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By STEPHEN HALLIDAY Rangers have recalled Filip Sebo from French side Valenciennes. DANIEL Cousin completed his expected signing to Fulham today after Rangers accepted an improved bid of �£3 million for the Gabonese international striker from the London club yesterday. While Rangers find themselves well in credit on the sale of Cousin, manager Walter Smith stated he will not use the funds to sign a replacement striker during the current transfer window. We have chosen to bring Filip back into the fold. We have never lost faith in him. Sebo was signed by the then Rangers manager Paul le Guen who made him his ninth signing, from Austria Vienna with Rangers agreeing a fee of �£1.85 million Walter Smith will consider approaching the rest of the season with the strikers already in his squad, with Sebo poised to make an Ibrox return. Kris Boyd, still the club's top scorer despite spending much of the time on the substitutes' bench recently, will be hopeful his manager does decide not to replace Cousin from outwith the existing squad and will go head to head with Sebo for the second strikers role, with Darchville claiming the number one spot. Cousin revealed his delight at finalising his move to West London. "I am pleased that the two clubs have been able to reach an agreement to enable me to sign for Fulham," he told the club's website. "I enjoyed my time at Rangers and I am now excited by a new challenge that awaits me. I look forward to playing well for Fulham and competing in the Premier League."

Apparently we are interested in him as a replacement for Cousin.... Taken from Sky sports Lille duo Nicolas Fauverge and Kevin Mirallas are both being linked with January moves across the Channel to Britain. Fauverge, 23, has emerged as a candidate to replace Daniel Cousin at Rangers. Cousin has taken advantage of a clause in his contract to talk with Fulham after they lodged a �£3million offer. Now Walter Smith could be forced into the transfer market for a new target-man and he could make another move on the French market.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=578&Itemid=1 With the January transfer window already half-way closed, itââ?¬â?¢s time for Gersnetââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?The-Insiderââ?¬â?¢ to divulge what heââ?¬â?¢s been hearing deep in the fitness rooms of Auchenhowie. First off, to the disappointment of most Rangers fans, it seems the Alan Hutton saga is NOT finished. After turning down a deal of Ã?£20K p/week and considering the immediate thoughts of his heavily pregnant partner, it was felt Hutton would be staying at Rangers until the summer at least. However, Spurs were keen to get their man and our mole has told us they are confident Hutton will move south next week for Ã?£8million plus add-ons which take the deal up to around Ã?£10million. The London club increased their wage offer to Ã?£33K p/week and the lad understandably felt this money was too good to turn down for the long term future of his family. He is genuinely disappointed to be leaving Rangers but it appears the club administration were keen to move him on considering the money involved and the fact Steven Whittaker can slot in immediately at right back. This leaves the question of how much of this money will be invested back into the team. Information is tight in this regard but thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubt SDM would be under pressure to use the money if suitable players are available. One such player is SÃ?¸ren Larsen of FC Schalke in Germany. As Gersnet revealed last year, the club are scouring the German leagues for players and the huge Danish international is one player that has come to light. He would be available for around Ã?£1.5million and with the future of Daniel Cousin still doubtful, Walter Smith sees the player as an ideal replacement for the lone striker role. It is expected that two other players will follow Larsen through the door before the end of January. One is Portsmouthââ?¬â?¢s Matthew Taylor who would at last fill the gap Rangers have at left-midfield while providing further cover for the left-back position. Taylor would cost a fair bit more and would also command the kind of wage that does not fit the current club structure. However, Rangers are still very hopeful that a deal can be done in keeping with the finance available. Depending on other players linked with moves out of the club (including Thomas Buffel, Ugo Ehiogu and Alan Gow), Rangers will make one more signing before the end of the month. German defender Frank Fahrenhorst is still one central defender that may fill the bill as the manager looks to positively influence the reliable Cuellar/Weir pairing. If Andy Webster can prove his fitness and sort out his contractual issues that may not prove necessary but rumours are abound Walter Smith has lost patience with the Scotland internationalââ?¬â?¢s situation. What is for sure the next two weeks will be extremely interesting. Circumstances can change quickly and while most Rangers fans would prefer Alan Hutton to stay at the club, if he does leave its vital the money received is invested back into the team to ensure the strongest possible challenge on all competitions ââ?¬â?? especially when one considers the congested fixture list. Being four points clear at the top of the table should not mean we are resting on our laurels. Two or three suitable signings could mean the difference between a title-winning side and not winning any trophies whatsoever. The-Insider will keep you informed over the next fortnight. :box:

