisations and with respect to racially/sectarian aggravated breach of the peace laws oft quoted during the extremely minimal prosecutions we hear about. It won't surprise many to hear that despite the promises made at the summit the replies received were inconsistent with each other, made excuses, were patronising, didn't answer my clear questions or in the case of serving MSPs (Iain Gray aside) or footballing authorities didn't even reply within the two week time-frame requested. Yes, these organisations really are serious about the issue! Nevertheless, one conclusion was clear from those that did reply: there was no available list of banned songs/terms/chants because no-one really had the courage to say what was acceptable and what wasn't. In many ways, when you then examine the number of arrests we see at football games (and in Scotland generally) for hate-related crimes, this wasn't a surprise. The problem is greatly exaggerated and quite simply generally only exists in the minds of people who harbour a grudge. This grudge has been clearly visible since Rangers' fine win over Celtic on Sunday afternoon. Instead of examining an excellent display from the Ibrox men or the poor performance of the match officials (this time arguably in favour of Celtic), the usual suspects have declared they once again find religious offence. Be it less than official online bloggers, official Celtic fan groups or discredited journalists for 'The Times'; the organised planning of their reaction has been immediate. Coordinated articles in broadsheets, complaints to the government and emails to UEFA is the usual MO and the recent resurgence of 'The Billy Boys' apparently the main source of their faux annoyance. In 2006, this song was allegedly banned by UEFA and Rangers fined twice since for 'discriminatory' chanting - be it using terms like fen*an and/or adding FTP to otherwise non-problematic songs. The fact Rangers were also given a 5 year probationary period is also meaningful as this runs out in May which may explain why a dead issue is suddenly valuable to a few people again. Nonetheless, at the time, our club and support acted quickly and the songs/terms involved almost disappeared overnight. Unfortunately, in the intervening time the same principles haven't been applied to other clubs and supports. Disgraceful songs (and behaviour which is formally illegal) in glorifying outlawed terrorist groups; chants urging 'h*ns' to go home (directed any anyone with a perceived Protestant background - be it Rangers, Hearts, Dundee or match officials); regular club-sanctioned displays in support of the IRA; approved banners of Ibrox on fire; songs about Walter Smith being a 'sad orange b**tard'; all amidst an overall anti-British sentiment which makes a mockery of Celtic FC's inclusive policy. Yet we hear next to no criticism of this. Interestingly, the recent promotions of Neil Lennon firstly to Celtic captain then manager as well as the signing of Paddy McCourt have led to increasingly large elements of the Celtic support celebrating their Irish Republican 'heritage' more vocally than ever before. 'Like me and you he's a Provo too', 'Soon there will be no Protestants at all' and 'Paddy McCourt's Fen*an Army' are sung (or displayed via banners) with gusto. Therefore, it's not a surprise that some Rangers fans have saw fit to retaliate to this provocative banter in kind given excuses are made for Celtic fans. This has seen 'The Billy Boys' return of late but of course the usual hypocrites immediately complain about the same 'f' word being used. First of all, I don't think there is any doubt some people use the word fen*an in an bigoted manner. However, no more than those who use literally similar h*n in the exactly the same way. The fact that Celtic fans now use fen*an more than ever to describe themselves is also extremely relevant to any debate. The authorities I contacted above spoke about difficulties in banning specific songs/terms/chants because of context. I'd suggest that both sets of supporters being happy to use one word to describe the ugly anti-British, Republican nature of sections of the Celtic fan-base is exactly what they mean and why we've seen minimal arrests or action despite 'TBB' returning at some games. Of course Celtic fans then attempt to apply a flawed 'n*gger' analogy but this is clearly erroneous given the disgusting 'n' word isn't an adjective than can ever be used simply to describe people of a certain colour. Fen*an though can be used to describe people who celebrate the IRA and are anti-British. Indeed, that is its literal meaning. As a result, by increasing the celebration of their Irishness in such an offensive manner, they only give validity to the Rangers fans' behaviour they hypocritically complain about. Evidently what we have is a complex issue and one which can't be discussed easily in an article such as this or in a one-off summit between parties who all have their own motive. This is also true for people who use such a controversial matter to score points or, even worse, to make money from. Be it unemployed people whose very existence is to blog daily anti-Rangers lunacy or members of the Fourth Estate who choose to deliberately skew their own simplistic coverage, these people only serve to make the problem worse than actually offer genuine solutions for what is an age old social challenge. To sum up these people don't discuss a complicated matter like sectarianism because they have more morals than you or I. Nor do they convene 'summits' because they genuinely think a few small charities and a chin-wag will solve an issue that has blighted parts of Scotland for over a 100 years. Quite simply, the over-exaggerated and laughably biased outlooks we've read over the last few days are for nothing more than for financial or political gain. Now that really is Scotland's Secret Shame.

WALTER SMITH has held a secret summit with tycoon Craig Whyte to talk about the future of Rangers. The out-going Ibrox boss met with potential new supremo Whyte last Friday. Whyte is said to be inching closer to a deal to buy out Sir David Murray, and was at last week's Europa League defeat against PSV. Smith then met with the Scots billionaire for a face-to-face discussion about what the future holds for the SPL champs. Smith said: "I met Craig Whyte last week. It was a discussion from his perspective as to how I saw things at Rangers. "I have no inclination what way things will go. "Despite the length of time this has been going on for, that was the first time I'd met him. "I'm the lesser part of the procedure so I don't know what's going to happen. "The questions he asked were simply ones you guys might ask. He wanted to know how the squad is. He knows I'm leaving so he won't ask me about the future. "All he wanted to know was how I saw the current situation. "Now he has to go away and continue the financial aspects, which I have no idea what they will be." While Smith met Whyte, his successor Ally McCoist has yet to sit down with him. Smith added: "Is that strange? No, I don't think so. "The football side of it is part of the problem. You can have a fair idea of what it is going to be like, given the financial aspects of Rangers which have still to be clarified. "It should be obvious there would be a continuing down-turn if there is no change financially. "So it will be a hell of a task for Ally McCoist if there is no change. "The football side of things will be the lesser problem. The financial aspects are the main issue. "Maybe it's a good thing we don't know too much about that." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3485096/Boss-in-Whyte-summit.html#ixzz1HQH3Gpnq

NEIL LENNON bounced and fidgeted in the main stand, a simmering ginger bundle of energy and frustration. He yelled. He cursed. He fed a non-stop stream of instructions to his sidekicks on the sidelines. Nothing the Celtic boss could say made a difference in the end. No amount of tinkering or yelling or substitutions could turn the tide of a game that always seemed destined to end in defeat. This time, when it was over, he couldn't even blame the ref. Let's be honest here - Craig Thomson got off the hook yesterday - big time. Had Rangers lost this titanic final, there would have been hell to pay for the two stonewall penalties he refused to give them. Instead? Well, Old Firm fans have better memories than an elephant who's spent six hours a day playing the Brain Training game on its Nintendo DS, so neither decision will be forgotten soon. At least history will boil them down to a side issue, a pub argument over what year it was that some diddy rubber-eared a kick in the knee and a blatant handball. Which, for the sake of a decent bloke, is a blessing. I've watched both those incidents over and over and still can't for the life of me understand why they weren't no-brainers for a man of Thomson's experience. Each time, he's in a perfect position. Each time, he could not have made the job easier for himself. Yet in the first half, when Thomas Rogne's boot clearly catches Nikica Jelavic, he gives the spot kick before changing his mind - presumably on the advice of linesman Graham Chambers 50 yards away. Then, when Mark Wilson sticks out his left arm to block Maurice Edu's flick on the hour mark, he has the best view in the stadium - yet waves appeals away. Someone said to me later that, to be fair, the guy got nothing else wrong all afternoon. What keeper ever got away with that excuse if he had a blinder only to throw one in ten seconds from time? Fact is, when it mattered most in a national cup final, Thomson got it absolutely wrong. Not once, but twice - three times if you count the call deep in extra-time when he only booked Charlie Mulgrew for hauling down Jelavic to prevent what would have been a clear goalscoring opportunity. These are the moments that can define careers. Scotland's No 1 referee is very lucky they won't stain his forever. As for Walter Smith? Well, he'll reckon - rightly - that justice was done in the end, because his team deserved this triumph, as he does himself as he heads towards the Ibrox exit door. On Thursday, he'd watched them go out of the Europa League to PSV Eindhoven thanks to a performance that simply wasn't good enough, brave enough or attacking enough. I wrote then that unless key men pulled their finger out at Hampden, they could kiss their chances of silverware goodbye for the season. One of those who needed to produce more than most was Steven Davis, missing in action against the Dutch. Well, he didn't half take a look at himself here. His goal capped a Man of the Match display, robbing the dozy Joe Ledley before driving on and shooting low beyond Frather Forthter's left hand - albeit a trundler in off the post - but his contribution was excellent, full of power, drive and desire. Davis was the catalyst for Rangers. Plenty others took the hint, none more so than Jelavic. His winning goal was maybe even scruffier than the first, hitting the left-hand post before spinning along the line and in. It's actually arguable whether any goals in an Old Firm final have taken so long to go in since Tam Forsyth - watching from the stands along with a cast of old-time stars - bobbled the winner in the 1973 Scottish Cup. do Rangers care? Don't be silly. They NEEDED this triumph - for their gaffer, for their fans, for their own battered self-esteem and they more than earned it. Celtic never came close to hitting the heights of the last few derbies, never knocked it around with anything like the swagger they've shown in recent months. In Beram Kayal, they had an outstanding midfielder, someone willing to scrap for everything and to constantly scope out the right pass. He was to Lennon's side what Davis was to Smith's but unlike Davis, he found few takers when he looked around him for handers. Georgios Samaras threatened to make an impact without ever delivering. Kris Commons and Gary Hooper had lost their spark. The best Joe Ledley can say is that his headed equaliser made amends for his part in selling the shirts earlier on. Forster never looked in command, Rogne and Mulgrew were suspect and - crucially - neither Wilson nor Emilio Izaguirre got to impose themselves going forward the way Rangers had let them in games gone by. By the time a limping Izaguirre saw a straight red for barging over substitute Vladimir Weiss, time was almost up and the game was too. Though just for once, a sending off and half-a-dozen bookings shouldn't be allowed to reflect badly on a meeting between these two, because both sets of players reacted admirably to all the warnings about the responsibility they carried towards the fans. No one over-reacted to tackles, they kissed and made up over tangles and, all in all, they produced a final that should be remembered for all the right reasons. Though to be fair, I'm writing this before they add up the final score in Glasgow's hospitals

