McGregor, the BBC, SFA and the wider implications�

[Guest piagio2000]

It appears so...Luckily I think.

[redford 0]

It appears so...Luckily I think.

 

 

Yeah. Of course.....

[ian1964 10,419]

MANCHESTER UNITED are eyeing �£5million-rated Rangers keeper Allan McGregor.

 

Old Trafford superscout Martin Ferguson, brother of boss Sir Alex, watched the Scotland No1 at Hampden on Tuesday.

 

McGregor, 28, pulled off a string of stunning saves in the Euro 2012 clash with world champions Spain.

 

And he's now on the Old Trafford radar as Fergie seeks a long-term replacement for veteran Edwin van der Sar.

 

SunSport understands United have also watched Ajax's Maarten Stekelenburg, Atletico Madrid's David de Gea and Manuel Neuer of Schalke.

 

But all three keepers carry �£20m price tags and McGregor has emerged as a lower-cost alternative for a club saddled with debts of �£716m.

 

McGregor's Ibrox contract runs until 2013 and Gers have offered him a new five-year deal to stay with the champs.

 

The keeper is in the form of his life after Champions League clean sheets at Old Trafford and against Bursaspor.

 

His heroics against Spain followed a world-class stop from Jan Polak in Scotland's loss in the Czech Republic on Friday.

 

McGregor also produced a string of stunning saves in the 3-0 friendly defeat against Sweden in Stockholm in August.

 

United are looking for a new No 1 with van der Sar, 40 this month, set to retire at the end of the season.

 

Gers team-mate Steven Naismith says McGregor has taken over from �£9m Sunderland ace Gordon as Scotland's first-choice keeper.

 

And he is shocked that no Premier League giants have already tried to nab McGregor from Ibrox.

 

He said: "Allan is up there with the best in the game now. To be honest I'm surprised no other club has come in to try and buy him from Rangers.

 

"He's been fantastic for us ever since I've been at the club.

 

"En route to the UEFA Cup Final with Rangers some of his saves were absolutely tremendous. He's carried that on since then.

 

"He's had his problems off the park, but he's learned from them.

 

"He's now Scotland No1 and while big Craig is a top keeper too, it's roles reversed for the two of them now.

 

"When you look at the likes of Arsenal needing a keeper it's unbelievable no one has come in for him.

 

"I'm not complaining though. The longer Allan stays at Rangers the better it is for the club.

 

"It's been great for the manager to call on Allan. Some of his saves in the Czech Republic were terrific and against Spain he was really good.

 

"We have two good goalies here and that's great."

 

 

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3179327/Fergie-set-to-swoop-for-Al.html#ixzz12KKxO0Ic

[Norris Cole 0]

�£5m? Double it and come back to the table.

[ian1964 10,419]

�£5m? Double it and come back to the table.

 

There wouldn't be an OF game coming up by any chance would there ?

[craig 5,199]

To be fair I also am very surprised that Man U, and even moreso Arsenal, have not come calling Re McGregor. In spectacular form a both club and international level.

 

What makes him even more of a proposition is that in international games he would be called upon regularly but in club football his concentration is paramount as the amount he has to deal with in most games is minimal. My point being that he is, and has, proven himself to be able to play in differing circumstances 1) being kept busy and therefore knowing he has to be alert as well as 2) having nothing to do for long stretches for a game but then pulling off a remarkable save after having done nothing for 40 minutes.

 

He would be a great addition to both Man U or Arsenal.

 

I am with Norris though, if Craig Gordon is worth 9 million and if those keepers quoted are worth 20 million then McGregor should not go for less than 10 million.

 

The quality of the league you play in is the argument for suppressed prices of SPL players, but I think keepers are a bit different in that respect. McGregor has shown he can do it at the highest level (CL and international) so 5 mill for him would be criminal of us.

[ian1964 10,419]

Of course he will be attracting attention with his performances,however January is a long way off,if that's when he would move?, so why is it even up for discussion now so near to our visit to the BHEASTS??

[craig 5,199]

Of course he will be attracting attention with his performances,however January is a long way off,if that's when he would move?, so why is it even up for discussion now so near to our visit to the BHEASTS??

 

Because there has been much discussion lately about Van De Sar retiring and who might replace him. McGregor being an in-form British keeper makes perfect sense.

 

I personally dont think it has anything to do with the upcoming OF game but more to do with his form in the last two internationals

[ian1964 10,419]

Because there has been much discussion lately about Van De Sar retiring and who might replace him. McGregor being an in-form British keeper makes perfect sense.

