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  1. Found this on the BBC, don't know what to make of it... Everyone knows he should have won POTY, but someone else had one good game against a very poor Aberdeen... and so the mhedia got to work on this campaign as their previous attempts to get it awarded to Brown failed when he played even worse than when he started... It would be good to see Weir make it, been a rock this year and thought he was excellent in the 1st leg! If not, King Carlos will keep whoever he plays alongside in check! Edit: link to article. Was correct as of 9am in case it gets changed...
  2. I hope the big man is correct!! Keeping a clean sheet in the first game could be what wins it for us.
  3. The team that stand between Rangers and the UEFA cup final
  4. ALLAN McGREGOR and Lee McCulloch could both be back for Rangers this season. Boss Walter Smith today revealed there is a chance they could be ready for the SPL game against Dundee United at Ibrox on May 10, and the subsequent run-in. Both players were injured a week ago at Parkhead and have had various scans since. And Smith revealed: "There is a chance they could be back for the last two weeks of the season. That is the outcome of the scans, so we obviously hope that can be the case." Chris Burke has delivered the most positive news after injuring his ankle in the Scottish Cup win over St Johnstone. The damage is not serious and he will be back in a week to 10 days. However, Stevie Naismith's badly damaged cruciate ligament will require surgery. "We are looking at maybe five or six months for him and that is clearly a blow for the lad first of all, and also for the squad," Smith said. He also reported American winger DaMarcus Beasley was back in training after five months out with his own knee ligament injury. Smith said: "He is another who could play in the last couple of weeks. But in his situation, given the time he has been out, we have to balance that against whether it's worth taking a risk for just a few games. We'll need to see." Kris Boyd has recovered from the food poisoning that ruled him out of the Saints game. Smith refused to be drawn on the SPL extension plans, saying: "We have the first leg of a Uefa Cup semi-final to play. That is getting my full attention, everything else is in the background for me." Defender David Weir felt that governing body could maybe have done more to aid Rangers with their fixture plans. He said: "Like the manager, I have been focusing on the game tomorrow. Looking at the situation, we had one game put off to help us in Europe and the other ones have been for things outwith our control. "There is a big arguement for the SPL to maybe have helped us out a bit, but they make the decisions. "As players, we just need to try and get over all the obstacles and have as successful a season as we can. STEVEN NAISMITH was today facing up to at least six months on the sidelines after scans confirmed he has damaged his anterior cruciate ligament. The Scotland Under-21 skipper crumpled in agony early on in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone as his left knee buckled under him. Yesterday, after travelling to Bradford to see a specialist, he was given the worst possible news. He will have to rest for a month before undergoing surgery, most likely to take place at the famous Richard Steadman clinic in Colorado. The �£2million signing from Kilmarnock has been left devastated by the news that will see him out until most probably October. Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist confirmed: "The news from the specialists is a blow for us. But, on a personal basis, clearly it's a real shame for Steven and a huge disappointment for the lad in his first season at the club. "He had made a good start to his career with us and would have played a vital role in the run-in for Rangers. "Now the most important thing is for Steven to get the right kind of medical advice and face up to his rehab programme. I am sure he will come back stronger, and everyone at the club will help him towards that goal." There was better news on Allan McGregor and Chris Burke. The keeper could be back for the last couple of weeks of the season after scans should ankle ligament damage is not as bad as first feared. Burke will return inside 10 days after also injuring his ankle at the weekend. Lee McCulloch, who suffered a foot injury in last week's Old Firm defeat, feels he can play a part in the run-in. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2218253.0.mcgregor_mcculloch_on_the_comeback_trail.php
  5. Rangers fear Allan McGregor may be out for season Apr 22 2008 By Keith Jackson INJURY-RAVAGED Rangers are bracing themselves for the bombshell news today that Allan McGregor's season is over. The keeper will report to hospital this afternoon for a second opinion on the ankle injury he sustained in last week's Old Firm defeat at Parkhead. But while McGregor is praying for good news, manager Walter Smith is all but resigned to losing his keeper for the rest of the campaign. McGregor has damaged ligaments so badly Smith doesn't expect him back in training until July when Rangers begin their pre-season preparations. It means Neil Alexander - the hero in Sunday's penalty shoot-out win over St Johnstone - will be placed in the firing line as Rangers' season goes down to the wire. Smith will be without seven top-team players on Thursday against Fiorentina in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final. Lee McCulloch, Charlie Adam, Steven Naismith and Chris Burke are also injured while Kevin Thomson and Barry Ferguson are suspended. Rangers did receive one piece of good news last night when it was revealed Burke could be back sooner than expected after fears he'd broken his ankle on Sunday in a challenge with Saints skipper Kevin Rutkiewicz. Doctors believe Burke's ligaments would have been severely ruptured had they not already been loosened by previous injuries and he could be back in action in a fortnight. But Smith admits Burke and his other weekend casualty Naismith are definitely out of the mouth-watering clash with the Serie A side. He said: "Naismith and Burke have no chance of playing on Thursday and I think they will miss our next three games at least. "We will wait and see what the specialists say but at this stage they look unlikely to feature in either of the Fiorentina games or against Celtic on Sunday." As I said before, thank God we replaced Roy Carroll.
