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From the evening Times.

From STV. Can't believe Lafferty is out for 6 weeks with a broken finger.

Jim Sinclair believes there are more young players waiting in the wings capable of following Kyle Hutton and Gregg Wylde into Rangers' first team. Hutton's first start was against Man Utd in the Champions League, while Wylde has been a regular off the bench. "I am delighted that so many kids are getting the opportunity to play," said Rangers' academy director, Sinclair. "And I genuinely feel there are others who can contribute as the weeks and months go on." Rangers manager Walter Smith's hand has been forced by a debt burden that has limited his manoeuvres in the transfer market - and by a lengthy list of injuries to key players. "Whether or not it is the circumstances around the club at the moment, which are not particularly healthy as we are all aware financially, they are getting an opportunity," said Sinclair. Just standing there next to the Manchester United players and the music, it was a great feeling Rangers midfielder Kyle Hutton "But getting an opportunity is one thing. It's being able to take it and hopefully they are equipped to do so - and I think they are. "We are really pleased at the chances and opportunities the manager has seen fit to give these young boys." Central defender Danny Wilson became a first-team regular last season aged 18 but refused a new contract and was sold to Liverpool in the summer, since when he has been in the reserves at Anfield. Forward John Fleck made his debut aged 16 in January 2008 but has yet to establish himself as a regular starter, but Sinclair believes that Smith will ensure that defender Wylde and midfielder Hutton do not get carried away by their new-found status. "I think the manager deals with that very well," said the youth boss. "He has a good feel for things and when to take the pressure off and have responsibility. "I think there are enough senior players in the squad to make sure that these lads are not asked too much of and also handle it properly." Sinclair was speaking at the launch of the Community Cashback Initiative, which offers all registered youth teams the opportunity to raise money for their clubs and access to reduced-price match tickets for Rangers' home league games. He was delighted to be able to put money back into grassroots football and, when asked about the standard of young Scottish players, remarked: "I do think there are too many people working too hard at youth development for us not to see some recovery." Hutton was given his chance after Kyle Lafferty fell and broke a finger while larking about with Wylde as they came off the team bus on the day of last week's Group D game at Ibrox. Sinclair joy at young Gers' success Fellow 19-year-old Wylde recalled: "It was just a wee incident coming off the bus and it was his fault, so he can't complain too much. "I was just happy for Kyle (Hutton), but after the incident I was bit scared about what the gaffer was going to say. "I didn't think at the start of the season I would have been involved throughout with the first team and hopefully I can get more games. "Kyle playing against Manchester United and a few others being involved in the first-team just shows that the gaffer's got belief in the young ones." Hutton joked that he would have to give Wylde "a pat on the back" and himself appeared to take playing against Sir Alex Ferguson's side in his stride. "It was absolutely great getting a start, particularly in the Champions League against Manchester United," he said. "Just standing there next to the Manchester United players and the music, it was a great feeling. Obviously, after that, the roar of the crowd is just fantastic. "I will never forget it, but nothing has changed. I will just keep doing what I have been doing and hopefully I will get another chance. "It is all down to me to see if I can take those chances and, who knows, maybe I can try to cement my place." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/9244416.stm

OK, so its not actually football related nor about the support, but its a start right? I'm just waiting for Celtic to find something to complain about.

From STV. He's been shit hot for us this season so it was only a matter of time before the EPL clubs were sniffing about.

Don't know much about Oguchi other than he's a beast.