 

I personally dont think it has anything to do with the upcoming OF game but more to do with his form in the last two internationals

 

You are correct Craig,it does make perfect sense,however I just think anything in I read in the papers is normally shite:)

[ian1964 10,419]

A gifted goalkeeper now rated among the best in the business.

 

But James Beattie fears it's only a matter of time before the cream of Europe are lining up with offers to end Allan McGregor's glove affair with Rangers.

 

Manchester United see McGregor - who was sensational for Scotland in Tuesday's brave 3-2 defeat to Spain - as the ideal long-term replacement for the retiring Edwin van der Sar.

 

But Beattie believes a host of top clubs will soon join Sir Alex Ferguson in the battle for his signature.

 

He's just hoping Gers can keep hold of Gregsy's golden gloves for a while longer at least. The striker said: "I don't want him to go, but Allan could play anywhere. He is that sort of character.

 

"He is very focused and he knows what he wants.

 

He wants success and he has been carrying a couple of injuries for two months.

 

"He plays through them because he wants to play, succeed and do really well.

 

"That's a good start and then on top of that, he is a very talented keeper. I don't know what Allan's position is contractually.Everything gets looked at nowadays.

 

"Allan is probably one of the top keepers in Europe.

 

"If he keeps playing then he is going to get the attention.

 

"Then it is up to Allan and the club to sort out what he wants to do.

 

"It's the same as everything else, something is worth what others want to pay for it.

 

"That's always the case - whether it's a house, a car or a footballer.

 

"There's been eyebrows raised numerous times about players' transfer fees and why they have been so high or so low. But if someone is willing to pay the money, then a player can be worth whatever."

 

Former England international Beatts believes McGregor is now regarded as Scotland's first-choice keeper.

 

The 28-year-old's desire to win, coupled with his disgust at losing, has seen him rise above �£9million Sunderland ace Craig Gordon in the pecking order.

 

McGregor has been through more than most in the quest to play for his country and last night Beattie paid tribute to his dedication.

 

He said: "They are a different breed, really. They are all mental.

 

"You obviously read about people and see them play on TV.

 

"But when you see them every day, you get a clearer picture.

 

"Allan has got to be one of the angriest goalies around.

 

"He doesn't like people scoring against him in training.

 

"When he gets out on the pitch, he is even worse.

 

"If you look at every player, there is an edge to them.

 

"With certain players, if you take that edge away then they are only half the player. It's up to the management team and the player to channel it in the right way.

 

"I don't mean Allan is an angry person, just when he loses goals."

 

Beattie, meanwhile, has his mind firmly set on scoring goals for Rangers.

 

The former Everton star has yet to find the net for Walter Smith's side following his move north from Stoke City in the summer. But he knows the ankle injury to Nikica Jelavic has handed him the chance to kick-start his Ibrox career.

 

Beattie said: "Jela came into the side and he did really well.

 

"It was unfortunate that he got injured against Hearts. But it has given me a chance to get back into the team and establish myself.

 

"Jela was in great form and he was establishing a good partnership with Kenny Miller.

"He was taken out most cynically by one of the Hearts players and he's undergone an operation. I've spoken to him and he sounds upbeat but obviously disappointed.

 

"You don't want to see dirty challenges. It is pretty unacceptable among the players and they shouldn't be doing that to each other.

 

"UEFA make the rules and the referees follow the guidelines."

 

Beattie is fully recovered from the thigh injury which kept him sidelined for five weeks.

 

And he's desperate to get off the mark against Motherwell at Ibrox tomorrow.

 

Speaking at Murray Park yesterday as the Rangers Charity Foundation announced the Prostate Cancer charity as its new National Partner for the season Beattie confessed: "The first four games went all right, probably because the team was winning.

 

"My last competitive game had been back in December so I was surprised when the manager asked me to start in the first game of the season.

 

"But I was delighted to do so.

 

"We won the first four games and then I picked up an injury.

 

"I've only been injured for two weeks but I've missed five games so from that point of view it's been frustrating.

 

"I'd have got a lift in the first game and it would have been nice to hit the ground running.

 

"But in the games I felt I was getting stronger and was contributing but a striker is judged on his goals.

 

"I'll feel better when I score. It's not something I worry about massively, but it will be nice to get off the mark and go on a scoring run."

 

Beattie hopes Gers can extend their unbeaten run against Well.

 

He admitted: "It is a big game for us. Motherwell are sitting in third place in the table just now and a lot of the lads have been away on international duty. "We need to focus on the league again."

 

 

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3181058/The-gloves-are-off.html#ixzz12PhxQOPq