WALTER SMITH last night condemned as ââ?¬Å?dangerousââ?¬Â the decisions of the referee after Rangers won the Co-operative Insurance Cup final 2-1 at Hampden. A goal from Nikica Jelavic gave Smithââ?¬â?¢s side victory in extra time after Celticââ?¬â?¢s Joe Ledley had equalised Steven Davisââ?¬â?¢s opener, but the match included a major controversy when Craig Thomson, the match referee, awarded Rangers a penalty in the first half only to rescind it immediately. Thomson pointed straight away to the spot as Thomas Rogne, the Celtic defender, attempted to challenge Jelavic inside the box. Seconds later he had told players it was not a penalty and booked the Rangers striker for diving. Thomson also turned down a Celtic appeal for a penalty when Mark Wilson fell in the box under a challenge from Sasa Papac and another plea from Rangers when Wilson appeared to handle in the box. However, it was the decision to overturn the penalty that angered Smith. ââ?¬Å?It is dangerous for a referee to do that. Very dangerous. If it had been in the other penalty box, I donââ?¬â?¢t know . . .ââ?¬Â he said, referring to penalty controversies that have involved Celtic in recent seasons. ââ?¬Å?I felt a wee bit aggrieved that Jelavic got booked,ââ?¬Â said Smith. ââ?¬Å?Obviously, the referee must have thought himself there was something in the decision to give a penalty in the first place so therefore it was strange he booked him afterwards especially as there was a similar incident at the other end of the field.ââ?¬Â This was a reference to Wilsonââ?¬â?¢s fall under Papacââ?¬â?¢s challenge. Smith could not shed any light on Thomsonââ?¬â?¢s process of thought as he changed his mind immediately. But he insisted that incident was relevant, despite the result. ââ?¬Å?It matters. It matters, none the less. It was a strange one,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?I would prefer to talk about winning rather than refereeing, but that was a very strange one,ââ?¬Â he said. The Rangers manager added that when ââ?¬Å?Celtic were mounting their campaign at the start of the seasonââ?¬Â over referees he had put forward his own philosophy. ââ?¬Å?If your team is good enough then you will win. That is how I have always looked at it. Regardless of a refereeing decision in todayââ?¬â?¢s game, we have come out of it good enough to win.ââ?¬Â Of the match, he said: ââ?¬Å?It was a terrific game. I thought we slightly edged the game overall and deserved to win. But it could have gone either way. We played exceptionally well.ââ?¬Â He said of the match-winner: ââ?¬Å?Jelavic is getting somewhere near match sharpness for us and he played very well for us today. Although, I felt that Steven Davis was, by far, the man of the match.ââ?¬Â Smithââ?¬â?¢s pleasure at the victory was enhanced by the vindication of his side, who had gone into the final as underdogs after a run of four Old Firm matches without victory. ââ?¬Å?I think it was strange for them to find themselves in a position where they were almost written off for todayââ?¬â?¢s game,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?It was a nice little challenge for them and they accepted it very well. The boys here do not need to prove anything to anybody. They have given everything for the club and have played exceptionally well. ââ?¬Å?They have to keep winning and today they found quite a bit which is a testimony to their own professionalism, overall fitness and desire to win. The motivation has to come from within.ââ?¬Â Smith was pleased to lift the trophy on a personal level, saying: ââ?¬Å?It is a nice one. The last time when I was leaving [1998] we did not win anything.ââ?¬Â Johan Mjallby, the Celtic assistant manager, felt his side struggled to play to their capabilities defensively. He explained: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s very disappointing. Itââ?¬â?¢s always hard to swallow when you lose a cup final, but all credit to Rangers who won it. ââ?¬Å?There wasnââ?¬â?¢t really much in it. From our aspect we were a bit disappointed the way we lost our two goals.ââ?¬Â He added that the substitution of Thomas Rogne with Glenn Loovens was for tactical reasons. ââ?¬Å?Jelavic was creating some problems for Thomas,ââ?¬Â he said. The Swede was succinct on the reasons for the defeat. ââ?¬Å?Maybe our passing game should have been a wee bit better,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?We didnââ?¬â?¢t really create as many chances as we hoped. But we still should have defended better for the goals we conceded.ââ?¬Â http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/rangers-manager-critical-of-referee-thomson-after-dangerous-decision-to-rescind-penalty-1.1091500

I really doubt Ally would say to any possible future boss to put up or shut up. It would be very stupid if he did.

Putting my dislike for the guy aside, what has he done for us that makes him a better team player than the others? He looks slow, he seems to take the pace off the ball, he hasn't created much for others and has only scored 1 goal albeit an important one. If McCoist decides not to sign him again next season I won't be to disappointed. So far he's flattered to deceive. According to some fans, Walter Smith signed him to wind up the opposition but it's backfired. He's been sent off and had the arse ripped right out of him by Scott Brown and Celtic on a couple of occassions now. To me, he's not done anything to warrant the optimism amongst the Rangers supporters.

from The Daily Record.

By jim Traynor on Mar 14, 11 08:37 AM in ALLY McCOIST will fight his two-match touchline ban but he should accept the punishment. He'll need all his reserves of energy and will for more important struggles which lie ahead. Depending on what happens over the next two to three weeks he will be taking over as manager of a club about to be revitalised or one sliding deeper into decline. And many are convinced it will be the latter. With the passing of every week Rangers fans lose hope that their club will be bought over and dragged out of debt. They look at the paucity of Walter Smith's squad and they must feel like weeping. Lloyds Bank, on the other hand, are delighted. Rangers' debt continues to fall and the next set of figures, which are about to be released, will show the Ibrox club now owe less than �£20million. No doubt someone at the bank will take pride in a job well done and it shouldn't surprise anyone if that person is in line for a whopping bonus. After all, that's what the banks do isn't it? They reward themselves for squeezing and destroying hard-working ordinary Joes even though it was their greed and stupidity that pushed the country towards financial ruin. And then they grab our tax money to get them out of the mess. It's instead of being forced back to school to do their sums again they grow fatter and richer by refusing to lend any of the cash back to people trying to buy or hold on to their homes and businesses. And of course the less they lend out the more for them to share in bonus payments which would be enough to keep loads of little companies and households going. They slap one another on the back, oblivious to the damage they cause. However, they are themselves insolvent. They are morally bankrupt. No doubt Lloyds will credit themselves for reducing Rangers' debt but there is nothing sharp, or even intelligent, in putting in place a repayment plan that is making it increasingly difficult for Rangers to remain competitive. While the Ibrox balance sheet is looking much better you have to ask at what cost has this been achieved? The answer won't be clear until the end of this season but it does look as though Rangers don't have enough players to handle the run-in. It's also fairly obvious they can't cope with Neil Lennon's Celtic, who have won three and drawn one of the five Old Firm clashes so far this season. Of course if Rangers were to win the remaining two Old Firm matches everything would look so much brighter but the problems caused by constant wage cuts to keep the bank satisfied would remain. They were there when Smith steered Rangers to back-to-back titles and a glance at any of his team sheets this season proves the problems are even worse now. No matter what Rangers do on the pitch between now and the end of the season McCoist will be inheriting a squad lacking in genuine quality and experience. And he will have to give serious thought to selling one of his few assets, Allan McGregor, to fund moves for a couple of players simply to increase numbers. His task will be practically impossible and his only real hope is Craig Whyte who is still waiting in the wings. However, he won't wait much longer. Time is running out and if Whyte hasn't been given the go ahead by the end of this month don't be surprised if he closes his cheque book, puts it back in his pocket and walks away. Several vague deadlines have come and gone but Whyte is smart enough to realise that buying Rangers solves only half a problem. The other half involves rebuilding a squad and Whyte, I suspect, doesn't want to leave that part to the last minute. He knows clubs and managers are already working on the ins and outs of transfer deals for next season and he would want to give McCoist as much time as possible to improve his squad. But nothing can be done until Whyte's offer has been accepted. If it isn't - Rangers' standards will continue to fall. Whyte's �£33m bid to take the club off David Murray's hands and out of the bank's control, and his promise to spend �£5m on players each season for the first five years of his tenure appears to tick the relevant boxes. But still McCoist and Rangers wait. Of course, there is the potential tax liability should Rangers lose their court battle with the taxman but it is understood some kind of arrangement has been put in place to deal with that as well. But still Rangers fans wait. Now they have to ask why. After all, Whyte has provided proof of funding and Murray, who said he would never sell to anyone who couldn't support the club financially, appears convinced by the Scottish financier and it's understood he's prepared to do the deal. So why the hold up? Who might be stalling? Are Rangers being used as a pawn in a wider game? Is the bank playing hard ball? If so, why? Someone at Lloyds could probably provide the answers but because of market rules and the cloaks of confidentiality bankers wrap around themselves there is only silence. Rangers have cut back to the bare minimum to repay their debt and there is an offer on the table which would rid the bank of the headache, yet nothing continues to happen. If Whyte is ready to get going and help finance McCoist's rebuilding programme but finds he is being blocked then he should say so. Rangers fans are entitled to know why this deal hasn't been concluded. They deserve to know who is holding up progress and why. But they should also be aware that the Whyte saga is nearing its end. The next few weeks will make or break his ambition to own Rangers. That also means the next few weeks could make or break Rangers.

