Search the Community

Manager Walter Smith claims Rangers are unlikely to splash out in the January transfer window. More...

From the Mirror. No quotes from Rangers or the player himself. Great, another injury jinxed star. Do we never learn?

Walter Smith is welcoming the extra pressure after Rangers' unbeaten start to their Champions League campaign. More...

Who knows what's going on in Websters head.

Walter Smith has challenged his current crop of Rangers' players to make their own history on Saturday. More...

I imagine he's got way too much on his mind already and these things are much better coming afterwards in any case but it would be nice to think someone somewhere is considering how to get Walter Smith on that knighthood shortlist when the time comes. Or will protocol prevent his elevation on the basis that the Bog Bawface didny get wan?

Rangers boss Walter Smith has confirmed Andy Webster will be given a chance to shine against Kilmarnock. More...

From The Scotsman Pity this game isn't on TV tonight as I'm looking forward to seeing Hutton play.

It's already been a few days since Rangers' splendid away win against Celtic at Parkhead. Most commentators have admitted we were the better team and most Rangers fans could have predicted our superior strength against a Celtic squad which lacks leadership in the way our team has from Walter Smith and David Weir. Unfortunately, once again much of the talk has been about the performance of the referee. And in many ways, this is a fair debate but, once again, this debate lacks balance and Celtic FC and their manager are attempting to use it to deflect from their own failings. Only a week after their last letter to the SFA for an explanation regarding an over-turned penalty ruling, Neil Lennon has admitted they have once again contacted Hampden over Willie Collum's decision to award Rangers a penalty on Sunday. For those that haven't seen this incident, it was certainly a debatable one but the following double-picture from Willie Vass captures it perfectly. Note, first and foremost, how Collum had the ideal view despite the myth that his back was turned. Furthermore, note that not only did the knee of the Celtic defender hinder Broadfoot's attempt to move past the player but he had both hands on the chest of the Rangers full back to also impede his progress. To conclude, two points of contact and arguably enough of an obstruction to make a foul the obvious choice for the referee. Was it soft? Yes, I'll be honest and say it was and I also agree Broadfoot made the most of the contact discussed. If Celtic had benefited from such a decision I'd be similarly frustrated. However, if we're being balanced, then we must remember that last week Celtic expected a penalty for a similar incident where Gary Kenneth barely touched their forward. In addition, the incident immediately after this where Dougie McDonald initially gave a penalty, Celtic wanted the decision upheld despite the goalkeeper actually getting a touch on the ball. Indeed, their manager was so incensed at this, he verbally and physically abused the officials as they rightly rescinded their decision. Yet, the same person wants an explanation for an incident where his defender didn't touch the ball and did make contact with an opposition forward. Now, Celtic are entitled to their opinion and why shouldn't they raise it with the SFA. After all, Collum did have a poor game but one doubts whether or not Celtic's enquiry will have the balance within it for the beaks to take it seriously. For example does it mention Anthony Stokes' assault on Sasa Papac within the first 2 mins which was only punished by a yellow card? Does it mention a Rangers player being booked immediately afterwards for a tackle which won the ball strongly but fairly? Does it mention a Celtic player not being booked for a horror challenge on the ankle of Bougherra? Does it mention the same player being absolved of blame for 'kneeing' the Rangers goalkeeper on the head while he was prone on the ground? Does it mention several of their players' inclination to push the opposition when upset with refereeing decisions? Does it mention a player who has already managed to avoid a red card only being cautioned for a late assault from behind on Scotland's best player this season? These examples of Celtic benefiting from officiating errors are only in Sunday's match - need we examine historic similar contests? After all, Celtic want transparency within the Scottish game, so perhaps they'll be keen to make their contents of their various letters public to we can all accurately judge their intent over their cynicism? And this is the crux of the debate; what exactly are their motives here? Last season (and historically) their fans, players, manager and club administration have made it completely clear they feel elements of Scottish football (be it officials, the SFA, the SPL and even other teams) are conspiring against them. Indeed, during many supporter 'road-shows' of which Lennon and other club figures attended, they were keen to drum up support for these conspiracy theories. Apparently, they are worried over the number of 'honest mistakes' made against Celtic. Of course, honesty (or the implied lack of same) doesn't even come into it. Let's be clear here: Celtic FC are attempting to suggest officials (and others apparently) cheat in favour of Rangers in Scotland. That is patently untrue and I feel sorry for any Celtic fan buying this red herring from a club management which will do anything to deflect blame from themselves as they lurch from one failure to the next. Indeed, one should find these unsubstantiated theories funny but their claims are now going beyond mirth given the complications facing those being charged by the Celtic kangaroo court. Unfortunately, when the safety of officials is again a concern then Celtic should be reconsidering their approach. Every club in football has their fair share of decisions go for and against them. This is part and parcel of the game and in an era where super slo-mo replays from countless angles can often throw up more questions than answers then the referee has it even more difficult than before. In this case patience is a virtue and I'm glad Walter Smith is one of the few managers who agrees that referees deserve our backing; not our accusations. Therefore, for anyone to embark on a very public crusade of questioning officials' integrity to the scale of threatening their well-being is not only disingenuous but dangerous. Instead of making a point privately they could be arguably entitled to make, instead they only detract from it and cause more problems that actually existed in the first place. Considering Neil Lennon has suffered from violence and depression himself for doing no more than his job, perhaps he should reconsider his approach to ensure Scottish referees do not suffer from the same miseries for doing their best in an tense atmosphere Celtic have historically contributed more than anyone to creating. Football is an imperfect sport and we all feel hard done by from time to time. For anyone - least of all one of Scotland's biggest clubs - to suggest this goes beyond bad luck to deliberate and concious judgements against them isn't just unacceptable but provides a clear and present danger to the credibility of the game in this country. Celtic FC should be ashamed of themselves and anyone who panders to this ongoing 'always cheated, never defeated' mantra are equally guilty of bringing our proud national sport into disrepute.