  6. Rangers set for summer friendly with Benitez's Liverpool Apr 19 2008 By David Mccarthy Exclusive RANGERS could face Champions League hopefuls Liverpool in a sell-out glamour friendly at Ibrox in the summer. The SPL leaders are in talks with the Premiership giants and are hoping a deal can be struck. Rangers are also considering an offer from Spanish outfit Atletico Bilbao, who are looking to play pre-season friendlies in Britain. The Ibrox club have yet to decide whether to take the fixture but it would be another stern summer test for Walter Smith and his players. Meanwhile, Hampden is in danger of being half empty for tomorrow's Scottish Cup semifinal between Rangers and St Johnstone with a crowd of around 26,000 expected.
  7. Gow could move to Sweden to further career Apr 19 2008 By Gordon Parks Scottish Cup Special... Exclusive ALAN GOW is set to take his season into overtime by joining Swedish side Djurgardens on loan. The Rangers striker has yet to start a league game since signing from Falkirk last summer and Record Sport understands he is keen on the idea of heading to Stockholm for the next few months in a bid to hit the ground running next season. The 25-year-old has featured in just two cup matches and is determined to stay and fight for a chance to prove his worth. But despite a growing list of injuries and suspensions Gow has been unable to force himself into Walter Smith's plans. The Gers boss has told Gow he would be prepared to sanction a loan move and Djurgardens are waiting to find out if a short-term deal can be agreed.
  8. From todays Record. Davis inches closer to signing for Rangers Apr 19 2008 Chris Roberts Scottish Cup Special... FULHAM boss Roy Hodgson is willing to accept a cut-price s3million bid from Rangers for loan star Steve Davis in the summer. Hodgson sees no future for the Northern Ireland midfielder at Craven Cottage and would be willing to let him leave for s1m less than the fee paid to Aston Villa in July 2007. That is good news for the Ibrox money men and boss Walter Smith, who has made him his No.1 signing target. The only problem for Rangers would be if Fulham are relegated to the Championship and sack their manager. A new boss, with John Collins tipped to take over, might want to recall Davis and block his full-time move to Scotland.
  9. Rangers have the stamina for fight on four fronts, vows Ally McCoist Apr 18 2008 By Keith Jackson ALLY McCOIST last night insisted that burn-out will not see Rangers' quest for a quadruple go up in flames. McCoist was rolled out to face the media yesterday as part of his duties as "caretaker" boss for the Ibrox club's Scottish Cup run. He has been handed increased responsibility for team affairs by manager Walter Smith and will again be the front man at Hampden on Sunday as Rangers bid to see off St Johnstone and reach the Final. But while Smith and his players are still licking their wounds after Wednesday night's Old Firm defeat, McCoist remains adamant Rangers are not about to run out of gas on the last leg of their incredible journey towards a clean sweep. He said: "There will be questions levelled against us now, I'm aware of that. As far as I'm concerned it's questions that must be levelled at the players. "This was always going to happen at some stage this season. So far the lads have answered all the questions and I don't have any doubts that they will keep on answering positively. "There are a lot of strong characters in the dressing room. We'll need those strong characters, that's for sure. "But we've never, ever said that the league campaign was over. We have a cup game next but I have no doubts we'll bounce back. "I see comparisons with the team I played in back in 1992. There is a real togetherness and there is a real team spirit. There are characters who just don't know when they're beaten and you learn more about yourself in defeat. "Just like that 1992 side this lot are prepared to roll up their sleeves when they have to and that's exactly what they will do now." By the time Rangers get back to league business at Hibs on May 4, Celtic could have opened up an eight-point gap at the top of the SPL pile. But McCoist said: "I wasn't aware of that because I only look at the next game. "We have a lot of games to play in a short space of time. It's a problem but it's one we will have to address. It's a case of getting on with it. "I'm not overly concerned about the burn-out issue because we have a squad of players who can handle it. "We asked for one game off so people could throw that back in our faces. We could have squeezed games in had we looked at things a little bit better but this is the situation we find ourselves in and we have to deal with it. And I have no concerns with this squad of players." McCoist is relishing the chance to work with a group of players who could yet go down as the most successful Rangers side of all time. A win over Saints on Sunday will see the quad squad move one step closer to their improbable dream. And McCoist said: "When we pick the team we all pitch in but Walter obviously has the final say. For the cup games he is letting me handle the media and take the team talks - but he is still the manager. "I might have more responsibility but I would be foolish not to ask him for advice - even if he gave me full permission to pick the team. "But I do have a lot more to do with the cup games in terms of organising things and I am thoroughly enjoying it. "When I think back to what I was doing 18 months ago, with my TV work and that kind of thing, then yes, I must admit, I'm very surprised to be sitting here now preparing a team for a Scottish Cup semi-final. Very surprised - but delighted. "It's been a fantastic year. We've had a lot of highs and then we had a massive disappointment on Wednesday night. But you sit back and think that might not be such a bad thing. It's all part of the learning curve." Never realized that Walter was letting him basically take charge of the team during the cup run. Another season under Smith then McCoist to take over?