IT'S more than 11 years since he was the Hammer in Holland. But the Rangers badge has been nailed on for life. Tonight Jorg Albertz will again pull on the Light Blue top. Only this time he'll be wearing it in front of his TV at home in Moenchengladbach to cheer on Walter Smith's side. And he'll sit there praying someone can repeat his heroics of 1999 and bullet home a Gers winner in the Philips Stadion. The Ibrox side's star-studded attacking names of the past might be replaced by a team ethic based on defence. But Albertz is convinced they can still shock Fred Rutten's side and go all the way to the Europa League Final. Smith himself yesterday called for someone else to step into the Hammer's shoes tonight. Told of the comment, Albertz said: "I think I'm too old for it now! "I'd LOVE to be out on the pitch playing for the team but he's got a good squad and they'll work hard for each other. "Why can't the boys go there and get a draw or a win? "Walter's playing a little bit more defensively now and will hope they can sneak a goal there. "In the situation they're in that's not the worst thing to do. "I don't think they're in a position with the players they have to go out and attack and concede maybe two or three goals. "Hopefully they go out and get a goal and get a draw or a win. "Walter has proved so often in the past that he gets success. In Lisbon they scored two goals so why can't they do it again? "You don't have a Brain Laudrup or Paul Gascoigne who can decide a game on their own with a flash of genius. "You've got a good team that needs to work really hard together as a unit. "Do that and they can beat any team. You see it so often, an underdog beating the favourites. "It's why I think Rangers can go all the way to the final. Why not? "Do that and it would be one of the biggest successes for Walter himself. "This is not disrespectful to the team but he just doesn't have the big name star players any more. "Hopefully they can go all the way. Why not this year? "I'll watch the game here in the house. I'll just wear my blue shirt sitting in front of the TV - and hopefully I'm cheering." That was the case back in 1999 when Dick Advocaat's side travelled to Holland for a Champions League clash. Albertz's excited family had driven two hours from their home across the border in Germany to see him in action. But he was left simmering on the bench after being axed from the starting line-up. Disappointment soon turned to joy though when he replaced the crocked Claudio Reyna after 24 minutes. Then he proved a point to his gaffer by crashing home the dramatic 84th-minute goal to cue that famous crest-kissing and hands-on head celebration. Advertisement Albertz said: "Of course I was disappointed not being in the team. My family were in Eindhoven that night to watch the game but I knew the team before the game so they came knowing I wasn't in it. "They made their decision to go not just because I was playing but because they'd been Rangers supporters since I'd joined the club. "They wanted to be there for the team - but of course it's nicer when your son is playing as well. "I remember sitting on the bench in Eindhoven, desperate to get on to prove I should have been out there. "But the gaffer can only pick 11 to start the game. "I don't think he was doing things on purpose, although in my case it might have been a little bit different. I don't know. "I still had to stay focused so if the moment came when I was needed I was ready to perform. "When Reyna got injured it was my chance and I got into the game, scored the winner and of course it was a nice memory. "It was a very important goal because we won the game. "But it wasn't enough because that was the year we played the last game in Munich. We lost 1-0 and didn't get through. "So the goal in the end didn't help too much as things worked out. "But it was still a very nice memory for me and winning away from home showed we weren't too bad in Europe "That's in the past and now we're all looking forward to Rangers hopefully getting a good result." Albertz is still a frequent visitor to Glasgow and was back on the weekend for a dinner along with former Gers team-mate Lorenzo Amoruso. He didn't get to see the game against St Mirren on Sunday. But he did manage a quick word with Gers' manager-in- waiting Ally McCoist when he jetted in to see the first leg round-of-32 clash with Sporting Lisbon last month. He reckons the appointment of McCoist for the start of next season was the easy one financially - but will prove the right one in the end. Albertz, in the middle of some gardening back home in Germany yesterday, is also willing to dig deep to help his pal in any way he can. He added: "Not being disrespectful to Ally, he's a big name but not as a manager at the moment. "He still has to prove himself as far as that goes. "But it's very hard to get somebody in. "Everyone would love to work for Glasgow Rangers but they know the financial situation isn't the best and they can't buy any players they want. But I also think it's the best decision because Ally knows the club inside out. "He knows the players he's got around him so why not give him a try? "He's got a great teacher in Walter and I'm sure Coisty will have success with the club. "I spoke to him after the home Lisbon game. He's still a great character - the same as ever. "He's put a little bit of weight on, I know that, but he's a great guy and I love him. "If he needs anyone to watch a player, an assistant, phone me, I'll be there. I'll drop everything and be in Glasgow." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3457055/Cmon-Gers-pummel-PSV-and-feel-like-THIS.html#ixzz1G9XJco8D

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/latest-rst-news/375-rst-backs-bain-and-calls-for-sfa-investigation-into-lennons-conduct?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter So, question must be asked - did Calum Murray include these incidents in his report and, if so, why did Stewart Regan not act upon them last month? Increasingly likely that SFA is being compromised by incompetence at all levels here.