IF Lloyds Bank had adopted the same tough approach over what it is owed by the Republic of Ireland as they have over Rangers' paltry debt, the Irish would be running around Dublin in their bare feet. For the Irish economy is in debt to the Lloyds bank of Archibald Gerard Kane and Manus Joseph J Fullerton to the tune of �£27BILLION. No, you didn't mis-read that. The Irish owe Lloyds a staggering �£27BILLION. It certainly makes the �£23m Rangers owe those bankers at Loyds look like chickenfeed. Yet Lloyds' determination to wring every last penny out of Rangers as quickly as possible, with no regard for what it is doing to the the success of the business, goes on apace. Which is in marked contrast to the largess they are proffering to that financial basket case which is the Republic of Ireland. And that begs the question I have posed more than once, and which has never been answered. Just what is it which motivates Loyds Bank and their senior bankers when it comes to putting the squeeze on Rangers? Lloyds continuing stranglehold on Rangers was once again cleverly highlighted by Walter Smith in the aftermath of his depleted team's narrow Champions League loss to star studded Manchester United. When asked if he thought he would be given any help in January, with the challenge of a run in the Europe League looming, coupled with the title defence stretching resources, Smith made it clear that in his view such help did not look likely. He will continue to have to fight off the Celtic challenge at home, and deal with the demands of Europe without Lloyds not only not helping, but actually hindering Rangers in their efforts to make money. Which is what will happen the more successful the team is. It is a strange way for the 41per cent taxpayers owner Lloyds to go about their business. Lloyds appear determined to ensure Rangers resources are restricted. The disparity of resources, if not performance over 180 minutes, beween Smith's two in a row Scottish Champions, and Manchester United, was something Sir Alex Ferguson chose to comment on too. According to Ferguson, that was at its most stark when you looked at the substitute's bench. For a start, United were able to muster their full compliment of seven, while Rangers could name only six. Fergie also spoke of the difference in class there, and considering his bench contained French captain Patrice Evra, nobody was arguing with the Laird of Govan. Given all of the above, Smith's Rangers have performed admirably in a difficult Champions League group, with United needing until the last four minutes of their second game against Rangers to score, and then only from a penalty. Valencia were outplayed at Ibrox, and should have been beaten, and while the Spaniards deserved their home win, the scoreline was not a fair reflection of the contest. Bursaspor were beaten on an wonderfully charged Ibrox Euro night, and whatever happens in Turkey, Rangers will have acquited themselves well in the Champions League. The oft malinged Rangers supporters have also done well. The singing against Manchester United was loud, long and lusty, but never stepped into the sort of territory the club's enemies were hoping for. Though perhaps, as you read this, Odious Creep - or one of his army of allies inside another Glasgow ground - are trawling through their Sky + box with sound enhancing equipment, in the hope they can dig up the murmer of somthing which can be forwarded to UEFA. Incidentally, UEFA must be close to considering setting up a department of Religious and Cultural Affairs to deal with the raft of moans they get from those of a Parkhead persusion. If they ever do, I have just the man in mind who would be perfect to take charge of it. Mike McCurry! I cannot however, come up with a name to solve the problem those bankers at Lloyds seem to have with Rangers measly �£23M debt, as opposed to the way they have allowed the Republic of Ireland to run up �£27BILLION on the slate. http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/2010/11/rangers-lloyds-and-ireland.html

WOULD-BE Rangers supremo Craig Whyte has been ordered to stay away from Ibrox for tonight's Battle of Britain showdown with Manchester United. Record Sport understands the Scottish billionaire and London-based property developer Andrew Ellis - who are locked in buy-out talks with majority shareholder Sir David Murray - have been forced to scrap plans to jet into Glasgow for the Champions League tie after a day of fraught legal discussions. Whyte and Ellis had hoped to arrive in Scotland at around lunchtime today to meet with club board members for the first time before watching Walter Smith's men take on English giants United in a mouth-watering Group C clash. But their plans bit the dust late last night after their lawyers were advised senior Rangers sources considered it would be "inappropriate" for the pair to be seen inside the stadium at such a sensitive stage in their �£32million takeover bid. Under the strict stockmarket code, Whyte and Ellis will only be given the green light to open formal talks with chairman Alastair Johnston AFTER they have shaken hands with Murray on a deal. However, no agreement has yet been struck and, despite the determination of Whyte and Ellis to press the flesh, Johnston has remained in the United States with no intention of attending tonight's big game at Ibrox . Rescue A seemingly sceptical Johnston adopted an aggressive public approach earlier this year when Ellis first failed to push through a planned rescue package for the stricken SPL champs. He repeatedly insisted that he would be willing to fly across the Atlantic at one or two days' notice to begin face-to-face talks. Last night a frustrated Ellis confirmed to Record Sport that he would not be attending the European clash with Sir Alex Ferguson's side. And he expressed his disappointment at missing out on both the game and the chance to meet with the Ibrox directors. Ellis said: "Craig and I had cleared our diaries and were very excited about the prospect of spending a couple of days in Glasgow . "We are very disappointed that we will now not be able to take in the match and meet with the directors. "I was obviously very much looking forward to meeting Alastair in particular." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2010/11/24/rangers-hit-would-be-owner-craig-whyte-with-big-match-ban-86908-22736151/