  10. Words from Walter.... Manager Walter Smith saw Rangers' SPL lead reduced to one point after a last-minute defeat at Celtic Park. "For us it is a difficult one to take losing it so late in the game," Smith told BBC Sport after the 2-1 loss. "After holding out for the length of time we did the disappointing aspect for us was losing the goal just in the last seconds. "Celtic, although they had territorial possession when we were down to 10 men, didn't create many opportunities." Although the visitors were disappointed to lose the match, they remain favourites to clinch the league title having played two games fewer than their city rivals. Smith admitted that his side were over-run in the first half but it was a different story after the break. "Celtic were the better side in the first half and imposed themselves on the game better than we did, although there weren't many chances for either team in that first half. "I don't think we could argue that Celtic deserved that lead. "In the second half we started to impose ourselves as Celtic did in the first half and we played very well. "We managed to equalise in our best spell of the game and then obviously when we got a player sent off the game was always going to turn. "We were always going to be under a little bit of pressure. We had to defend and we did so brilliantly until the last few seconds." Think he is a little miffed at losing it in the fashion we did. It is a typical Bheggars goal, well into time added on, but we have to expect it.
  11. ALLAN MCGREGOR wrote his name into the history books on March 29 when he became the first Rangers keeper to record four consecutive clean sheets against Celtic but he doesn't want to stop there. Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor show their thanks to the fansThe club's No. 1 will travel to Parkhead tonight for another crucial clash against Gordon Strachan's men and would love nothing more than to increase his remarkable run to five as Walter Smith's side look to put one hand, or glove for that matter, on the SPL trophy. Keeping Celtic at bay in front of 60,000 fans in green and white is easier said than done but Greegs is confident his team can once again do the business in the world's greatest derby. When the clubs last went in to battle it was the men in Light Blue that gained a vital psychological boost with a stunning 1-0 victory. This game will be remembered for Kevin Thomson's majestic goal but few will forget the fingertip stop which denied Andrius Hinkel a second-half equaliser. When the German right-back cut inside and unleashed a dipping shot from 30-yard the Celtic fans in the Broomloan Stand were already off their seats ready to raise the roof. McGregor had other ideas and his save brought back memories of Andy Goram's unbelievable stop to deny Pierre Van Hooijdonk at the same end of the ground during the nine-in-a-row era. It was another moment of magic from the 26-year-old who has been inspirational in Rangers quest for an unprecedented quadruple this season. Allan McGregor celebrates at the final whistle Although Carlos Cuellar may be the early favourite to scoop the country's Player of the Year awards for his terrific consistency Allan must also be in with a fighting chance of picking up a few gongs. Winning individual honours, however, will be the last thing on his mind right now. The SPL takes centre-stage this evening in Glasgow's East End and Allan is hoping it is his opposite number Artur Boruc that is once again picking the ball out of his net. He said: "Obviously I would love to keep another clean sheet against Celtic, that would be a dream scenario but as long as we get a result that's all that matters really. "All the boys will be right up for the game and we have to be quietly confident of getting a result although it will be very hard. "They will be fighting for their lives and have a league title to retain while we are trying to win it for the first time in three years. "Both Celtic and ourselves need to be on our toes right now and try to take three points from every game we play in. "That is what happens when you are with the Old Firm and tonight's game is no different. "I think we will need to play better than we did in our last two wins over them at Ibrox but hopefully we can come out on top." Allan McGregorRunning out in front of a packed Celtic Park would have a lot of players quivering in their boots but Allan can't wait to get out on the pitch and strut his stuff. "I actually quite enjoy going to Parkhead and I think a lot of lads say that. It's a challenge and if you can come away with a win it's the best feeling in the world. "To be honest I am not too bothered about the atmosphere at away grounds and that's the same at Parkhead. "Once you are out there you just get your head down and concentrate on the job at hand. "I have no doubt that tonight's game will start and it will be frantic for a while and it usually settles down after that. "It will be up to our players to get on the ball and take the game to Celtic. "We want to win the game, that is our main priority and obviously my aim is to keep a clean sheet again but if we come away with a draw it is perhaps not too bad a result."