FOR once the entire country is talking about Scottish football after Wednesday's Old Firm derby. For all the wrong reasons. The reaction to events at Parkhead has been astonishing. Everyone I've spoken to absolutely LOVED the Old Firm meltdown - apart from policemen and politicians! I lost count of how many normally sane English friends and colleagues told me they are already counting down the days to the Old Firm League Cup Final on March 20, following the madness. Scottish football - or the Old Firm at any rate - has become must-see TV in a freaky, 'Big Brother,' kind of way. Sadly it has more to do with their indiscipline than their football. How tragic is it that our top club game, the jewel in our crown, is now regarded as some kind of freak show? The outbreak of childish behaviour has overshadowed the good football we saw in the original tie at Ibrox, yet it turned Wednesday night's event into a nationwide smash hit. At times it was like watching a low-budget horror movie through the cracks in your fingers. You know exactly what's going to happen in every scene, yet you can't take your eyes off it. That's where we are right now with the Old Firm. In an ideal world people would drool over our biggest club game, as they do when Barcelona play Real Madrid, and praise us for our football. But people aren't tuning in to watch Paul McStay and Paolo Di Canio mixing it with Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup any more. They're tuning in to see El Hadji Diouf and Scott Brown and who kicks the s*** out of who first. It's a shame because Celtic actually have quality players like Izaguirre, Kayal and Hooper who look as if they could play at a higher level. The same could be said of McGregor, Bougherra and Naismith at Ibrox. But we seem to have reached a point after five Old Firm games this season where we're entertaining the public but p***ing off the police and politicians. It's always dangerous for football when those two bodies get involved. Salmond described the scenes at Parkhead as 'shameful.' This pair released Libyan mass-murderer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi As the entire country talks about the drama and passion involved, some copper's union chief has a totally different slant on it. He wants the fixture shut down or played behind closed doors. Call me cynical, but was it more than just a coincidence that Les Gray, Chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, claimed police wouldn't have enough resources to cope with seven Old Firm matches this season three days before Home Secretary Theresa May told his members to expect a pay cut. Needless to say the copper's alarmist talk grabbed more headlines than Libya this week, which brings us not-so-nicely to our politicians. It's all kicking off in Tripoli and the Middle East is going up in flames. David Cameron had more on his plate than to concern himself with Wayne Rooney scudding James McCarthy with his elbow. But up here the First Minister Alex Salmond and his Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill are disgusted because Ally McCoist and Neil Lennon squared up to each other. Salmond described the scenes at Parkhead as 'shameful.' This pair released Libyan mass-murderer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the Pan Am Flight 103 bomb which killed 270 innocent people, and sent him home to a heroes welcome and a party in Tripoli! Now they're going to lecture Celtic and Rangers about the need to clean up THEIR act! It's not so long ago Glasgow was being described as the murder capital of western Europe. Knife crime remains a huge problem. Sectarianism and bigotry are rife in the west of Scotland. We drink too much, eat the wrong things, there's a drug culture and on top of that we take young impressionable children and send them to separate schools - then bleat about the poisonous religious divide in our society. Maybe if we solved some of those problems, most of the issues surrounding Old Firm games would cease. Instead, the politicians are going to put the world to rights by taking the Old Firm to task about their conduct! But they can't help themselves when they are presented with a high-profile opportunity to mouth their opinions. I wouldn't give tuppence for politicians getting involved in football. What sanity has John Reid brought to our game at Celtic by questioning referees' integrity and supporting Peter Wishart's ludicrous proposal that refs should publicly declare who they support? Lennon is crossing boundaries all over the place and upsetting a lot of previously reasonable people Reid also publicly branded Rangers 'Boring Holy Willies.' Has this former Home Secretary done anything to calm tensions ANYWHERE? Yet he has the power and authority to do some good by looking at his own club and recognising there is a problem with Neil Lennon. He has to ask why it is Lennon has become such a hated figure, to the extent he now requires round-the-clock protection and people are sending him bullets and fake bombs. Martin O'Neill was a Catholic who played for Nothern Ireland and went on to manage Celtic. He ticked many of the same boxes Lennon does, yet he was able to go about his business without the same level of animosity. In fact he was grudgingly admired by most Rangers fans. Why is Lennon so different? Whether he admits it or not I'm sure Walter Smith will have had a word with Ally McCoist now he's been confirmed as Gers' next boss. Lennon is crossing boundaries all over the place and upsetting a lot of previously reasonable people. Someone in power has to pull him aside, put a fatherly arm around his shoulder and give him some advice. They must remind him he is no longer a combatant in these games, he's the manager of Celtic and that comes with a whole lot of added responsibility. If a player is over-stepping the mark on the pitch and has lost the plot, it's a manager's job to pull him back in line. How can Lennon do that if he's racing to the touchline to square up to an opponent - even one as objectionable as El Hadji Diouf? Why does he continue to behave the way he does? It's not rocket science. It's because no one he respects in authority has told him not to. Right now no one in power at Celtic seems to be sounding the alarm about their manager's behaviour and warning him enough is enough, cut it out now. And until someone takes on that responsibility I'm not sure Lennon is capable of policing himself.

BAD boy El-Hadji Diouf should be booted out of Rangers following his Old Firm red card shame. That's the view of Express Sport columnist and Celtic and Scotland legend Charlie Nicholas. Diouf was involved in bust-ups with Celts boss Neil Lennon and the Hoops skipper Scott Brown during the Light Blues' 1-0 Scottish Cup fifth round replay loss at Parkhead. The Senegalese striker was also accused of clashing with the home physio Tim Williamson before being sent-off after the final whistle by referee Calum Murray for dissent. Diouf threw his shirt into the away end at time-up, but Nicholas insists he has seen enough of the controversial 30-year-old, who arrived on loan from Blackburn in January with a bad reputation for trouble. And he insists Ibrox chief executive Martin Bain and the board should lay down the law to manager Walter Smith. Nicholas said: "Get him out of the country and get him out of our league. "He had a chance to come to Scotland and clean up a sullied reputation, but he has failed abysmally.He should be ordered back down the road to Blackburn this morning. "Ibrox board members should be brought into play, they should sit Walter Smith down and ask him just how much more trouble this guy might cause. "My own view is that there's a strong chance he'll be involved in more flashpoints with Rangers and Celtic set to meet twice more before the end of the campaign, so I'd say: 'Thanks for your help. Goodbye and good riddance'. "He's not concerned about the team's ambitions. "It's all about what is going on within his own little world and, having seen him pretty much go out to get himself ordered-off, I will say right here and now that his world should be brought to an end today." Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/232542/Boot-out-Diouf-blasts-Celtic-legend/Boot-out-Diouf-blasts-Celtic-legend#ixzz1Faeyllyc

In the aftermath of another defeat to our greatest rivals last week, the tabloid headlines and talk of the sporting press haven't been about the football on display or lack of it either. Instead, it's all been about 'inflammatory incidents', 'shameful behaviour' and even more incredibly, how the various minor flashpoints in what is always one the feistiest events in Britain's non-fighting sports calendar have all of a sudden 'deeply embarrassed' the SFA. I'm not going to talk about the SFA, their embarrassing actions this season or their poor referees. I won't talk about cover-ups, their CEO, ref-gate, corruption or the sheer hypocrisy in the blazer-infested corridors of Scottish footballing power. Let's talk about something else... Win-win situations or what are more accurately called 'win-win games' in sporting and game events are relatively uncommon. A win-win game can be many things, but generally it's regarded as a game where a certain outcome is beneficial to both parties. A win-win game can however, be a game where one side will benefit whether they win or lose and in some (albeit infrequent) cases a loss can actually be more beneficial for one of the participating players or teams than a win would be. Therefore, in certain unusual circumstances both definitions of a 'win-win game' can actually apply. I never want Rangers to lose a game and especially not to Celtic, but if you're pragmatic about it, last weeks's Scottish Cup replay was a win-win game for us. I wanted us to win the game as always and that mostly comes from the heart, but I knew somewhere in my head that losing the game and going out of the Scottish Cup might be equally as beneficial to us. We have a threadbare squad stricken with injury problems and while winning last week would obviously have been cause for celebration, it would also have been very worrying because we already had a fixture pile-up which would have been worsened by progression in the competition. It's all fine and well for Walter Smith and Ally McCoist to try to give off an air of positivity by saying to the press/media when questioned about our mounting fixture list that we want to win everything we compete in and we should expect nothing less of our management. That doesn't mean that they aren't clever enough to understand the overall worrying situation that our team is in though and it certainly doesn't mean that they don't understand the concept of a win-win game. It's also fine for Ally McCoist to tell the press before the game last week after the team sheets had been released that they thought they had a team which could go out and win the game. Again, we should expect nothing less, but when I heard the team sheet, it didn't sound to me like a team that was designed to 'go out and win the game'. It seemed like a team designed to go out and not lose the game at best. We've become accustomed to Walter's tactics in Europe and many people even agree with them, including myself at times, but going to Parkhead and playing 5 at the back against Celtic is something for other teams to attempt, not Rangers. Not if we're going there to win. I couldn't believe it. The manager's options last week were definitely limited due to our injury headaches and having such a small squad, but even still, did we go there to win? I'm not so sure considering that we started the game without a real striker up front. Even after we went a goal down the only striker we had on the bench (Healy) surprisingly remained on the bench. Does that show any intent to win a game of football? Not to me it doesn't. Instead of telling Healy to get on there and score, one of our defenders was moved up front. Why not take the defender off and put on a striker? It might not have paid off, but it would at least have shown a level of intent to try to win. But no, a striker who would have burst a gut to try and score or create a scoring chance was left on the bench and we had one shot on target all night and zero attempts off target. Can you figure that out? So, where does that leave us? Well if you're being pedantic you might say it leaves us knocked out of the Scottish Cup, but in the spirit of the point I'm making, it leaves us with less fixtures to squeeze into an already clogged calendar and it leaves our challengers for the SPL title with additional fixtures. Was it a win-win game? Maybe it was...

