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RANGERS chairman David Murray has ruled out a January transfer window swoop for Wigan defender Andy Webster. The former Hearts stopper has again been mentioned as a possible solution to the centre-back problems at Ibrox. He was the target of a �£1m bid by Alex McLeish 18 months ago, but Murray says he is not on Paul Le Guen's target list - for the moment. It is also believed Fifa red tape would prevent Webster moving back to Scotland just months after he became the first player to invoke their new employment rule. Webster served notice on Hearts he would be leaving after completing three years on a four-year contract. That allowed him to move for a nominal fee, set by a Fifa tribunal, to new employers outwith Scotland. The 24-year-old was snapped up by Wigan and, after a long process with Fifa because this was a ground-breaking case, he finally made his debut in October. But the Scotland star has played just three games and is said to be unsettled, sparking speculation Rangers were ready to move. "I know we were interested in him in the past, but not at the moment," Murray said. "How could we when we have no idea what the fee would be?" Murray also refused to comment on whether Rangers were interested in former Hearts captain Steven Pressley, who is also being tracked by Celtic, Newcastle, Southampton and Derby. It is believed Elvis is on Le Guen's list of possible January targets, and an interest has been posted with his agent Blair Morgan, but he is not the first choice. Le Guen has targeted two young centre-halves from Europe - one of which is believed to be Young Boys of Berne's 6ft 2in Ivory Cost stopper Steve Gohouri - a player the Gers boss has now watched twice recently. He could be available for around �£1m, but is also being monitored by a host of mid-table Premiership sides. Le Guen's funds for a centre-half are likely to be boosted by the departure of Julien Rodriguez. The former Monaco man knows he is no longer first choice and could be shipped back to France with Rennes, Nantes and Nice all interested. The likes of Lionel Letizi, Gavin Rae, Phil Bardsley and Lee Martin are all likely to leave in January as Le Guen frees up money for three quality signings. Meantime, young Romanian sensation Marius Alexi could be on his way to Ibrox in a �£250,000 deal. The 16-year-old plays with Dinamo Bucharest and is already a first- team player. Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool are all said to be looking at the midfielder, who will arrive in Glasgow shortly for a week's trial at Murray Park. A Dinamo spokesam said: "He is an exceptional player Rangers are very keen to sign." Bad news for us i think. Le Guen being interested in young Boys. I hope he now knows the type of CH you need to play in Scotland.

Put this on transfer talk on the footie chat but i thought iit deserved a place on the Rangers chat. Personally i would be sorry to see him go as i think with the right partner and a defensive coaching he could be a great sweeper. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Marseille chairman Pape Diouf has denied he has any interest in bringing Rangers defender Brahim Hemdani back to Stade Velodrome. Reports in France had suggested the 28-year-old would return to his former club in the transfer window to help the French side resolve their defensive problems, but Diouf claims the stories are pure fabrication. "I have just been told about it, but that is not accurate information," he told But. "It is not reality, it has no base." It has also been confirmed this week that Marseille will play their behind-closed-doors game on January 24. Marseille received the one-game punishment early in November as a result of a bomb thrown by one of their fans in the 2-1 away defeat against Nice, which caused a fireman to lose two fingers. The January game against Auxerre was chosen because league officials wanted a mid-week game that could be played in the afternoon so as to reduce the possibility of trouble around the stadium. The decision comes as a disappointment for Auxerre's former l'OM boss Jean Fernandez, however, who wanted an emotional return to the club he left last season. "I am very disappointed," he said. "I didn't want to come back to Stade Velodrome in front of empty seats. "It would have really been a pleasure to play in Marseille in a full stadium."

