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I am angry. Infact i am absolutely Raging. I am also close to tears. I cannot bear to watch our team disintigrate the way it is at present. We cannot pass........... (just fill in the blanks for your self). There is absolutely nothing positive to say about our team. Some may say that its down to lack of investment, but that cant be true. Dan petrescu, a manger with very little experience turned up tonight with a team of nobodies, no European pedigree and very little financial backing and dished out yet another footballing lesson to Walter Smith. Even SPL clubs embarass us with their general gameplay(see Jim gannon and his bunch of school kids). Unfortunately this is something we have become accustomed to over his second tenure. There is a real lack of direction off the park at the moment and it seems to be overshaddowing the real lack of direction on it. There is a real crisis going on team wise and it has to be addressed. We either cant play football or are just very bad at it. I havent decided which yet. no basic ball skills no vision etc, you know the script. But the thing that i do know is that we have a manager who is vastly overrated. Hes not very good at all. Tactically inept and void of any imagination. I think its time for Walter to realise that his time as manager has come to an end. he is dragging us down.

The guy has spent a shit lot of money since he came back, and look at the team we have. The guy has now had 3 years to turn things around, and from what i can see, we now play worse football. Please go!

Did anyone else hear him say on the radio just now that Rangers have only two assets - Walter Smith and Martin Bain. He sure knows how to twist the knife.

An excellent gesture from the club - I'm sure all these heroes will enjoy Walter Smith's 4-5-1 against the Romanian's next week. If we don't win may I suggest they take our players on a few weeks PT at their base...

A famous sports’ quote, mistakenly accredited to legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, but one of my favourites. It defines my stance on sporting endeavour. I admit it. I am everything that is “wrong” with the modern Rangers fan. I spent the 90 minutes of today’s match berating the team for not being able to do the basics competently. As you may expect from my opening gambit, my patience only began to wear thin after we meekly surrendered the lead. My ire only subsided once Papac, one of the few to earn his wages today, secured a vital victory. Allied to the fact that Celtic only managed a goalless draw at home to Motherwell, today’s victory allowed us to return to the summit of the SPL. With that permutation of results I went from resembling eye-ore to a grinning Cheshire cat. I’ve always been obsessed with competition, with victory. I remember in primary 4 my teacher had us compete in a maths game in which each time you answered a question right you got to take a pace forward and the winner was the one who got to the end of the ladder first. I had to win at that, I loved competing with and beating my class mates. Growing up as one of four brothers, even eating dinner was competitive. It was like a monkey’s tea party and it didn’t matter if you ended up wearing half your dinner, because if you cleared your plate first you got first choice of desserts and hence the biggest portion. Much like my attitude to supporting Rangers. It doesn’t matter how we get there, so long as we are the ones parading the trophies at the end of the season. My dad has a favourite story of playing beach cricket on holiday and how we almost managed to make the game interesting as accusations of cheating led to my brothers and I wielding the bat and stumps like weapons in a cross between the Ashes and the UFC, but I think you get the picture now; I like winning. There is an argument that this short-sighted thinking is what holds us back. I am not convinced. There is plenty that holds us back, playing in the SPL for starters. My enjoying being top dogs pales into insignificance in comparison to the real issues. We have the likes of Cammy and MF, perhaps rightly, arguing that it was better in their day (sorry guys ). No doubt if you spoke to their elders they would chastise these two whipper-snappers for the very same thing. The fans are right in that we are nowhere near the quality of the team that went to Barcelona, or the legendary Nine in a Row team. I often hear how the quality is declining on a yearly basis. Nonsense. Was the team that Smith took to Manchester in his first full year back in charge worse than the team of the previous two years? No. However, there is an obvious decline to this point from 10 or 15 years ago. What went before, though, should not prevent us from enjoying the present. Admittedly, it is difficult to enjoy performances such as today, when we were dominated by a team assembled for a fraction of the cost, but I will enjoy any casual glance of the league table reading Rangers in first place. “You can only beat what is put in front of you”, as that old maxim goes. In this two-horse race, in respect of a full league campaign, that means not only winning the Old Firm games, but collecting more points in the rest of the fixtures than Celtic do. Whilst I may be accused of having a parochial view, it must be remembered we can only challenge ourselves on a grander stage by being top dogs in Scotland. And one thing Walter Smith brings is domestic dominance. Just a few short weeks ago Celtic travelled to the South Side with talk of an insurmountable 7-point lead at the top of the league. Predictably Smith sent them home with a confidence sapping dent to their title challenge. Smith’s teams may not play with the attacking freedom of Guardiola’s Barcelona or a classic Brazil team, but they are not short of many other qualities befitting the status of Champions. Already this season we have shown we are capable of winning after suffering a setback. Something I was never confident of under his recent predecessors. Vitally, like all great sides who end the gruelling league season with the title, this current Rangers team know how to win when they are not playing well. Admittedly we have demonstrated that far too often for the fans liking, but it is an essential quality of a team wishing to challenge for top honours in a 30-odd game season. No team can complete a full set of league fixtures without throwing in the odd poor performance. It is the teams who manage to turn no points into 1 or 1 point into 3 when suffering this drop-off in their level that will emerge victorious. I opened this piece by saying that I am everything that is “wrong” with Rangers fans at present. But I make no apologies for that. There are some fans that cannot and will not let go of the ideal. The idea that on paper we are far superior to our opposition and so we should demonstrate our superiority in every encounter. Whilst they should be applauded for their stance, realists will acknowledge that sport never works out like that. I am happy that we will demonstrate our superiority come the end of the season, as shown by a brief glance at the league table and the trophy count. Of course better performances and demonstrations of silky football would be preferable. But winning is the ultimate aim. Everything else is secondary. Winning in football is an absolute. The team with the most goals takes the points. I have never been a fan of subjective sports such as gymnastics or diving where the winner is decided by no absolute criteria, but merely opinion. The minute real sports are judged on aesthetics and how pretty you look whilst playing the game is the minute that pure sporting competition dies. I have no desire to watch a game where the winner is subjective. The arbiters of our game show a worrying inconsistency in officiating contests that deal in a relative black and white. Would you expect parity with our rivals if suddenly there were rewards for artistic interpretation? In real veneration of Vince Lombardi; “show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser”. As long as we are winning, the debate over the quality of football should continue. It is only when we are no longer emerging victorious that debate becomes redundant and discussion of the real issue (“why aren’t we winning”) would emerge. Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing!