Walter Smith insists the team cruelly branded one of the worst in Rangers' history have proved themselves to be one of the BEST. Gers gaffer Smith piled the praise on his Treble-chasing stars ahead of tonight's Co-op Cup quarter-final clash at Kilmarnock. After Sunday's storming Old Firm win over Celtic, the cup holders remain unbeaten in their best start to a season in 89 YEARS. Not bad for a bunch of long-ball bruisers not fit to wear the jersey! Smith said: "People are never happy. "There is a happy medium in every situation, but in our country we never seem to achieve that. "We were rotten and now we've been compared to really successful sides. "But we ARE a successful team and we have a strong group of players. "The challenge is to maintain the good start. "If this team is getting compared with teams of the past then that's fine, I have no problem with that. "I am as proud of this team as I am of any team I've managed in the past. "Particularly because the circumstances are so different. "They have a good work ethic in their play. They all work very hard. "We might not have what people consider to be star players, but we do have good players spread throughout our team. "They have accepted every challenge I've given them. "If everyone is starting to make comparisons, that's a step forward for this team. Because in the past they haven't been regarded as half decent. "The team wants to keep winning. "We have a lot of awkward situations because of the predicament we are in. "If you are setting out to try and win a Treble it would be very difficult for this group to handle all those games and achieve that." Such is their desire and collective will to win that this Gers side NEVER knows when its beaten. In five league games this season they have fallen behind. Five times they have come storming back to win. But the tests just keep on coming in a hectic programme. Smith added: "When teams stay together for a period of time then a spirit is forged. "That's not exclusive to Rangers. "Our group has played together for a number of years and in any walk of life there would be resilience if they have bonded well. "Our group has done that. "We've had the same group for a couple of years and they have got a strong bond. But we're asking an awful lot from the players, I realise that. This next stage, in the run-up to Christmas, will be crucial. "We have quite a number of games before the end of the year so it will be a big test." Smith will make several changes for tonight's clash against Killie. But he expects those who come in to reach the high standards which have been set. He warned: "It's about guarding against complacency. "We've just finished an intense seven days after the games against Valencia and Celtic. "Also, the lads who were away with Scotland played in the Czech Republic and against Spain. "These games are not just tiring in a physical sense, but mentally they are very difficult. "A game against Spain would be a drain on anyone especially given the manner in which they play. "You need high levels of concentration for all these matches. These are big games for all the players. "It helps the teams if they are not losing, but there is always motivation to win. You know you are going to face disappointments in a season - that's a certainty. "We have a decent level of confidence about us, but we have to be extremely careful." Gers will be without injured defender Sasa Papac at Rugby Park tonight, but Andy Webster could get a rare start. Smith added: "Papac will miss the game, but we have a situation where one or two could be doing with a rest. "The international lads, for example, have played a lot of football already this season. "The likes of John Fleck and James Beattie will feature." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3198108/Ticket-to-pride.html#ixzz13Y9ae9Al

