Alexander: Rangers And Me:The truth

[GovanAllan 0]

as i say forced out in favour of the cheep option.

 

and poorer.

 

Says you, for me a better goalie and on a sensible wage for where we are with far more long term value than a 35year old no.2.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

more value yet hes run out of contract twice in the last 3 years.

 

hes decent quite promising in fact. good shot stopper but his all round game is much weaker than alexanders.

 

he will certainly do for the lower leagues for now.

[ian1964 10,486]

By ANDY GORAM

Published: 11 hrs ago

8

NEIL ALEXANDER has spent the best part of his Rangers career on his backside playing second fiddle to Allan McGregor.

 

Last year he finally got the gloves and the start he had been longing for.

 

Now, after just 12 months, he seems determined to throw it all away.

 

Honestly, I will never understand the modern-day footballer.

 

At his time of life, Alexander, 35, is never going to be offered a two-year deal.

 

He could have been Gers’ outstanding player this season and it still would not have happened.

 

When you are 35 you reach the end of one campaign, and if you are fortunate enough, you will get the chance to focus on the next. Just a few years back that arrangement was perfectly good enough for David Weir.

 

Instead of following his former captain’s example, Alexander has dug himself deeper and deeper into a hole. He’s the Rangers No1 and he would have been again next season, had he simply signed what was on offer in the first place.

 

Instead, he’s talked himself into a mess and may may well have talked himself out of Ibrox for good.

 

Hell mend him because I for one don’t buy this b******s that the uncertainty over which division Rangers will be in was a factor.

 

It was a factor last year too. In fact, it was MORE of a factor last year.

 

This time last year there was so much uncertainty surrounding the club.

 

The very existence of Rangers was in doubt.

 

Having swept to the Third Division title things are finally beginning to look up.

 

If anything, the hard work has been done.

 

As their title winning message said, ‘Phase One Complete’.

 

For what it’s worth, I think Gers will find themselves in an SPL2 at the start of next season.

 

They may well find themselves back in Europe within two years.

 

Make no mistake, my old club are on their way back — and you would have thought Alexander would have wanted to stick around for the ride.

 

I felt embarrassed for the lad on Wednesday.

 

It seems he totally forgot about the interview he gave to BBC Wales after the recent Scotland match.

 

That’s why if he is sitting in the summer looking for a new club he will have no one to blame but himself.

 

I have said it before, it’s only after you leave a club like Rangers you realise how good you had it.

 

Alexander was always going to start next season as No1 but Ally McCoist was always going to strengthen his squad too. Competition at any club is healthy.

 

At big clubs like Rangers it is absolutely vital. I don’t know if the arrival of Cammy Bell has spooked Alexander, but his reaction has been all wrong.

 

He has handled the whole thing very badly.

 

Even if he was offered reduced terms he would still have been banking something in the region of £5,000 to £6,000 a week.

 

For any team in Scotland that’s decent dough.

 

For a club that has just won the Third Division championship it is a king’s ransom.

 

I rate Alexander as a keeper and as a person, he’s a decent lad.

 

But if he does not sign the deal that’s on offer at Gers he will look back and regret it.

 

The signing of an understudy was always going to happen.

 

Alexander should be big enough to meet the challenge posed by Bell head on.

 

At the moment, it looks as though he is settling for running away from the fight.

 

I would hate for Alexander’s Ibrox career to end like this, but it’s his choice.

 

He will have to do what he thinks is best for himself and for his family. I would never criticise that.

 

With the Third Division title all wrapped up, McCoist is already working hard with a view to next season’s campaign.

 

Players are being lined up all the time so that when the transfer ban is lifted on September 1, Rangers will be able to announce a flurry of new signings.

 

These are exciting times once again for Gers fans.

 

The support has been through so much these past 18 months, they have been dragged to hell and back.

 

But I know they will be pleasantly surprised by the calibre of player set to check in at Ibrox after the summer.

 

McCoist and his backroom staff are definitely up for the challenge next season. The big question remains, is Alexander?

[BlueMazza 0]

Pretty balanced actually!

[GovanAllan 0]

Good article by Andy, I don't see why if Alexander is so confident in his ability he doesn't take a 1 year deal prove he's still the best and win another years deal.

[ian1964 10,486]

Good article by Andy, I don't see why if Alexander is so confident in his ability he doesn't take a 1 year deal prove he's still the best and win another years deal.

 

And yet you get Hateley saying the opposite!,that he should be given a two year deal?.

[GovanAllan 0]

And yet you get Hateley saying the opposite!,that he should be given a two year deal?.

 

For his loyalty, I still say if he could've got a better deal somewhere else he would've taken it.