I Fear The End

[ian1964 10,416]

HE'S the little Spaniard with the big heart.

 

But Nacho Novo's heart will shatter into a thousand tiny pieces the day he's forced to walk out of Ibrox for the final time.

 

Novo knows the clock's ticking on his Rangers career.

 

Out of favour and out of contract in the summer, the fans' hero may have to look elsewhere for first-team football.

 

It's a chilling thought which sends a shiver down his spine - a fear he hoped he'd never have to face.

 

Speaking at the launch of his DVD yesterday, Novo admitted: "You always have it in the back of your mind to go back to Spain at some point.

 

"I was born there and there will always be a connection as I have a lot of family there.

 

"People talk very well about me in Spain and they know me because of the platform Rangers have given me.

 

"The day will eventually come when I need to leave Rangers and that will be really hard.

 

"It's hard to say if I will play in Spain before I finish my career although I'm 30 now and only have a few years left."

 

Novo could yet be offered a new deal by Gers.

 

The Spaniard is one of three players chief executive Martin Bain is keen to talk to in the coming weeks.

 

But the 'supersub' tag hangs heavy around his neck.

 

He knows he only has a few more years left at the top before the sun sets on a career that's taken him from his homeland to Kirkcaldy, Dundee and Glasgow.

 

Novo insisted: "I don't know what will happen in the future.

 

"I'm just happy to be here and doing something for the fans who have been behind me 100 per cent.

 

"The club will deal with my agent, but I just want to focus on playing now. If it happens, it happens.

 

"Everybody knows I love this club - it has been like a family to me.

 

"I've enjoyed every training session and every game I've played since coming to Rangers.

 

"It would be better if everything was sorted out, but there is still a long way to go."

 

It's almost ten years since Novo landed on these shores.

 

Signed by Raith Rovers in the summer of 2000 he has gone on to carve a great career at Ibrox.

 

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He revealed: "I have a lot friends in this country and I've been here so long I now start to think in English rather than in Spanish.

 

"I love Scotland and I have loved my time with Raith, Dundee and now Rangers.

 

"There are some unpleasant aspects, but that can happen in football. You expect that.

 

"I think the Scots are nice people.

 

"The climate does not bother me either because I'm from Galicia in northern Spain and the weather is similar.

 

"They say the toughest Spaniards always come from the north."

 

If this is to be Novo's last season at Gers, he's determined to sign off with another SPL title.

 

Europe has gone and Novo insists it's time for Walter Smith's men to regroup starting with the visit of St Johnstone today. He insisted: "We need to think about winning the SPL now.

 

"This is an important month with a lot of hard games.

 

"At the moment Kris Boyd is on fire and we are playing well.

 

"We need to do the same things as last year if we want to win the title again.

 

"We've so many tough games in December, but I honestly think we can win them all.

 

"Everybody should be hungry to win the league again and I'm positive about our chances.

 

"You need to have players who are all desperate to win in your team.

 

"If you don't have that kind of mentality you won't succeed, but I'm confident we have that here.

 

"We have a lot of good players and we have come back well after disappointing results in Europe."

 

Meanwhile, Gers boss Smith has confirmed he will make no new signings in January.

 

He said: "The only way we will be able to sign a player is if we sell one, otherwise we won't.

 

"There is no leeway for that in the transfer window, that's quite categorical.

 

"We don't need to sell a player in this transfer window - but neither will we be bringing anyone in.

 

"The challenge now of winning the league is more straightforward when you lose out on European football.

 

"Of course, it would be normal for a team to stagnate if they go through three transfer windows without bringing a new player in.

 

"But this year is better than last in the sense we haven't been told we need to lose a player."

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2768916/I-fear-the-end.html

[Zappa 0]

I hope the wee man stays another year, but chances are that the club might let his contract run out.

[Totti 0]

He's just scored his first league goal of the season and as an attacker that's not good enough. We aren't in any position to accomadate squad players anymore. If Kenny Miller gets a game ahead of you up front then you know you're in the wrong game.