MANCHESTER UNITED are the only reason Sir Alex Ferguson never became boss of boyhood heroes Rangers. Ferguson turned down the chance to take over at Ibrox when he was at Aberdeen and his pal Alex McLeish claims it was because he had his eyes on the United job. Govan-born Fergie returns home to Gers tomorrow in the Champions League and McLeish - who played under him in the all-conquering Dons side 30 years ago - claims the club still has a place in his heart. He said: "Alex declined the chance to manage Rangers - but that was only for one reason. Even then he had this big vision of going to England and managing Manchester United. "Rangers weren't the only club he declined at that time. There was Arsenal and Tottenham too. "In my opinion, the boss was waiting for one club and one club only - United. The rest is history." McLeish was Gers boss when United won 1-0 at Ibrox in the Champions League seven years ago thanks to a Phil Neville strike. Big Eck remembers seeing the twinkle in Fergie's eye as he sat in his office after the game, reliving his days as a supporter and then a player at the club. McLeish, now boss at league rivals Birmingham, said: "Sir Alex still has a soft spot for Rangers after all these years. He loves walking into Ibrox and being inside. "I still remember him coming into my office when we played them in the Champions League seven years ago. "There was quite a big entourage in the of f ice that night. I can remember Andy Roxburgh being there, too. "But Sir Alex was holding court and he loved every minute of it. He was so pleased to be in the Rangers manager's office having a drink and a laugh. "It was good to see him walking through the door, even if the result hadn't been so good for us." And McLeish won't rule out a place in the Champions League last-16 for Rangers. It would take a shock win over Manchester United at Ibrox for that landmark to be reached but Big Eck thinks that's possible. And he's convinced Walter Smith has got better attacking options now than he had when he took his side to Manchester for the 2008 UEFA Cup Final. He said: "You look back on that time and realise that Rangers maybe didn't have all that much going for them in an attack. "There wasn't a huge threat about them going forward but I think Walter has come up with a way now where they can make chances." Rangers only scored five goals in eight matches on the way to the final against Zenit St. Petersburg and needed a penalty shoot-out in the match against Fiorentina to make the journey to Manchester. But McLeish sees greater all round strength about them now. He said: "Defensively speaking, Walter's got them looking sound. They lost plenty of goals in the Champions league last season but, apart from the last 20 minutes of the game against Valencia in Spain, that's not been the case this time. "That's why, looking in from the outside, I think they have a real chance against United. "I always thought they had a chance of pipping Valencia into the last-16 and if they beat United you never know what might happen. "I wouldn't rule that out by any means. If it does happen Rangers will have a great chance in the final game in Turkey against Bursaspor, especially since Valencia have to go to Old Trafford when United may need a win to qualify." Rangers' home form in the Champions League this season has increased McLeish's belief that the team, and the fans, could be in for a memorable night against the man who keeps Govan on the map from a Lancashire base. Eck said: "Rangers have been really good in their games against Bursaspor and Valencia. Walter's come up with a formula that suits the players at his disposal. "Not only does it work for them defensively, but they're making an impact going forward and look far more potent now." Despite Fergie's feelings for Rangers, he'll be focused on taking full points and defender Patrice Evra claims United want to wrap up qualification before their final game against Valencia. United play Arsenal six days later at Old Trafford and Evra claims they do not want to play Valencia, needing a result to go through. United require just a point at Ibrox to make the last 16 and Evra is confident they can cope with the hostile atmosphere. He said: "Our aim is to make sure that by the time we play Valencia we will have already qualified. "But that won't be easy. We know that it will be a big occasion for Rangers. The Scottish fans will make so much noise."

Just found this on NewsNow - http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=339%3Arangers-track-bundesliga-sensation&catid=1%3Aarticles&Itemid=67 This one too - http://www.rangersmedia.co.uk/homepage/index.php/component/content/article/41-finances/740-rangers-scout-p3m-rated-striker-cisse.html

How many threads this man used to create;). There were a lot for Boyd and a lot against him,'' shite player but great goal scorer '' was the common description of him. For the record I was a fan of Boyd,although I also agreed with the '' shite player but great goal scorer ''. When he left the Rangers I was dissapointed and also angry that he basically walked away from Rangers,angry because if he was going to leave then I felt he should have gone to Birmingham in the January transfer window and at least we would have got a decent amount of money for him,what really irked me though was when he was asking for a new contract to put him in line with Kenny Miller,I agreed with him,correct me if I'm wrong but he was offered that contract,then he said he wasn't signing until he was sure that Walter Smith was staying on as manager,then when WS said he was staying he then left anyway:ffs:. Now I know and agree with the fact that he ,or any other player,is entitled to see out his contract and leave but for a player who was on the whole a hero for most Rangers fans,me included,was it simply the money he left for or are there other factors which we don't know about??. He is a Rangers fan and was at the last game against the BHEASTS as a fan so what I'm wondering is how many of us Rangers fans thinks he regrets moving from Rangers ??, I mean he got his move and his money but surely as a Rangers fan he must be thinking he made the wrong decision to leave no ?, or do you think he is happy with his choice because of the money he has earned ?, or is it just me thinking that as a Rangers supporter?. For the record I never wanted him to leave,especially for nothing,but I know we don't miss him as much as I and a lot of fans thought mainly due to the fact that Kenny Miller has been banging the goals in. I just think the guy would have been better of staying at Rangers for himself as a player and fan.