  12. Kris Boyd insists the time is not right leave to leave Rangers, despite reported interest from Manchester City. The Rangers striker has cut a frustrated figure for much of the present campaign, as Gers boss Walter Smith has often elected to start with his top goalscorer on the bench. Boyd has hit a remarkable 24 goals this season, despite limited playing time, yet still he remains a player that divides opinion like few others. The Scotland international could well point to 50 goals from 54 league starts for Rangers - at Kilmarnock he netted 64 in 106 starts - but his critics harbour resentment at his lack of work-rate outside of the box. It was suggested in the weekend papers that Boyd could be a target for City in the summer, but the hit-man is confident he still has a future at Ibrox. Happy for now "It's not come to that stage for me, and I don't think it's come to that stage for Rangers either," he told Sky Sports News, when asked about a possible departure. "At the end of the day if the gaffer didn't want me then he'd come and tell me that it's time to find another club." Boyd accepts there are areas of his game that could be improved but of the opinion that goals win matches, he believes he has plenty to offer as Rangers chase a quadruple. "I don't know, at the end of the day I look at what I do inside the box - and it's good enough to win games," when quizzed on whether he needs to improve his overall game. "Obviously I'd like to add the other bits to my game but (Iain) Durrant used to say to annoy a couple of the lads at Killie, 'you get the bricks and he'll lay them'. "Even the best in the world can add to their game and I'm like that too. But first I need to get back on the pitch, working hard in training. "You need games to get really sharp, to improve the different aspects of your game that people go on about." Taken from SKy Sports website. Looks like he wants to stay and fight for his place. Good man!
  13. I'll give Rangers first chance to sign me, says loan star Steve Davis Apr 16 2008 By Colin Duncan RANGERS' hopes of making Steve Davis' switch from Fulham permanent were last night given a major boost. The midfielder revealed he will give the SPL leaders first crack at signing him. The Ulsterman has been a revelation at Ibrox since arriving from Craven Cottage on loan during the January window and has played an integral part in Rangers' push for four trophies this season. Now Ibrox boss Walter Smith has made keeping him his No.1 priority this summer. The 23-year-old is receptive to the idea of furthering his career north of the border if Fulham decide to let him go. But with Middlesbrough, Everton, Blackburn and Newcastle all chasing the �£4million-rated star Rangers might struggle to match the financial package on offer in the Premiership. Davis said: "The most important thing for me is to see this season through first. We are still involved in three competitions at the moment and that's what I need to focus on. "When the season finishes I will go away, have a break and hopefully sort out my future after that. What I can say is that I will listen to Rangers first. If they are an option then it's something I will consider. "I grew up a Rangers fan and I have enjoyed my time here. It has been good for everyone and the fact we're in the semi-final of the UEFA Cup proves we are a massive club. "The manager is well respected and it was good to read that he wants to keep me. I have enjoyed working with him. "I haven't really thought about things and I suppose a lot will depend on what happens with Fulham." Instead of fighting a relegation battle with the Londoners, Davis now finds himself closing in on four trophies with his boyhood heroes. Yet, as he gears up for his second Old Firm clash the Northern Irishman admits he was surprised Roy Hodgson allowed him to move north. He said: "I don't know why Fulham let me go. Before I came here I'd started almost every league game but then there was a change in manager. I was out of the team and when I heard of Rangers' interest I went to see the new boss. "I didn't think he would agree to the move but he did and I'm so glad I came. I've been able to add to the quality that was already here and things have worked out well." Victory at Parkhead tonight would leave Celtic needing a miracle to overhaul Rangers in the title race and while Davis is confident he knows it will take another Herculean display. He added: "We had big performance against Sporting last week, probably the best I've been involved in since I came here. "We showed we are a good footballing side and there's no doubt we've taken a lot of confidence from that performance. But it will take a similar showing against Celtic to get anything at Parkhead. "Things have gone well for me since I came to Ibrox but there's a lot of football to be played and it's now a case of seeing it through. "This will be my first experience of Parkhead but I'm looking forward to it. "There's no doubt this game is huge just because of what is at stake. It's vital we get a result. "A draw would suit us more than Celtic but you don't go into any game looking to draw. We'll be going there looking to win." GET THE LAD SIGNED WALTER