MADJID BOUGHERRA has talked his way out of a Rangers fine - after Walter Smith accepted the stopper's reason for going AWOL. Bougy faced showdown talks with Smith after missing Saturday's win at St Johnstone. But the Gers boss has been convinced Bougherra was not at fault for failing to report back on time from international duty. The Algerian revealed he had his bag containing his passport and phone stolen in Paris just before he was due to fly back to Glasgow. Smith said: "Madjid has explained the circumstances which led him to be late back from international duty and I accept what he's had to say. "Initially I was led to believe his belongings were stolen on Monday, but it turns out that happened on Thursday. "In fairness, his agent contacted Ally McCoist and told him of the situation. Having now spoken to Madjid there's no problem. "That is the matter closed now." Bougherra, who watched the win in Perth on the internet, is now bracing himself for an epic autumn as Gers defend the SPL title and chase a place in the last 16 of the Champions League. He's also eyeing a place in both the World Cup Finals and African Cup of Nations when Algeria head for Egypt next month. Bougherra, 27, said: "I would say this is probably going to be the most important month of my entire career for club and country. "I hope to play against Unirea Urziceni on Tuesday and we know a win would help our chances of reaching the next phase. "We also have some huge matches coming up in the league and I have one eye on the game against Egypt with Algeria." Victory over Egypt would also send the Desert Foxes to the African finals in Angola in January - and rule out Bougy for up to a month of domestic action. But he won't leave Scotland until after the Old Firm derby at New Year. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2688388/Bougys-off-the-hook.html

Rangers manager Walter Smith accepts defender Madjid Bougherra's explanation for his late return from World Cup duty with Algeria. More...

RANGERS may have to face St Johnstone today without Madjid Bougherra after he failed to return from a World Cup qualifier in Algeria. Mystery surrounded the defender's whereabouts late last night as Walter Smith and the rest of his squad checked into a luxury retreat in Perthshire ahead of today's live TV lunchtime clash. Record Sport can reveal Bougherra was expected to fly back to Glasgow on Wednesday after helping his country take a step towards South Africa 2010 with a 3-1 win over Rwanda on Sunday. The defender was due to report to Murray Park on Thursday but was nowhere to be seen and failed to respond to attempts by Ibrox coaching staff to contact him. Smith was forced to call young Jordan McMillan into his squad yesterday after Bougherra failed to turn up for a second successive training session. And the SPL champs headed north yesterday afternoon without Bougherra on the team bus. Record Sport understands the player's agent did finally make contact with Rangers yesterday to insist his client had been held up due to a passport problem and that he hoped to land back in Scotland at around 10pm last night. Even so, the Rangers boss was not expecting to have Bougherra in his starting 11 today. What's more, we can reveal this is in fact the second time this season the player has reported back late from international duty. The last time he turned up the night before the 0-0 draw at Motherwell - where he was sent off - claiming his connection from Paris had been cancelled. Smith accepted that story but is unlikely to be as easily satisfied with this latest incident. In fact, so angered was the Rangers boss last night it would not be a surprise if Bougherra is dropped and fined even if he does make it to Perth ahead of today's 12.30pm kick-off. This latest example of erratic behaviour will also spark speculation over his long-term future. The former Charlton man had been tipped to return south on a big-money move in the summer and had also told the Ibrox club of interest in him from France. But he then said he did not want to leave after only one season at Gers and it's believed his representatives have even asked for talks on a new deal. However, Bougherra now faces a fight just to convince Smith that he is committed to the cause. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2009/10/17/exclusive-mystery-as-madjid-bougherra-fails-to-return-from-qualifier-86908-21753448/