As the cold of winter arrives in earnest, a familiar battle will take place in the East End of Glasgow this weekend as Rangers and Celtic meet in the first Old Firm fixture of this season. While different congregations at hundreds of churches throughout Scotland give their religious thanks, supporters of the Old Firm will be making very different prayers as their own idols take to the field on Sunday lunch-time. With both teams neck and neck at the top of the SPL, who will blink first in the world's greatest derby match? Confidence will be especially high in the away dressing room as Rangers remain the only unbeaten team in Scotland. Yes, Celtic (and Berwick) also remain undefeated in their league campaigns but the Light Blues have suffered no losses in other competitions which means an impressive start to the season. Of course the unmatched tribalism and bragging rights of an Old Firm victory means this would mean nothing if we did lose on Sunday so the pressure remains high on Walter Smith and his group of players. So far they've responded to this incredibly well; coming back from being behind several times and matching Europe's elite in one-off matches - home and away. Can they do the same against their greatest rivals? Perhaps the most bizarre aspect of our success this season will be the difficulty in selecting a team for this hugely important game. Using a 4-4-2 domestically we've looked less strong defensively but have scored 22 goals (6 more than Celtic) so far. Meanwhile, in Europe, an old-fashioned 5-4-1 has proven a surprise success enabling us to defend stoutly and counter-attack effectively in games where we know there will be periods we'll have to be patient. As such, our manager will have to decide which of these two markedly different strategies to select for a game against a Celtic team who are playing well and who are stronger at the back than in recent seasons domestically. However, they have conceded goals against tougher opposition so will Walter be tempted to be more adventurous? Another boost is that, other than the unfortunate Nikica Jelavic, apparently the manager will have a full squad to pick from. Not only has John Fleck recovered from injury but Lee McCulloch and Kirk Broadfoot will both supposedly be available after their respective strains. Conversely, this provides another dilemma in that if he does bring them back, who does he drop from a team who've played well in their absence? Starting with defence then and 5 of the players should pick themselves if fit. Allan McGregor, Steven Whittaker, Davie Weir, Madjid Bougherra and Sasa Papac will all play irrespective of a 4 or 5 man back-line. The only question will be does Smith supplement this well-kent unit with Ricky Foster or Kirk Broadfoot and dispense with an extra striker? This will be one of the key decisions of Smith's season so far and it is impossible to answer the question with any real confidence. Moving into midfield and one would expect the same group which has played against Motherwell and Valencia to good effect. Naismith, Davis, Edu and Weiss are all talented players but perhaps lack the steel required for the inevitable Old Firm physical battle. Therefore, if McCulloch is indeed fit, a recall for him is possible meaning Weiss or Edu may make way. Of course if Smith opts for a more orthodox 4-5-1, all these players may well feature which may arguably give us a better balance of attack and defence. However, the manager has been at pains to say he's not enjoying the necessary tactical changes between the SPL and Europe so another system (albeit one we've used well under Smith) may not be agreeable. This conundrum brings us nicely to our forward options. Obviously Kenny Miller will be favourite to assume the lone-striker role but will his disappointing misses of Wednesday night affect his confidence? With the Jelavic injury, we are limited in our choices for attack. Kyle Lafferty seems to be playing well so he will feature at some point; either as a partner for Miller or in a deeper role which he's not so convincing in. There is the chance that Smith will throw in a wild card such as John Fleck but given his lack of games that is improbable. All in all, with Celtic favouring an attacking outlook of late, I feel Smith will choose to maintain the European formation which has served him well so far. While this may appear overly defensive, in actual fact, it enables us to get bodies into midfield and attack extremely efficiently at any given time. Midfielders such as Davis, Weiss and Naismith are all natural attacking players so they should be able to support Miller easily enough while also doing the spade-work to help their defence. The only decision for Smith to make will be whether or not to stick with the inexperience of Edu or opt for the strength of Lee McCulloch. I certainly don't envy the manager his job this weekend! Possible team (5-4-1): :sw: :mb: :sp: :kb: :sn: :sd: :me: :vw: Prediction: Celtic 2 - 2 Rangers :spl: :robbo:

Walter Smith agrees with Michel Platini's assessment that referees needs to be masochists to do the job. More...

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/rangers-may-finally-start-to-get-credit-they-deserve-1.1063478 I'm fairly sure we took the lead against Valencia ya clown! Still, some grudging praise is nice