Now the transfer window is speedily approaching time to catch op on the transfer Gossip. TEVEZ WANTS TO STAY West Ham's sulky Argentine striker Carlos Tevez says he wants to stay at the club - not surprisingly, as FIFA rules actually prevent him playing for another team thus season. He stormed out of Upton Park last weekend after being substituted but insists he's ready to play under new owner Eggert Magnusson. "If the new owner wanted me to leave, that is what I would have to do," admitted Tevez. "I'd respect what he wanted as it's his club, but I'd prefer that he and manager Alan Pardew wanted to keep me." Meanwhile; West Ham are the latest club to be linked with West Brom's Curtis Davies, who is expected to be sold in January. The Sun says that the Hammers will make a �£5m move for the England Under-21 centre-half. CHELSEA RIGHT BACK AT YOU... It remains their problem position - with Paulo Ferreira struggling to convince, Khalid Boulahrouz preferring to play at centre-half and Geremi little more than a stop-gap measure. Micah Richards is one name that keeps cropping up, but The Independent suggest Jose Mourinho is likely to look to the continent. The names in the frame are Seville's Daniel Alves and Valencia's Miguel, who also replaced Ferreira in the Portuguese national team. Miguel told a Portuguese newspaper: "Chelsea is Chelsea. It's good to know that they're interested in my game if the news is true. I'm very satisfied to hear that, I really am." PAVON TO LIVERPOOL Real Madrid defender Francisco Pavon is being strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, who could get him for just �£500,000 in January as he is out of contract next summer. The rumours started in the Spanish press on Thursday and have been picked up by the Daily Mirror on Friday. The 26-year-old is clearly not in the plans of Real boss Fabio Capello. AND THE REST Celtic could make a move for Falkirk star Anthony Stoke,s who is on loan from Arsenal...Blackburn are ready to make a move for Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock...Watford have hinted that they're ready to cash in on Ashley Young...Aston Villa's list of transfer targets includes Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and possibly Craig Bellamy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Celtic consider Stokes bid Celtic have confirmed talks have been held with Arsenal regarding a potential bid for Anthony Stokes. The striker is currently on loan at Falkirk, who are hoping to hang on to the Irish teenager until the end of the season. But Falkirk could be gazumped by the SPL champions after Celtic's chief scout Ray Clarke revealed the club are nearing a decision on a bid for Stokes. Gordon Strachan recently praised the 18-year-old prior to the CIS Insurance Cup meeting between the two sides in which Stokes scored. And Strachan could now use the money from the January sale of Stephen Pearson to fund a bid for Stokes, who has netted 13 goals for Falkirk. Clarke told the Daily Record: "What we said to them (Arsenal) was that we would watch Anthony Stokes on four or five occasions and then make our decision. "To be fair to the lad, we've just about done that, and my understanding is we'll maybe have one more good look at him in action. "Once the Champions League group campaign is over with next week's final match in Copenhagen, we'll sit down on all our activities and the manager will decide the way ahead."

chris burke is doing a shaun maloney and holding out for more money. talks between the club have come to an abrupt halt and the winger will weigh up his options at the transfer window. Personally i think, as good as burke is he is far to injury prone to be holding us to ransom. He has hardly featured over the last 2 seasons and has a bit of a cheek to be shouting the odds. In the end if he doesnt want to play for us he can go asap.

On the 10th of February, David Murray did a lot of talking. He talked of the future, and of how rosey things would be in the garden. During that interview, he uttered the following line : Quote: when we make the changes, and if people are not happy, then protest all you want Why then, now that things aren't so rosey, is he using every means at his disposal, to silence those who wish to criticise him ? Murray Pledges A 'Moonbeam' To Banish Long Dark Season Of Despair : Evening Times - Darrell King 10/02/06 Ibrox Crisis : Rangers chief broke his silence after fan protests forced him to declare his hand early. For a man who likes to think of Rangers as his family, clearly being attacked from those within his inner circle was just too much. The 300 fans who protested outside Ibrox after last week's Scottish Cup defeat to Hibs, and the dozen or so who unfurled a 'Murray Out' banner at Pittodrie before Wednesday night's defeat, may have been small in number. But David Murray sensed a major fall-out was on the way - something that may even have ended in damaging feuding or even acrimonious divorce. When the final whistle blew in Aberdeen, Rangers yet again on the end of a defeat, the Ibrox owner and chairman knew it was time to act. Today he has called for unity behind his decision to reveal that his embattled manager, Alex McLeish, will go at the end of the season. In his own inimitable style, Murray also rolled out the big guns - a new manager is more or less in place, huge investment is on the way to fund his rebuilding of this pitiful Rangers line-up and the club is making record amounts of cash. Like the head of the family calling everyone around the table, he has spoken. Now he wants the Rangers support to prepare themselves for what he will bring to that very table - and if they are not pleased, he says they can protest all they like. Murray said : "The fans have been very supportive, but they want to see direction. My job is to get to the bottom of our problems and get this sorted out. I will leave no stone unturned. I am working very hard with Martin Bain to bring all these deals together and bring the direction this club needs. Rangers should not be divided. Yes, we are annoyed, yes, we are upset at results - but we must stick together. That (protests) is not Rangers' way. I understand people have the right to stand outside and protest. But Rangers do things another way, not like that. That's why I meet the Trust, the Assembly, we do it by talking." "It is people's entitlement. It does not sway me, nor does it put me off - I will still do my job to the very best. I can understand 300 people getting bloody annoyed if they felt there wasn't a light at the end of the tunnel - but there is a massive moonbeam of success waiting for us. People must accept there are legal issues, stock exchange issues, timing factors - but this will happen. And when we make the changes, and if people are not happy, then protest all you want - but big plans are on the way for Rangers." Of course, it has taken the combination of the horrendous results and performances against Hibs and Aberdeen to prompt action from the chairman. Clearly, with an Old Firm game looming, he has attempted to throw a bucket of water over what was a simmering situation developing between the rightly frustrated fans and those they follow all over the land. Maybe Murray should have acted sooner. Maybe, looking at things now, it has strengthened the argument that McLeish should have been removed during the shocking run of results in the autumn and early winter months. But loyalty has always been Murray's closest friend. Now he wants his support to put more faith in the man who has been the custodian of their club for 18 years. There is no doubt that his stock is at an all-time low in the eyes of many, but these are not false statements - a new dawn is on the way. "We all have degrees in hindsight, " Murray conceded, "Perhaps I should have spoken after the transfer window. But, after not being able to win for 10 matches, we were undefeated in 10 matches, and sometimes it's best left alone. However, after the indifferent performances of the week, it had to be said. I had to let the fans know we have been working on plans for a long time. There is going to be a major financial input to the club, there is now going to be a new manager and a new structure. I am disappointed it's come to this as we are about to announce very strong financial figures. The club is on a great financial footing after having a difficult time - we are going through record turnover." ED

