Search the Community

WALTER SMITH will wait until the weekend before drafting Madjid Bougherra back into his Rangers side. The Algerian defender, linked with a move to Sunderland over the weekend, has been given time off by the Light Blues manager after his Africa Cup of Nations campaign. Madjid BougherraAt this stage, Smith does not expect any transfer activity involving Gers today - and that means Bougherra appears poised to remain in Glasgow for the rest of the season. But having not trained with his Ibrox team-mates for a month because he has been in Angola, the manager is not going to rush him straight into the first XI. Instead, the former Charlton man is scheduled to return to Murray Park for training on Thursday morning with a view to appearing in Saturday's Scottish Cup tie at St Mirren. That means teenager Danny Wilson should continue in the side when Rangers meet St Johnstone in the last four of the League Cup on Wednesday night at Hampden Park. Smith said: "Madjid won't play this midweek. It's always asking a bit much of any player who has been away for the length of time he has been to come straight back in. "He has been over in Angola playing in the tournament there so he'll return here for training later in the week then be available for the weekend." Kenny Miller, meanwhile, has been given an outside chance of featuring at the national stadium - and Smith has stressed there's no long-term concern over his hamstring injury. The Scotland striker has been plagued by what has seemed to be the same problem for a number of months. But the Gers boss insists that's not the case and is adamant the issue is only flaring up now because of the intense match schedule his team is involved in. Kenny MillerSmith added: "There's a slight chance we could have Kenny back for the St Johnstone match. "We brought him back last Wednesday at St Mirren in the league and it wasn't the right time for him so we'll make sure he is okay before he plays again. "The situation is getting better every day. It might be that our next game comes too early for him but we will wait and see. "It's not the same problem that keeps coming back for Kenny and it's actually a bit different from the one he had before. "The run of games we've had every Wednesday and Saturday hasn't helped him, especially as he's an explosive sort of player. "His hamstring is tightening up just now because of a hip problem he has but once we get back to having one game a week it should settle down." http://www.rangers.co.uk/articles/20100201/boughie-back-against-buddies_2254024_1951574

Pedro Mendes is confident Rangers can win the SPL title without his services. More... All the best Pedro!

RANGERS have made a move to take Danish international Simon Poulsen on loan from AZ Alkmaar. SunSport can reveal Walter Smith has contacted AZ boss Dick Advocaat in a bid to sign the left winger, 25, until the end of the season. Poulsen is highly rated in the Dutch league, but he has been in and out of Advocaat's side this year. Smith hopes to get the go-ahead today from the ex-Ibrox boss. Gers also made a bold bid to take midfielder Martin Petrov on loan from Manchester City. But City boss Roberto Mancini has told the Ibrox club the Bulgarian is NOT available. West Brom ace Chris Brunt was also on Gers' radar, but the Championship outfit wanted a loan fee which scuppered any potential agreement. Gers look set to survive the transfer window without selling any of their key players, despite Sunderland's �£3.5million bid for Madjid Bougherra. Meanwhile, reports in Portugal claim Rangers will pay HALF of Pedro Mendes' salary for the next 18 months. Sources claim Sporting Lisbon only agreed to shell out the �£1million fee if Gers stumped up on the wages. Mendes said: "I'm glad we reached an agreement because we had a lot of conversations

WALTER SMITH was last night battling to bring in a loan signing to boost Rangers� Treble hopes. The departures of Pedro Mendes and Jerome Rothen have freed up cash to allow the Scottish champions to bring in a new face. It is understood they have looked at bringing Manchester City midfielder Martin Petrov to Ibrox in what would be a sensational move. http://www.dcthomson.co.uk/MAGS/POST/postindex.htm

http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=205:rangers-to-sign-emir-kujovi&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67 After selling Pedro Mendes to Sporting Lisbon and allowing fringe players Rory Loy and Andrew Shinnie to move on loan, manager Walter Smith has moved quickly to supplement his squad. Gersnet believes there will be at least one new player arriving over the weekend but don't be surprised if you see two new names! First in is 22 year old Swedish forward Emir Kujović who plays for Halmstads BK and the Swedish under 21 side. Emir's older brother Ajsel also plays for Halmstads but his contract won't be renewed. As soon as we hear about the second player, we'll update the site if and when a second transfer happens. UPDATE: This story was reposted on Newsnow for reasons beyond our control today (01/02/10) and none of the information we posted on Friday has changed. Since then Sky Sports, stv and BBC Scotland have reported on the story but it appears our earlier confidence about the young Swede arriving may have been misplaced. All eyes on SSN tonight then until the window closes at midnight!