First of all, I'd like to make clear I'm as excited as any other bear about today's news about a hitherto unknown Scottish millionaire supposedly being in the final stages of buying our football club. To have the debt cleared and a fresh new regime in charge of our future is intriguing and it's no wonder our fans are keen to find out more. And that is the key to judging this front page 'exclusive' - we must know more. It's all very well the James Traynor's and Darrell King's of this world bagging themselves a few more readers today but while the hyperbole sounds good, we need some meat added to the bones. Despite the public protestations of the club in recent months, private negotiations have been ongoing regarding the sale of it to a consortium of interested parties - some of whom may have pulled out, some not. These include the new face, 'turnaround specialist' Craig Whyte along with the previously named Andrew Ellis and Vladimir Antonov. Others such as current Rangers director Dave King may well be involved further down the line. Certainly, speculation in the background has been rife and, as always, it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Even in the newspaper reports of today we have no official club comment and can only take the word of 'sources' and 'insiders' amongst the usual sound-bites about debts, tax queries and war-chests. This is where our support must then ask themselves a few questions. The last decade has seen dramatic downsizing occur at our great club. From the extravagance of Dutch international signings and 5* training grounds, to the paucity of broken Jumbotrons and loan swaps with Aberdeen; never has our future been so worrying. Indeed, if it were not for the best efforts of Walter Smith and his players in delivering a UEFA Cup Final run and two SPL titles on the trot, the current debt of around �£25million would be much higher. Therefore, any removal of this debt and the associated inflexibility of the bank who hold it is definitely something to be happy about. The question is how does any new owner stop the same situation happening again? Does he invest more money into the squad and hope that this brings continued domestic success - as well as the crucial CL monies? Or does he maintain prudence and gamble on the qualities of the existing manager and players? Risk-taking is something that has been at the forefront of our club's strategy since Sir David Murray bought the club over 20 years ago. Some have come off [Walter Smith (twice), Mo Johnston and stadium improvements], some have not [Paul Le Guen, Tore Andre Flo and over-investment in the Advocaat era]. We don't have the luxury of such mistakes now so any new club administration must be aware of the risks involved. �£20million 'war-chests' make for good newspaper sales but I doubt Craig Whyte (or his associates) will be gifting this cash, so how do we eventually pay for it? Wouldn't we just be swapping one �£20million+ debt for another? If one positive has come out of the decade of downsizing it is that surely Rangers fans are more savvy than ever before. While we're all ambitious and have high expectations, we must accept that our future isn't one which can be gambled away on a whim. After all, we can all argue for or against the Murray era but one of the few consensuses between these camps is that it lacked vision, lacked planning and lacked supporter involvement. As such, before we back any new owner we must know more about their plans. Rangers supporters are the lifeblood of the club and our financial contribution has never been more important. Our loyalty and commitment should not be taken for granted and for our backing we're entitled to be treated with respect and worked with (instead of against) as we enter any new ownership era. Yes, we cautiously welcome the news of Craig Whyte's interest but there is much more to be done before we can accurately judge the merits of his intentions. This should not be done on the pages of tabloids but in direct consultation with a support eager for positive change. Actions speak louder than words.

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/madjid-bougherra-sidelined-for-three-weeks-1.1069311

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3231766/Ill-be-Walts-Oscar-winner.html Honduran guy on FM forum that I use suggests the guy is a fine player and that the interest is genuine. Can't so I know anything about him but hopefully we are interested in adding players to the squad.

