Smith - Boyd yet to accept

[ian1964 10,455]

Enough clubs have seen something of value in Kris Boyd that his self-esteem will be inflamed.

 

It is, of course, the certainty of his goalscoring, an expertise revealed most provocatively by the numbers of his career, with each strike documented like a form of authentication. But then these figures say nothing more about Boyd, beyond the purity of his aptitude.

 

If Aston Villa and Birmingham City have spoken to the Rangers striker, then perhaps we might consider this merely prudent, as he is out of contract in the summer, earning a modest wage by Barclays Premier League standards, and his scoring record is slightly better than a goal every two games. At the very least, there is little harm in discovering what financial terms might tempt him south.

 

But then he seems far removed from the type of player Martin O’Neill has sought out for Villa, who play a form of direct, counter-attacking football that thrives on swiftness of thought and movement. Even the two central strikers that he alternates between – Emile Heskey and John Carew – are strong, deftly mobile and hold up the ball with a precious intent.

 

It might be that O’Neill would consider Boyd as a useful alternative for some fixtures, a specialist poacher, but that would make the move counter-productive for the striker himself. Sources at the Midlands club have distanced them from a move and it is understood that though O’Neill could consider a move in the summer, he will not be making an offer this month.

 

This leaves Birmingham and Middlesbrough as the main contenders for his signature, but beyond the financial rewards in England, would such a move be right for his career?

 

At Birmingham, he would be working for a manager, in Alex McLeish, who understands him, his strengths and his weaknesses, and entering a dressing room where Boyd’s gruff, blunt nature would encounter a sense of appreciation. In Cameron Jerome he might find a strike partner similar in style to Kenny Miller.

 

Sources at the Midlands club have distanced them from a move and it is understood that though O’Neill could consider a move in the summer, he will not be making an offer this month.

 

Richard Wilson

 

Having learned the lessons of being dropped from the Rangers team for European ties and several Old Firm games (not only by Walter Smith, but by McLeish, too), Boyd has worked on the other dimensions of his game. His movement and appreciation of team-mates has improved this season, while the glinting edge of his goalscoring has remained undiminished. There is, though, still a narrow range to the best of Boyd.

 

But he understands, now, that Rangers have come to rely upon him, whereas at another club he might find himself occasionally isolated again. There is, too, the strong sense of belonging, or comfort, to his life in Ayrshire, having grown up in the village of Tarbolton. The wonder is how far Boyd’s ambition reaches.

 

His imagination was once sustained by the fantasy of being the Rangers centre-forward and he has achieved this with distinction, having now scored more goals in the Scottish Premier League than any other player, as well as winning all three domestic trophies. If there is anything left to fulfil at Ibrox, it is establishing himself in the folklore of the club.

 

“Financially, Kris would be better off moving, he has the chance to earn a right few quid for himself,” said Ally McCoist, Rangers’ assistant manager as well as the club’s all-time leading scorer, recently. “But I know he has genuine feeling for Rangers and you can’t put a price on becoming a Rangers legend.”

 

Boyd also knows well enough the experience of his friend and former team-mate, Barry Ferguson, when he left Rangers in 2003 to sign for Blackburn Rovers and take on the challenge of playing in the English Premier League. It wasn’t long before the midfielder was pining for the status, pressure and sheer exhilaration he had come to take for granted at Ibrox.

 

“They told me that the game that meant everything was Bolton at the Reebok,” Ferguson recalled after returning in 2005. “There were 27,038 there and that’s when Rangers really started tugging me. I was brought up dreaming of representing Rangers against Celtic.”

 

Boyd has been offered a three-year deal worth Ã?£18,000-a-week to stay at Ibrox, but if he accepts the terms negotiated by Martin Bain, Rangers’ chief executive, the deal will still need to be ratified by those overseeing the club’s finances. They might benefit from a sharp reminder that Rangers are not the only club who covet Boyd’s precision in front of goal. English interest will focus a few minds.

 

If an offer is made from an English side, Boyd’s decision will surely depend on what appeals stronger: to stay where he knows he can thrive, or to leave for the unknown, and the challenge of re-establishing himself.

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/aston-villa-will-not-make-january-move-for-kris-boyd-but-would-english-challenge-appeal-to-rangers-striker-in-any-case-1.1000482

[ascender 352]

More conflicting stories this morning depending on which paper you read.

[calscot 0]

If Boyd is definately going in the summer and Villa (or whoever) offer a small amount of money to take him earlier, i seriously don't imagine us being that difficult to deal with. I'm definately prepared for the worst over this one but i can't begrudge Boydy this move if he feels he needs a new challenge; he's stayed longer than most players have done in the last ten years

 

That may be true but it doesn't sound very logical in the least. Could you explain WHY Rangers would be easy to deal with - I would presume it would be the opposite. Boyd is crucial to our chances of winning the league and if he goes for a paltry sum, with whom could we replace him?

 

Right now I'd say he's worth at least �£2M to us as we'd need at least that to find a replacement who still wouldn't be as good as him.

 

It makes the more sense to me that if he's worth buttons at the moment then he's just not for sale in January - just what's in it for Rangers? We'd be FAR better off keeping him till the summer and letting him go for free than taking 250k for him now.

[ascender 352]

I can't see why we'd sell just now or why Boyd would want to go midway through a season to be honest. I suspect he's just considering all his options, he's going to be in no worse a position if he just waits until the end of the season to make a decision.

 

No-one is going to offer silly money for him because of his contract position and the fact our money problems are well publicised. So I really don't see any reason why he'd leave us before the summer. We might have new owners by then who will offer him a better deal to stay here.

 

 

Mike.

[Jim White 0]

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has admitted to holding an interest in Rangers striker Kris Boyd.

 

More...

[Dr Preston Burke 0]

That's something i don't want to happen tbh. I actually think �£18,000 is too much for any SPL player so i really hope he isn't offered anything more than that by us, even if it does mean he leaves.

[Frankie 8,185]

I believe our wage structure is �£20K maximum so I doubt he will be offered more.

[ian1964 10,455]

That may be true but it doesn't sound very logical in the least. Could you explain WHY Rangers would be easy to deal with - I would presume it would be the opposite. Boyd is crucial to our chances of winning the league and if he goes for a paltry sum, with whom could we replace him?

 

Right now I'd say he's worth at least �£2M to us as we'd need at least that to find a replacement who still wouldn't be as good as him.

 

It makes the more sense to me that if he's worth buttons at the moment then he's just not for sale in January - just what's in it for Rangers? We'd be FAR better off keeping him till the summer and letting him go for free than taking 250k for him now.

 

Aye, I agree, it is more important to keep Boyd until the end of the season to try and retain the SPL title, even if it means we get nothing for him come the summer. Having said that I would obviously prefer he signed the contract on offer from Rangers.

[Dr Preston Burke 0]

When have Rangers ever been difficult to deal with over an outgoing transfer in the last ten years? Of course it would be better to keep him but i guess we'll see what happens

[chilledbear 16]

Some are saying the new contract from Rangers, hasn't the banks approval. Do we need it?

 

If he does want to leave, why now when he can go for free in the summer? Seems a no brainer to me.