Borrowed from another forum : DANIEL Prodan spent two and a half years at Ibrox and never got to wear a Rangers jersey in the first team. But his boy is more than making up for that disappointment. In fact, the former Romanian international's son Razvan is so Rangers daft Prodan has a tough time getting a Light Blue shirt off his back at bedtime. Razvan may be just 10 but already knows who he will support all his life. It isn't Steaua Bucharest, where his dad started a career that saw him win 54 caps. It certainly isn't Unirea Urziceni, the Romanian top dogs who visit Scotland on Tuesday in the Champions League. Not when they are coming to take on Rangers. Young Prodan might not remember much of his time in Glasgow but knows he was born there and that his dad, despite a serious knee injury killing his Rangers career, loved the club. That is enough for Razvan - and why there is no question of where his loyalty will lie next week. Daniel, now 37 and working as sporting director with the Romanian FA, laughs at the thought of just how Rangers-mad his boy has become. Prodan said: "Yes, it's true. Razvan was born in Scotland during my time at Rangers and has always followed the team because of that. When we were in Glasgow last year he bought a Rangers strip with Barry Ferguson's name on the back. He's never got it off. "Last week a crew from Romanian TV came to our house and Razvan told them he was born in Glasgow and wanted Rangers to win the games against Unirea. The reporter asked him why and he said, 'because I was born in Scotland, I'm Scottish'!" Prodan senior believes his son will be kept happy on Tuesday because he reckons Rangers will rack up a home win against Unirea. But the former Steaua and Atletico Madrid stopper, who was signed from the La Liga club by Dick Advocaat for �£2.2million in 1998 but arrived with knee ligament damage that never healed properly, reckons Walter Smith's men will have a tough time in Bucharest on November 4. The Romanians, coached by Prodan's former international teammate Dan Petrescu, switched the Euro ties to Bucharest because their own stadium isn't up to standard but the lack of home comforts didn't stop them drawing with Stuttgart on the night Rangers lost to Sevilla. Prodan said: "It will be hard for Unirea coming to Glasgow because it's not often the top teams in Europe lose two games in a row at home. "I know from my time in Glasgow how passionate the crowd can be and that will be a test for Petrescu's side. As they showed against Stuttgart, Unirea are capable of giving most teams a good game here in Romania, although anything can happen and I wouldn't rule out a Rangers win over here either. But it won't be easy." The defender, who was eventually freed by Advocaat in February 2001 without playing a first-team game, returned to Romania but managed just 27 games in three seasons before hanging up his boots. And while Prodan's memories of Scotland are tinged with regret over his failure to overcome his knee problems, he told how the friendliness he encountered at Ibrox helped make him feel at home. He said:"It was a difficult period for me because I had four operations on my knee and couldn't play for the team. That was a big disappointment but I'll never forget the kindness of the Rangers fans and Scottish people who were so friendly towards me. "I met some great people at the club, people like John Greig and the kitman Jimmy Bell were so good to me. There will always be a piece of Rangers in my heart." Unirea's spectacular rise from rural also-rans to Romanian champions after years of domination by wealthy Bucharest clubs Dinamo and Steaua has been one of Europe's success stories this season. Prodan is full of admiration for the manner in which Petrescu has built his team and admits loyalties will be divided over the next two Champions League nights, even if his son's aren't. He said: "There are no star names in the Unirea team but they have a very strong group mentality. Actually, their most important player is Dan Petrescu himself. He is an excellent coach, his teams are always very well organised and they play with a real passion. That is why they are always dangerous opponents. "Romanian football is a bit like Scottish football because we need good results in Europe to improve the country's co-efficient. "That leaves me in a difficult position. I want Romanian football to be a strong as possible but at the same time still have a lot of respect for everyone connected with Rangers. "I'll be going to the game in Bucharest with my son and it will be a good chance to catch up with some old friends like John and Jimmy. "However, Rangers must be favourites to win in Glasgow." __________________

Rangers manager Walter Smith warns that Scottish football faces a difficult future if the Old Firm do not join a European league. More...