Rangers kids are all on alert as Ibrox injury list begins to grow, reveals Kyle Hutton Nov 17 2010 By Gordon Parks KYLE HUTTON admits the early warning system has been switched on at Ibrox after Walter Smith placed every first-team hopeful on standby. The Scotland Under-21 midfielder was pitched into action for his first start against Dunfermline earlier this season as his Rangers gaffer enforces the club motto of being "ready" when opportunity knocks. After impressing against the Pars with a mature and confident display, the 19-year-old is desperate for another taste of the big time. And he insists the growing injury list has the Murray Park graduates on high alert. He said: "We've been told to keep ourselves ready and to stay focused with so many games coming up. It's a lot of pressure but I'm sure we can handle it. "You don't wish injuries on your team-mates. When they are injured though you're hoping you'll get a shout next. "I was crossing my fingers for it but I wasn't expecting it against Dunfermline. The way it has came has been brilliant for me. "I was told about an hour and a half before kick-off that I was starting against Dunfermline. "Ally McCoist had revealed the team and my name was there so I had to get my head right and I did well. "A few hours before the game I heard rumours that I might get my start among the boys. "But I wasn't getting too excited in case I got disappointed. When I saw my name I was buzzing. "There's always nerves but when the whistle blows everything goes out your head and you're concentrating on the game. If you get told a good few hours before kick-off it can go against you so knowing so late on probably was the right way for me. "I was just happy the way it all went and hopefully I just get another chance." Hutton has handled the transition from youth-team prospect to top-team fringe player with little fuss and he knows the threadbare nature of the Gers squad could give him his chance to get established this term. He said: "Training with first-team players every day makes you a better player. It's a brilliant experience and hopefully I can get a few more games under my belt. "The squad is small and the younger guys, like myself, have had their chances. "Some of us have taken them and we're hoping because the squad's that small we can get a lot more games. That's the goal for us this season." The youngster made his debut in the opening fixture of the season against Kilmarnock by coming on as a substitute. "But his start against the Pars has been the highlight so far and he paid tribute to two first-team stars for helping him settle into the Gers squad. He said: "Big Davie Weir helps everyone and I played alongside Steven Davis in the Dunfermline game. "He talked me through it and helped me a lot so I'd say the two of them have helped. "Steve's a bit more attacking. He's a great player. It wouldn't be bad to turn out like Steve. I'm more of a holding player, that's where the gaffer sees me. "I've played that holding roll for the Under-19s so it's one I'm going to keep going at." The midfield powerhouse has been promoted into Billy Stark's Scotland Under-21 squad that will face Northern Ireland at Firhill in a friendly tonight. And Hutton is gearing up for another European Championship campaign. The draw will take place next February and the Rangers kid confessed the preparation has already started to try to go one step further than the last crop by earning a place in the finals. He said: "We've got a good squad and there will be an expectation for us to go that bit further than the boys did last year. I'm sure we can have a good shot of making it." The added attention of being a more familiar face at Rangers is something Hutton is happy to deal with. He said: "You do get noticed a bit more when you're out and about. People will come up to you, shake your hand and tell you to keep things going. "It's changed a lot for me since playing for the first team but it comes hand in hand with getting into the first team. "I'm not complaining about it. Hopefully there's more attention to come." Boss Stark is looking forward to get his newlook squad in action. And he revealed he'll be experimenting with various options in a game that will provide a pointer for the Euro campaign early next year. He said: "Friendlies are preparation games and unfortunately you're still judged to an extent. "We would argue we shouldn't be as we're trying things out and getting to see what the players can do. But at the same time it's about the boys showing belief. "Northern Ireland will be difficult as they are a relatively young squad. "But 11 or 12 of them played in the last championship. So they have great experience. "It's important we get the group together and they get to know us. "The more we work with them, the more we will have a better chance of gelling them together and making them a unit. "You can never be entirely sure of the chemistry of squads but as a manager you try to initiate that feeling where they want to go and fight for their team-mates. "But in terms of characters, I would like to think we would have the same sort of spirit we had the last time. "That togetherness is crucial if we are going to do anything. It's another reason to use every chance to bring the group together."

IT'S a couple of months now since Jim Traynor, in his Daily Record column, first wrote that Walter Smith is perfect for the role of performance director at the Scottish Football Association. As is so often the case, Traynor was not only bang on the money, but, again as he often is, ahead of the game. But in the immediate aftermath of that Traynor column there was no reaction from Smith. Then, when Sir Alex Ferguson told Scottish Sunday reporters, ahead of the Champions League game, that he thought his old pal should not quit Rangers, Smith made it clear he was not for turning. He used a special pre-arranged, and pre UEFA press conference, briefing with Scottish daily newspaper reporters in the Europa Suite at Old Trafford the day before the match. It provided back pages for all of Scotland's newspapers - except one. Just to remind you...that is the one Odious Creep swans around representing. He missed out on the significant and cracking tale, because he failed to get there on time, thus denying readers of the Scottish edition of the Times, Smith's reaction to the Fergie story which had appeared in a number of mass circulation Sundays. But enough of Creep. For now! Since then things had gone kind of quiet on the subject of what exactly Smith will do when he steps down as Rangers manager at the end of the season. That was until he appeared at Sunday's Scotland Hall of Fame function to pick up his award, and discuss that future. And it is a future which, according to the best and most successful manager Scottish football has seen for more than 30 years, will see him stay in football. Clearly he would not take on a role at any other club in Scotland, so unless his old chum at Old Trafford has something in mind for him, Smith is available to make a contribution to the greater good of Scottish football. Armed with that information, Scotland manager, Craig Levein now has the chance to stand up and make it clear to his SFA paymasters they would be mugs not to approach Smith. Levein, we have been told, will have a major input regarding who is appointed as Scotland's performance director. Campbell Ogilvie, who will assume the presidency in the summer, will no doubt also have a major say. When a Scotland manager is appointed the procedure is that the four office bearers, plus the chief executive, make a recommendation to the board of directors. This time around new chief executive Stewart Regan's lack of local knowledge will needless to say make him less influential than Gordon Smith and David Taylor were. If the board does not approve the name, then those office bearers - though on this occasion maybe not Regan - have no alternative but to resign. That power is currently held by president, George Peat, first vice president Ogilvie and second vice president, Alan McRae. Of course they will no doubt pay heed to the contents of the special report from former first minister, Henry "it's a muddle not a fiddle" McLeish. But really, ask yourself the question....is there anyone better qualified for the job than Walter Smith? It is question which has already been answered by one of the oldest and wisest heads in Scottish football, Craig Brown. Motherwel's former Scotland manager, is both eloquent and wise. In fact, if Smith does not fancy a return to the SFA, where he saved Scotland from the brink of oblivion it had been taken to by Berti Vogts, then Broon is the obvious choice. However, we have to remember, this is the Scottish Football Association we are dealing with. The organisation which seemed in a hury to get rid of Brown, which inflicted Vogts on the nation, and even more recently, landed the Scots with George Burley. Therefore the possibility of it making another mess of things is more distinct than distant. Before landing themselves in another fine mess, the Scottish Football Association should take note of three things. Number one....Jim Traynor pointed out two months ago, Smith is the ideal man to become Scottish football's director of performance. Number two....Craig Brown has made clear his backing for Smith to be appointed. Number three ... and most important of all, Walter Smith has given a clear indication he wants to keep working after he leaves Rangers. Now then, what's that modern phrase? Ah yes.... IT'S A NO BRAINER! 31 Comments below: http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/2010/11/sfa-would-be-silly-to-snub-smith.html