  14. Arthur Numan may not be considered thus by Rangers fans who witnessed him collect eight trophies in five seasons at Ibrox - particularly now that the Dutchman has made his home in Scotland - but the 38-year-old believes his former club should be looking to expand their horizons. advertisement <A HREF="http://ads.telegraph.co.uk/event.ng/Type=click&FlightID=27064&AdID=32704&TargetID=6217&ASeg=&AMod=&Redirect=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/flanders" target="_top"><IMG SRC="http://adc.telegraph.co.uk/f/flanders/cobrands/flanders_300x250.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=250 BORDER=0></A> Ironically, considering he was speaking in order to publicise broadcasters Setanta's exclusive rights to tomorrow night's Old Firm game, Numan played down the importance of that particular encounter and argued that Walter Smith should make winning the Uefa Cup the club's priority. Numan is of the opinion that winning the SPL title is a done deal and that local bragging rights should take a back seat to preparing properly for the visit of semi-final opponents Fiorentina in nine days' time. "For me the Uefa Cup is, without a doubt, the most important competition," Numan said. "Winning that would be a bigger achievement than five league titles put together. "Rangers have won 51 league titles, but how many European trophies have they won? Just the one. "In this country everyone is so focused on the league but when you look at the teams Rangers have already beaten in Europe this season you realise what this would mean. "It would also be good for Scotland as a country. Celtic and Rangers have already reached the last 16 of the Champions League and the national team has also been improving. "To be honest, I've been surprised by how well Rangers have done and I'd be lying if I said I was the only one. No-one expected them to get this far. "The home-grown players at the Old Firm know what it means to play for Rangers or Celtic but maybe you need to think like a foreigner to win the Uefa Cup. "I remember losing 5-1 at Parkhead in my first Old Firm game and afterwards Ian Ferguson just went mental. He even said he would rather beat Celtic four times each season than win the league. "But the club is now just two games away from going to Manchester for the final and that would be fantastic. It should be their priority." Celtic's management and staff claim that retaining their title remains a possibility, but Numan gives the impression that opinion is right up there with Scientology as far as questionable beliefs are concerned. "At the moment Rangers are four points clear with two games in hand," Numan said. "The way they're playing just now, realistically that puts them 10 points clear with just six games left. "Celtic have been losing a lot of games recently while Rangers have lost just one of their last 30 matches. So there's no need for them to worry -Rangers can afford to lose both games at Parkhead and still win the title. "Of course, that would make life a little more difficult for them because that's when the pressure comes. I remember in 2003 we were eight points clear with nine games left and then we lost twice to Celtic and drew with Dundee after missing two penalties. "That meant it came down to goal difference and we beat Dunfermline 6-1 while Celtic won 4-0 at Kilmarnock. But I don't think that will happen this time." Numan has been impressed by the resilience of Rangers since Smith's return, but doesn't doubt that the team he played in was superior in almost every respect. "We were a far better team and we also played better football," he said. "The strength of the current group is that they are well-organised and play as a unit.They're hard to beat and they don't give a lot of goals away." "My one regret is that the Rangers team I played in never made it past the first stage of the Champions League, especially when you look at the squad we had."
  15. STEVIE SMITH is in a Rangers team for the first time since December 2006 for today's Scottish Cup quarter-final replay with Partick Thistle at Firhill. The full-back has not featured since the 1-1 draw with Celtic 16 months ago because of a long-term pelvic problem but finally makes his comeback against the Jags. Kirk Broadfoot's one-match suspension allows the 22-year-old to return and he is one of seven changes to the team which beat Sporting 2-0 on Thursday. Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch, Jean-Claude Darcheville, Steven Davis, Sasa Papac and Brahim Hemdani have also dropped out of the first XI. In their places come David Weir, Chris Burke, Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo and Steven Naismith in a 4-4-2 formation. Euro hero Steven Whittaker also starts the game at right-back. Following Queen of the South's semi-final win over Aberdeen yesterday, Rangers have a real opportunity to claim their first Scottish Cup for five years. Another First Division outfit - St Johnstone - await the winners of this tie in the last four and Walter Smith is fielding a strong side to give Gers their best chance of going through. RANGERS: McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Cuellar, Smith; Burke, Dailly, Thomson, Naismith; Novo, Boyd. Subs: Alexander, Ferguson, Cousin, McCulloch, Furman,
  16. Sunday, 13 April 2008 -------------------------Time--------TV Motherwell v Celtic-------14:00-------*** Wednesday, 16 April 2008 -------------------------Time--------TV Celtic v Rangers----------19:45-------*** Celtic get the chance to pull three points back on Rangers again on Sunday. To do that they will have to beat their public enemy No.1, Motherwell. Both will be missing key midfield players as Bob Malcolm and Scott Brown are both suspended. Adding to that the game will take part on the mud patch pitch that fir park has become it may make fighting spirit more important than classy football. I can see Celtic getting outfought in a midfield battle in this one but will go for the draw. A Motherwell win will virtually hand Rangers the League title so here's hoping. Draw. On Wednesday Rangers travel to the piggery which throws up a must win game for Celtic. Walter Smith's dominance in old firm games is almost becoming embarrassing and i see no reason to contemplate a change in fortune. Rangers are riding on a high wave while Celtic are drowning in their own saliva. I really think we are good enough to win this one and won't even contemplate a draw. Rangers win.