Four points clear again then. After a couple of unconvincing but completely imperative away victories, is the league in the bag or are some bears counting their chickens a little bit too early? Certainly I can understand why some will be feeling confident. The wins achieved last week were the kind of games we just havenââ?¬â?¢t secured three points in recent years. All too often we drop points in games against so-called lesser opposition in matches where more brawn than skill is required. As such, while weââ?¬â?¢d all like to see silky soccer and three goal wins, sometimes one just has to settle for keeping possession and relying on our strikers taking their chances when they come. Thus, although we could easily have dropped four points against Gretna and Caley, the team should be praised for working hard and securing wins in these difficult matches. Especially when one considers our enforced fortnight break which was always going to affect our sharpness and fluency. The next month will be huge in terms of determining our success this season. We have matches in all four competitions and the outcome of these games will show just how capable we are of competing on all fronts. For most Rangers fans the SPL title will take obvious precedence over the UEFA and domestic cups. At the same time though, weââ?¬â?¢ve not won a thing for nearly three years so we should rightly be looking to win everything. That may not be realistic (especially in European terms) but our ambitions should be high and when we have played well this season we have competed with the very best Europe has to offer. To be able to do this weââ?¬â?¢ll need a strong squad with reserve players capable of coming in. Losing the outstanding Kevin Thomson for the next 6 weeks is a big blow and we can ill-afford further injuries in central midfield. Barry Ferguson has not had his best season but has shown signs of a return to form lately. Similarly, Brahim Hemdani offers a composed holding player and his class shines through on most stages. Losing either of these players in conjunction with Thomson could be a fatal blow even if Dean Furman is impressing at reserve level. As such, with ten days to the closure of the transfer window, Iââ?¬â?¢d be looking for Walter Smith to strengthen this area. Rumours are rife about who is leaving and who may be joining. Hutton, Cousin and Buffel all said to be on their way out while Larsen and Moore apparently close to coming in. All things considered, continuity must take precedence over money but if Hutton especially is to leave, this bear would like to see a significant portion of any transfer income invested into a new creative midfield player. For most of the season weââ?¬â?¢ve lacked such a player so if we could secure one (even better if theyââ?¬â?¢re left-sided) that could not only provide the spark the team needs but the depth talked about above. Similarly, Ugo Ehiogu has moved back south, so another centre-half is still appealing. Carlos Cuellar has proven a snip at Ã?£2.3million so if we could spend this kind of cash on another similar player, this would bode well for our title challenge. Davie Weir has done very well but has also shown glimpses of poor form, while his lack of pace and deep positioning does affect the team tactically. If Andy Webster can prove his fitness then he could save us money but relying on him is rather risky given his record and contract problems. The reason Iââ?¬â?¢m perhaps being overly analytical here is that I genuinely feel we are only two or three players away from having a real decent side. Considering the average age of the squad, the relative inexperience of some, the Scottish backbone and the potential to improve, a reasonable financial investment into the team could yield real dividends. Ã?£12million was spent in the summer ââ?¬â?? a fair amount in todayââ?¬â?¢s SPL financial climate ââ?¬â?? but if we could spend some more now (but only on the right players) such a gamble could bring the SPL title home to Ibrox and provide the foundations for more success to come. To conclude, we are more than capable of winning the SPL (and more). However, we should not rest on the laurels of a four-point gap and if SDM is serious about the clubââ?¬â?¢s long term future, further investment is required to maximise our chances of bringing the successful times back. Public sound-bites and moonbeams about regeneration and stadium redevelopment may be exciting and ambitious but first and foremost I want to see Barry Ferguson lift the SPL league trophy in May. Then we can decide on how to build further on this and finally take Rangers FC into the new millennium. http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=581&Itemid=1

McFadden is a good player but going above 4 mill to get him is pushing his worth to the limit imo.