Red, white and blue scarf tied tightly round his neck, Ally steps out of the echoing close into the crisp sunlit day. He exhales his hangover, and turns the stark winter air moist. He should have stopped drinking earlier on Sunday morning. He should be sleeping now. But he didnââ?¬â?¢t, and heââ?¬â?¢s not. A few miles away in town, one of the few remaining construction projects is running behind. The bosses, with furtive fears of administration, are offering triple time to the cash strapped workers. The site should be a buzzing hive of reluctant industry. But itââ?¬â?¢s not. On Old Firm day that which ought to be the case often isnââ?¬â?¢t. And at roughly 1:30pm, the away side lost the precious first goal. The half drew to a tentative close. Statistically speaking, an away win should never have been possible. As referee Willie Collum blows the half time whistle, the Celtic players walk towards the tunnel, punching clenched fists in the air. The fans join their players in frenzied optimism: around Parkhead tens of thousands of 'people' who understand the importance of the first goal; the importance of being the first to draw blood. However, a sidewards glance towards the Rangers fans shows despondency notable only by its absence. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve been here several times already this season. They watch the players follow their manager off the park ââ?¬â?? bloodied, yes, but unbowed. What they canââ?¬â?¢t see behind the resolute expressions is the determined machinations of implacable will. As well as an often neglected portion of skill, it is this invisible and limitless determination which has brought Rangers back from behind in 4 out of 9 games, and held the cream of European football to creditable draws. If it had a face, it would be rosy red with thinning silver hair. If it had a voice, it would be soft and polite and prone to saying ââ?¬Å?From our own perspectiveââ?¬Â. Walter Smith has overseen the best start to a Rangers season since the 1920s and Bill Struth. The Old Firm victory he tasted at the final whistle has not lost its sweetness for its familiarity. In the clamour of vitriolic noises about cheating and referees, an unholy choir led by defeated managerial neophyte Neil Lennon, at least one Celtic Fan doesnââ?¬â?¢t lend his voice. Instead he writes ââ?¬Å?Hurry up and retire Walter Smithââ?¬Â on Facebook and goes to sleep. While many column inches will be devoted to the patterns of play, horrific fouls, penalty decisions, missed opportunities and relative quality of the players, the difference between Rangers and Celtic at the moment is just one man. A man that tried to sign Glen Loovens, against whose thigh the ball ricocheted and, with a fatalistic sense of inevitability, tumbled towards goal - tipping the balance of the game irrevocably back towards Rangers. At the final whistle both Celtic fans and Rangers fans find it hard to imagine Glen Loovens as a commanding and worthwhile centre half ââ?¬â?? the former in their despair, the latter in their relief. Yet the man who typified Celticââ?¬â?¢s surrender would no doubt have started the game had he chose Rangers. He may even have been man of the match, and joined a list of names including Cuellar, Naismith, Broadfoot, Bougherra, Miller and Papac in becoming more, under Walter Smith, than they had previously ever been elsewhere. He perhaps should have. But he didnââ?¬â?¢t. A few hundred miles south of Glasgow, Dave steps out into a contrastingly warm early winter Sunday morning. He misses Glasgow, he wishes he was home in the stark winter air, under the cold and cloudless autumnal sky. Yet he has an odd satisfied expression on his face. He has spent half an hour scanning odds, and stumbled across a bet that he likes. Celtic Half Time, Rangers Full Time. It is a silly bet. Away sides donââ?¬â?¢t come from behind on Old Firm day to win the game. He got such good odds because itââ?¬â?¢s a result that should never have been possible. But it was. By 3pm, Rangers have shown why theyââ?¬â?¢re champions and Dave has collected his winnings. By 5pm he has drunk them. He should really be in his bed. And, actually, he is.

Walter Smith has hit out at Neil Lennon for criticising match official Willie Collum in Sunday's clash. More...