I make that the last 4 OF games that WS has been outclassed by Neil Lennon. In each of those 4 games we've been outplayed, outpassed and outmuscled yet he still decides to go with the same defensively naive formation in an attempt to slow the game down and score a goal. It's not working Walter so why don't you change it? WS simply doesn't have the players to play like this. He's trying to replicate the results we got against Celtic in the 90s but we haven't got the players to hit Celtic on the counter attack. There's no winger who can skin his marker and whip in a good cross like Walters and Laudrup used to do. There's no classy midfielder who can skip by a few opposition players before either scoring himself and make a defence splitting pass like Gazza used to do. There's no Wilkins or McCall type players who can spoil the game, win possesion and make a simple pass to the creative players. The last 4 OF results have been 0-2, 2-2, 0-3 and 0-1 and as I mentioned before, we've attempted to play the same way, even at Ibrox. Does WS not know any other style to play than defend, defend, defend? When things are going wrong does he not know how to change it? OK, we went down to 10 men last night so that didn't help matters but who can honestly say that if it was 11 v 11 last night things would've been different? There was no hope for us, the fans. We've seen it before and no doubt on 2 weeks on Sunday we'll see it again. Celtic have figured out that if you press us we'll eventually give away possesion due to the fact that our players lack any sort of movement. WS is to scared to lose matches that he has forgotten how to attack and due to this fact, I now go into OF games with the expectation that we'll lose because of that fact. A manager of the class and dignity of WS is being tactically out-muscled by Neil Lennon. That's a very depressing fact!!

CELTIC coach Alan Thompson last night blamed Ibrox star El Hadji Diouf for sparking Old Firm mayhem. Thompson claimed Diouf lit the fuse on an explosive Scottish Cup tie that saw 13 yellows dished out and three Rangers players sent off as Celtic ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Mark Wilson goal. Celtic boss Neil Lennon had a furious bust-up with Gers No.2 Ally McCoist on the final whistle and had to be hauled apart by their backroom staff. Itââ?¬â?¢s alleged McCoist told Lennon as they shook hands: ââ?¬Å?Why donââ?¬â?¢t you stay away from our players?ââ?¬Â in a reference to the managerââ?¬â?¢s earlier spat with Diouf on the touchline. McCoist and Lennon had also clashed in the first half of the fifth-round replay after the dismissal of Steven Whittaker for two yellow card offences. That left Rangers with 10 men and they were reduced to nine in injury time when Madjid Bougherra picked up his second caution. Diouf then lost the plot after Calum Murray blew for time and launched a verbal assault on the ref who flashed a second yellow just as Lennon and McCoist went nose to nose. Hoops coach Johan Mjallby also had to be pulled away from Diouf as he made his way up the tunnel at half-time. Thompson claimed his team were innocents and the on-loan Blackburn star started it all off when he aimed a dunt at Celtic physio Tim Williamson. He said: ââ?¬Å?Our physio went on the pitch as Whittaker was being sent off and Diouf threw a shoulder on him, which was dismissed. ââ?¬Å?However, Neil saw it and it has all gone on from there. ââ?¬Å?Diouf came over and said something to someone on the bench and we asked him to calm down. ââ?¬Å?Did our bench show discipline? Iââ?¬â?¢d say yes. ââ?¬Å?I didnââ?¬â?¢t see what happened with Johan at half-time, as for Neil and Ally at the end something has been said that wasnââ?¬â?¢t taken in the right way. ââ?¬Å?TV cameras show what went on but Neil has done nothing untoward.ââ?¬Â Asked if Rangers had lost their discipline, Thompson added: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t want to talk about Rangers too much but any team that has three red cards in one game Iââ?¬â?¢m sure will be looked at, yeah. ââ?¬Å?Rangers have players who play on the edge. ââ?¬Å?Overall, weââ?¬â?¢re delighted with our performance football and discipline wise. Ally and Neil may have had words and it went on a little bit from there but there is a lot at stake. Itââ?¬â?¢s understandable to a certain extent. ââ?¬Å?We got three yellow cards out of everything that went on. We asked players to be disciplined and they were.ââ?¬Â The SFA will this morning launch an enquiry into the scenes that shamed the Scottish game with the probe being launched on the same day Lennon goes before the beaks to appeal his six-match touchline ban. Thompson was asked if Lennon was absent from the media conference after the match so he could gather his thoughts. The coach said: ââ?¬Å?Yes. Heââ?¬â?¢s downstairs having a chat with Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell.ââ?¬Â Rangers boss Walter Smith tried to explain the McCoist-Lennon bust-up, saying: ââ?¬Å?Ally was annoyed Neil was being aggressive towards a Rangers player. ââ?¬Å?There was an incident involving Neil and Diouf and then another moment in the tunnel at half-time.ââ?¬Â http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/03/03/celtic-coach-alan-thompson-rangers-striker-el-hadji-diouf-provoked-all-the-trouble-86908-22962692/

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist had to be pulled apart last night at the conclusion of an explosive Old Firm Scottish Cup tie which is likely to be subject to SFA disciplinary proceedings. The Ibrox club, who lost the fifth-round replay 1-0, had three players sent off by referee Calum Murray who dished out 13 yellow cards in total, just three of them to Celtic who secured a quarter-final visit to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 13 March. Steven Whittaker was dismissed in the first half, Madjid Bougherra followed him in stoppage time and then El Hadji Diouf was shown his red card after the final whistle. The indiscipline extended to the technical areas and saw Lennon react furiously as he shook hands with McCoist, apparently in response to a comment made by the man who will be his direct opponent in the Old Firm rivalry next season. Rangers manager Walter Smith revealed McCoist had been unhappy with what he regarded as confrontational behaviour from Lennon towards Diouf during the match. The controversial Senegalese striker had picked up his first booking in the first-half after squaring up to Lennon on the touchline. "These things happen," said Smith. "I'm always reasonably quick up the tunnel, so I didn't see what happened. But the problem there was quite simple. Alistair was quite annoyed that Neil was being aggressive towards one of the Rangers players. That annoyed him more than anything else." Asked if he would still attend the traditional post-match meeting of the rival managers, Smith added: "I always go for a drink with the opposition management team after a game. It might be an interesting cup of tea this time, right enough. I'll referee." In the immediate aftermath of his final assignment as Rangers manager at Celtic Park, Smith defended his team's conduct and claimed referee Murray was wrong to send off both Whittaker and Bougherra. He accused the official of being influenced by the home support. "I felt Steven Whittaker's first yellow card was a soft one," said Smith. "I wouldn't argue with the second one, but he is unfortunate to have got the first one. Madjid Bougherra's first one was a yellow card, but the second one was clearly not. He slid in and clearly got the ball. The Celtic player's momentum made it look worse than it was. "I think the referee got carried away by the crowd's reaction on both occasions. It was a competitive cup tie but there were challenges I didn't think were worth yellow cards. As I say, I couldn't complain about Bougherra's first caution or Whittaker's second, but I felt they were both unlucky to be sent off. I'm not sure we committed that many more fouls than Celtic. There was nothing that left anyone seriously injured but there were yellow cards handed out throughout the game. It makes the reflection of the game worse than it actually was." Smith made no defence of Diouf's red card, earned when he berated Murray after the final whistle, but did claim there was an element of provocation involved. "He is an easy target and lets himself get wound up," said Smith. "There was a lot of frustration at the end of the game. He gets a bit het-up, that's the way he is." The teams will meet for the sixth time this season in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden on 20 March and have one more SPL fixture to play at Ibrox. Smith, who joked that he agreed with a call from senior police officer Les Gray earlier this week to ban Old Firm games, admitted that the number of times the teams face each other increases the tension. "Playing each other seven times a season doesn't help, but there has to be a balance there from everyone in terms of what is a level of competitiveness and what isn't. It certainly gives you plenty to write about, so I don't think you should complain too greatly. I have been involved for a long time in these games now. How many Rangers-Celtic matches have been like this? It is worse if you don't compete. We didn't compete at all in the last game here and got battered. "From our point of view, it was a better performance than the last time here. At least we made a tackle in this game, we never made one the last time. So there was a slight improvement there. "We were disappointed to lose a goal as early as we did in the second half. It settled Celtic. We had one or two flurries going forward, but there were not many clear-cut opportunities for either side." http://www.scotsman.com/rangersfc/Rangers-blame-Neil-Lennon39s-treatment.6727585.jp