January ââ?¬â?? A Hugely Important Month Firstly, as this is my first rant of the new year, Iââ?¬â?¢d like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers and everyone connected with the extended Rangers family and wonderful and prosperous New Year. January is turning into a hugely important month for Rangers and I am not just talking about performances and results. As we all know, the weather has taken its toll and we face a fixture pile up that may ease up next November. January is also the time when the transfer widow opens and the rumours go into overdrive. I for one believe that our activity (or lack off) in this transfer window could go a long way in determining how successful we will be this season. With Roy Carroll be sold, we need a new goalkeeper, a left back, a couple of midfield players and a striker. Gone are the days of Rangers plundering the top echelons of the transfer marketing and paying substantial fees for players like Amato, Negri, Mols, Albertz, Gazza, Laudrup (who was actually very inexpensive), Gio etc. Lets be honest with ourselves, we would all love the anticipation and excitement of looking forward to Rangers unearthing a ââ?¬Ë?blue chipââ?¬â?¢ Ã?© Alan Davidson Evening Tims and witnessing them terrorizing defences all over the land. Jeez, we would even settle for a ââ?¬Ë?surprisingly successfulââ?¬â?¢ signing ala Wee Rod Wallace. A player who slid into Ibrox almost unnoticed but became a wonderful player and ambassador for the club. Given this, who are the likely targets for Rangers this transfer window? We wonââ?¬â?¢t ââ?¬Ë?break the bankââ?¬â?¢ but will have to replace players like Buffel, Ugo, Roy Carroll etc if they are sold. Walter Smith will pick up a ââ?¬Ë?run of the millââ?¬â?¢ SPL keeper as back up for McGregor and that is hard to argue with. McGregor is a decent keeper and has cemented himself as our No1. Left back is more of a challenge. We have supposedly looked at George McCartney the West Ham left back and Paul Robinson from West Brom. Both decent enough players and I would wouldnââ?¬â?¢t be adverse to signing one of those players. However, Iââ?¬â?¢d like to see Walter Smith use a piece of initiative and enquire if we could take Traore from Arsenal on a 6-12 month loan. He is 3rd choice left back at Arsenal but looks a prospect and Wenger isnââ?¬â?¢t adverse to allowing players to go out on loan. One midfield player Iââ?¬â?¢d like to see us pursue is Zoltan Gera at West Brom. He is out of contract in the summer and could be secured this month for a fee of Ã?£500,000. Striker is a difficult one but why not try for Benni McCarthy or Matt Derbyshire at Blackburn? Derbyshire is fast and knows where the goal is ââ?¬â?? he would be a fantastic signing. We are also believed to monitoring the situation with Rob Jones at Hibs. IMO, this would be a great signing, he is straight out of the Marvin Andrews school of defending! No matter what, we MUST strengthen in January as me MUST maintain our advantage over Celtc. They have and will continue to add players to their squad and so must we. We are currently in a decent position and must do everything in our power to remain there. Not adding to the squad isnââ?¬â?¢t an option. Silence Or Applause The minutes applause as a mark of respect to the tragic passing of Phil Oââ?¬â?¢Donnell raised the question and debate as to whether these respects should be marked by a minutes silence or a minutes applause. Lets not forget that minutes applause were introduced due to the fact that one set of supporters couldnââ?¬â?¢t stay silent for 1 minute during silences for football players, disasters, terrorist atrocities and members of the Royal Family. I for one do not feel comfortable remembering the dead by ââ?¬Ë?clappingââ?¬â?¢ for a minute and, this is just my opinion, think that a minutes silence is more poignant and is the perfect way to respect the dead. During the minutes applauding for Phil Oââ?¬â?¢Donnell, I stood in silent reflection. This was in now way meant as a slight to the man or his family (in fact, my thoughts and prayers are with them at this tragic time) it is that I feel that silence is more respectful. RIP Phil Oââ?¬â?¢Donnell. Regeneration Of Ibrox Well, what can we take from the press release that Rangers are considering regenerating Ibrox and the surrounding area to the tune of Ã?£700M odd? Call me old fashioned but as my old granddad would always say ââ?¬Ë?no smoke without fire sonââ?¬â?¢. In my humble opinion, this was SDM ââ?¬Ë?testing the waterââ?¬â?¢, throwing out a line to see if anyone would bite. SDM is a lot of things and this includes him being an undoubted successful business man. If there is some Ã?£ââ?¬â?¢s to be made by buying up and regenerating Ibrox and the surrounding area, you can bet your last Ã?£ that SDM will be slap bang in the middle of it. The only worrying this is, who will be the other investors. Given the magnitude of the announcement, he must have some one waiting in the wings (Tom Hunter? Mystery Russian investor?) to plough money into this project. It is also interesting to note that no mention if any of this Ã?£700M odd will be used to improve the squad (and for most fans, thatââ?¬â?¢s the bottom line). For what itââ?¬â?¢s worth and with most things that involve SDM and his moonbeams of success et al, I am quietly pessimistic and wary of the whole shebang!!!! G14 So the G14 is to be disbanded (is there any truth in the rumour that the G14 would rather disband than allow Celtc at their table ââ?¬â?? heehee) and is to be replaced by a new ââ?¬Ë?European Club Associationââ?¬â?¢, with Rangers where they should be, right at the forefront of this organisation. Letââ?¬â?¢s remember that Rangers have been the driving force (mostly via the forward thinking of Campbell Ogilvie) of many European schemes (the CL format as an example) and as always, we tend to lead whilst others tend to follow. It will be interesting to see how this is portrayed in the media, given how they went into overdrive when Celtc were ââ?¬Ë?acceptedââ?¬â?¢ into the G14 organisation minutes before it was dissolved (and replaced!!!). You Can Only Be Envious Saw a fantastic banner at a recent Linfield game that was transmitted live on SKY. It was a Union Flag which bore the legend ââ?¬Ë?You Can Only Be Enviousââ?¬â?¢. I think that this is a legend that we could borrow from our ââ?¬Ë?Blues Cousinsââ?¬â?¢ from Belfast and display with pomp at the next OF game. Imagine the faces (yeah I know, itââ?¬â?¢ll give the kids nightmares) of the ensemble Tims foaming at the mouth whilst reading a legend that they know sums up their whole existence? Letââ?¬â?¢s face it, from our conceptions, we have been the forerunners of Scottish Football. We optimise football, especially Scottish Football. We were founded purely out of the love of sport and football in particular. We only ever played the game for sporting purposes. Added to that, we are the quintessential British team (or even establishment) with the history of Struth as the driving force of everything that we stand for. We are the most successful footballing team in the world ââ?¬â?? as the legend states ââ?¬â?? you can only be envious Cammy F ââ?¬â?? We Are The Peopleââ?¬Â¦.

Gers Star Smith Set To Return Jan 15 2008 By Keith Jackson Exclusive RANGERS received a huge boost yesterday when long-term casualty Stevie Smith returned to action for the first time in more than a year. Smith played for half an hour in a youth match against Motherwell at Murray Park as he continues his recovery form an injury nightmare that stalled a promising Ibrox career. The 22-year-old has been sidelined since December 2006 when Paul Le Guen was still in charge of the team. Smith has gone under the knife for surgery to repair a damaged groin and his recovery was further complicated by an injury to his back. He has yet to make a top-team game for current manager Walter Smith. Great news,for him and Rangers

Good to see him get a chance.

Larsen agent in Ibrox talks over possible �£1.4m move Rangers have been offered Soren Larsen, the Danish international striker, as a potential replacement for Daniel Cousin. Larsen is available for �£1.4m from the German side, Schalke 04, and his agent, Ivan Marko Benes, met with Rangers chief executive Martin Bain yesterday to discuss a possible move for the 6ft 4in centre-forward. Rangers have also been linked with a move for the Hearts goalkeeper, Steve Banks, after Derby County reached agreement to take Roy Carroll to Pride Park. Paul Jewell, the Derby manager, had hoped to have the Northern Ireland goalkeeper at training this morning, but Walter Smith was only willing to sanction the transfer if he had another back-up to Allan McGregor in place. "The chairman has spoken to his agent and Walter Smith and hopefully we can get that one over the line today or tomorrow," said Jewell. "If he comes, Roy Carroll is a top-class goalkeeper." Banks has reclaimed his first-choice status at Tynecastle after the recent failed experiments with Eduardo Kurskis and Anthony Basso. Hearts caretaker manager Steven Frail is reluctant to lose the Englishman, who also doubles as goalkeeping coach, but moving to Rangers would be more lucrative for him. Benes left Bain with a DVD of Larsen's scoring feats for club and country in an attempt to expedite a deal. Rangers are in the market for a centre-forward regardless of Cousin's future but while no deal is imminent, Larsen fits the bill. He scored six goals in his five international matches for Denmark two years ago and has been nicknamed Die Waffe - The Weapon - for his prowess alongside his countryman and former Rangers attacker, Peter Lovenkrands, in the Bundesliga. He has scored 17 goals in 55 starts but wants a new challenge. He would cost around �£1m per year in wages but his physical prowess is ideally suited to the rigours of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Eintracht Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and FC Copenhagen have already enquired about the 26-year-old - who was linked with a move to Celtic in August 2006 - but Larsen has no intention of returning home to Denmark. Smith was at the Emirates Stadium last night on a scouting mission at the Carling Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Bolton and Middlesbrough have been alerted to Cousin's situation. Rangers are confident they can keep the striker, who signed a three-year deal in August, at least until the end of the season but may find a bid of around �£3m irresistible.