thats dundee utd

GORDON STRACHAN is preparing to spend any Celtic Euro windfall on Hibs midfielder Scott Brown. The Parkhead manager will get additional funds in the January transfer window if he can steer his side into the Champions League knock-out stages. Celtic will bank around �£3m if they progress from their group. They will earn more than �£1.2m for reaching the last 16 and would also have a home gate and extra sponsorship revenue to boost the coffers. Even finishing third, and going into the Uefa Cup, would guarantee extra funds that they didn't originally bank on so Strachan, who didn't spend his entire budget in the summer, will be rewarded. Chairman Brian Quinn said yesterday at the agm that funds could be available in January. And the Hoops boss has identified the Scotland star as the player he would most like to add to his squad. SportTimes understands Strachan has asked to be kept updated on the player's situation between now and the turn of the year. Old Firm rivals Rangers are also known to be admirers, but Paul Le Guen might not have enough funds to come close to Hibs' asking price, which is thought to be around �£3m. Brown is thought to favour a move to Ibrox over Parkhead, but he would be around familiar faces at Celtic with former Hibs team-mates Derek Riordan and Garry Caldwell already in Strachan's squad. Strachan is desperate to be the first manager to take Celtic into the last 16 of the Champions League, something Martin O'Neill failed to achieve in his time at Parkhead. And he knows the extra money from achieving such a feat could be put to good use as he continues to fill his squad with young talent. Celtic already look good for finishing in the top two of their Champions League section. Wins at home over FC Copenhagen and Benfica have put them in a healthy position at halfway. Signing Brown to the club would hand him a massive boost as he strives to put a Celtic side out on the park that has energy, determination and pace. The midfielder has been a huge influence on the Hibs side that played entertaining football under Tony Mowbray, before he quit to take over West Brom. Strachan is expected to remain tight-tipped on his plans for January as he knows there is plenty of interest in the player from down south as well as Rangers, but he is certainly on his short-list of targets. I would be sick if this happened. Hopefully he learns a lesson from Riorden. Surely if Brown wants to come to us we and we are interested in signing him, Murray will make the cash available for one of Scotlands best talents. The same should go for Gorden,we should go to all odds to get one of Britains top keepers for years to come. Come on Murray spending now for the future can create money not throw us back into debt.

seems derby are showing an interest and could be putting in a bid at the winter transfer window. they have already made inquiries at ibrox and if the price is right they will get their man. i would take the money in this case as i feel buffel flatters to decieve at times. he looked a good prospect when he came but i dont think hes fullfilled his potential. scored a great goal yesterday but he misses easir chances on a regular basis. dont think he deserved mom yesterdeay either.

Aberdeen are set to swoop for Rangers midfielder Gavid Rae during the January transfer window. (Daily Record) Anyone know anymore about this story? I know he is a Aberdeen lad and supporter so he might fancy it. He would give them a decent midfield with Barry Nicholson (Ex Ger) and Severin. I find him a decent squad player but no more but I would still like to see him get a few games until Clement comes back.