Rangers' departing manager Walter Smith insists he is not ready to retire at the end of the season. More...

I thought the Man Utd game was this midweek. Thankfully it's not.

Walter Smith is unsure whether Maurice Edu is facing a spell on the sidelines after injuring his knee. More...

Walter Smith has been quoted from the pre-match press conferences for this weekend�s match as saying that whilst we had been winning matches, we hadn�t been at our best. We had a 9 game winning streak in the SPL allied to a couple of cup victories and an unbeaten first round of fixtures against each of our Champions League opponents. Much had been made of Celtic�s unbeaten run, well unbeaten if you don�t count European matches, matches against lower division opposition and matches of any significance. Ahead of our trip to Parkhead there was a sense of an Old Firm match perhaps taking on more importance than normal. Could Celtic continue this run or could Smith reassert Rangers dominance over the SPL. As is his want, Smith once more oversaw victory against our rivals and had the majority of the support believing we were nigh on unbeatable, at least within our own borders. Draws at Old Trafford and against Valencia and victory over the Champions of Turkey reaffirmed this view. Since Parkhead, although we have not been derailed we have been redirected. Merely turning up is not enough to sweep past all opposition in the SPL. Smith admits that first and foremost we must start playing well if we are to expect such regularity of victories again. Inverness was a regrettable and avoidable banana skin. In spite of an impressive away record for the highlanders, further extended in defeating our next opponents Aberdeen this midweek past, we should have had too much quality for them. Indeed we created enough chances to win. And although we had chances against Hibs, the less said about a 3-0 defeat at Ibrox the better. Rather than taking advantage of Celtic�s defeat at Tynecastle, a fixture highlighted as difficult, we have confirmed what ICT suggested. We are not infallible. We are not invincible. We must treat opposition with respect (though not too much Walter). We must be prepared, we must be committed and we must earn the three points each and every week. The manager has highlighted a depleted squad and an excuse of fatigue and tiredness. We hear these same justifications annually now. Yet we are just 18 games into the league season. In his 3 full seasons here, Davie Weir has played 61, 47 and 51 games. If the squad elder statesman can compete in so many games it is a poor reflection on his younger team mates if they are tired only a third of the way through the league campaign. If they are tired already they, and we, are in for a very long season. With matches coming thick and fast and a small pool of players it is going to take a fair amount of manipulation from the manager to keep the squad fresh and competitive. However, I would contend that it is the player�s mental states and not physical fatigue that is cause for concern. The midweek defeat was a shocking result, but given we lost no ground in the title race, maintaining pole position, it may serve as a useful reminder to the team that we must be mentally prepared for all challenges. We must respect all opposition whether they are a provincial team, a capital club supposedly in turmoil or, as with this weekend, a club living on past glories and failing to accept its new position in the game. It is up to the management to re-focus the players. Remind them the opposition will not roll up and roll over accepting defeat. If the team are mentally attuned to the challenge our opponents present, more often than not our superior quality will see us triumphant and drive us towards league title no. 54.