A year is a long time in football, as all connected with Rangers will testify. Last January, the Ibrox club were coping with the turbulence of Paul le Guen's shock departure, amid clashes with Barry Ferguson. A French revolution was in the air, but the former Lyon boss failed to take flight in Scotland, much to the surprise of many observers. The Glasgow club were disjointed, low in confidence and lacking purpose when Le Guen left, and chairman Sir David Murray - not a man to hesitate in a crisis - sent for his old friend, Walter Smith. Having enjoyed a successful spell with Scotland, Smith clearly saw the attraction of coming to Rangers rescue. And he appeared immune to any risks, as the man who made his reputation in leading the Light Blues to a golden nine-in-a-row era previously. From inheriting a mess at international level from Berti Vogts, the task facing him at Ibrox was of a similar magnitude. It was a move generally welcomed, for Smith's knowledge of the club, from his first spell in charge between 1991-1998, in addition to an upbringing steeped in Rangers' traditions, ensured that a sense of stability would become his priority. The new boss, and assistant, legendary striker Ally McCoist, returned to the top of the Ibrox marble staircase on 10 January. And the Scot swung into action with decisive effect, as results improved immediately, Dundee United the first to be accounted for in a 5-0 hammering. Celtic had cast a 17 point Scottish Premier League shadow over their old rivals and, with Rangers in danger of missing out on second place they eventually, however, took the runners-up spot with some ease. Major surgery has taken place in all areas, and the capture of players such as Jean-Claude Darcheville, DaMarcus Beasley and Daniel Cousin were imaginative. But Smith's number one priority was to reshape the defence, which was particularly brittle under Le Guen, who had been accused of underestimating the physical nature of Scottish football. Julien Rodriguez and Karl Svensson left, and the acquisition of the experienced David Weir proved to be a masterstroke. Since his arrival from Everton, the Scotland international has enjoyed an Indian summer, bringing some organisation to the rearguard. Weir's partnership with Spaniard Carlos Cuellar has a composed look to it overall, despite their exposure by the Lyon attack in the disappointing 3-0 home defeat which killed off the Light Blues' Champions League ambitions in December. Indeed, Smith's experience of the blue riband competition ended in disillusionment, the limp exit to the French outfit the most notable failure of his twelve months in charge. It was all the more disappointing, given that Rangers were in pole position to qualify for the last-16. Furthermore, the presence of Celtic when the Champions League resumes will have done little to douse the frustration of Rangers supporters, and an upcoming Uefa Cup tie against Panathinaikos will be a hollow consolation. That said, the capture of the Scottish Premier League title remains the key objective for Smith this season. And Rangers started 2008 in good form, beating Dundee United at Ibrox. Intriguingly, the first goal, supplied by the rejuvenated Chris Burke - who has relished his top team recall - and executed by Steven Naismith, hints at a bright new era, with the two young Scots rewarding Smith's faith in their ability. So far, the manager's reshaping of Rangers has cost �£10m, with Smith himself admitting his surprise at being able to spend so much in a relative era of downsizing at Ibrox. Rangers fans have witnessed more cosmopolitan squads over the years, but since taking over, the manager has placed his trust on a mainly Scottish core. The veteran Weir is the exception to a crop of young talent, with Naismith, Burke, Kevin Thomson, Alan Hutton, Steven Smith, Lee McCulloch, Steven Whittaker and Kris Boyd augmenting the vital presence of captain Ferguson. While there appears to be question marks regarding the prolific Boyd's long term future, Smith was undoubtedly boosted by Hutton's decision to reject a lucrative move to Tottenham Hotspur. Although the �£9m on offer could have helped fund a January transfer spree, the Scotland full-back's loyalty to his club's title chase is to be admired. Smith has yet to taste defeat against the green and white half of Glasgow, and there is no doubt that record will be put to the test when Rangers visit Celtic Park on 23 January. For his second coming to be considered a success, this most shrewd of operators must deliver the SPL title - which would be the first trophy in the Ibrox cabinet since 2005. With a watershed 60th birthday approaching and his reputation under scrutiny, Smith must ensure Rangers' new year elevation to the top of the table will be the shape of things to come. Walter's Way Scottish Premier League: P34 W24 D5 L5 CIS Cup: P2 W2 In Europe: P14 W6 D3 L5 Total: P50 W31 D8 L10

Stevie Smith, Rangersââ?¬â?¢ highly regarded left back who has been out of football for a year with a pelvic injury, is now back in full training and ready to return to the team.Walter Smith said ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s had a tough time of it but is doing very well and is now back to full training.I certainly hope we can see Stevie back in action by the end of this month.ââ?¬Â