COLLUM'S HOWLER ROOKIE referee Willie Collum made a terrible mistake in the Old Firm game at Parkhead which Rangers, the better side, deserved to win. Instead of merely booking Anthony Stokes for his disgraceful lunge which caught Sasa Papac, and led to the influential Rangers man having to be replaced, Collum should have reacted more strongly The tackle, had it smashed into Papac later than 90 seconds from the start, would surely have resulted in Stokes being handed his marching orders. Watch it. Watch it again, and again and again. Over and over and over again. That is to say if you get the chance to do so on television. Do NOT expect BBC Television to give licence payers the chance to do so. Certainly Aberdeen supporting Richard Gordon seemed to be concentrating on more pro-Celtic aspects on BBC Radio Scotland in the immediate aftermath. According to the Rangers hating Beeb, the Rangers win was all down to an own goal, a bad kick from the Celtic goalie and a dodgy penalty. Well, there is no doubt the penalty was dodgy. Anyone who has watched Sky's replays could see Kirk Broadfoot appearing to go down before the contact - of which there was plenty - from Daniel Majstorovic. Collum, who had turned away as the ball came off him, also seemed to only turn back to where the action was, in time to see Broadfoot hit the deck. Of course he could have consulted his assistant, but after the meal Celtic made out of it when Dougie McDonald did just that over a penalty award a week ago, who can blame the 31-year-old for sticking with his decision? But had the referee sent off Stokes - as he should have - within 90 seconds of the kick off, Rangers may very well have been more than a goal ahead by that stage of the match. It was telling that when interviewed on Sky Sports by a sympathetic Peter Martin Maguire , Neil Lennon, rather that wanting to talk too much about the spot kick award, chose to reveal he had told his Celtic players that on the day they were not good enough. For me, that was an honest assessment, as Rangers started the better team before Celtic edged back into things and an even half hour was contested after the opening 15 minutes. During that spell Rangers were restricted by the injury inflicted on Papac by Stokes, with the left back finally forced off. If that Stokes over the top tackle and the contact he made was worth only a booking, then the one which led to a yellow card for Lee McCulloch, while a foul, was hardly in the same class. He got the ball and made no contact with his opponent. Another mistake by Collum. The trouble in the Rangers six yard area prior to the Celtic corner which led to their goal, was another instance of the referee failing to do his duty. Georgios Samaras actually put Allen McGregor on the deck and was spoken to by Collum. The decision should have been a booking for the Greek. More about the referee later, but back to the actual game, and Samaras caused Rangers problems in the first half with his movement, but Walter Smith clearly dealt with that in his half time team talk. Samaras in the first half apart, Celtic did not have any really eye catching performer, although scorer Gary Hooper showed he is a chance taker supreme. Against that, Rangers had the best player on the park, Steven Naismith. He is the most fouled player in the Champions League, and was once again the player victimised. The number of times he was fouled by a succession of Celtic players, must have been close to - or even into - double figures. Failing to protect him was another dereliction of duty by the young referee who fell below the standards he showed in the recent Rangers victory at Aberdeen. However, for a remarkable fifth time this season Rangers fell behind and then rallied and went on to win. Even given their recent track record, there are few who would have backed them to do that against Celtic. At Parkhead too. It was only the second time in 67 Old Firm encounters that the team which lost the opening goal went on to triumph. Kenny Miller's strike to put the champions in front, was superb and, after his two terrible misses against Valencia, showed the sort of character he has. To go back in time, he is someone of whom Jock Wallace would have approved. Wallace would have also nodded in approval at Walter Smith's post match interview, when he made the point that, after their Champions League extertions against Valencia, Rangers were understandably not at their sharpest. Of course there are those who harp on about Smith getting an easy ride in the press because he is, in the modern idiom "media friendly." Therefore, those who think this is poppycock, should be indebted to Charlie Nicholas on Sky. He said what it is about, is that Rangers are playing well. On a personal level I know Lennon too is media friendly and is easy for reporters to deal with. Also, watching the action on Sky, I was struck by how David Tanner is growing into his role as an anchor, and with Nicholas added to the mix, Sky once again showed it is head and shoulders above any other broadcaster. Davie Provan has a great store of knowledge and never pulls a punch, while Ian Crocker commentates with a sure authority and a host of facts. One of them was that Collum is a teacher of religious studies. Just the sort if unusual for a referee job which I thought the newspapers may have highlighted in the build up to the game. After all, the papers were always quick to mention that Mike McCurry was a Baptist minister. Over and over and over. Again, and again and again.

Walter Smith declared Rangers want to keep in-form Kenny Miller after he grabbed a brace against Celtic. More...

As the title says. Statistics prove this fact!

THERE must have been long queues outside dentists after so many who are loathe to acknowledge anything good about Rangers were forced to pen their praise through clenched teeth. There must also have been a few laptops taking a fair old battering from those scribes who were forced to finally admit that this Rangers side can compete with the best. In doing so, Rangers restored some of Scotland's tattered pride in the wake of the way the Scotland manager has gone about things with the national team...something which does not suit the agenda of some in the press pack. But Rangers have shown Scottish football is not as bad as some doomsayers would have us all believe. And I must admit that at club level, I have come close to believing in the myth of everyone being better than poor wee Scottish sides. It was a statistic from Tuesday nights Champions League matches which gave me pause for thought. The result was, Ajax 2, Auxerre 1, and it was the first time a Dutch side had won a Champions League match for over two years. That's not some wee country from Eastern Europe which only joined UEFA after the Iron Curtain was breached and the Berlin Wall tumbled. That is Holland, whose national team were the World Cup runners up in the summer. The Champions League is indeed a demanding arena. Maybe that put into some sort of context the statistics relating to Rangers which were dug up, and emptied like manure over their head in the build up to Bursaspor's visit to Glasgow three weeks ago. But it is ever thus with Rangers. Praise is always grudging. Also qualifued and hedged. And if there is a statistic which can be manipulated to demean the Ibrox club then it is odds on to be published somewhere. When Walter Smith conjured an tactic which wrong footed that most street savvy of gaffers, Sir Alex Ferguson, at Old Trafford, and Rangers held to a goalless draw a Manchester United team which contained England's captain, the Scottish skipper, English Player of the Year Wayne Rooney, the man who had held that title the previous season, Welsh wizard Ryan Giggs, plus countless other internationals from around the globe, the anti Ibrox mob chose to highlight those who were not playing rather than those who were. Next came Busaspor, and the Guardian's Glendenning saying the 3-1 offered for the Turks to win was the best bet of the night. There were many in the press pack who agreed and piled in. And lost their dough. Rangers employed the same formation as at Old Trafford, but in a different way, and won. Afterwards we were told that Busaspor actually were not in fact very good after all. Mmmm And so to Matchday Three and Valencia. Spain has the only league which is a serious rival to the Premiership, and Valencia led it for two months. On Saturday they went to the Nou Camp and were ahead for a long time before finally being edged out 2-1 by Barcelona. There can be no debate about their pedigree. And no debate either about the merit of the way Rangers performed ,and the claim that on another night at least one of the two chances missed by Kenny Miller, the brace squandered by Stevie Naismith and the one ballooned over by Ricky Foster, would have gone in. On the other hand, Valencia, as anyone would expect of such a terrific team, had their moments, notably near the end when Allan McGregor saved magnificently after Maurice Edu's lapse of concentration. The game was an epic. One of the best I have seen at Ibrox in half a century of watching European action there. The previous night I was enthralled and engrossed as Real Madrid saw off AC Milan. It was a smashing match. Real were impressive, and as they get more used to that master tactician, Joe Mourinho, will get even better. What a joy it would be to see Walter Smith pit his wits against wee Jose. Wednesday's encounter was even more entertaining, more absorbing and was played at a pace more like an old fashioned English cup tie than the cat and mouse stuff of the European stage. Valencia, in the Spanish style, played many more passes and had a higher success rate with them than Rangers. Rangers completed 269 passes, with a success rate of 67per cent against Valencia's success rate of 82per cent and 589 completed passes. Many of Valencia's completed passes were made square in defence and in midfield were short, while Rangers, though never just hoofing it, employed the more direct approach, which remains a potent weapon for British teams when employed with the sort of intelligence Rangers showed. Of course Rangers have been here before at the halfway stage of a Champions League group, with qualification a possibility, only for the backside to fall out of the Ibrox world. Three years ago is the most recent example. Third spot and a place in the Europe League is surely a more realistic target, though what was once Mission Impossible is now within the realms of the possible - if still not probable. At the outset of their campaign, I thought Rangers might be lucky to improve on the two points they managed last year, and even after a victory over Bursaspor added three to the one smuggled out of Old Trafford, my belief was that they may not pick up another. Now, after three matches, the Scottish Champions have five points, and have proved Scottish football is not as bad as some would have us believe. In the process, Rangers have also provided plenty of work for dentists, after so many of those who were forced to praise them did so through gritted teeth. http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/