To the majority of fans of club football the weekend�s set aside in the fixture calendar for international competition prove no more than an unwelcome irritation. This early into a new season few wish to see their team�s momentum interrupted World Cup qualifiers or friendlies, whilst others do not wish to wait two weeks to see their heroes arrest a run of poor results. With Scotland failing to secure second spot in group 9 and thus not having to concern ourselves with the makeup of the play-offs for a place on the plane to South Africa a friendly fixture the other side of the globe was not going to whet the appetite. That goes for the players as well as the fans, with Scotland�s few players of genuine quality declining the call-up due to injuries, whether real or imagined. Given Rangers last competitive fixture was a home victory in another bruising Old Firm encounter you would imagine that a break in the season is the last thing Walter Smith and the players would want. However, whilst we secured the three points last time out, it would be difficult to argue that we were building up a head of steam on the domestic front with our 3 previous league encounters ending goalless. The hard-fought Old Firm victory merely reduced the deficit to 1 point. It has been a false-start to the season so far, but hopefully the break in club football will allow us to regroup and return to SPL action with real purpose. The threadbare nature of the first team squad is often on the lips of fans, players and journalists around the country. We cannot afford to be missing too many key players as we simply don�t have the reinforcements. Kevin Thomson was perhaps rushed back into the first team thanks to injuries and suspensions wish has led to him suffering a reaction to the lack of proper recuperation. It was no surprise when the young midfielder was withdrawn from the Scotland squad that travelled to Japan. A couple of weeks training and recovering at Murray Park should allow Rangers to reintroduce him to the first team at full fitness. Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller started the Old Firm encounter in ominous form if in unfamiliar roles as the Boyd turned provider for Miller�s deadly finishing on the day. It was therefore disappointing to see Boyd removed from the action before half time after a clash of heads left the big Ayrshire-man with an eye-socket injury. Boyd could be out for as much as four weeks, but with Boyd having removed himself from International consideration it is fortunate that two of those weeks fall during the international break. Kyle Lafferty�s return against Celtic should help soften the blow of Boydie�s injury lay off. Worryingly, Lafferty was forced to withdraw from the Northern Ireland squad to face the Czech Rep. with a chest infection but I would expect that should not keep him out of the Rangers squad to face St. Johnstone in our next fixture. However, some of our key men are away on international duty and as Rangers fans we will all be concerned about the condition they return in. Pedro Mendes found himself back in the engine room for Portugal as they won handsomely over Hungary to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Star man Madjid Bougherra is away with Algeria whilst Whittaker again filled the right back role for Scotland. We will all be hoping that these key players along with our other internationals return unscathed. Before the Old Firm victory 7 days ago, the squad were misfiring; the midfield could not dictate the play whilst the forwards could not hurt the opposition feeding off the meagre scraps their team mates provided resulting in three disappointing goalless draws. At least the miserly defence were keeping the opposition out at the other end. Closing the gap at the top to just one point was essential, even this early in the season as we could not afford to slip 7 points behind if we are to retain our title. However, the two-week break between SPL matches will allow the management team to examine our performances and pin point our deficiencies before communicating this with the players. Even in spite of the absent international stars it is vital that Smith, McCoist and McDowall use this break productively to get the team firing again and iron-out the issues that saw us slump 4 points behind in the title race after a solid if unspectacular start to the season. No disrespect to St Johnstone but the club could not have handpicked a better game in which to test if the players can deliver an improved commitment and coherence.

Let's hope it doesn't turn out like the time we hooked up with the Australian mob.

Youââ?¬â?¢ll hear it repeated ad nauseam between now and Christmas if the latest news on Maurice Edu is accurate, so you might as well read it here first: when he regains match fitness after more than four months sidelined through injury, Maurice Edu will be like a new signing for Rangers. Thereââ?¬â?¢s very little arguing with that statement: Edu showed in a short spell towards the end of last season that he has enough raw talent to make the Ã?£2.6m paid for him in the summer of 2008 look like a very shrewd investment indeed. And if Sundayââ?¬â?¢s Old Firm match was anything to go by, such talent will surely find itself in considerable demand as this season progresses. It was in the aftermath of the ââ?¬Å?boozegateââ?¬Â affair that Edu found himself called on by Walter Smith last term. Barry Fergusonââ?¬â?¢s enforced exile from first-team affairs left a breach in the middle of the park during the SPL title run-in into which the 23-year-old stepped with precisely the degree of confidence and assurance you would hope for in an American. Prior to that, his first-team appearances had been rationed. Since Rangersââ?¬â?¢ championship-winning display at Tannadice on May 24 they have been non-existent: a Darren Dods challenge just before half-time in that game put paid to his ability to train for the next three months. His return, therefore, brings a much-needed injection of quality to the Rangers engine-room, but equally valuable might be his versatility. That, at least, is the view of Steve Nicol, the former Liverpool and Scotland stalwart, who was hugely impressed by Edu when he was a Major League Soccer player with Maurice Johnsonââ?¬â?¢s Toronto FC. ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s a player who can perform in a number of different roles,ââ?¬Â said the 47-year-old coach of New England Revolution of a young Californian who has played for his country in midfield, at centre-back and at right-back. ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s not just a central midfielder. Thatââ?¬â?¢s probably where he prefers to play but heââ?¬â?¢s got that ability to step in to other positions. If you can play at centre-back itââ?¬â?¢s obvious that you have the ability to read the game, so he is a real asset.ââ?¬Â Edu, who was drafted by Toronto as the first overall pick of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft, is visiting a specialist in London this week and expects to be given the green light to return to full training after several weeks of gym sessions and running. Having signed a five-year contract at Rangers last August, he was forced to bide his time in the reserves before circumstances propelled him centre-stage in April. At the time Rangers were barely hanging onto Celticââ?¬â?¢s coat-tails in the title race, but suddenly they became a far more competitive unit, in part due to Eduââ?¬â?¢s hunger and energy. Where Fergusonââ?¬â?¢s performances had been inconsistent and not infrequently flaky, Edu was physically adept, robust in the tackle and resourceful in terms of supporting the front men. Arguably his most impressive performance came in Rangersââ?¬â?¢ 1-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox in May ââ?¬â?? a shift that spoke well of his maturity and composure in the most fraught of environments. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s not easy to step into Barry Fergusonââ?¬â?¢s shoes, as he was asked to do towards the end of last season,ââ?¬Â says Nicol. ââ?¬Å?When Rangers signed him heââ?¬â?¢d had less than a full season as a professional, heââ?¬â?¢d come out of college and been picked early in the draft by Maurice Johnson. Compared to most other Old Firm players, heââ?¬â?¢s inexperienced. But I think now youââ?¬â?¢ll probably see the best of him. As far as I know heââ?¬â?¢s impressed when heââ?¬â?¢s had the chance, but itââ?¬â?¢s not easy to make the switch from a completely different environment after one season as a pro, and it usually takes a while for a player to settle. ââ?¬Å?In the MLS, for such a young player he was someone Toronto relied on. You knew he was a player of real quality when you came up against him, even though he was inexperienced. He picks good positions, he defends well, but he also distributes the ball well, so youââ?¬â?¢ve a guy who has a lot of ability.ââ?¬Â Rangers may not have made any permanent signings in the most recent transfer window, but thereââ?¬â?¢s a fair chance one of their 2008 investments could be about to start paying dividends. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/maurice-edu-can-be-like-a-new-signing-for-rangers-1.924522