Rangers face a fixture backlog after last night's rescheduled Clydesdale Bank Premier League match against St Mirren was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch at Love Street. The latest delay exacerbated a pile-up that already includes outstanding away games against Gretna and Celtic. Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, bemoaned the latest incon-venience as officials at the SPL scoured the calendar to find a suitable alternative date. Ian Blair, the SPL's director of administration, will attempt to address the deepening problem first thing this morning. Finding a new date for the St Mirren game will be the priority since the original match, scheduled for November 10 last year, was cancelled to allow Scotland longer preparation time for their ill-fated Euro 2008 qualification decider against Italy. "Rangers have a lot of midweek games and are also involved in the UEFA Cup," said Blair. "Hopefully, they will be involved in more midweek European games, but it poses a problem for us domestically. advertisement "It is already proving difficult to fit in the outstanding games and this is an added complication for us. We are still trying to find a date for the Old Firm game but we will make the latest cancellation a priority." Rangers will play Gretna - a match postponed from Sunday, December 9 to aid the Ibrox club's Champions League pre-parations against Olympique Lyonnais - at Fir Park next Wednesday and may be permitted to play St Mirren the following midweek, but only if both sides negotiate their Scottish Cup ties without the need for a replay. Tuesday January 22 and Wednesday January 23 are designated as cup replay dates, but the SPL may seek special dispensation to play the match then, provided both clubs are free. Another possibility is to play the St Mirren game on the first midweek of March and delay the league split by playing the outstanding Old Firm fixture, cancelled on January 2 as a mark of respect after the death of Phil O'Donnell, on April 8. Smith will leave it to the administrators to alleviate the increasing burden but admitted that it was an unwanted complication. "There is a difficulty fitting in this game now and we've had enough trouble trying to fit in the Celtic game," said Smith. "We will need to sit down and discuss things again and will just have to fit the two games in somehow." Smith and his St Mirren counterpart, Gus MacPherson, agreed that the referee, Stuart Dougal, was right to postpone last night's game after torrential rain. Dougal made his first inspection at 6.15pm and with no sign of the weather abating decided to call off the match 20 minutes later. "The referee's decision was correct," said Smith. "It was not just a problem with the pitch but driving conditions for the fans on the roads. It is the proper decision." The cancellation has cost St Mirren around �£30,000 in lost television revenue, with Setanta Sports set to screen the match live, but Dougal was more concerned with player safety. "It was a bit of a lottery, or even worse," said Dougal. "It was just about playable after my first inspection but it was clear it was only going to get worse. "I had to take into account player and fan safety. In an ideal world, I would have liked another 15 minutes to make up my mind and but in my heart of hearts I knew it would not have made a difference. "I spoke to both sets of players and they came to the same conclusion." Alan Hutton's future, meanwhile, remains at Ibrox for the foreseeable future after the full- back rejected the latest offer from Tottenham Hotspur. The player and his agent were informed of the improved personal terms of the proposed �£9m transfer but the 23-year-old reiterated his intention to stay in Scotland.

I don�t know if anyone else was due to do this or Gribz will be back on but if so then feel free to scrap it. Rangers V Dundee Utd After our unexpected rest during the festive season the first big issue on Saturday will be a one minute applause in respect of Phil o�Donnel. A directive from the SPL has asked all teams to hold the applause before the kick-off. Reading through other forums the last few day�s this seems to have split the Rangers support with many refusing to applaud and preferring a minutes silence. Rangers have no choice in this as the SPL made the decision probably projecting the wishes of the family. This is not a time to make a political stand in my opinion so hopefully everyone will show their respect and put there hands together and clap. Apart from the only long term injury steven Smith, Lee Mc Culloch is doubtful and probably be out for three games now as he has a two match ban kicking in after Saturday. Charlie Adam and Nacho Novo are available for selection again. Rangers had a much improved performance at Hibs last time out and the chances will be that Walter Smith will keep the same starting line-up. Adam replacing Hemdani is also a possibility judging on Walter not playing Hemdani in the SPL games. Dundee Utd bounced back from a run of defeats with an impressive victory against Hearts on Wednesday but an undisciplined performance by Hearts saw them reduced to eight men. Going with past performances United will come in the hope to smother the midfield and play a 4-5-1. Barry Robson has been in fine form of late and could be rewarded with a move to celtic(at least in wages) so he will be looking to impress. He does have a good goal tally for the season but most have come from penalties or free kicks. We certainly have to worry about giving stupid free kicks away around the 20 yard area. Rangers squad:: McGregor, Hutton, Weir, Cuellar, Whittaker, Burke, Ferguson, Hemdani, Thomson, Cousin, Darcheville, Naismith, Carroll, Adam, Broadfoot, Boyd, Furman, Novo. I think walter will keep the same team as against Hibs and that was: McGregor Hutton Cuellar Weir Whittaker Burke Ferguson Hemdani Thomson Naismith Cousin

Been listening to Talksport this weekend where they are naming those linked to the England job then I listened to Your Call with Chick Young (instead of Traynor) this morning and heard some of them tipped to the Scotland post. To start with England are on a down slope and are looking to turn it around while scotland are on the up and should be looking to continue going in the right direction. Therefore England are being linked with Mourinho, Capello, Lippi, Klinsmann, Scolari, Oneill and Hiddink - all of whom come with a great pedigree. Mourinho is obviously first choice who has reported to knocked it back but No.s onwards are still great bosses. Then I here the Scottish names being linked - Calderwood, Jefferies, Levein, McGhee and even John Hughes was mentioned - thats embarrassing. Not one of them is a capable national manager to continue the good work set up by Walter Smith. Levein did ok at Hearts then failed at Leceister, and is now doing a decent job at Tannadice but that far from qualifies him for the national boss job. Mark McGhee was at who? Brighton, Wolves and now Motherwell! Once again not enough for me. Im not even going to mention Jefferies. For me, Id look abroad and to England aswell as the Scottish possibilities - G Graham, Souness (although i dont want him), Strachan, Burley. Id personally pick a 3 man team consisting of George Graham as No.1, Joe Jordan and No.2 and either Paul Lambert, Richard Gough or Stuart McCall as the No.3. There is a time and place for a young manager but now is not the time. We need stability and Graham will bring that. After that then we may have an improved John Collins, Gary McAllister or David Moyes (may want it) for the job. Just for the record I think the FA could shoot themselves in the foot by be all set to go for Jose but he has knocked them back, now they are going to be in the same scearnio when they chose McLaren - ie they wont go for first choice.

