AJ: No cash in January

[Frankie 8,146]

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/johnston-no-cash-to-beat-ibrox-crock-1.1072104

 

 

 

Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston today warned that Walter Smith will have little room to manoeuvre in terms of bolstering his threadbare squad in January.

 

His revelation came at the same time as it emerged that the Ibrox clubââ?¬â?¢s injury crisis has worsened further ââ?¬â?? with Kirk Broadfoot being ruled out for up to THREE MONTHS.

 

Even though Johnston has admitted that the Gers will benefit financially from being involved in the Europa League next year to the tune of at least �£2.5million, Smith will again be bound by financial handcuffs.

 

The news will come as no surprise to Smith who has said consistently that, despite the Glasgow clubâ��s money-spinning involvement in the Champions League which has raked in �£16million according to club sources, he does not expect to be handed funds to bring in new players when the window opens in four weeksâ�� time.

 

Johnston said: ââ?¬Å?I canââ?¬â?¢t say for certain, but I donââ?¬â?¢t think there is a great deal of likelihood that we will do that much. It is not anticipated that we will invest too heavily in January.

 

ââ?¬Å?We have Nikica Jelavic to come back and, of course, Madjid Bougherra, Maurice Edu and Kyle Lafferty. So, if we get those players back and the injuries ease, then I think we have a good squad. That is what the manager thinks. He has a lot of confidence in those guys.ââ?¬Â

 

Broadfoot has joined Bougherra, Edu, Jelavic, Lafferty and Webster on the sidelines due to an ankle injury that requires surgery.

 

The 26-year-old has been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks and a specialist in London has told him he will have to undergo surgery to repair the damage and rectify the problem.

 

Meanwhile, Johnston is hoping that Rangersââ?¬â?¢ involvement in the knockout stages of the Europa League next year doesnââ?¬â?¢t derail their bid to win trophies domestically ââ?¬â?? like it did back in 2008 when they reached the Uefa Cup Final.

 

The outstanding fixtures are already building up for the Glasgow club ââ?¬â?? they currently have three games which will have to be rescheduled.

 

Their game with Dundee United at Tannadice last Sunday and their meeting with Hearts at Ibrox this weekend have been hit by the bad weather. Elsewhere, their game with Inverness on January 29 has been called off due to their involvement in the Co-op Insurance Cup semi-final.

 

Johnston added: ââ?¬Å?I think that the one thing that scares everyone at the club is that if we were to do well in the Europa League then we might get caught up in a repeat of what happened in 2008 ââ?¬â?? with a much smaller squad.ââ?¬Â

[Frankie 8,146]

Further comment from the chairman:

 

 

Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston today revealed that persuading Walter Smith to stay on for another year has been the best achievement of his tenure.

 

Johnston has been taken aback by how well the Gers have done both domestically and in Europe this season since Smith said he would stay on for one last season.

 

Despite having a small squad of players to choose from, the veteran gaffer has ensured the Ibrox club has competed well in both the SPL and the Champions League.

 

The Glasgow giants are currently two points ahead of Old Firm rivals Celtic, who have played one more game, in the SPL and have qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League.

 

And Johnston, the USA-based club chairman, believes Smith must take enormous credit for ensuring that the Scottish champions have exceeded expectation.

 

He said: “It is to Walter’s enormous credit that Rangers are out in front at the moment and have progressed in Europe.

 

“I would say I am pleasantly surprised we are top at this stage, given the commitments we have had and the players who have been missing at various stages.”

 

He went on: “Nikica Jelavic’s injury was clearly a blow at the time, just when he was settling in well. He will be like a new player for us when he comes back to fitness hopefully.

 

“I think the current Rangers squad have proved how robust they have become at overcoming setbacks, but I also think it reflects precisely why we had to persuade the manager to stick around and sign a one- year contract for his final spell at the club. We need his knowledge of how to handle this situation.”

 

Johnston continued: “If you are talking about his assets, then I can’t think of anyone better to galvanise a group of Rangers players and make sure they are up for the challenge than Walter.

 

“He has used his man- management skills and motivational ones to bring the best out of these players. There are not too many players at Ibrox at the minute and I think that pleases the supporters. They are happy if they see everyone pulling together in the same direction.