Skysports.com understands Rangers are hoping to sign Bolton defender Danny Shittu. Shittu has been linked with a number of clubs during this month's transfer window with the big defender well down the pecking order at the Reebok Stadium. Turkish side Trabzonspor are thought to be trying to lure Shittu away from England, while some German clubs are also monitoring the Nigerian's situation. Rangers could now make a late bid to land the former Watford stopper as Walter Smith looks to bolster his squad before the transfer window slams shut on Monday. Smith has money to spend after offloading Pedro Mendes and Jerome Rothen and he is thought to be lining up a bid for Shittu to bolster his defence. Hope hes not bougies replacement

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/8488667.stm Rangers manager Walter Smith has criticised the club's decision to say that they did not need to sell during the January transfer window. Confirming that Sporting Lisbon's bid for Pedro Mendes had been accepted, he spoke frankly about the wisdom, or lack of it, of such an announcement. "I didn't think it was a good statement to make at the time," said Smith. "I don't think that statement should have been made when it was made because it gives the wrong impression." Earlier this season, Smith told BBC Scotland in a post-match radio interview that the bank (Lloyds) was running the club. Rangers and Lloyds Bank quickly issued statements denying that was the case, though there can be little doubt Smith knew the effect his comments would have. While Friday's utterances were not as powerful, they were nonetheless further evidence of a gulf between what might be termed the "football people" and the "financial people" within the club. Smith went on: "Football is more complicated than that. It's not a matter of needing to sell, at times it's the player's wishes as well. "If a player wants to go, that can happen. There are always going to be transfers and they are not all going to be financially-based decisions that are going to cause a player to leave the club." Though his mood was light-hearted, his frustration at how complex the financial situation is was apparent as he was asked if money would be available to spend in light of Mendes' proposed move. "I'll need to find that out as well. It used to be we could find out a lot quicker than we can now," he added. "I would hope a little bit of money would be freed up but we will wait and see. "I won't take anyone unless it's someone I really feel can come in and make a difference for us." Asked whether he had identified any targets, Smith replied: "It's not quite as simple as that because we had to get rid of a few before we could look so it's not really been possible to do that. "It's just one of those situations that we are in. We can now at least have a look and, if it doesn't come to anything, we just carry on in the situation that we're in."

Jim Jefferies is looking to use Walter Smith's blueprint for success after returning to the Hearts helm. More...

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/sport-columnists/peter-martin-balance-act-tips-scales-to-rangers-1.1002144

Andrew Dickson reports from St Mirren Park RANGERS face another wait to see how severe Kenny Miller's hamstring injury is after he was forced to withdraw from tonight's win over St Mirren early. The Scotland striker has been plagued by the recurring problem for a number of weeks, most lately pulling up with it against Hamilton last midweek. Kenny MillerOnce again this evening, he didn't look totally comfortable and had to be substituted in the second half of the 2-0 victory in Paisley. It seems that Miller faces a race against time to be fit for Saturday's home game with Falkirk, a team he has scored three goals against already this season. Given Kris Boyd is currently out, being without the former Derby man too would be a big blow for Gers boss Walter Smith. He said: "Kenny was just struggling a little bit in the second half so we had to take him off as a precaution. "I don't think it's a serious one but whether he will be fit for the weekend or not, we're not quite sure." While Miller's troubles continue, there was good news too as Nacho Novo scored on his return from injury and Steven Naismith appeared for the first time in nearly six weeks. Smith added: "It was pleasing to get a few of our players back again and it was important they got a run out. It has been an awkward situation for us lately and after having a few people out, we now have to get them a decent amount of playing time. "That's always going to be difficult but we managed to get Steven some minutes tonight and it was good to see him back." Anybody else think he was brought back too early ??, I know it's easy for me to say but why risk losing him for longer ??, you would think himself & the Rangers back room staff should know if he is over an injury,no??.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/fleck-cites-misunderstanding-rangers-contract-talks-resume-601031

Walter Smith has confirmed that Kris Boyd has yet to accept Rangers' new and improved contract offer. More...