PATIENCE is rarely a virtue when it comes to the Old Firm but Walter Smith believes he's now reaping the rewards of a slow-burner approach with key members of his squad. The Ibrox boss is only too aware that a quick-fix is normally the order of the day at Rangers or Celtic. But after adopting the strategy used by Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Smith feels the long-term approach taken with the signing of guys such as Steven Naismith, Kyle Lafferty, Kirk Broadfoot and Steven Whittaker is now paying dividends. Whittaker has blossomed into a genuine top-class performer after a tentative start to his Ibrox career, Lafferty is finally coming good while Naismith has arguably been the best player in the country during the first four months of the season. And Smith said: "Patience and the Old Firm don't go hand in hand but I felt we had to look longer term because of the position we were in. "In the past, we looked for players who would be instant successes and the pressure was on us to do that. Now we have to look a bit further into the future. "At Man United, for example, they bring in younger players and the older ones in the group handle that situation and help bring them on. "Cristiano Ronaldo scored five or six goals in his first two or three seasons then all of a sudden he was into the 20s, 30s and 40s by his last season. "You have to allow these players time to mature. The same thing has happened with a number of our players although we had a problem with Naismith in that his injury interrupted the process. "With Whittaker, he has met the demands of playing for the Old Firm and it has improved him as a player. "Some players don't handle the constant pressure but the majority of the group we've got have handled it extremely well and revelled in it in many ways." As he geared up for tonight's visit of Hibs, Smith revealed the obstacles players must overcome if they are to meet the unique demands of playing for the Old Firm. He said: "Players in their late teens and early 20s often produce a good performance and then go down a bit. "With Naismith, you could see his level of ability, but he might not be the same in another game. "The main thing players gain here is a consistency of performance and you can see it with Naismith now. "Whittaker and Broadfoot have raised their levels too and young John Fleck is coming in just now. "He has been here for a few years and knows the demands but it takes these players a while to impose themselves on games. John is going to have to start where Naismith started." Colin Calderwood brings his struggling Hibs side to Ibrox on the back of three straight defeats, including a brutal beating in Sunday's derby at home to Hearts. But Smith has warned his players to be wary of a backlash from the Easter Road outfit who roll up in Govan with nothing to lose. Three points pretty much looks a given for the SPL leaders on paper although Smith admits he is still concerned by the damaging effect of his team's gruelling Champions League campaign. The Gers boss feels his side's mental focus has been blunted in recent weeks on the back of tough European assignments. It's a an affliction not just confined to his own team, with Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal and Group C rivals Valencia all losing at the weekend after being on Champions League the previous midweek. Smith said: "It is not always a physical thing. It is a mental thing. Look at Spurs. "How do they go from beating European champions Inter Milan to losing at Bolton? "Mentally, you are not attuning yourself to the game. "We've handled our matches after Champions League fixtures OK but have been slow to start them. "At St Mirren the other day we had 76 per cent possession in the first half but we never had the edge to go any further. I don't think their keeper had a save to make other than punching the ball into his own goal. "You need that extra edge and we got it for the first 25 minutes of the second half. "It's a natural thing to happen and it is difficult to counter. "Man United do it by changing players and they've also got to a situation where they are well used to it. It's normal. "For us, we have to expend a hell of a lot of energy in the Champions League and we need to do it in every game. "Tottenham are in their first year in the contest and they are seeing it as well. It is a problem. Last season, we dropped a fair number of points after European games and it was a bit of a concern. It still is as we have a hell of a run of fixtures right now. "The edge has come off the team in spells. "We scored the first goal against Inverness and then just played within the game. The edge was missing. "But we have a small group and can't really change things round. "We've been a bit flat in several matches. We have Hibs and Aberdeen next. They have both shown us before that they will make it difficult and these two games are dangerous ones." TeamNews Vladimir Weiss is in line to play against Hibs at Ibrox tonight despite struggling with injury. The Slovakian winger has been troubled with severe bruising on his heel but has trained over the last couple of days and will be available for selection. Rangers manager Walter Smith has no fresh injury concerns but long-term crocks Andy Webster, James Beattie and Nikica Jelavic are still sidelined. BETBOX Kenny Miller can't stop scoring in the SPL and has six in four games against his former club (including a hat-trick this season). Back Miller to score two or more at 5-2. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2010/11/10/walter-smith-rangers-long-term-policy-of-investing-in-youth-has-paid-off-86908-22705747/

Walter Smith expects national team coaches to give some consideration to his Rangers players next week. More...