Meantime, reports in Austria today are claiming Le Guen has targeted Sturm Graz left-winger Christoph Leitgeb in a �£500,000 January transfer- window deal. The 21 year-old - currently on duty with the Austrian national team - has been watched by several British clubs and confirmed he has been made aware of an interest from Rangers. Graz have serious financial problems and would not be able to turn down any realistic offers should Le Guen pursue his interest in the player. Publication date 05/10/06

If I was a betting man..... put your money on Scott Brown signing in the January transfer window.

that was as strong a side as i could have put out today and we still lost. I had no complaints with leguens starting line up but yet agian we have fallen to a pretty average septic team. The bottom line is that our squad is not good enough. It doesnt matter which permitation you come up with out of the current crop, you couldnt pick 11 players who could be the main stay in the first eleven through the season. Leguen had plenty of time to look at the previous Rangers squad but bar clement he has failed to strengthen the sqaud. Letizi is by far our worst keeper, svensen (who came with a good pedigree) has failed to deliver on all fronts and martin, who promised to shine at the start of the season along with sionko have dissapeared up there own arses. Bardsley in my eyes is no better than hutton who sold the jerseys today by playing the ball back into the ruck of players instead of lumping up the park for the first goal. Rodreigez, a player who i have never rated is another who can walk with them too. Leguen has got his work cut out with this lot and i just hope we can keep in touch till the january window. Untill then i fear ill be watching us through the gaps in my fingers yet again for yet another bloody season. GET THE CHEQUE BOOK OUT MURRAY BECAUSE THIS LOT ARE SHIT!

Man, isn't it quiet on hear just now! The transfer window is closed and we've not seen any Gers action for nearly two weeks. What is there to talk about. How about a good poll to get us thinking. Who do you want as the preferred striking partnership this season?

I'll be delighted when this bloody window closes maybe then we can get back to 'sensible' posts instead of some of the pish that's been posted on here in the last few days - example Kris Boyd at Glasgow Airport. It's the sort of stuff you see all the time on the BBC boards. Leave it to the kids on there to do. Mini rant over

Vaguely remember being linked with him last year, dont know too much about him though