 

My only gripe is that Novo didn't get more of a shot through the middle. I think the constant position changes and being in and out of the side has ruined him. He can still make an impact from the bench but this is a player who twice almost his 30 goals in a season. He looked a real quality player beside Prso but then again a player of that quality is going to bring the best out of his team mates. Prso was on another planet from Boyd and co.

 

He's yet another decent(ish) striker at Ibrox who's found himself more often than not on the left or right of a midfield 4 to little benefit. His finishing seems to get more and more erratic as the years go by. Got all the effort in the world but we need more.

 

I don't personally subscribe to the whole Nacho love in. He was a fairly good player but it seems the fact he's scored a few goals against Celtic and rejected them has clouded judgement. If he was to leave the club he'd probably end up in some low division somewhere and that's not the standard we require to become a force again. Need to get rid of the dead wood.

[Super_Ally 0]

He's just scored his first league goal of the season and as an attacker that's not good enough. We aren't in any position to accomadate squad players anymore. If Kenny Miller gets a game ahead of you up front then you know you're in the wrong game.

 

My only gripe is that Novo didn't get more of a shot through the middle. I think the constant position changes and being in and out of the side has ruined him. He can still make an impact from the bench but this is a player who twice almost his 30 goals in a season. He looked a real quality player beside Prso but then again a player of that quality is going to bring the best out of his team mates. Prso was on another planet from Boyd and co.

 

He's yet another decent(ish) striker at Ibrox who's found himself more often than not on the left or right of a midfield 4 to little benefit. His finishing seems to get more and more erratic as the years go by. Got all the effort in the world but we need more.

 

I don't personally subscribe to the whole Nacho love in. He was a fairly good player but it seems the fact he's scored a few goals against Celtic and rejected them has clouded judgement. If he was to leave the club he'd probably end up in some low division somewhere and that's not the standard we require to become a force again. Need to get rid of the dead wood.

 

Worth his weight in gold. The amount of money he has earnt us is unreal.

[Cotter 0]

Yup, I subscribe to the Nacho Novo love in. Biggest heart at the club and scored the only goal that ever made me cry. You know the one. Against Fiorentna where he had to sling has huge baws over his wee shoulder before slotting us into a European final!

[Frankie 8,151]

I think the wee man is a great player to have.

 

He's one player than can score in any game and his passion, work-rate and commitment prove invaluable at times.

 

Well worth a year's extension.

[Gribz 743]

I think the wee man is a great player to have.

 

He's one player than can score in any game and his passion, work-rate and commitment prove invaluable at times.

 

Well worth a year's extension.

 

Agreed, must be given another year. And you have hit the nail on the head by saying he can score in any game. he has done so against the worst SPL sides and in tough games away in Europe. What you see is what you get with Novo.

 

He can also play wide left, right and upfront. Miller and Boyd are first pick at the moment but if they drop form then Novo and Lafferty upfront together would be an interesting combination.

[26th of foot 5,836]

Nacho must stay.

 

Another year at least, even if it's only for his substitute appearances. He is the real deal as an impact player.

[Totti 0]

Agreed, must be given another year. And you have hit the nail on the head by saying he can score in any game. he has done so against the worst SPL sides and in tough games away in Europe. What you see is what you get with Novo.

 

He can also play wide left, right and upfront. Miller and Boyd are first pick at the moment but if they drop form then Novo and Lafferty upfront together would be an interesting combination.

He can score in any game, he just rarely does ?

[Gribz 743]

He can score in any game, he just rarely does ?

 

I feel like SAlly giving you a groan. :fish:

 

He has a good record in Europe and against Celtic. It doesnt help he gets moved about on both wings and doesnt play in his natural role as a striker, plus he is on the bench more often than not as some think he is a impact player and better off the bench - Ive never bought that argument and he would start every game for me unless was out of form.