Rangers boss Walter Smith today revealed how Neil Lennonââ?¬â?¢s treatment of El-Hadji Diouf sparked the touchline mayhem at the end of last nightââ?¬â?¢s Old Firm match. Lennon came out of his technical area to exchange words with Diouf as he complained to fourth official Iain Brines after Steven Whittakerââ?¬â?¢s dimissal in the Scottish Cup fifth-round replay. His actions angered Gers assistant gaffer Ally McCoist, who then had to be separated from the Hoops boss by coaching staff after the final whistle. It is not the first time Lennon has allowed himself to become involved with Rangers players in the Old Firm game since taking charge. He lambasted Steven Naismith for a tackle on Mark Wilson in the first cup game and was allegedly involved in an incident in the tunnel in that game with Vladimir Weiss and Diouf. The Northern Irishman also exchanged words with countryman Kyle Lafferty after his side had won 2-0 at Ibrox back in January. Smith said: ââ?¬Å?I think the problem was simple. Alastair was a bit annoyed that Neil was being aggressive to one of the Rangers players (Diouf). I think that was annoying him. These things happen. Playing each other seven times in a season doesnââ?¬â?¢t help.ââ?¬Â He added: ââ?¬Å?Diouf is an easy target for criticism and he gets himself wound up a little bit as he has done at the end of the game because it was a frustrating evening for us to see two players sent off. Thatââ?¬â?¢s the way he is. ââ?¬Å?I am not so sure we committed many more fouls than Celtic. I felt Whittakerââ?¬â?¢s first yellow was soft, although I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have argued with the second. Obviously I was disappointed with that. ââ?¬Å?Madjid Bougherraââ?¬â?¢s first yellow card was one, the second one was clearly not. He slid in and clearly takes the ball and the Celtic playerââ?¬â?¢s momentum takes him over the top. ââ?¬Å?From my own point of view I feel the referee got carried away with the crowdââ?¬â?¢s reaction. ââ?¬Å?It was a competitive cup-tie, but there were challenges I didnââ?¬â?¢t think were worth yellow cards. ââ?¬Å?As I say, I couldnââ?¬â?¢t complain about Bougherraââ?¬â?¢s first caution or Whittakerââ?¬â?¢s second, but I felt they were both unlucky to be sent off. There was nothing that left anyone injured.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/walter-smith-neil-lennon-antics-set-off-touchline-spat-1.1088363

WALTER SMITH has banned his players from boozy nights out and trash talking on social networking sites as part of his bid to turn their season around. Record Sport told yesterday how the Rangers boss ordered his players into Murray Park last Monday on their day off for a crisis summit less than 24 hours after watching them slump to a humiliating 3-0 thrashing against Celtic. Now we can reveal explosive details of Smith's dressing-room address which has stirred his team back to life ahead of tomorrow night's return to Parkhead for a winor-bust Scottish Cup replay. Smith demanded that his troops rediscover their focus in time for the end of season run in by: Warning that any player caught nightclubbing will face disciplinary action. Blasting the use of Twitter accounts. Barring his players from posting any inflammatory remarks. Ordering them to keep their private lives off the front pages. Smith's training ground showdown has triggered an instant reaction from his players who have bounced back with a European glory night in Lisbon and a 4-0 SPL thumping of St Johnstone. Smith even went as far as to say his players were disgusted with themselves after their capitulation on derby day. But rather than go easy on them the veteran manager made it clear what he demands of them in his final three months at the helm. Record Sport can reveal that he was angered even before kick-off at Celtic Park when a Sunday tabloid splashed graphic details of a fight between the wags of keeper Allan McGregor and midfielder Maurice Edu. He has demanded that his players and their partners keep a lower public profile from here on in. And that includes using the internet to take cheap shots at Celtic. Smith has clearly reached the end of his tether and his players were left in no doubt that they will be in hot water if they are caught stoking things up again. Edu - who bagged the goal in Portugal which saw Smith's men into the last 16 of the Europa League - is a prolific tweeter with almost half a million followers. But his last comment came one hour before the derby on February 20. It read: Game time Old Firm derby let's go. A Rangers source said: "It is fair to say Walter went off on one during his meeting with the players. They have been left in no doubt over what is required from them from now until the end of the season. "He felt they needed reminding of exactly what is expected of them as Rangers players and his message seems to have hit the mark." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/03/01/rangers-boss-walter-smith-lays-down-the-law-to-players-to-turn-around-season-no-drink-no-nightclubs-no-twitter-86908-22957890/

ALLY McCOIST has already identified players he wants to bring to Rangers when he takes over from Walter Smith. And the manager-in-waiting is keen to land stars who can provide more quality and entertainment. Gers have enjoyed great times during Smith's second stint in charge but he has sometimes been criticised for being over-cautious. McCoist hopes to marry success with flowing football but knows pulling that off is far from easy. His great friend Tommy Burns had Celtic playing slick football in the 1990s yet won just one trophy in three years. That cost him his job. And McCoist knows the same fate awaits him if he fails to deliver titles. However, he believes he can find some players who will thrill the fans and provide value for money. McCoist said: "I've started to look ahead in terms of signing targets. We definitely need to bring players in. "My philosophy will be quite simple. You have to win. We need to win games or I won't be sitting here talking to you in the future. "In an ideal world you win with style. You will have players out there the fans want to see. "You will get people coming to watch this team who are genuinely excited about the players they are coming to watch. They will be here to see entertaining football but, most importantly, winning football. "This club has had wonderfully talented players throughout history. But it's probably had more winners than fantastically talented players. "That's not a criticism. Anything but. It's actually a compliment. "This club's history is riddled with winners - boys who wanted to do well and win trophies. "Ideally we want the fans to know they're going to be entertained AND win games of football. Our supporters know the score. They are intelligent people and know all about the situation at the club. "All I would ask for is continued support. There have been times when things have upset the punters and that will happen again because you can't please all the fans all the time. But I think we will get their support." Rangers' wage budget will be slashed by more than �£1million in the summer but McCoist feels he can be inventive and adventurous in the transfer market. He stressed: "In an ideal world the club will be bought over and investment will come in. At the moment we can't say with any certainty if that will be the case. "We need to plan for next season. I know the budget and don't see that changing dramatically unless someone buys the club. "It's up to ourselves to identify players and bring them in. "People will be leaving at the end of the season so we need new faces. "Only time will tell how good the hand I've been dealt is going to be. Sometimes you might be dealt a bad hand but can still play it well. "However, it won't be easy. We'll need to cut money off the wage bill. "That's not good news but we know the score. It's not like it will be thrust upon us with no warning. "It's up to us to plan for that. I need to persuade players to come here. "If I can't sell this club to a player I won't be able to sell anything. We have a wonderful fan base, a great stadium and a fantastic training ground. "We might not be able to offer the same finances as elsewhere but we need to sell the club to targets." McCoist will have to appoint a new captain in the summer when Davie Weir ends his playing career. He is likely to want a real Rangers man in that important role and Lee McCulloch could take the armband. The midfielder recently signed a new contract and has the backing of current skipper Weir. McCoist said: "Arguably, one of your most important decisions is the appointment of the captain. "We've had top guys like John Greig, Terry Butcher and Jock Shaw. All great skippers and great men. "It's vitally important we have a great captain again." Buying someone like Butcher would set you back more than �£20m these days - a sum McCoist is unlikely to spend over his entire tenure, never mind on just one player. However, he could be handed a bit more cash to splash if a new owner seizes power at Ibrox. McCoist said: "The ideal scenario is new owners come in and fancy me staying in charge. "However, it's natural a new regime might not want me in charge. "But I hope any new owners will be happy with the plan we have in place and give us a few quid to spend. "If they don't want me as manager then I'll be on the terracing with the fans supporting the team. Rangers Football Club is the most important thing. This club deserves the best." McCoist will be assisted by Kenny McDowall when he takes charge with Ian Durrant as first-team coach. But the 48-year-old hasn't ruled out adding to his backroom staff. Celtic boss Neil Lennon has three helpers at Parkhead - Johan Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker. And Gers gaffer Smith can also call on McCoist, McDowall and Durrant for advice as he bids to end his reign with even more success. McCoist said: "We will probably look at adding someone but I would have to say I couldn't be happier taking over with the staff I have. "I will have good men by my side and I'm thankful for that. "I have known Kenny for a lot longer than you would think. "Ian and I go back a long way and it's the same with our goalkeeping coach Jimmy Stewart and the fitness coach Adam Owen. "Stability won't guarantee you success but it's another positive. "I trust these guys too and that is the most important thing. It's arguably THE most important thing in management - you need people who are loyal and good." Should it be needed, Smith will also be there for guidance. The veteran boss doesn't plan to return to management when he brings the curtain down on his Rangers career this summer. He could be tempted back into football by a job overseas but McCoist knows he can always call his managerial mentor for some words of wisdom. He smiled: "Walter will be on the end of a phone. I don't have any doubt about that. "He might be on a golf course in Arizona but he has been told the phone must stay on. "I don't care if he's in a bunker or whatever and knowing his golf there is every chance!" http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/02/27/ally-mccoist-i-m-already-identifying-signing-targets-and-i-want-them-to-entertain-our-fans-86908-22953274/