With just over 48 hours to go until the big game, it's clear there are a variety of options for the manager in terms of his formation and personnel... So should he go with a 4-4-2, a 4-5-1 or the successful Euro strategy of 5 at the back....? Or are you a Craig Levein fan and think a 4-6-0 is the way to go? Below you can find some example teams; let us know what you think and we'll see what name Walter Smith posts under on Gersnet! Possible 4-4-2 formation: :sw: :mb: :sp: :sd: :me: :lm: :sn: :kl: Possible 4-5-1 formation: :sw: :mb: :sp: :sn: :me: :sd: :lm: :vw: Possible 5-4-1 formation: :sw: :mb: :sp: :kb: :sn: :sd: :me: :vw: The Levein Eureka Evolution :sw: :mb: :sp: :me: :lm: :sd: :sn: :vw: :kl: Have fun!

KYLE LAFFERTY has lifted the lid on his secret signing talks with Celtic - and revealed he told Gordon Strachan he could NEVER join them. The Rangers striker snubbed the Hoops in July 2008 when the Parkhead side looked favourites to sign him. Instead Lafferty joined boyhood heroes Rangers from Burnley and he said: "Gordon Strachan really wanted me and I think there were two or three transfer windows where he tried to sign me. "But once I heard Rangers wanted me too my mind was made up instantly. "I had to be honest with Gordon. I didn't want to tag him along. I thought it was the best way to be. "I didn't want to tell Gordon I wanted to play for Celtic knowing deep down that I didn't. "My heart wouldn't have been in it if I'd gone to Celtic. "So I had to be straight with Gordon. "I respect him as a manager and I genuinely appreciated his interest in me. "But it was an easy choice for me to join Rangers - and it's been the right choice. "Gordon thanked me for being honest with him. I think he's a nice guy and he's someone I regard as a top manager." Lafferty had to play a waiting game before Gers boss Walter Smith was given the go-ahead to open talks with the Northern Ireland striker. He said: "Celtic made a few offers for me at the same time as Rangers. I think there was a bit of a bidding war. "But deep down I knew where I really wanted to go. Being a Rangers fan I didn't want to go to the other side of the city. "Signing for Rangers was the realisation of a boyhood dream and it's been fantastic to have been a part of two title-winning teams." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3191687/I-could-not-be-a-Celt.html#ixzz133rAxsM3