After another not so glorious defeat in Europe under Walter what does the near future hold for the club? Some fantastic early performances have meant we exceeded most of our expectations in the toughest CL group but unfortunately we couldnââ?¬â?¢t go that extra two feet to snatch a draw and qualify ââ?¬â?? the whole campaign falling apart with JCDââ?¬â?¢s horror miss near the end last night. Down and out then ââ?¬â?? but still all to play for! Firstly, can I first say I obviously share everyoneââ?¬â?¢s disappointment at last nightââ?¬â?¢s result. First half we just werenââ?¬â?¢t good enough and while we managed to have plenty possession in the second, as has been the case for a few years now, we lacked the genuine creativity and width to cause Lyon problems. The two late goals made the result look worse than it actually was but one may accurately contend cancelling the game against Gretna resulted in a team who took 30mins to get into their stride while our inconsistency in selection must be addressed to avoid our constant ââ?¬Ë?Jekyll and Hydeââ?¬â?¢ displays during the actual game. On the other hand, itââ?¬â?¢s been just over a year since we were being turned over at home to St Johnstone so progress has been decent and we shouldnââ?¬â?¢t be overly critical in our analysis of the team. There is a lot to be proud of and the potential is certainly there for further improvement with a renewed challenge for the SPL. As such, we must all immediately lift the heads and move onto the next game which as we know is a tough home game against Hearts. How vital this game is cannot be stressed enough ââ?¬â?? Celtic being 5 points head but with us having two games in hand means in real terms weââ?¬â?¢re top of the table. Therefore, we must ensure we get the chance to develop that potential one-point advantage instead of stumbling right away as we have done too often this season. Unfortunately this will have to result in more changes in personnel. This means the invisible man himself Sir David Murray must again back the club with Her Majestyââ?¬â?¢s currency. Lurking at the back of the Directorââ?¬â?¢s Box last night and lurking in the shadows out with Ibrox on a day-to-day basis, itââ?¬â?¢s time Murray delivered on the grand promises of old. Around Ã?£12million was spent in the summer and thatââ?¬â?¢s a fair amount in todayââ?¬â?¢s climate but we need more. To help facilitate that Walter Smith needs to make a few tough squad decisions. Although all the following players have their positives and we could all make a case for them staying, they donââ?¬â?¢t play enough and unless the manager intends playing them, they have to be moved on to create funds for at least another two first choice players. Ehiogu, Webster, Hemdani, Burke, Buffel, Boyd and Cousin are just 7 players who appear surplus to to requirements, either via injury proneness, general attitude problems or simply not fitting into Smithââ?¬â?¢s way of thinking. We cannot afford passengers to if theyââ?¬â?¢re not going to be played ââ?¬â?? they must go in order to bring in the missing links that will affect our future. These are: 1. A creative attacking midfielder. Last showed that Barry Ferguson cannot play this role effectively enough. The skipper is a fine player but he plays better dictating things from deeper positions and thatââ?¬â?¢s where he must play alongside the ever improving Kevin Thomson. Having an attacking, creative player to feed off the recycling skills of Ferguson and the combative nature of Thomson is something the team has been missing for a long time. Is Thomas Buffel the answer? I doubt it and because of that we must find someone who can play that role consistently with the quality required to unlock defences home and away. 2. Another centre-half. As I wrote last week, we have a dilemma regarding Davie Weir. His effect on the team has been admirable but last night his limitations were exposed. As such, if Webster cannot prove his fitness (or legal position) we must find another experienced ââ?¬â?? quick, physical and aerially competent ââ?¬â?? to compliment Carlos Cuellar. Short-term pain for Weir; long-term gain for the team. 3. A left back. Not as crucial as the first two priorities but if Steven Smith cannot resume playing quickly; another left back would give more balance to the side. Sasa Papac has done well for periods this season but his limitations affect the team and too much important is placed on our right flank. Alan Hutton cannot be expected to deliver our only wide threat indefinitely. 4. A winger. With DaMarcus Beasley out for the rest of the season and Chris Burke almost as anonymous as our chairman, we have an obvious requirement for width. For all his physical positives, Lee McCulloch does not provide that and that results in all too predictable long ball tactics. Letââ?¬â?¢s utilise McCullochââ?¬â?¢s threat properly by having him win headers in the 6 yeard box, not 30 yards from goal out wide. A new winger (right or left sided) would help facilitate that. Unfortunately, buying 2-4 players of the quality required would cost a fair amount of money. Having already spent Ã?£12million, the chairman may not share our eagerness to build the team further. His medium-long term future is questionable and we have direct experience of his lack of genuine vision and ambition. However, we also know of Murrayââ?¬â?¢s ego and the great business skills he does retain. I have personal experience of the chairman scoffing at suggestions heââ?¬â?¢s not a real Rangers fan and how he supports the team as much (if not more) that any other bear. Is that emotional support compatible with more financial support? Well, we need both. At the same time, while these requested changes to the squad may well be imperative, we must also keep changes to a minimum. Weââ?¬â?¢ve already brought in several new players and our general inconsistency is testament to how the manager is taking time to find his best players. His initial target was to make us hard to beat and that target has been achieved. Now itââ?¬â?¢s time to move to the next stage ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢re hard to beat defensively but we need to make teams worry about our attacking threat again. Bringing in a new creative player (all suggestions to E. Chester, Murray Park please) is imperative to this development. The potential of players like Whittaker, Thomson and Naismith is exciting and all three will play an important part in every game between now and next summer. But they need help. For all their positives every one of them lack the experience to affect games in a creative sense so we must take that pressure off them and bring in an experienced player who can. Despite all the above I cannot stress enough itââ?¬â?¢s not all negativity at the club. Improvement has been obvious and just need to build on that. Our fans have been incredibly loyal in recent years without any success. Season ticket sales are still at record levels and no-one can question the financial backing or emotional support we give. Itââ?¬â?¢s time to repay that faith. Starting from the chairman right down to the dressing room we need to build on the relative advancement weââ?¬â?¢ve seen since January. Letââ?¬â?¢s move in the dead wood quickly and effectively. Letââ?¬â?¢s take the game to all our opponents. Letââ?¬â?¢s bring the title home. Time to get the battle fever on!