PEDRO plays for first time after three months on sidelines More...

SMITH sure there's no chance of complacency setting in at Gers More...

http://www.sundaypost.com/postindex.htm By Danny Stewart DANNY WILSON and John Fleck have been left stunned by suggestions they have set their sights on England. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ teenage stars, who still have 18 months to run on their contracts, have been unable to agree on new deals. Repeated attempts by Chief Executive Martin Bain to broker pay packages have stalled. And on Friday manager Walter Smith said it appeared the pair saw their futures elsewhere and were putting contracts ahead of their careers. That has shocked Wilson and Fleck, both of whom have been Rangers supporters since boyhood. Baulked Wilson has baulked at accepting a new four-year deal. It is understood that was in response to an offer heavily weighted towards appearances. And while there is interest in the young central defender from Manchester United and Spurs, his desire is to stay at Ibrox, albeit on his terms. Fleck is like-minded. Mainly used off the substitutesââ?¬â?¢ bench this season, he helped set up Nacho Novoââ?¬â?¢s winner at Hamilton yesterday. His only wish is to do so with Rangers. In any case, there are no clubs currently queuing up to try and lure him south. The playersââ?¬â?¢ advisors, the Stellar Group, were last night tight-lipped on the situation. All a spokesman would say was, ââ?¬Å?Our clients are fully committed to Rangers Football Club.ââ?¬Â great news give them a 5 year contract worth 5 grand a week and if they keep playing better give them a pay rise bain :spl:

Rangers donââ?¬â?¢t want to lose one of their best finds in recent years and so far have refused to even put a valuation on the central defender. Wilson has only just turned 18. Earlier this season, when he was 17, he became the youngest Rangers player to appear in a competitive European match. Ibrox boss Walter Smith ââ?¬â?? Fergieââ?¬â?¢s former assistant at United ââ?¬â?? is confi dent Wilson is already capable of handling the pressure of big matches. And Rangers are now bracing themselves for a Premier League raid led by United. Sir Alex has also been alerted to Real Madridââ?¬â?¢s decision to make midfi elder Mahamadou Diarra available in the January transfer window. Diarra, 28, was linked with United when he was at Lyon. But any chance of a move to United or another top European club all hinges on Realââ?¬â?¢s valuation of the combative ball-winner. Diarraââ?¬â?¢s agent Frederic Guerra said his client was available. But he added: ââ?¬Å?For now, in January, it is possible but it will be very difficult. It depends how much money a club is willing to pay the player and how much Real want for the player." ââ?¬Å?His contract finishes in 2011, so he still has time to run.ââ?¬Â

Rangers boss Walter Smith is refusing to get carried away by his side's commanding lead at the top of the table. More...

The Togo team bus came under gunfire yesterday in Angola. The driver, assistant coach & team press officer were killed, two players shot and the bus was under gunfire for half an hour. . http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8449787.stm