Fair play ot the guy, he says how it is and isn't afraid to speak his mind. He's given some of the Rangers players a dodgy mark but the McGeady rating and comment are spot on. Also, the Paul Caddis comment is hilarious!

Last Wednesday we saw Eduardo throwing himself to the floor under minimal contact from Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc to win his side a penalty in a convincing 5-1 aggregate defeat condemning Celtic to participation in the “Thursday Cup”. Despite the fact that the penalty had little bearing on the final result, Celtic were a very definite second best, the Arsenal forward was rightly condemned for his actions. Diving, simulation, cheating, whatever you want to call it, is a distasteful part of the game that we would all like to see removed. As the current chief executive of the SFA, Gordon Smith has spearheaded an admirable campaign to eradicate this form of cheating from our national game. In addition to the complaints of our media and Celtic, Smith added his weight to the calls for Eduardo to be dealt with by UEFA. The vociferous complaints emanating from Parkhead and within the Scottish press offices have shone a spotlight on diving and attempts to deceive the referee this season. In reading a copy of the Times this weekend included with every match report of games in the EPL was a small column entitled “Diving Watch”. Any such instances of cheating will come under severe scrutiny this season. As the club that have largely brought this issue to the fore, you would expect Celtic to ensure their employees could not bring the game into disrepute or be accused of hypocrisy. It was somewhat ironic then that both Aiden McGeady and Chris Killen were both involved in diving controversy in their very next competitive fixture. McGeady saw red for throwing himself to the floor under no contact from a Hibernian defender whilst Killen avoided punishment for simulation in the same match. Last Sunday’s game proved the perfect opportunity for Celtic, Gordon Smith and the SFA to show their commitment to eradicating diving from Scottish football. Unfortunately they all failed to act with any integrity. Tony Mowbray claimed he was tired having run 40 yards. What that has to do with taking a dive someone else will have to explain to me? Surely he should be looking to move the ball onto a team mate, not trying to deceive the referee and have an opponent sent off because he’s a little fatigued. In complete contrast to the way Walter Smith dealt with the Lafferty incident, Celtic have again shown they are not able to live up to the standards set by Scotland's premier club. Gordon Smith was apparently prevented from speaking out for fear of prejudicing a case. He did however speak out on the Lafferty incident at the end of last season to praise Walter Smith for the way he handled the issue. It appears then, a statement condemning Celtic for hiding from the issue would have been fair. Apparently he was free to speak out against Eduardo because the incident occurred in a match where disciplinary issues are not decided by the SFA and hence there was no issue with prejudicing a case. However, in further discussion with Mr Smith he admitted that as the referee dealt with the issue there and then, there is no case to answer. So there is nothing to prejudice. Smith’s refusal to comment on diving by Celtic players less than a week after chastising Arsenal for the same offence reeks of a lack of integrity and yet again a refusal for anyone within Scottish football to tackle Celtic football club. He is hiding behind legislation and supposed laws that do not in fact prevent him from speaking. Much like on the radio phone-ins, in the printed press and unfortunately now in the corridors of power at Hampden, we are happy to discuss any issues blighting Scottish football unless it is Celtic who are under the microscope. Press bias in favour of Celtic has long been cited with the BBC and certain newspapers and radio stations being identified as the worst offenders. The fact that those who rule upon Scottish football are now similarly scared to speak out and challenge Celtic is a worrying occurrence.

Smith continues Celtic's hoodoo:

Walter Smith was asked to send out 3 players for the post-match interview last night. His reply........ "Weir, Fleck n Rothen!"

Wrote this before the Aberdeen game but couldn't get it posted right on the main site before it. Given an impotent attacking display it's still relevant though.