IAN DURRANT will field a strong side as Rangers' bid to keep pace with the teams in the top half of the SPL Reserve League continues tonight at Falkirk. Thomas BuffelWhen the full first-team squad was in Germany for last week's Champions League tie with Stuttgart, a young second string - with Tommy Wilson at the helm - went down 3-0 to leaders St Mirren at Broadwood. That result left Gers 13 points adrift of the Buddies on 15 points beside Hibernian, the Bairns and Kilmarnock and with each of them in action today, it is important Durrant's men do not lose further ground. They will have high hopes of returning to winning ways this evening at Westfield, where seven members of Walter Smith's main pool are in line to play. Thomas Buffel and Chris Burke, both of whom have impressed in recent weeks, will be in action alongside Charlie Adam and Alan Gow. Ugo Ehiogu and Kirk Broadfoot will also be deployed as part of a more experienced side, with Graeme Smith replacing Calum Reidford in goals. Kick-off is at 7pm so get along to the Falkirk Stadium and support the team!

RANGERS have asked the SPL for permission to postpone next Sunday's league meeting with Gretna at Fir Park in order to give Walter Smith's squad more time to prepare for the Champions League showdown with Lyon. The Light Blues' recent trip to St Mirren was cancelled, as was Celtic's home game with Falkirk, so that Scotland's Old Firm players would not pick up injuries before the Euro 2008 qualifier with Italy. Although asking for the clash with the Borderers could lead to a fixtures backlog, chief executive Martin Bain hopes the SPL will support Gers' bid to progress to the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition by agreeing to put it off. Rangers must avoid defeat against Alain Perrin's Ligue 1 title holders to go through to the knockout stages of the event with Barcelona. Having the match with last season's First Division champions moved back would give Smith and his players 11 days to get ready for the biggest game of the season so far and improve their chances of reaching the latter rounds. A club spokesman said: "Following media enquiries Rangers can confirm that we have approached the SPL and Gretna Football Club this week to seek the postponement of our fixture at Fir Park on Sunday December 9 in lieu of our Champions League match with Lyon."

Id be happy to see Novo staying on but dont like that comment in bold. At the moment (if fit) Novo should be starting.

Exclusive RANGERS fear DaMarcus Beasley is out for the rest of the season. The 25-year-old American midfielder suffered a sickening knee injury during Tuesday's Champions League clash in Stuttgart. Rangers' mood was black enough after their 3-2 defeat but scans have shown the damage to Beasley's knee to be worse than first thought. He was crocked in a second-half collision with keeper Raphael Schafer and yesterday's checks revealed his ligaments had been badly damaged. Manager Walter Smith was given the news that it looks like he will have to do without Beasley for the remainder of the campaign. Beasley's setback comes just as his form was beginning to improve and his loss will be a serious blow to Rangers' hopes at home and abroad. But there was better news concerning Lee McCulloch, who was taken off in the first half, also holding a knee. His problem was easing yesterday and although Rangers expect him to miss Saturday's home match with Kilmarnock, he should be able to train again at the beginning of next week. McCulloch, though, is refusing to accept his injury could keep him out of action even for one match. He is determined to prove the Ibrox medics wrong by reporting fit for the Killie game.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=156&Itemid=1 Once again the Trust has another interesting competition for our members. We have two copies of two different books up for grabs. First up is: * SILVER SMITH: THE BIOGRAPHY OF WALTER SMITH BY NEIL DRYSDALE Walter Smith is one of the most successful and respected managers in the history of Scottish football. At Rangers he helped them to nine successive league titles, a domestic treble in the 1992-93 season and both the Scottish Cup and League Cup three times. At international level he restored pride and faith in a faltering national team, being named Scot of the year in the 2006 Glenfiddich ââ?¬Ë?Spirit of Scotlandââ?¬â?¢ awards. But half-way through the qualifying rounds for Euro 2008, he controversially resigned to return to Rangers. From the Ibrox Disaster, to his days as a professional player and on to a dramatic future, this is the story of a man driven by a passion for perfection and success. Hardback Ã?£16.99 ISBN 978 1 84158 629 8 Next we have: * RANGERS: 100 HEROES OF THE MODERN GAME BY DEAN HAYES From Willie Waddell to Barry Ferguson, Rangers: 100 Heroes of the Modern Game is a fascinating compendium of facts and figures and a superb tribute to the men who have brought skills, thrills and glory to Rangers Football Club in the modern era. All the great players since 1946 are here, including Ally McCoist, Jim Baxter, Graeme Souness, Paul Gascoigne, Andy Goram, Brian Laudrup and many, many more. Each player is profiled with detailed statistics given on every aspect of their careers. Meticulous research, perceptive analysis and vivid storytelling make this a must-have for any Rangers fan. Hardback, Ã?£12.99 ISBN 978 1 84183 125 1 Both books available from http://www.birlinn.co.uk, free p&p in the UK - for overseas please add 30%. To enter, simply tell us who Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s assistant manager was during his first spell at the club. Simply contact us with your answer, your membership number and postal address. All entries must be received by Wednesday 5th December. Good luck! :cheers:

KIRK Broadfoot believes it will be impossible for Scotland boss Alex McLeish to ignore Kevin Thomson if he keeps producing the goods for Rangers. Thomson has been an ever-present in Walter Smith's side since clinching his �£2m transfer from Hibs midway through last season. The 23-year-old midfielder has shown he is not out of his depth at the top level in Europe this season as the Gers have moved to the brink of Champions League glory. And Kirk reckons that Big Eck will be forced to draft Kevin into the national team for their World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign. Just incase ye havent noticed Kirk he is 23 yrs old and in a B team plus he has done hee haw since he arrived at Ibrox

Stevie Smith underwent another operation in Germany last week and Walter Smith says it was a success and could be back to full training in a month. Nacho Novo has a shoulder injury,picked up in the closed door friendly against Middlesborough,and could be out for for a couple of weeks. Andy Webster went through a simple clean up operation on his knee and should be back training next month.