Published on 13 Jan 2010 For 12 months, the picture has been painted of a club laid bare. A world-famous institution where every meagre pound has become a prisoner. Fed-up Rangers fans havenââ?¬â?¢t sniffed an A-list signing for a year and a half. And Ibrox manager Walter Smith has claimed the men in suits from Lloyds Banking Group have tightened their fingers round the purse strings in a bid to ease debts totalling Ã?£31million. The only light to pierce the gloom has been the form of Kris Boyd, whose goals have made him the hero of the Ibrox terracings ââ?¬â?? and helped Rangers open up a seven- point gap over Celtic in the SPL title race. But now even Boydââ?¬â?¢s Rangers future has been thrown back into the financial melting pot. For we can exclusively reveal today the Ã?£18,000-a-week deal Boyd is keen to sign has still to be agreed by the clubââ?¬â?¢s financial controllers. That means the bid to keep the SPLââ?¬â?¢s record goalscorer at his boyhood idols could yet be scuppered. Chief executive Martin Bain met Boydââ?¬â?¢s representative at the end of last week and extended an offer which would bring the 26-year-old into line with the top earners at Ibrox and out of the clutches of English raiders. Smith has urged Bain to do everything possible in his power to keep the player, who yesterday underwent a double hernia operation in Manchester, at the club. However, the terms on offer have not been given the green light by certain individuals on the board. And it now remains to be seen whether the offer will stand if, as expected, Boyd confirms he wants to put pen to paper on the deal. Business turnaround specialist Donald Muir, who was appointed in October with a remit to remedy the financial fortunes of the Scottish champions, has been handed the task of trying to reduce the clubââ?¬â?¢s debts. Cost-cutting measures have bitten so deep that, it is understood, even the number of groundstaff at Ibrox and Murray Park was looked at before Christmas. When this was raised as a possible area to save cash, the idea was met with swift resistance from the football operation who realise the groundstaffââ?¬â?¢s crucial role. This time last year, it emerged the club might be forced to sell a leading player to help ease the financial burden. Owner and majority shareholder Sir David Murray stepped down as chairman in August and was replaced by Alastair Johnston who has spent the last three months trying to find a new owner. The financial crisis that has engulfed Rangers came to a head shortly after Muirââ?¬â?¢s appointment to the board when Smith claimed after a home match against Hibs the bank were running the club. This was denied by the bank, much to Smithââ?¬â?¢s fury. Lloyds have consistently denied Muir is their man and insist he is a paid employee of the Murray Group, and was not placed on Rangers board at their behest. But, as we exclusively revealed in October two days after Smithââ?¬â?¢s startling statement, the bank threatened Rangers with administration if the club didnââ?¬â?¢t sign up for a business plan based upon swingeing cuts, many of which will only take full effect in the summer if a new buyer is not found. And it is the architects of this plan ââ?¬â?? the same plan that has frozen Rangersââ?¬â?¢ spending for three transfer windows ââ?¬â?? who hold the key to Boydââ?¬â?¢s Ibrox future. The pressure was only slightly lifted when the loan move for PSGââ?¬â?¢s Jerome Rothen was signed off. Rangers, however, are only picking up part of his wages and that deal will be torn up if the Frenchman can fix up another club for the rest of the season. But this is the first time the cash cuts could hold the key to whether a player is offered a new contract. Boyd is the first player to be offered a new deal since Muir was appointed to the board. Other players, such as Nacho Novo and Kirk Broadfoot, are nearing the end of their current deals, but the sums involved to keep them are not even close to the Boyd figures. Novo is believed to be on around Ã?£5000 a week, with Broadfoot on Ã?£3000 a week. Neither is likely to stay if their offers donââ?¬â?¢t show a decent increase, but itââ?¬â?¢s believed the current business plan does not have much flexibility. But Boyd, who will be in line for a Ã?£8,000-a-week increase, has sparked a major stand-off as the offer made to him could force the bank to honour a deal that they would prefer not to ââ?¬â?? or face the wrath of the clubââ?¬â?¢s support, sections of which have already threatened to boycott Lloyds Banking Group services. Questions that remain unanswered Comment by Thomas Jordan It used to be as straightforward as the manager inviting the player into his office, telling him what he would be earning and waving him on his way. That was the way new contracts and transfers were conducted in the past. Nowadays, agents and chief executives are involved. It is a far more complex business now than it was then. But even by present-day standards, the background to Kris Boydââ?¬â?¢s contract negotiations with Rangers could take things to a new level entirely. On the instruction of Rangers manager Walter Smith, the clubââ?¬â?¢s chief executive Martin Bain met with the strikerââ?¬â?¢s representative at the end of last week and tabled a new contract offer in a bid to retain the services of their leading goalscorer. Normally, that would have been the end of the matter. The player would either say he was taking them up on their offer or reject it in favour of an opportunity elsewhere. There would usually be some room for negotiation. But SportTimesââ?¬â?¢ revelation that the Lloyds Banking Group are yet to approve the new deal and will have the final say on whether it will go through or not brings a host of questions Rangers fans will want answered as the true extent of the bankââ?¬â?¢s role is revealed. * Once again, on a point that has never been satisfactorily answered, they want to know who really is calling the shots at Rangers? * Why have the bank said they are not running Rangers when they have approval on contracts? * The man appointed to the board by the Murray Group in October, Donald Muir, has said he has no influence on football matters. Does he still maintain that is the case? * When will the chairman Alastair Johnston tell everyone what is really happening within the constraints of a business plan that he himself has said is not good for the club? * What would the consequences have been had the Rangers board NOT agreed to the bankââ?¬â?¢s business plans? * And what exactly will happen in the summer when the full extent of the financial cuts are expected to be implemented if a new buyer is not found? These are questions the Rangers supporters would like answered. And it is probably the same for Walter Smith. How many managers would be willing to work for a club without any sort of contract in place? It would be unlikely many, if any at all, would agree to such a situation. But the Rangers manager appears to be on a mission to do everything within his power to save the club. When Smith came out and publicly announced the bank were running the club, it was immediately denied. He is now fighting tooth and nail, it would seem, to prevent his current squad of players from being ripped apart. By managing to win the SPL title last season, the Rangers manager secured some much- needed funds for the cash-strapped club. His team are now seven points clear in the title race again, despite the fact they squad is basically down to the bare bones. But at what point will he decide enough is enough? At what point will he decide he is fighting a losing battle against the moneymen? That, without doubt, is something that really would bring this situation to a head. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/moneymen-hold-the-key-to-kris-boyd-deal-and-they-haven-t-said-yes-1.998370