  17. ian1964

    Big Amo

    by Lindsay Herron LORENZO AMORUSO can't wait for his former clubs Fiorentina and Rangers to go into battle for a place in the UEFA Cup Final. And the former Ibrox captain says the two sides are not only evenly matched but very similar in style. Amoruso, who joined Rangers for just under �£4m from Fiorentina in 1997, is eagerly anticipating the clashes between the two sides. Adrian MutuHe told rangers.co.uk: "It's fantastic that the two teams that mean the most to me are playing each other for a place in the UEFA Cup Final, but the sad thing is that one of them has to go out. "Fiorentina and Rangers will always have places in my heart because they are the best clubs I played for. "But I won't be supporting either of them when the matches come along - how can I? I will just go to the second leg here in Florence and hope that the best team goes through. "I think either side could do it and they are very similar because they are teams without superstars but fantastic work ethic. "Of course, Fiorentina have Adrian Mutu who is a big player and Giampaolo Pazzini is his strike partner who is also a good player. "But they are a team that works very hard for each other. They don't have the big names like Milan, Juventus and Inter have but they are ahead of Milan in the league in fourth position and with a bit of luck they could be even higher. "Rangers are the same. Of course Barry Ferguson is a big influence, but the team is working so hard as a unit and that is down to the good judgement ot Walter Smith and Ally McCoist." The Street is Moving
  18. ian1964

    U 19's

    BILLY KIRKWOOD'S Rangers under-19 side is showing as much spirit as Walter Smith's first team after their 2-0 win over Dundee United yesterday. Isa BagciThe youths beat the Arabs at Glenesk Park with goals either side of half-time from Isa Bagci and captain Andrew Shinnie. Collecting another three points takes the young Gers a step closer to retaining the SPL title they won last year. When they will have a chance to claim the trophy once more is unclear because of the situation regarding Gretna and their remaining fixtures. If the Borders side is unable to fulfil them and points won against them are removed from the standings, nearest challengers Hibs would move three points closer to Rangers. Regardless, Kirkwood's team could win the league on Monday when they take on United again at Murray Park, although Friday's clash with Motherwell is a more likely date. Yesterday's victory was all about grit and determination and the manager was delighted with the application his men showed.Andrew Shinnie Kirkwood said: "It was an exceptional team performance. Every single player, including the subs who went on, showed real desire and resilience. "Without playing fantastic football, there wasn't a single failure and that was the most pleasing thing. "We have still got a wee bit of work to do, but only because we don't know the situation with Hibs. "Our result yesterday puts us nine points ahead of Celtic, who only have three games left, and we have a superior goal difference to theirs. "That means Hibs are probably our only realistic challengers and if we can win on Monday then take a point next Friday, that could clinch it." RANGERS: S. Gallacher, McLachlan, Kinniburgh, Perry, Harvey, Ness, Stirling (Hutton), Shinnie, Bagci (Little), Fleck, Efrem (Durie).