MO EDU last night admitted he didn’t know whether to celebrate or commiserate after scoring for both sides in a Champions League roller-coaster clash at Ibrox. On a dramatic night of mixed emotions against Valencia, the American went from hero to zero as Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw by the Spaniards. Edu gave Walter Smith’s men a deserved 1-0 lead just before the interval only to cancel it out less than a minute after the restart by heading Tino Costa’s free-kick past Allan McGregor. “I’ve never had a night like this before,” said Edu. “It was pretty eventful. I’m excited about my first Champions League goal but disappointed to have given one away at the other end. “It was the first own goal of my career and couldn’t have come at a worse time. “Overall in the game we created a lot of dangerous opportunities and didn’t give up many at the other end of the pitch. So to score an own goal was a real downer. “I had a couple of guys in front of me when the ball came in and I thought one of them was going to win the header but they missed and it came straight at me. “I had a bit of a late reaction and before I knew it the ball was in the net.” Rangers were superb against quality opponents but Edu knows they could have done better. Walter Smith’s men remain in second place in Group C halfway through the campaign but passed up three glorious chances to see off the Spaniards. Twice in the first half Kenny Miller squandered gilt-edged chances to push the game beyond Valencia’s reach. The Scotland striker, on fire domestically this term, was denied by the legs of Cesar Sanchez when through on goal. Then he held his head in his hands after blasting wildly over the bar with an open goal at his mercy after an Edu shot had come back off the woodwork. Rangers did well to regroup after Edu’s mistake but debutant Ricky Foster also missed an open goal eight minutes from time. Edu said: “Coming into the game tonight most people would have been satisfied with a draw. We are pleased we matched a top side and put in a good performance but we are disappointed we didn’t get the win and the goal we gave up was a bit of a soft one.” Rangers’ goal was the result of a well-worked training routine with Edu drifting in at the back post to head home a Vladimir Weiss corner. The midfielder said: “We talked about varying our runs at corners before the game. For the first few I went near post so I tried to wait for this one and pick my moment. “It was a great ball whipped in. I just spun round at the back post and managed to pop it in.” Unfortunately, Edu didn’t get much of a chance to savour his first European goal for Rangers after almost being knocked unconscious by Valencia keeper Cesar Sanchez. The 24-year-old needed several minutes of treatment from the physio. He said: “The keeper came out to punch the ball but caught me on the head instead. It was all a bit blurry but I still knew I had scored. “I thought I’d scored another a few moments later. I caught it pretty well but was unlucky to hit the post. I thought it was going in.” Edu’s own goal could have destroyed his confidence but the encouragement he received from fans chanting his name helped him through. He said: “At the time we were playing so well so to give up the goal was disappointing. But we had enough chances to bounce back and score a few more. “I was aware of fans chanting my name and it definitely gave me a boost. “They were amazing all night and a key factor for us. It was a low moment for me but the best fans in the world got me through." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2010/10/21/rangers-fans-helped-me-get-over-own-goal-nightmare-admits-maurice-edu-86908-22648295/

Everyone should be doing their best to persuade WS to stay on as manager. From the fishul site.

THEY have ability and technique you can't take your eyes off. But Valencia midfielder Manuel Fernandes has been well warned those qualities won't be enough against Rangers at Ibrox. Fernandes, 24, became close pals with former Gers star Mikel Arteta during his loan spell with Everton. It was there he was told all about the SPL champions. And Fernandes is in little doubt how tough the La Liga side will get it in Glasgow when they take on Walter Smith's Gers on Wednesday night. Fernandes said: "We may be technically superior to Rangers, but it is not enough. "I know a lot of teams who don't always win, despite being technically better. "For me Barcelona are the best team in the world, but they have already dropped five points at home this season. "When we go to Glasgow it's about showing the right mentality. "I know this will be a hugely difficult game for us because Rangers are really starring at home just now. "They play a type of football which is difficult to cope with. "They have strong players, are good in the air and are very direct. "We need to make sure we are ready for that when we go to Glasgow. "I used to speak a lot with Arteta when we were together at Everton. He always spoke well of Rangers because he loved the club and the whole environment. "Given what he has told me, I'm presuming we are going to be in for a tough game. "Rangers are a team who play for each other and give everything on the pitch. "The defence help them out a lot, so it will be up to us to try and break them down." Gers showed in their clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford that they can be defensively sound when they want to be. Manager Smith parked the bus and there was nothing Wayne Rooney and Co could do about it. Fernandes has nothing but respect for the job Gers did to get their Champions League campaign off to a flier. But he expects a different approach from the Ibrox men on Wednesday. He added: "I think this will be a different game from Old Trafford. "Every team who goes to Manchester doesn't go there with an offensive plan. "You need to be strong at the back and earn the respect of United. "Rangers did that, but at home it will be different for them. "They need to play the game to win in front of their own supporters. "I'm hoping their style suits us, but if we want to take something we need to match them." Valencia lost 2-1 to Barca on Saturday night, but they took the lead in the Nou Camp and proved they are genuine title contenders. Ibrox spy Ian Durrant was at the match and must have sat watching through the cracks in his fingers. Valencia took the lead through Pablo Hernandez and completely bossed the first half. Barca were lucky to reach the dressing room at half-time just 1-0 down. Argentine superstar Lionel Messi hardly got a kick as they toiled. But after the break the La Liga champions came out fighting and they turned the game on its head. First Andres Iniesta, fresh from his midweek heroics against Scotland, levelled and then Carles Puyol headed the winner. Valencia put so much effort into the first half they didn't have the legs to claw their way back. But there was still more than enough on view to worry Rangers. They are a brilliant counter-attacking team. Valencia also stood tall in the intimidating atmosphere of 90,000 Catalans in the Nou Camp. Fernandes added: "I am happy, but not 100 per cent because we didn't win. "I just hope that we can keep this run of good form going and keep improving when we face Rangers. "I don't think that the atmosphere will be a problem for us in Glasgow. It won't bother us because all we will be concerned about is what happens on the pitch." Hitman Aritz Aduriz insists Valencia will go all out to get a priceless win at Ibrox. After losing at home to Manchester United the pressure is on the Spaniards. Aduriz said: "We need to win in Glasgow, so we will be doing everything to score. "Losing to Manchester United was a disappointing result for us. They are the favourites in the group, but they did not deserve to win that night. "With the way things are, we are now fighting for second place in the group with Rangers. That makes this match decisive. "If we lose it would be a huge blow to our chances of going through to the next stage. That's why our mission is to win on Wednesday. "Rangers change their style of play when they play in European matches. "They play on the counter-attack and that is something we will need to be wary of. "It will be similar to the way Scotland played against Spain at Hampden. "We got all three points that night, but it was a tough game. I expect the same again at Ibrox, but we believe we can go there and win." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3184484/Skill-to-win-versus-will-to-win.html#ixzz12hGabNNl