The phrase "stop start" doesn't quite do justice to the ups and downs in the nascent career of John Fleck. Having only turned 19 in August, Fleck seems to have been around the scene at Rangers for ages, having made his first-team debut in a pre-season tour at 15, his league debut at 16, and set a record as the youngest ever player in a Scottish Cup final when he came on for the last five minutes of the 2008 win over Queen of the South, aged just 16 years and 274 days. So much was expected of him that Fleck appeared to be overwhelmed by the hype, which included being nominated as Scotland's Wayne Rooney, only for him to suffer a disappointingly long spell off the boil. It must be mentioned that he had some extra-curricular problems that would have been normal teenage activity - a tantrum here, an illicit pub visit there - except for the fact that he lives in the Old Firm goldfish bowl where all such misdemeanors are exaggerated into grand felonies. In retrospect, was that early introduction to the big time a hindrance rather than a help? The lad himself is uncertain. "I thought it was great being involved," said Fleck, "but maybe it was too early. I'm not so sure myself, but I just did my best and got out of it what I got out of it. I just tried to let (all the hype] go past me, but obviously there was a bit of pressure on my shoulders with everybody expecting me to do probably a lot more than I did. But I just tried to get on with it myself and do the best that I could." Season 2010-11 was supposed to see Fleck put all that behind him and make the impact which his undoubted talents demand, only for the player to injure a hamstring during a pre-season friendly with Clyde. He made his belated return for 45 minutes against Inverness last week and looked fit again. Fleck explained: "It was just a wee tear of my hamstring at the start, but I did it another twice when I came back into training. It was obviously very disappointing because I just wanted to get back as quickly as I could. Maybe that was the wrong thing to do. "After the last time I did it I had a few weeks off, and that's me back fine to full fitness now." He is trying to break into a team that is unbeaten in the league as Rangers prepare to face St Mirren today in the final match of the opening third of the season, and as such he is realistic enough to know an early return is no gimme. "The team's been doing well, so you can't expect to go straight back in," said Fleck. "You just have to take your chance when it comes. "Everybody's fighting for their places just now, you can't complain because they can't get left out with how well they've been doing." That includes the Champions League matches he sorely misse I felt bad for myself, but the boys did great, which is the main thing that matters here. It's not more important than any other season to me, but the more games I get the better it's going to be for me." His manager Walter Smith has mentioned the possibility of a midfield role for the youngster. Fleck said: "I like playing behind the strikers, but I'd play anywhere really to try to get a shot. "I've played centre-mid, on the left and just off the strikers. I feel comfortable in any of the positions. Wherever I'm put in, I'll just do my best. I'm an attacking player, but I have been working on defending. When you've not got the ball, you've got to get back for the rest of the boys and not let them down." Many Rangers fans thought that Fleck being handed the No.10 jersey for the season after signing a three-year deal was a sure sign that he would be a regular first choice player, but it has not worked out that way. "There's a lot of people keep saying that to me, how did I get the No.10 jersey, but it doesn't bother me. I could wear No.50, it's not a problem to me. If anybody else wants the number, they can take it. "It was Nacho Novo, he said to (kit man] Jimmy Bell to give it to me. Obviously I was happy, but any number is good to me." Fleck will be in the squad for today's match at St Mirren Park, and Smith is delighted that the player's career could soon be back on track: "He started the season really well in Australia, but the injury has gone on for two months. I hope this season he will get more playing time and have more influence on games. His attitude has always been good and there is more of a realisation in him now about what he has to do to make the step up from youth football." The prospect of a fit John Fleck back to his best would have the fans drooling at Ibrox, but this time around, everyone concerned about his future for Rangers and Scotland should perhaps resist hyperbolic urges. "Give the boy time" is the message. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport/Interview-John-Fleck-Rangers-player.6615898.jp?articlepage=2

Here we go again:) Spanish giants Sevilla have become the latest big-name club to show an interest in Rangers keeper Allan McGregor. SportTimes understands the La Liga side had a delegation at Rangersââ?¬â?¢ Champions League clash with Valencia on Tuesday to run the rule over the Ibrox No.1 It now looks almost certain that following his heroics against Spain for Scotland, and his display in the Mestalla, McGregor will be the subject of a bid either in the January transfer window or the summer. McGregor is also believed to be on the radar of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as he looks to find a successor for veteran keeper Edwin Van der Sar. However, Gers have moved quickly to make sure that they have long-term cover in place with McGregorââ?¬â?¢s deputy, Neil Alexander, penning a new deal to stay at Ibrox until 2013. Alexander said: ââ?¬Å?I have always said that I am happy at Rangers. As a young boy growing up you look at Rangers as one of the top clubs in the world and I always wanted to play for a club like that. ââ?¬Å?I have worked my whole career to get to a club like Rangers so why would I want to be in a hurry to leave? ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m just delighted to be involved in the tremendous successes at Rangers. I hadnââ?¬â?¢t won a lot before I came to Rangers and now I have won every domestic honour going so itââ?¬â?¢s fantastic. I am very keen to win more.ââ?¬Â With McGregor in the form of his life, Alexanderââ?¬â?¢s only SPL appearance this season came when the Gers number one was suspended for the 4-1 win over Motherwell. He has also been given the nod by manager Walter Smith in the Co-operative Insurance Cup this term, while the former Cardiff and Ipswich keeper has played in four cup finals since arriving at Ibrox in January 2008. The 32-year-old said: ââ?¬Å?Obviously I would like to play more when these games come along itââ?¬â?¢s great.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/sevilla-join-chase-for-keeper-allan-mcgregor-1.1066281

Walter Smith has played down speculation linking Allan McGregor with a move to Manchester United. More...