Administering the result. Thatââ?¬â?¢s what the Italians call it. Maybe if we hadnââ?¬â?¢t been wearing Monaco strips - maybe if weââ?¬â?¢d stuck to the Azzurri home tops weââ?¬â?¢d somehow have been able to see out the second of the leads we took in Ayrshire today. But then again, Big Dado once knocked in four goals in twenty three minutes of a Champions League match wearing that very strip he wore today, against a Deportivo La Coruna side who traditionally play in a bit of a Killie strip. He couldnââ?¬â?¢t put away two gilt-edged chances today. But then again, we have two deep-lying midfielders in our new formation, supposedly to give us a way of bolting tight shut our defence in the event of, say, trying to hang onto a 1-goal lead with four minutes to go. But then again, again, Dado did set up both Kris Boydââ?¬â?¢s goals, is an all-round legend without whom weââ?¬â?¢d be nothing and - geeze a break! - weââ?¬â?¢re only five games intae the season, the first season of a new regime, and the transfer window isnae even shut yet. Paul Le Guenââ?¬â?¢s still sketching the outline of his master plan and thereââ?¬â?¢s plenty of evidence that itââ?¬â?¢ll be a seriously impressive work when complete. To be only one point off the top and still unbeaten in such circumstances - without Barry Ferguson - is pretty much as good as you can hope for. Give Killie their due - they fought and fought and, apparently, had a pair oââ?¬â?¢ fair shouts for penalties before the one they eventually got. I say ââ?¬Å?apparentlyââ?¬Â because my Ã?£23.00 today bought me a dollââ?¬â?¢s house furniture-sized seat in the second-front row of the Chadwick Stand. Thatââ?¬â?¢s the subterranean area of the ground. Iââ?¬â?¢d been approached by a policeman before the game as I slinked up a side street to shove in my contacts - the constable thought I was popping some sort of drug. If only I was that interesting and if only Iââ?¬â?¢d taken a periscope instead of some disposable soft lenses. The first half seemed to be going okay because Allan McGregor, stood almost above me, touched the ball about twice, most of the Rangers team and Kilmarnock players spent most of the opening 45 down at the other end, almost out of eye-shot and all the Gers fans in the Moffat stand stood up and cheered at one point. I think we were winning 1-0 at half-time. To be honest, it was great to be so close to the action - well, to the pitch. This is why going to games beats the TV every time - even if your viewââ?¬â?¢s shit, you still feel more involved. Even, ironically, if you donââ?¬â?¢t know whatââ?¬â?¢s happening because all you can see up the other end of the pitch is a mass of legs from the knees up, you have a goalie right in front of you who could hear every bit of abuse or encouragement you decided to throw his way. Hey - youââ?¬â?¢re making a difference, man. The Killie keeper decided he wasnââ?¬â?¢t taking any chances today - heââ?¬â?¢d read all about Artur Boruc - so he wore an orange top. Low and behold, my aunt, uncle and wee cuz were in the row behind me, along a wee bit. They had a spare seat for the second half and I completed the first misfortune of their day by joining them. Too bad I slipped back a row - being second from the front, I was determined to do one of those things ye always see front-row punters doing - like clambering over the wall to bear-hug a Rangers scorer or push my fat, bealinââ?¬â?¢ face into a stewardââ?¬â?¢s as I ranted and raved about some trivial tenuous ââ?¬Å?public orderââ?¬Â issue which Iââ?¬â?¢d got confused with the fact my team chucked away a late equaliser. Once I eventually found my seat in the massive game of Sudoko which is Rugby Park - only every fith or sixth seat has a number on it so if youââ?¬â?¢re in number 67 you have to look all round for a 70 or a 63, say, and then start counting - my main concern was getting plenty of reasons to jump up and down, because Kilmarnock FC donââ?¬â?¢t provide seats suitable for the more generously proportioned gentleman. On the big screen opposite, McSherry and someone, solicitors were flashing up nicely conceited adverts for ââ?¬Å?getting you out of a tight cornerââ?¬Â but I could have done with their help just to get my knees from under my front teeth after following the edict from another advert to try the Killie pie. I work alongside Frazer Wrightââ?¬â?¢s cousin - a Motherwell fan and a top bloke. Allan would go down to Stair Park to see Mr Wright at the outset of his career and Iââ?¬â?¢d be one of the anoraks most interested in his second-hand, first-hand tales of life in the senior ranks come Monday morning. Frazer was only 40-odd games away from becoming Stranraerââ?¬â?¢s all-time record holder for appearances when he went to Killie, still at the age of 12ish. Iââ?¬â?¢d told his cuz that, had it been me, Iââ?¬â?¢d probably have stayed in the lower divisions to get the record rather than leave for the SPL big time. Thatââ?¬â?¢s because Iââ?¬â?¢m anal - but I wish heââ?¬â?¢d fucking done it, then the bugger wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have equalised against us today. But, despite the misses from Dado, our Croat god plugged away to help create another chance which was again sublimely finished by Kris Goal-Machine Boyd. Ah, the thrill of seeing the ball slipped under the keeper, just a few yards in front of where yer sat. Ahh, the agony of realising the last time ye were this close to the action was at Dunfermline on Boxing Day when - BINGO! - we conceded an injury tme penalty to deny us a victory. Bugger. What IS happening to this Masonic conspiracy???!! I pay good money to keep things ââ?¬Å?on the levelââ?¬Â in Scottish Football! Will someone PLEASE remind the refs Rangers are supposed to be AWARDED last-minute pens. Anyway, Buffel came on and so did Sebo. Sebo looked ineffective and made a very poor choice with our last chance of the game but it was hardly his fault we dropped yet more points in this rebuilding period. Thomas B looks just like Dado these days - able to open up defences at will but unable to be the second natural finisher we need. Just as well Boyd is a preternatural finisher. Bazza, Burkey and even Bardsley will all return and the outline will be completed, the shading applied and the detail detailed. Weââ?¬â?¢ll soon all be able to clearly see a fully realised winning Rangers portrait - even if weââ?¬â?¢re stuck in the first few rows of the Chadwick or Moffatt stands. PS - if yer driving from Glasgow to North Ayrshire on February 11th next year, you could do worse than find yerself parked outside the Bonnyton cafe. Superb bag of chips and a can of coke for Ã?£1.70. Feed yer face as ye listen to the radio reports and the line of traffic which is jamming ye in begins to dwindle. Iââ?¬â?¢ll be needing a giant shoe horn to get me out my Killie seat in the New Year ââ?¬Â¦

Taken from SportingLife.com

Gianluca Pessotto the technical manager at Juve is thought to have jumped out of a 15 metres high window. As he was holding his Rosary beads it is thought he tried to take his life. Juve is plagued by a payment scandle at the moment. The Juventos players at the WC have left the Italy camp to visit him in Hospital where he is now out of danger.

They are looking into it to see if he was pushed!.... Unreal.