WALTER Smith has warned of dire consequences for Rangers if they do not resist selling any players during the current transfer window and also retain the bulk of their squad whose contracts are due to expire in the summer. The frustration Smith has experienced for the last 18 months as the Ibrox club grapple with their financial problems resurfaced yesterday as he responded to speculation linking Pedro Mendes with a move to Sporting Lisbon. Rangers, who have not been able to buy a new player since August 2008, remain under pressure from the Lloyds Banking Group to restructure their finances and reduce their �£31 million debt. But manager Smith is adamant Rangers cannot afford any further cuts to the first-team squad for the second half of a season which currently sees them seven points clear of Celtic at the top of the SPL and still involved in both domestic cup competitions. While top scorer Kris Boyd has now been offered a new contract, Smith is keen to see the future of other players tied up. Among those whose existing deals also run out at the end of the season are Kirk Broadfoot, Nacho Novo, DaMarcus Beasley and Stevie Smith. "If we don't start to offer some of them the opportunity to stay with the club, then we will cease to operate, never mind anything else," said Smith. "We have been in negotiations with a few others as well as Kris. We have started talking to Kirk Broadfoot and Nacho Novo. It is something that has to happen." With his resources further limited by injuries and unavailability, Smith was forced to fill out his substitutes' bench with four youngsters in Andrew Little, John Fleck, Gregg Wylde and Jamie Ness. He regards it as a clear indication of why Rangers should not be looking to offload senior players such as Mendes. "Who says we are going to get rid of Pedro?" added Smith. "I've not heard anything about getting rid of Pedro, apart from what I read in newspapers. Last week, we only had two senior professionals in Maurice Edu and Stevie Smith on the bench at Celtic Park. We will only have a couple available to us again this weekend. With suspensions set to kick in for the second half of the season, we will need all of our players between now and the end of the season." Smith is still waiting to learn if Boyd will accept the club's offer of a new three-year contract reported to be worth around �£18,000 a week. "His agent spoke with (chief executive) Martin Bain yesterday and he has gone off to think over the offer being made," said Smith. "We've still not heard anything back." One player Smith would be prepared to lose is French winger Jerome Rothen, 31, who has failed to make the desired impact during his season-long loan from Paris St Germain. He is no longer in the manager's first team plans and hopes to return home this month. Rangers begin their defence of the Active Nation Scottish Cup tomorrow and Smith is able to welcome Kenny Miller and Kevin Thomson back from suspension and injury respectively for the lunchtime kick-off against Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park. http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Walter-Smith--warns-.5968866.jp