  19. Recently there has been much informed (but much more ill-informed) discussions regarding the short and long-term futures of both Old Firm managers. Some journalists have even gone as far as to claim that they know that Gordon Strachan will leave Celtc this summer, no matter the outcome of the SPL. Apparently, he has had enough of the baggage that associates itself with being an ââ?¬Ë?Old Firmââ?¬â?¢ manager. Funnily enough, we never hear of this baggage when a Rangers manager is ââ?¬Ë?strugglingââ?¬â?¢. Did this apparent baggage affect Alex McLeish or Paul Le Guen? Anyway, I digress. GS is in an extraordinary position as no matter how well he does (2 SPL titles, 2 domestic trophies and 2 last 16 appearances in the CL) will never be enough to appease the (growing) vocal minority (which will increase to the majority if we are to clinch the SPL title) as he isnââ?¬â?¢t termed ââ?¬Ë?Celtc Mindedââ?¬â?¢. Yip, once again that mysterious term or Celtc mindedness raises its ugly head. In this instance, I believe that the media have gotten it correct, no matter how the season ends, GS will leave Parkhead for pastures new. Liewell and his PR machine will go into overdrive and promise to deliver a ââ?¬Ë?Blue Chipââ?¬â?¢ replacement, with names from abroad being touted about, but I believe any new manager will come from much closer to home. In fact, I donââ?¬â?¢t think youââ?¬â?¢ll need to look much further than Motherwell. Mark McGee will fit most of the criteria Celtc are looking for, and most importantly to appease the fans, he is what can be termed ââ?¬Ë?Celtc Mindedââ?¬â?¢. Other names that will enter the frame and could become part of a management team are Mick McCarthy, Tony Mowbry, John Hughes and Peter Grant (see a pattern developing here!). Our manager is in a slightly different position. Walter Smith was brought back to steady the ship, to get us back challenging for domestic honours whilst continuing to progress in Europe. So far this season, it can be argued that he as ââ?¬Ë?over achievedââ?¬â?¢. If we finish the season with say the domestic treble, or even just with the much coveted SPL trophy, Walter Smith may decide that he has delivered and might want to take a step back. However, I donââ?¬â?¢t think he can as his successor is just settling into a new job at the moment and wonââ?¬â?¢t want to ââ?¬Ë?jump shipââ?¬â?¢ just yet. Some believe that Ally McCoist is being groomed as Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s long term replacement but I donââ?¬â?¢t think Ally will be ready in 12-18 months. In my opinion, weââ?¬â?¢ll have another manager before Ally McCoist. As I said recently, I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t rule out Craig Levin, but I believe that our next manager will be George Burley. But, as I said above, I canââ?¬â?¢t see WS moving on until the end of next season at the earliest. This may come as a disappointment to the minority of Rangers fans who for some reason believe that we arenââ?¬â?¢t improving under Walter Smith. We have won our first trophy in 3 years, are leading the SPL, have a great chance of the domestic treble and are racking up the European coefficient points like never before. WS was brought in to steady the ship ââ?¬â?? he has done far more that steady us, he has turned us around into a very efficient team that is hard to beat ââ?¬â?? but I suppose, like our friends from the east end, some of us will never be satisfied. Cammy F -
  20. WALTER SMITH has praised his fantastic players after Rangers progressed through to the semi-final stage of a European competition for the first-time in 36 years against Sporting Lisbon tonight. Kirk Broadfoot celebrates with DarchevilleTerrific second-half strikes from Jean-Claude Darcheville and Steven Whittaker secured a hugely memorable victory in the Portuguese capital. The Light Blues thoroughly deserved their win and the gaffer was understandably beaming with pride after the final whistle in the Jose Alvalade Stadium. He said: "It is a terrific achievement for us to be in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. "I thought we played extremely well tonight, especially in the second-half. "In the first we were a bit disappointed as our final ball let us down a few times which was a bit frustrating. "But I was delighted with the way we performed after half-time and the goals were terrific. "The first was a great move involving Jean-Claude and Steven (Davis) and the second was excellent work from Steven Whittaker. Walter Smith instructs his team in Lisbon "When he picked the ball up it looked as though he was going to feed in Daniel but he kept going and showed brilliant composure to score. "That was a bit of icing on the cake for us and I am so proud of the players. "They have worked ever so hard and when you consider that after the Fiorentina games we will have played 18 games in Europe, that underlines the effort they have put in. "They are a great bunch of boys and it is a pleasure to be working with them." Serie A giants Fiorentina now lie in wait for the Gers in the semis and the club's Chief Scout Ewan Chester watched the club's opponents tonight against PSV. He said: "Ewan was in Eindhoven to watch Fiorentina in action so we will get the full run down from him. "We don't know a great deal about them but we will get the full run down by David Moyes at Everton. "At the end of the day we are just delighted to be in the semi-final as it raises the profile of our club. "It is the first time we have been in this position for a long time and we are just delighted to be there."