WALTER Smith will walk away from Rangers if the club don't give him money to strengthen his squad. Talks opened over the weekend with the Ibrox manager and the club's new chairman Alastair Johnston, who sees Smith as a crucial player in his vision for Rangers. But Smith will require guarantees from the board before committing himself to any new deal. Having had to watch two transfer windows open and close without being able to buy a player, Smith will be reluctant to continue without investment in front-line personnel. Jerome Rothen was dragged through the summer window just as it was closing but cost Rangers nothing and Smith believes the club cannot afford to stagnate any longer. That's why Johnston will have a difficult task to keep Smith onside. But at least the new man has opened negotiations to hold on to the manager and assistants, Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall. All three will be out of contract in January but when asked if he wanted to keep the manager in place the chairman was emphatic. "I want to give them new contracts," he replied and now he hopes to persuade the trio they should sign new deals. However, without transfer guarantees it might prove impossible to keep Smith, who experienced serious downsizing twice at Everton. Now he is going through something similar at Ibrox and although he wouldn't elaborate on his thinking he did say: "The chairman indicated he would want us to sign new deals but a lot of things have to be considered. "A lot has been happening at the club and so there is a lot more to it than just saying okay and signing a new contract. The direction we all want the club to take has to be considered as well as various other issues." Johnston admitted he doesn't have any idea how long he will be chairman because Rangers are still for sale. However, his plans include the current management team and although he suggested it was too early to worry about January transfers, he hopes it will be possible to make signings. Smith's concerns centre around whether or not Rangers will be in a position to release funds for new players and Johnston seems to agree the team and standard of play need to be enhanced. The chairman said: "The board are very supportive of the management team." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2009/09/29/walter-smith-warns-rangers-give-me-transfer-funds-or-i-ll-quit-club-86908-21708804/ Another negative story from the media on the day of a massive game for us, what a shock!!!

With another enthralling Champions League encounter upon us I have spent my free time scouring the internet for debate and discussion of the upcoming European midweek. Instead of joining the excited chattering over the expensive talents of Sevilla against whom we are about to test ourselves, I have been greeted by a thunder of grumbling and groaning over an anticipated anti-climax. No doubt our appalling league form has contributed to the lack of enthusiasm for the forthcoming fixture. Not only are we struggling for goals and victories, but our pot 1 opponents are in excellent form having taken maximum points in each of their fixtures throughout September. Whilst we have managed just a solitary victory over Division 1 Queen of the South, Sevilla have swept aside all in their path with only Real Zaragoza managing to breach their goal. Even if were hitting top gear, only the most blinkered of fan would not admit that it will be a tough fixture. However, previous such matches have been greeted with fear and hope in equal measure. Too often I have read comments of fans who would not attend the game even on a complimentary ticket as they will not suffer the indignity of watching their team play for a nil-nil draw. Apparently, the only games of football in which you should follow their team are against inferior opposition where attacking with reckless abandon is the order of the day. Perhaps a greater interest in the “sweet science” of boxing may prove enlightening to such fans. Their preference for football would be akin to two pub drunks flailing away, swinging hay makers and taking as much damage as they might be able to inflict. Students of the “gentleman’s sport” will more keenly appreciate the need for a great defence is as important as a great offence. Come out swinging against a superior opponent and your night could be over in the opening rounds. Despite its brutality, boxing is a thinking man’s sport and time and again Walter Smith and his Rangers team have shown an ability to soak up the opponent’s early pressure before delivering a knockout blow in the Championship Rounds. Success in prizefighting, or indeed any other sport, is achieved through maximising your strengths, minimising your weaknesses and taking advantage of your opponents. In much the same way any football manager must look to maximise the qualities of his squad, play to its strengths and look to exploit any deficiencies in your opposition. With the quality of opposition dispatched on the way to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final it would be a little unfair to dismiss that run as merely luck. As such, Walter Smith had struck on a winning formula for that squad. Suggestions this pre-season were that Smith may utilise a more attacking outlook this season and certainly that has been the intention of setting out in a 4-3-3 formation, even if it has not yet been perfected. I do not expect an expansive attacking game from Rangers on Tuesday. I expect Smith to set out with the game plan that maximises our chances of obtaining a positive result. Building a game plan on defensive solidity and playing for 0-0 draw is not the same thing. Defence may be attack’s unfancied sibling. A dirty word in the corridors and changing rooms of the Nou Camp. It does not grab the headlines and the column inches in the same way that offensive prowess can. However, it is every bit as important if a positive result is to be achieved. Defending is not a crime. But playing with no sense of attacking ambition is!