RANGERS captain Davie Weir last night waded into the Allan McGregor suspension row and insisted the SFA have got their priorities wrong by banning players for innocuous offences while letting the "kickers" go unpunished. And Ibrox boss Walter Smith described the disciplinary system used when trying players by TV evidence as "flawed". The furore prompted new SFA chief executive Stewart Regan to issue a statement - and admit that procedures need tightened up. Rangers keeper McGregor will miss today's match against Motherwell at Ibrox after the beaks used TV footage showing him flicking a boot at Aberdeen's Chris Maguire - and missing - on September 26 as evidence of violent conduct. But his manager and captain believe the Scotland No.1 has been harshly treated - and Weir pointed to the yellow card shown to Hearts midfielder Ian Black the following week for a shocking challenge on Nikica Jelavic as proof that the SFA are not nailing the real offenders. Weir said: "Anybody who's spoken about it thinks it's a strange decision. To get suspended for not kicking someone seems a strange decision and then the lad who kicked Jela last week didn't get suspended. So there doesn't seem to be much logic to it. "It wasn't a tackle (from Black), he just kicked him. Tackles are part of football but this wasn't one. "The ones I see in England are mistimed tackles which happen, especially with the pace football is played at. That's what happens. But this was different. "I'm not here to change the system or dictate what's right or wrong but Jela is out for three months now because of that tackle. "Allan has been suspended when there's not been any contact so there doesn't seem any logic. I know there are rules and regulations but in this case it's obvious to everybody." Weir's boss Smith is just as unhappy. He said: "I think the process is if the game is on television then anything that appears on TV, the disciplinary body of the SFA will look at and then put it to the chief executive . "It is a flawed process. Ourselves and Celtic are on TV every week but it's flawed because it means for the other clubs it's down to whoever edits the stuff that appears on the telly. "Unless every game is shown it is unfair and that is something that has been flagged up to the SFA for a long time. McGregor's was an innocuous foul. It wasn't even a foul but that's how they see it and we can't do anything about it . "The other aspect is that it has got to be something that the referee misses. "For instance, if the referee gives somebody a yellow card then it's deemed to have been spotted and nothing else can be done about it - even though more stringent action might have been taken in their opinion, they just ignore it. "But if the referee misses it then they feel they are obliged to bring it up." Celtic boss Neil Lennon agreed with his Old Firm rival and said: "You are under the spotlight more when you are at the Old Firm and our games are televised more than the other teams so it would be a concern." SFA boss Regan, who had to deal with the McGregor case on his first day in the job, said: "The investigation process is designed to ensure violent conduct is eradicated from the game, whi le also providing a suppor t network for match officials who may have missed such instances. "There are elements of the process that I am not entirely content with. "I have requested a tighteningup of certain elements which I believe will help improve the functionality of the procedure." Smith is also unhappy with one of his players - midfielder Lee McCulloch, who will miss this week's three vital matches against Motherwell, Valencia and Celtic - after aggravating a groin injury playing for Scotland against Spain on Tuesday. Asked if he was disappointed that his player had chosen to play against Spain, Smith said: "A wee bit. Especially as he missed our game prior to playing."