  21. I will keep knocking back buy-out bids unless they make the club stronger Sir David Murray by Darrell King RANGERS owner Sir David Murray today revealed how he almost sold the club last summer. But the Ibrox supremo did not feel that the interested suitor was right in terms of taking the club forward. The Edinburgh-based millionaire is approaching his 20th anniversary as chairman, and has said on a few occasions in the past year or so that he would sell up to the right person. But Murray - who again insisted major plans to revamp Ibrox and the surrounding area WILL be unveiled soon - remained at the helm despite the in-depth talks over buying his controlling shares. advertisementMurray said in an interview on RTV: "I repeat this again, I will not sell the club to anybody who I don't believe is in the best interests of Rangers. "I could have sold the club last summer when we had an opportunity to do a deal. But when I examined it, I genuinely did not believe it was in the best interests of the club. "Yes, eventually, I will go. All I can say is that when I do move on, I will hopefully leave the club in good shape and leave it to the right people to take Rangers forward. "As I come up to my 20th year, I have won 13 titles and 28 trophies overall. I have been reasonably successful, I have enjoyed the highs and gone with the pain of the lows - that is part of being chairman of a big club like Rangers. "If you haven't got the broad shoulders, then don't take it on and leave. But I am happy to take on the responsibility, it goes with the ticket. "We won the CIS Cup recently and that was very satisfying for all Rangers fans, including myself, and I would love to win more this season, that is what we are striving for. "I have always tried to be honest and treat everyone correctly. You can't keep everyone happy, everyone has an opinion, but I think throughout my stewardship I have always tried to have an integrity, and hopefully I will be judged that way when I finally leave." Rangers' plans for Ibrox have been met with raised eyebrows given the overall figures of �£750m that have been bandied around. Three options are being looked at, one of which would see the stadium rebuilt to a 70,000-capacity based on the Sapporo Dome in Japan, and Murray is adamant all will be revealed. He rapped: "There has been a lot of cynicism about this, but that is the way of things here in Scotland. But I had further meetings last week with councils and developers. "As soon as it is possible, and all legals are drawn up, we will make an announcement. "There is a wonderful opportunity to regenerate the whole of the area, the stadium, the areas across the road and the whole Hinshlewood area of Govan. "I hope our supporters will be pleasantly surprised when we make an announcement as soon as we can." Fans are more interested, as always, on what will happen on the pitch. Murray has vowed to back manager Walter Smith in the transfer market this summer, with a fund of �£10m said to be available. There was, of course, the �£9m sale of Alan Hutton to Spurs which offset just about all of the net spend last summer on 12 players. The chairman revealed that Smith wants to buy "three or four" first team picks instead of squad bulk like last summer. Murray explained: "The fact is we can only spend the income we have got. If we make a profit, then I'll spend it, if we don't make a profit we can't spend it. "People can moan and groan all they want, but we must balance the books as a football club. I have read people saying: Are Rangers a selling club?' We will only sell if the figure is seen to be one that you can't turn down, as with Alan Hutton. "That was a figure that we, as a board, could not turn down. We did not want to lose Alan, and initially he didn't want to go. "But he came round to the idea that it would be in his best interests, and give his family the security of a wage structure that was so much higher than he could ever get in Scotland. "I don't mind spending money on players who are young and who have their best years ahead of them. What we must not do is spend a lot of money on 30-year-olds when there is no residual value. "If you spend and invest on Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker, players of that ilk, then it's good sound business. "But where we perhaps got it wrong was buying players at the wrong end of their careers as we strove to get European success - that backfired on us. "Financially, this club is in good shape. We have funds to spend, we showed good interim profits for six months and we will make a profit for the year net of all costs
  22. Carlos Cuellar has become a doubt for the match in Lisbon. The Spaniard, who has been in fine form for Walter Smith's team this season, has been floored by a virus. And with central defensive partner David Weir already suspended for the match, the Rangers boss could face a selection headache. Cuellar has been ordered to remain in bed for two days, although the club is hopeful he will be able to travel to the Portuguese capital on Wednesday. Cousin has been passed fit.
  23. Rangers striker Kris Boyd insists his frustration at being reduced to a fringe role in Walter Smith's team does not mean he will ever want to leave Ibrox. The 24-year-old former Kilmarnock frontman has started just 19 matches this season, coming off the bench a further 12 times, but has scored a remarkable 20 goals. That record makes him comfortably the club's leading scorer, even though Boyd has started fewer than half of Rangers' matches in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. He was left on the bench throughout last week's Old Firm clash with Celtic, and has played in just one of the four matches Rangers have contested since his two goals as substitute saved the day in the CIS Insurance Cup final. There is no guarantee he will be involved against Dundee United at Tannadice in the SPL on Sunday. But Boyd told the Daily Record: "Look, the team has been winning so nobody can say the gaffer has got it wrong. I certainly am not saying that. "But I don't think he or anybody else at the club would be happy if I wasn't frustrated. Of course I'm frustrated. I want to play. "But although I'm not happy about not getting game that doesn't mean I want away." He added: "I'm committed to Rangers and I want to be at Rangers for the rest of my life. I'm happy here."
  24. RANGERS misfit Filip Sebo could return to Ibrox next season, as Valenciennes are hoping to land a new striker. The Ibrox striker, signed for �£1.8 million by Paul Le Guen from Austria Vienna, was loaned out to the French side for the year after failing to impress manager Walter Smith. Sebo scored only twice in 33 appearances before being offloaded and reports in France claim Valenciennes have already lined up Mons striker Mohamed Dahmane as their new forward for next season, meaning Sebo could be out in the cold again and on his way back to Ibrox. http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Rangers-return-for-Sebo.3953096.jp Gribz will be happy if true
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