I really feel sorry for the guy i suppose he is our Derek Riordan. If we are not going to play him why did we not buy him and leave him at Falkirk for another year. He would come on further than playing for our reserves.

Thought this was a great read. At the time I had never seen anything like this and wish that the eye injury had never of happened. I always stated at the time I would love to see a front two of Negri and Mols. Sadly not to be. Another case of what could have been

Spent a fair bit of time on the major Rangers forums since last nightââ?¬â?¢s defeat in Spain and I think itââ?¬â?¢s fair to say some of the reaction has been somewhat surprising. The adjectives in the article title are just three examples of the negativity Iââ?¬â?¢ve experienced. Letââ?¬â?¢s be frank though. Last night we were outclassed by one of the best club teams in the world. They had over 60% of ball possession and probably a lot more territorial advantage. As a result, they scored two fine goals and could easily have had another two as well but for poor finishing and a couple of decent saves from the ever-reliable Allan McGregor. Once again, as discussed on Gersnet on Monday, Walter Smith set his team out in his favoured 4-5-1 parent formation ââ?¬â?? this time, as in Lyon, opting for the 4-1-4-1 variation. Indeed it was this very system that was such a success in France on match-day two. That night Lyon also dominated possession and territory for long periods but the main difference was that evening we took our chances when we did create them. We also managed to defend better and had more success on the ball than we did last night. We managed to avoid losing an early goal and with all due respect to Lyon, their attacking players and their defence are nowhere near the quality of Barca. In saying that, if we hadnââ?¬â?¢t snatched the lead and if that Juninho free-kick had went in, it may well have been a massively different conclusion. That was one match where our system worked well, where we used the ball well, supported the lone striker effectively and got the breaks to ensure a fine victory. Last night was different. In many ways we still defended reasonably well and we were actually decent on the ball (until the last third anyway). Unfortunately, unlike in France, we struggled to support Daniel Cousin and possibly didnââ?¬â?¢t get the breaks we did in other games. Losing the first goal so early didnââ?¬â?¢t really change our game-plan but it certainly helped the home team (and support) settle. The fact the goal was scored by Henryââ?¬â?¢s hand is irrelevant really but it is one example of misfortune. It also came from Sasa Papac being drawn inside leaving an abundance of space for Messiââ?¬â?¢s fantastic header - the kind of defensive lack of concentration that didnââ?¬â?¢t really happen (or wasnââ?¬â?¢t punished) in France. Some fans felt at this point we should have changed tactics and attacked more. They may well be right and for a spell we actually did do that. We won a couple of corners and had some good periods in possession. However, we couldnââ?¬â?¢t manage to capitalise ââ?¬â?? Beasley heading wide when he could have utilised the unmarked Cousin and one dangerous Adam corner kick almost controlled and hit by one of our defenders. Then of course, we lost the second goal. This was a well worked goal where we quite simply couldnââ?¬â?¢t cope with the pace of the one-two. Again though, McGregor saved well and it could be argued that Barca were fortunate that the ball landed perfectly for Messi. Thus, in the second half we did have to change things whilst maintaining a necessary amount of caution. Would it have mattered if we were beaten 6-2 instead of 2-0? Probably not but while we could have opted for a ââ?¬Ë?gung-hoââ?¬â?¢ approach Barca had already shown they could compete physically and defend well in the face of our attack. Even when we did bring on the pacy, direct styles of Novo and Darcheville we still struggled to give genuine support due to our midfield tiring. All in all we were soundly beaten and while some people are perhaps going too far in their pride of not being over-run score-wise, I think over the two games, weââ?¬â?¢ve given a reasonable account of ourselves. Were we too defensive? Last night I would probably agree that we were. It might have been interesting to have really taken the game to Barca once we conceded the second goal but other than that, as the system showed in Lyon, keeping it tight and looking for positives on the counter was the best approach generally. To conclude, while I can empathise with some peopleââ?¬â?¢s negative reaction, I think itââ?¬â?¢s an exaggeration to suggest we were somehow humiliated or embarrassed simply because of our defensive outlook. Quite simply, we were beaten by a better team and our limitations would have been shown-up no matter if we attacked more or put 11 men across our goal-line. As such, rather than dwell on the negatives and question past strategy, we need to peruse our CL Group, where upon weââ?¬â?¢ll see that weââ?¬â?¢ve secured third position (a fine feat in itself) and appreciate that our displays and performances so far have ensured weââ?¬â?¢re in a great position to do what most of us thought was unlikely when the draw was made. Indeed, with the pressure off in terms of not finishing bottom or genuinely embarrassing ourselves in Spain, now we can look to open-up and perhaps employ a more aggressive system firstly away in Stuttgart then at home against Lyon. Hopefully in these games we can express ourselves in attack and give our magnificent fans (outstanding in their numbers and behaviour in Spain) even more to cheer about. Itââ?¬â?¢s been a decent start to the season and if one looks back to a year today where we were actually embarrassed and humiliated in a CIS Cup defeat at Ibrox, one may actually be slightly more realistic in their criticism. We are the people!