 

“He (Smith) tells me occasionally that the danger of such a small group is that complacency can set in, that without competition, players might get too settled and too comfortable.

 

“Anyone who follows sport will understand that, but it doesn’t seem to be happening too much at Rangers right now. That’s why Walter is precisely the right guy for us just now.”

 

Johnston also feels that the crop of kids Rangers have coming through the youth ranks at Murray Park can help the Ibrox club challenge for silverware in the second half of the 2010/11 season.

 

He stated: “We have a good squad if the majority of them are fit and there are one or two youngsters now suggesting they can make the grade. I think Walter has a wee bit more confidence in them now than before.

 

“Kyle Hutton had to suddenly come in against Manchester United and did pretty well. Gregg Wylde is another one. But that’s not my field of expertise so I will leave that to the management.”

 

Meanwhile, Johnston has expressed his confidence that the latest takeover speculation surrounding the club will not adversely affect the team’s performances on the park.

 

Glasgow-born financier Craig Whyte, who is in partnership with English property developer Andrew Ellis, wants to wipe out the Ibrox club’s debt and buy Sir David Murray’s majority shareholding for around Ã?£32million.

 

Johnston said: “I don’t think for one minute that the players or management will become distracted in any way.

 

“I understand in Scotland that a potential Rangers takeover is a story that generates a lot of newspaper headlines and air time. But we’re only really thinking about the trip to Turkey and the next game.”

 

[stewarty 1,876]

Interesting that he has not stated that the takeover proposals are not being taken seriously like last time. Not that I am suggesting this is some sort of conclusive proof or anything.

[Waltersgotstyle 297]

I don't think anybody was under the illusion we would have money to spend unless ownership changed or players were sold.

[Zappa 0]

He doesn't actually say there will be 'no cash in January'. Typical sensationalist headlines from our pals in the press.

 

As well as the money we'll make in the Europa league, there's also the fact that our 5 points gained so far in the CL have earned us a considerable amount of xtra prize money & the trip to Turkey next week gives us the chance to get another win or draw bonus. A win in Bursa would give us a total of well over �£2 million in prize money from this group stage, so when you add that to the Europa league cash we've done pretty well over and above the standard Champions League revenue.

[ascender 352]

Yeah, was about to say that Zappa. It could well be that there's some money available for a cheaper signing, loan deal or free agent etc.

[craig 5,195]

Best to say we dont have much to spend so that, if we can spend some, we hopefully wont be held to ransom.

 

The downside is that it also opens us up to ludicrously low offers for established players. But if we dont need to sell......

[metlika 0]

I don't like the openness of the article as it does mean what craig says we could get ludicrously low offers not even for established players but key players, thinking like McGregor, Bougherra, Davis, Naismith and Miller. The latter is out of contract and could leave for nothing.

[calscot 0]

I think it would be ludicrous not to spend in January. We can see the squad depth is fragile and came close to breaking recently and the winter usually adds casualties to the injury list. There is also no doubt the money is there - we should earn at least as much this year as we did last year - maybe more with a good Europa run, when we managed to pay off about �£14M worth of liabilities. Fees due for players will be a tiny fraction of last year which should allow us a lot of breathing space to spend at least a few million on a couple of decent players to bolster the squad.

 

It's easy to get carried away when the glass is looking fuller but you can only squeeze an orange so far...

[Super_Ally 0]

I think it would be ludicrous not to spend in January. We can see the squad depth is fragile and came close to breaking recently and the winter usually adds casualties to the injury list. There is also no doubt the money is there - we should earn at least as much this year as we did last year - maybe more with a good Europa run, when we managed to pay off about �£14M worth of liabilities. Fees due for players will be a tiny fraction of last year which should allow us a lot of breathing space to spend at least a few million on a couple of decent players to bolster the squad.

 

It's easy to get carried away when the glass is looking fuller but you can only squeeze an orange so far...

 

When you factor in the fact we have earned a few more points this year in the CL and have at least one round in the Europa cup there should certainly be a greater profit from European football than last year, with the possibility of a little more.