BORN in Spain, but educated by a Scottish legend. When Manolo Jimenez walks through the front door at Ibrox tomorrow night, his thoughts will inevitably drift to career mentor Jock Wallace. Sevilla's young coach credits Rangers icon Wallace with rescuing his entire career. Wallace, who led Gers to two Trebles in the 1970s, transformed Jimenez from promising kid to Spanish international. He taught him the pride and passion which had underpinned his own superb successes with Gers. And Jimenez, 45, still falls back on the tips and advice he gleaned from Wallace as he seeks to guide Sevilla to Champions League and La Liga glory. Jimenez told SunSport: "I am what I am in football because of Jock Wallace. He was a legend. "I had many coaches during my playing career, but the man who taught me the most was definitely Jock. "He used to say he couldn't change my nationality and make me a Scot. But he could put a little bit of Scotland into my play. "He changed my style, changed my character and he turned me into an international footballer. "I'll always remember him shouting at the players 'I want champions to play for me. Champions, champions'. "Jock used the word so often he made us feel like champions. "He turned my career around. I became a very powerful and physical left-back with a bad temper, just like the coach! I fought for every ball. "I played football with the same passion Jock had. I guess he passed that Scottish passion on to me." Wallace headed for Sevilla after his second stint as Gers boss ended and Graeme Souness and Walter Smith swept into Ibrox in 1986. He took Ted McMinn to La Liga and became a firm favourite with Sevilla players and fans alike. Jimenez recalled: "Jock arrived here in the 1986-87 season and we had a very young squad at the time. "Some of the players, like myself, had been promoted from the youth team, but Jock wasn't scared to use us. "He made me vice-captain under Antonio Alvarez and I went on to captain Sevilla for ten years. "Jock's spell in Sevilla speaks for itself. Some coaches would never have had the same faith in the young home-grown players. But he stuck with us, he gave us confidence and became so influential in so many of our careers. Seven of the young players, including myself, went on to become Sevilla legends and play for Spain. "The respect we earned throughout the years playing for Sevilla was all thanks to Jock. "People still look at us as legends here and everybody knows that Jock was the man who made us believe in ourselves." Advertisement Click here Jimenez ensured his personal debt to Wallace did not go unrewarded when he made his Spain debut. Rather than swapping his red shirt with an opponent, he hid it away and gifted it to the former Gers boss. He added: "Sometimes Jock was a very authoritarian person with rules. He always made it clear he was the boss. "He was a very impatient person on the bench and used to shout at us a lot and tell us not to lose our concentration during the match. "But as a person outside of the pitch, Jock was a friend for us and I remembered him very fondly. "He came to see my debut for Spain in Sevilla against Argentina in 1988. It was a very special game for me because it was my international debut in front of all the Sevilla fans. "I remember it very well because Jock had bought a house in Fuengirola and he had travelled back to Sevilla to watch me playing with Spain. I was honoured. "Usually at the end of the game, players exchange jerseys with the opponents, but I didn't want to swap my jersey with an Argentinian player. "I decided the jersey should go to Jock, so I sprinted to the dressing room to avoid any embarrassing moments with an Argentinian player. "I knew Jock was in the stands at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium and I wanted badly to give my shirt to him. "It was a symbolic gesture towards him, but for me it was simply a very humble way to thank him for all the confidence and time he took to help me as a footballer. "I still remember that moment with goosebumps and I'll always remember what Jock did for me." Not all of Jimenez's memories of his former gaffer are as fond as that emotional night in Sevilla. Like so many stars, he fell foul of the legendary Wallace temper after breaking a late-night curfew. He said: "I remember Jock at his best when he were away on a pre-season trip to a small village called Estella outside of Pamplona. "It was the day of the annual festival in Estella and Jock gave us the afternoon off to relax. "A few of us went down to join the celebrations and Jock had laid on a bus to bring us home at 11pm. "Of course, four players - myself, Rafa Paz, Ramon Vazquez and Jesus Choya - missed the bus. "We had strayed about eight kilometres away and basically had to jog and walk all the way back to the team hotel. "We tried to sneak in a back door, but Jock was hiding behind a big chair in the lobby and he caught us. "He chased after us through the lobby and was shouting at us and trying to hit us. He was furious. "We all knew we had let him down. We learned our lesson and we never did anything so stupid again. "Now I can't wait for this game against Rangers at Ibrox because of my own special association with Jock." http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2657064/Ive-got-the-passion-of-a-Scot.html

Walter Smith will have to watch the first Old Firm match of the season from the stand after being banned from the touchline. More...