ONE man has taken so much flak since he first donned the Rangers jersey. He has taken more abuse than I've ever seen heaped on ANY player at my old club. Well, this morning I say to El Hadji Diouf: Take a bow, son. Yes, I wrote in SunSport that his spitting shame would have earned him a battering from my old Nine-in-a-Row mates. I stand by that. Last night, though? Last night I was in the midst of the Rangers support in Lisbon who saw the on-loan Blackburn Rovers star work his a*** off for the Ibrox side's cause. I thought he was brilliant and led the line so well in his role as a solo striker. I leapt for joy when he buried that header from Steven Davis' pinpoint cross and I was delighted for him. He earned his first goal for Gers. Three years ago when Gers won through against Sporting Lisbon did anyone truly believe that Walter Smith would lead them all the way to the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester? No way. Well, why shouldn't this team believe they can go all the way to the Europa League Final in Dublin? My mates were texting me last night and saying McBookie have Gers at 33/1 to win the Europa League. Well, I might just take a piece of that. Make no mistake this was a triumph fashioned by The Gaffer. He had to drag a performance out of these boys after they had surrendered so tamely in that awful 3-0 Old Firm defeat. Now I really feel this can kick-start Gers' season again. As Marvin Andrews used to say: Believe! After a poor season by his own lofty standards, this was also a great night for Davis to get back towards the levels he can reach. It was a killer ball for Diouf's goal and I was gutted Gers then fell behind to a team I believe were poorer than them over the two legs. The ending, though, was fairytale stuff and it was terrific to see dyed-in-the-wool Gers fan David Healy as the architect of it. When his low cross came fizzing over I was just praying for one of the Gers players queueing up to bundle it home. Maurice Edu did and I discovered what it was like for those punters who followed us through the Nine. I nearly had a heart attack in the celebrations! Now? Well, the SPL might be scratching their heads this morning - but Walter, Coisty and their players can hold theirs high. The dramatic away goals win in Lisbon will mean a frantic few weeks for Rangers as fixtures are crammed in left, right and centre. But Walter wouldn't have it any other way after another night to remember on the continent. I must admit, for a while it looked like Rangers had blown their chance of going through to a last 16 clash with Dutch aces PSV. But had they crashed out, they'd have wondered just how it had all happened. Once more though they never gave up, never let their heads drop. Gers' last visit here will forever be remembered for a quite brilliant individual goal from Steven Whittaker. This time though they left as winners thanks to a TEAM performance to be proud of as each man did the job Walter asked of them. At the back Davie Weir led by example after bravely rolling out of his sickbed to take his place and inspire those around him. Until he was subbed with 20 minutes to go, he proved my point that his experience is still vital - and that he WASN'T past it after Sunday's Old Firm defeat. Diouf might have his critics for what he's done in the past without a ball at his feet. But last night he showed the reason Walter decided to take him to Ibrox on loan last month with that energy-sapping shift. He set the tone for me. It would have been easier for Gers to crumble at 2-1. After all, they have been written off and pilloried for such a woeful show at Celtic Park on Sunday. I know from experience there's no hiding place at Rangers when the s*** hits the fan. Believe me, those players will have been told by Walter that they let the club down against Celtic. He will have gone over the video and SLAUGHTERED them. One by one. Last night they started to repay a debt to the manager - now who knows where they can go from here? I can't wait for the PSV tie now. As big Marv said: Believe! Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3432575/Els-angel.html#ixzz1EyBBynWL

Our current situation - It's time to face the inevitable then rebuild for the future. When you drill down to it, The Rangers support, to a man, has known at the back of its collective mind that the situation we are in is dire. Many of us will be in agreement that weââ?¬â?¢ve been urinating into the proverbial wind for 3 years yet miraculously, we have managed to avoid getting wet. Sooner or later, the stranglehold that being owned by Sir David Murray has placed us under was always going to come close to killing us. I say Sir David Murray rather than Lloyds bank specifically, as our current situation has been clouded by the usual sea of half-truths, speculation and contradictions that weââ?¬â?¢ve now come to expect from the Ayrshire millionaire. I wonââ?¬â?¢t sit here and try to claim the moral high-ground by claiming recent results against the filth havenââ?¬â?¢t had any impact on what Iââ?¬â?¢m about to write: They have, and Iââ?¬â?¢ll get to that later. However, let me start from the very beginning of this, probably the most sorry episode in the never-ending series that is ââ?¬Å?The David Murray Showââ?¬Â.. It all started in January 2009. Rampant speculation built up suggesting that our top goal scorer was subject to a bid from Alex McLeishââ?¬â?¢s Birmingham. The source was originally an article from The Scottish Sun that was brief and lacking in quotes ââ?¬â?? normally the tell-tale signs of a non-story. Unfortunately, it didnââ?¬â?¢t quite work out like that, the bid from Brum was legit ââ?¬â?? and the then-chairman was about to inform us of news that would utterly stun us. After coming off of our most commercially lucrative season ever...Iââ?¬â?¢ll write that again for extra emphasis ââ?¬â?? After coming off of our most commercially lucrative season EVER ââ?¬â?? The chairman was about to confirm that despite all of this, in no small part down to a historic European run the year before ââ?¬â?? our finances were once again down the toilet... Murray told the Guardian at the time... "If we did not take this action [selling Boyd], it could have been bad but there are far worse situations developing around us and I will not allow it to spiral again. Rangers have to be run on a sound fiscal basis." In typical Murray style, however, he was soon to contradict himself completely after the transfer window closed when he said.. "The Boyd situation is simple. We received an offer that we believed, collectively, Walter Smith, manager and Martin Bain, chief executive represented good business. "The player then went to Birmingham and refused terms. That is where it stands. But Rangers will go on whether the player goes or not. In that sense, it is immaterial whether he stays or goes." I donââ?¬â?¢t know about you, but I see two statements that glaringly contradict one another. That wasnââ?¬â?¢t the end of it, however, a leading football agent told national commercial radio station TalkSport the same month, that literally ââ?¬Ë?every Rangers player was for saleââ?¬â?¢, with the likely culprit Wullie McKay later declaring that Rangers CEO Martin Bain had instructed him to sell a raft of high earning first team stars, citing McKayââ?¬â?¢s ability to ââ?¬Å?get the job doneââ?¬Â as the reason behind him being allocated this particular mission. Murray issued a ââ?¬Ë?denialââ?¬â?¢ in The Sunday People soon after which actually confirmed McKayââ?¬â?¢s claim in a roundabout way. So we were back up the financial creek without a paddle. Despite a debt that was dwindling, a tremendous run to a European Final, solid season/match day ticket sales and several impressive fees recouped for players that we sold that culminated in what was officially the most commercially lucrative season in the history of Rangers Football Club ââ?¬â?? Our debt somehow increased and we needed to make drastic cuts It was truly one of the most shocking revelations in our recent history, and it left us wondering where our money was actually going. In the summer of the sale year, Rangers managed to cut the wage bill by well over Ã?£200,000 per week (Over Ã?£10m a year) by moving on a raft of first team squad members. To the credit of Walter Smith and the board, the club maintained most of our key players but we were left well-short of numbers in the squad, a huge potential problem that thankfully was not exploited by faltering then-Celtic manager Tony Mowbrayââ?¬â?¢s inability to field a team capable of challenging for the SPL title. To make matters worse ââ?¬â?? our solitary signing that season, Jerome Rothen, had his loan spell at the club cut-short after an ineffective first half to the season. Despite the support rationally assuming that we would be able to bring in a player or two using Rothenââ?¬â?¢s estimated Ã?£18,000 per week wage, an assumption further justified by the departure of another high-earner in Pedro Mendes to Sporting Lisbon, the Rangers support were again left scratching their heads as there were no incoming transfers to the Champions in the January window of the 2009/2010 SPL season. ââ?¬Å?Mystifiedââ?¬Â just didnââ?¬â?¢t do justice to the general feeling of the Rangers support then, or indeed now. After we won the SPL title for the second consecutive season in 2010, it appeared that following some pleading words from Walter Smith himself, those big bad bankers who had been subject to a tongue-lashing or six from him over the previous months decided to relent and kindly let Rangers buy players ââ?¬â?? with money raised from selling yet more players from our already thread-bare squad. We were all left pleased with the quality of players we brought in but once again, the number of players who moved on last summer was more than the number that came in, and with our continued reluctance to promote youth in decent numbers...or use youth in Cup competition domestically given our hectic schedule, we were again left to face a season at home and abroad with a woefully small squad. For just over two years, Rangers have been fire-fighting and, as I said above, urinating into the wind without getting wet. Nobody should be surprised that this is happening, it was only a matter of time. The reality is that on-field failure and the ââ?¬Ë?huge problemsââ?¬â?¢ I speak of are hopefully going to be the precursor to change at Ibrox. Walter Smith and Martin Bain have done an outstanding job of keeping the club together during these turbulent times ââ?¬â?? that should never be forgotten and both men, Walter in particular, should be commended for this. His contribution since coming has only furthered his status as a legend despite the split opinion of his on-field approach. Something from the previous two years that I sadly canââ?¬â?¢t spare the Rangers management team and board from, however, is the constant stream of contradictory information and statements that has come from them. One minute ââ?¬Å?everyone is for saleââ?¬Â, the next ââ?¬Å?we donââ?¬â?¢t have to sell anyoneââ?¬Â. On other occasions weââ?¬â?¢ve told the world ââ?¬Å?the bank runs the clubââ?¬Â only to play it down days later. Our current chairman, who appears to have vanished without a trace, has justified our constant flip-flopping on the issue by saying our relationship with Lloyds bank is ââ?¬Ë?a fluid situationââ?¬â?¢ i.e. our status with the bank changes all the time as per their business needs. Sadly, that statement has never quite cut it for me, and the only thing fluid about this whole thing is in the way weââ?¬â?¢ve had the piss taken out of us by those who run the club. Fiscally, theyââ?¬â?¢ve done a remarkable job with a fair-share of luck involved. Keeping Davis, Bougherra, McGregor and others when weââ?¬â?¢re so up against it financially is something to be proud of. I personally decided that Rangers would not get another penny from me after that cup game. I donââ?¬â?¢t need to state the obvious about the difficulties many of us have paying for tickets when we have families to keep in this climate, the teamââ?¬â?¢s approach in this one-off must win fixture, along with yesterday and the other league game in January really symbolised the problems we have. Our first team appear to be a spent force ââ?¬â?? lacking in interest and focus because they have zero competition for a first team place. Our manager, like him or not, just doesnââ?¬â?¢t do squad rotation or youth promotion unless his hand is forced. So we now face a situation where our first team at the moment isnââ?¬â?¢t good enough and we canââ?¬â?¢t and wonââ?¬â?¢t change it. But we still pay our money and I think despite the small decrease in numbers, the club have taken our blind loyalty a little too for granted by anyoneââ?¬â?¢s standards. Weââ?¬â?¢ve all wanted a change of approach, change of ethos and a complete shift from the short-term, ââ?¬Å?boom and bustââ?¬Â mentality that has saw us teetering on the financial brink twice in less than ten years. Sadly, due to the furthering financial problems in recent years we have regressed even from that. We do not have the talent on or off the pitch to run Rangers effectively anymore. As a support, we have been very kind to the board and management team ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢ve taken everything said to us at face value. But the time has come for proper communication with the man who truly holds all the cards, Sir David Murray. Questions about the ongoing HMRC tax investigation, links between Murrayââ?¬â?¢s companies and the aggressive attitude of Lloyds bank to Rangers over what is a perfectly manageable debt from a club who have implemented some shrewd fiscal measures in recent years have not been met with satisfactory answers. Rangers quite like it when we pay our money, sit down and shut up. We canââ?¬â?¢t do it anymore ââ?¬â?? we just canââ?¬â?¢t. Answers to many, many questions are required, and only the man who has disappeared into the night can answer them properly, he still holds all of the cards. One wonders if the warning that Sir David Murray claimed he was trying to send us by selling Boyd in January of 2009 is the real reason behind the financial handcuffs that have been placed on us, with anonymous, invisible bankers quite happy to take the blame and be the ââ?¬Ë?faceââ?¬â?¢ behind the cuts as it gives them just cause to get their money back quicker. There arenââ?¬â?¢t too many other arms of Murrayââ?¬â?¢s empire that can raise seven figure sums by selling off assets relatively quickly. Our club bemoan financial pressure from the bank on one hand yet announce excellent half-year profits on the other, they blame the bank for the restrictions yet charge us through the nose for games weââ?¬â?¢ve actively tried not to win, they demand we pay for our season ticket in advance over a short timescale at inflated prices while warning us that we canââ?¬â?¢t spend money and are open to offers for our star players despite the relative success weââ?¬â?¢ve had recently in maintaining them. On field failure is the excuse the money men need to make further cuts ââ?¬â?? and itââ?¬â?¢s the excuse many of our support will need to get off their backside and demand change at Ibrox ââ?¬â?? along with clarification on what our real problems are. Enough is enough, our expectations have been managed very well by the club ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢re quite tolerant of the hardships we face now...because weââ?¬â?¢ve so splintered and blindly loyal that we refuse to speak up en masse. So long as the season ticket cash keeps rolling in, change will be delayed that little bit longer. We need to stop propping up a system that is not sustainable in the medium to long term, a regime of noble-yet-helpless individuals fighting the tide of faceless penny-pinchers...who for all we know may include our current owner, and face being flattened by the big truck weââ?¬â?¢ve been waiting to knock us down for two years. As I have no doubt that with the unrest this could all cause, we will emerge from the wreckage a much stronger force, able to plan effectively for the future. This is and always has been about more than one title or season ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s about getting our club back. Sorry if this is negative, but I donââ?¬â?¢t care how we get that ââ?¬â?? the sooner we face the inevitable, the better as far as Iââ?¬â?¢m concerned.