Walter Smith returned to the Rangers hot seat three years ago this month with both a short-term plan and a vision for the future. But he didnââ?¬â?¢t envisage the club being run by the bank and being told not only would he be unable to buy new faces after a certain period, he could also be forced to cash in on star players to help ease the clubââ?¬â?¢s crippling debt. So the fact Rangers currently find themselves seven points clear at the top of the SPL, having won four trophies and reached a European final during his second tenure, simply highlights the fantastic job Smith has performed. Indeed, despite that success and the strong position the team find themselves in as they approach the second half of the season, the Ibrox gaffer says his side still arenââ?¬â?¢t at the level he would have expected them to be at after this amount of time back at the club. When he returned to the job to take over from Paul Le Guen, steadying the ship was his initial target, but he has managed to do that and a great deal more. However, after three eventful years, he is taking nothing for granted. He said: ââ?¬Å?Things still arenââ?¬â?¢t at the level Iââ?¬â?¢d expect them to be at after three years, but there are circumstances which dictate that to be the case. ââ?¬Å?It hasnââ?¬â?¢t been quite as straightforward in that respect as weââ?¬â?¢d like. For example, we havenââ?¬â?¢t bought a player now for 18 months. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ll not get one this month either so when the season finishes, that will be a period which will extend to two years in August. Thatââ?¬â?¢s unusual circumstances at Rangers. ââ?¬Å?When you consider that, a lot of credit should go to everyone whoââ?¬â?¢s been here. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve knuckled down and while weââ?¬â?¢ve had some disappointments, theyââ?¬â?¢ve overcome that. ââ?¬Å?Things didnââ?¬â?¢t go the way we wanted them to go in Europe this season and we didnââ?¬â?¢t handle ourselves nearly as well as we did the previous time when we were competing at that level. But domestically, we seem to be getting back on course against now.ââ?¬Â Smith, of course, would be the first to admit he couldnââ?¬â?¢t have managed to turn things around without the assistance of Ally McCoist, Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant. For McCoist, it has flown in. Speaking in the Rangers News, he said: ââ?¬Å?I canââ?¬â?¢t believe it has been three years, I really canââ?¬â?¢t. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s been a whirlwind but it has been fantastic too. ââ?¬Å?There have been some massive ups and downs, but thankfully at this moment in time there have been more ups I think. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve cherished every minute though.ââ?¬Â For McDowall, winning the title at Tannadice was the highlight. He added: ââ?¬Å?For me, clinching the title was unbelievable. In fact, I didnââ?¬â?¢t really believe it until I was in holiday in Florida. The pride I felt was impossible to describe.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/three-years-on-smith-vision-blocked-by-bank-s-handcuffs-1.996551

Walter Smith believes everyone should move on from the furore surrounding Kyle Lafferty's challenge on Andreas Hinkel. More...

NOVO could face Accies on Sunday, Thommo also set to return More... NACHO NOVO could be fit to return to the Rangers starting line up as soon as this Sunday when the Light Blues face Hamilton in the Scottish Cup. The Spanish striker had to go off after just 13 minutes of the weekend draw at Celtic after a collision with home player Georgios Samaras. Novo suffered a thigh injury and after heavy internal bleeding, it was thought he'd be out for the next two or three weeks. But while he hasn't yet returned to training, the knock isn't as bad as was first feared and he could yet find himself included in the squad that goes to Accies five days from now. That would come as a huge boost to manager Walter Smith, who is already without a number of other key players. Steven Naismith, DaMarcus Beasley and Pedro Mendes have all been injured lately while Madjid Bougherra is away preparing for the African Cup of Nations. But there's further good news for Smith as Kevin Thomson has now resumed full training after a calf injury and he'll be available for the game at New Douglas Park too. The Gers boss said: "Kevin is one who I'd hope will be fit for the weekend and Nacho has a chance. "It looked like a bad knock in the thigh for him at the weekend but the physiotherapists have been working hard on it. As such, there may now be an opportunity for him to play after all this weekend after it seemed he might be out. "As for the rest, we'll need to wait and see. DaMarcus and Pedro are both coming along well and we're hopeful of having a couple of players back."

Rangers boss Walter Smith admits his side were lucky to come away from Parkhead with a point. More...

Rangers boss Walter Smith has been left in disbelief that Kenny Miller will miss the Old Firm derby. More...