When I turned on ESPN this Saturday, the first Rangers game broadcast by the American Network that puts Sky�s coverage to shame, I was shocked and pleased in equal measure by the starting line up Smith had chosen to tackle Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Since Smith and his management team have returned to the club I have at times been frustrated by his unwillingness to utilise his full squad. It can be argued that at the end of the 2007/8 season as we battled on four fronts to win silverware that had Smith been willing to utilise the full benefit of his large squad we may not have come up just short in our assault on the title. I may be being a little unfair Walter and his deputies as hitherto before unseen backlog of fixtures is what ultimately cost us the league crown. However, it still stands that at times he has been reticent to rotate his squad and gain the benefits of fringe players who are fresh, fully fit and eager to contribute. So as posters in the main forum will have noted, prior to kick off, I was pleased to note the changes made from what was an excellent point earned in Germany. Kris Boyd, who prior to this weekend�s game had a scoring record of more than a goal a game against his former employers, returned to the starting line up as a toiling Kenny Miller made way. Davie Weir returned to the first XI and with Bougherra suspended it was vital our captain was fit with few other options for the centre-back position. I had assumed the veteran defenders experience would coach McCulloch through another game in his new defensive role. In came Fleck and Novo as Thomson and Rothen dropped to the bench. There could be little complaints about the formation and line up the manager had selected for this latest fixture. A willingness to freshen up the first team and attacking intent in abundance. We had pace and trickery in wide areas from Fleck, Novo and Naismith. Mendes was partnered in the centre by the diminutive Ulsterman Steve Davis, moved in from the right flank where he is able to have more influence on proceedings. With Scotland�s deadliest marksman feeding off this supply on-loan Celtic keeper Mark Brown must have been expecting a far more difficult afternoon than he endured. However, as the draw in Stuttgart highlighted, defying popular opinion of so called experts and bookmakers, football is played out on the field not on paper. Despite the supposed gulf in class, despite the abundance of attacking quality available to Rangers, we rarely troubled the Kilmarnock goal. Yesterday was not a game for the neutrals. Had I not such a deep emotional attachment to my football team, I might not have been watching until fulltime. It was the kind of contest where you would not open your curtains had it been played out in your back garden. Time and again I have argued from the position of football fanatic, not customer. I am not terribly interested in the so-called product so long as positive results are being obtained. Where that argument falls short and where those who wish to be entertained as well victorious are hard to argue against is after a fixture like Saturday�s. A poor performance married with a poor result that saw Celtic usurp our position atop the league table. Fortunately with fixtures against Aberdeen and Celtic next up on league duty we have ample opportunity to make amends and return to our rightful position at the summit. Before that of course we have a Co-op cup fixture with Queen of the South and our first Home Champions League game against La Liga cracks Sevilla. A worrying trend in an inability to motivate ourselves from the first whistle has continued into the new season. Away in Germany we can be forgiven for having to survive a first half onslaught. Stuttgart, as the home team, were under pressure to take maximum points as results achieved at home so often determine the outcome of the Champions League group stage. The German outfit are also blessed with greater financial clout and therefore individual star quality. At half time Smith was able to galvanise his team and they produced a second half performance worthy of the Rangers to take an excellent point on the road. There are no excuses for not being able to take the game to a vastly inferior Kilmarnock team. Much like we have managed to do on our European travels under Smith and McCoist, Killie managed to produce a team performance to outfox a team with greater resources and quality. Like we have shown in our march to Manchester, a good team ethic can defeat superior opposition. We, therefore, no better than anyone that approaching any fixture with the right mental attitude is vital if we are to avoid dropping silly points as we mount our title challenge. I put last week�s drab draw with Motherwell down as a one off. It is rare any team can complete a perfect season. Rangers have managed it just once in our history. But if we have serious ambitions of retaining our league title and extending our world record to 53 titles we cannot afford to put together a string of dropped points. I had hoped the 0-0 draw at Fir Park would serve as sufficient motivation to approach our league fixtures with the correct mindset. It was disappointing therefore that we would again drop points in the very next fixture. Last weekend we were fortunate that our errors were not punished by Celtic as they could not take advantage of our slip up. We were not likely to get away with it two weeks running. Perhaps this weekend�s disappointment was a result of a Champions League hangover. If that is the case it is a worrying scenario for the season ahead with a minimum of 5 more Champions League fixtures to be negotiated. We are all aware of the importance of competing at Europe�s top table. This summer�s transfer window was a bit of non-event as far as Rangers were concerned. Imagine the disaster that may have unfolded had we not guaranteed Champions League participation. Star players such as Bougherra and Davis may no longer be plying their trade at Ibrox. We therefore understand the importance of ensuring we retain our league title and are entered into the draw in Monaco next summer. It is essential then that Walter Smith gets this first half malaise drilled out of our players. Queen of the South are up next at Palmerston this midweek and I expect them to be on the end of a Rangers backlash. There are many players with a lot to prove ahead of vital fixtures with Aberdeen and Sevilla. Kris Boyd, Pedro Mendes and Kenny Miller have flattered to deceive so far this season. They are all seasoned and experience pro�s and their performances should be helping guys like John Fleck and a now injury free Steven Naismith to settle into the team. I am unsure as to whether we should stick with Miller and Boyd and hope that what should be a formality of a fixture will allow them to play their way into form, or drop them to the bench and hope that that serves as the motivation to find their form from the first whistle.

Former captain Gary McAllister has been asked to join Scotland manager George Burley's coaching set-up. Capped 57 times for his country, the 44-year-old would replace Steven Pressley in Burley's backroom team. Pressley stood down to concentrate on his assistant's role at Falkirk and Burley wants McAllister in place before next month's friendly trip to Japan. McAllister has management experience from brief spells in charge at Coventry and Leeds. McAllister skippered Scotland at the 1996 European Championship, famously missing a penalty against England at Wembley. His international career ended on a sour note, with fans booing him during the defeat by the Czech Republic at Parkhead in March 1999. He has some experience of coaching Scotland, having helped out manager Walter Smith in 2006. McAllister had been the early favourite to take the Scotland manager's job when Burley's predecessor Alex McLeish left but ruled himself out of the running in favour of a return to club football. However, his time at Leeds was not a success and he lost his job in December 2008, just 11 months after his appointment. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/8266665.stm

Walter will be offered the Scotland job again once his contract with us ends. You heard it here first people.