is a horrific journeyman that's been in the right place right time with regard to success at this club. Discuss. I never thought thought as a follower of the beautiful game that my own beloved club would become a team of fucking hammer throwers/ IT's not even just that. IT's how bloody arrogant and stupid he is? Everybody knows Lafferty is a horrific finisher and playing him has probably cost us progression Every year this website rings more and mroe true http://www.toffeeweb.com/club/managers/Smith.asp

Before I start, I'd like to make it clear that this league still has a long way to go. As always, any defeat should be taken in context and not used to write off title challenges or make other teams look better than they actually are. However... Yesterday was a total disgrace from our players and the manager should not escape criticism either. Ironically, I doubt many of us would have disagreed with the starting XI - even if a few of the players have been under-performing generally this season. Sure, a 4-5-1 may look immediately defensive but we still had the offensive players to make it work effectively. For whatever reason most of the team simply downed tools - and not for the first time this season. Indeed, that is the most worrying aspect of yesterday's defeat. Like at the end of the Advocaat reign and during the final months of the McLeish era, our team look devoid of ideas, lack inspiration and are utterly vacant in their commitment. To make matters worse the management team seem incapable of motivating them or reversing our backward spiral. When one considers our next manager is partly responsible for this negative trend, it is safe to say that worry soon turns to fear. The malaise and uncertainty running through Rangers Football Club is nothing new. Our financial issues are debated daily and the last decade has been one of short term outlooks with little long term security. We have an owner who runs off to France when the going gets tough, directors who are too busy defending themselves to defend the club, players whose only loyalty is to the coin and fans who'd rather argue with each other than get together to lobby for solutions. Nevertheless, obviously one defeat to Celtic isn't the end of the world. Win our games in hand and we're only two points behind. Beat them at Ibrox in the next SPL game and we could very well be in front again. Certainly, what happens on the park is directly related to how we perform off it. And arguably that's why caution appears to be the mainstay of our tactical outlook. How can any team play with abandon when they know their manager is leaving, they know the club owner couldn't care less and they know they'll only be offered a pay-cut despite any potential success? However, that doesn't explain our inability to do the basics right and work hard for your team-mates. The way the Celtic team hunted in packs and were physically stronger than every one of our players made me more than angry sitting watching the game. Yet, our players just bent over for more while our manager refused to make any changes that may have helped us influence the game a bit more. Let me be clear again. Walter Smith has done a fantastic job in both his tenures at the club. To win 9IAR was incredible but to come back and keep us competitive for four seasons, winning two titles and coming close to more - as well as taking us to the UEFA Cup final - compares just as well. For those successes he'll have my eternal thanks. Unfortunately, he can't escape criticism either. Being loyal to players is an admirable trait. Being stubborn tactically has yielded results I didn't think were possible in some games. But sometimes he can take these virtues too far which quickly turns positives into negatives. Quite simply there are a few players in this team that have not performed this season - outwith the odd game. Key personnel like Whittaker, Bougherra, Davis and Edu to name a small selection were again awful yesterday - awful; yet all completed the match and it is unlikely any of them will be dropped for the future. Persevering with guys so obviously short of confidence isn't being loyal - it is merely making things worse. Of course naming a few players arguably isn't fair. These guys aren't the only ones who appear to lack the quality and belief required to retain the title. Bad passing, poor shooting, dreadful set-pieces and unacceptable attitudes are prevalent throughout the side. Every player needs to ask themselves if their contribution is worthy of the huge salaries they earn. Lamentably, as seen yesterday I just think the problems are now too numerous for us to be considered capable of winning the league this year. That's not defeatism but simply being realistic when looking at the evidence. I honestly don't see how players so obviously low in morale and lacking in character can turn this around. The next few months will be the biggest test of Smith's managerial career and will determine his legacy for many. Can he respond? Finally, there's no shame in losing. Whether it be the game yesterday, or the title this season, sometimes being second best happens. However, what is important, and what is absolutely vital for our club's future, is the way we react it it. We can feel sorry for ourselves and turn an Old Firm loss into a meek title concession. Or we can finally show some pride and use the hurt from yesterday to give us the spark required to get back into this title race. Rather than raise the white flag of surrender, we need to regroup, "to fight and gain the victory". The future is now.

Not a lot. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/9403029.stm?

Periodically I receive the message below when trying to access a particular forum page. It's always page specific and always permanent. It happens whether using PC or Apple. At the moment it's happening on page 3 of the Walter Smith topic started by Totti - but not on the first two pages of thje same thread. Any ideas? Internal Server Error The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request. Please contact the server administrator, webmaster@gersnetonline.co.uk and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error. More information about this error may be available in the server error log. Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.