Jon 0 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 ALLAN McGREGOR today launched a staunch defence of his Rangers team-mate Kris Boyd. The Ibrox striker has been accused of turning his back on his country after declaring he will not play for Scotland again under George Burley. But McGregor believes Boyd is entitled to his decision and has blasted back at the critics who have taken a pop at the forward. "I can't understand why folk outwith football who don't know Kris are giving him dogs abuse over this," said McGregor. advertisement"He has come to a decision and he is the only one who can make it. "He is not quitting Scotland, he is only quitting under George Burley. I don't think he has turned his back on his country like a lot of people have been saying. "George Burley mentioned the first team situation at Rangers, but you have then got ask why he is picking him for a Scotland squad. "Kris is a professional and I respect his decision. So should everyone else and not go on about it for days and weeks on end. "George Burley has been the manager for six games and Kris has only played something like 28 minutes in that time. "So why is everyone making a big fuss? They are not really missing anything because he has not been playing anyway. "I was sitting next to him on the bench but didn't know anything about it. I was just watching the game and getting on with it." McGregor believes the decision can work to Rangers' benefit as the Ibrox club have a player who will now focus solely on club football. And the keeper revealed Boyd has been venting his frustration this week by doing extra sessions at Murray Park. Whether it will be enough to earn him a regular start at Ibrox remains to be seen, but McGregor will be cheering on his colleague as he seeks to silence his critics. "He has been working really hard in training and doing extra stuff this week and all credit to him," added the Gers keeper. "Hopefully he can shut up all the critics who slag him all time and cane him for not doing this, that or whatever. "And hopefully he will be fresher for Rangers this season." Meantime, Rangers are tracking Sporting Lisbon centre-half Tonel - but any January window move would hinge on getting players out the door. Boss Walter Smith is looking at centre-half's as he knows David Weir is unlikely to go on past this season, and Tonel is a player he knows. Panathinaikos and Lazio are also watching the 28-year-old, who played against Rangers in the Uefa Cup last season. But Smith has to ship out high earners such as Brahim Hemdani if he wants to do business in the next window. And despite reports in Romania that he was trying to buy Rangers, millionaire CFR Cluj president Arpad Paszanky has denied any moves. He stated: "I am not interested in buying or investing in Rangers. I have one club and that is enough for me." Great to see all his Gers team mates coming out in support of him although you'd probably expect this to be the case anyway. Would love to know what Burley thinks as he reads these reports when they come out.... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCF2008 0 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Great to see all his Gers team mates coming out in support of him although you'd probably expect this to be the case anyway. Would be good to have heard more from the management though. Walter especially knows what it's like to be branded a traitor for putting Rangers ahead of his country. He said only a couple of weeks ago that Boyd's played in around 75% of the games since he took over and as much as he might not like repeating himself, I'd like to see him at least point that out in response to the p!$h GB was spouting about Boyd not getting a game. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 IMO its 1 down 1 to go. TBH i done want Boyd near a scotland shirt if he has an ego with Burley before anything else. Obviously Burley seems what a lot of us know - Boyd is a shit player! However - disregarding my own thoughts about Pele....Boyd does have a freaky good goalscoring record and he WOULD have been my choice ahead of S Fletcher (Why do people talk about this plum) and Chris OOpaluOOmpa! Boyd maybe a fuckin poor footballer but the players for rangers and can score 2/10 chances....obviously better than them who replaced him. However ive totally lost confidence in Dod Burley...he needs a cape to look like count dracula....we did miss Ferguson, Hutton, Miller and Gribz from that game tho 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppardized2001 0 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Well see Ross McCormacks scored another 2 goals for Cardiff City today, think that makes him top scorer in the Championship. Would like to see him get into the Scotland squad ahead of the likes of Iweulmo and Morrison. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Well see Ross McCormacks scored another 2 goals for Cardiff City today, think that makes him top scorer in the Championship. Would like to see him get into the Scotland squad ahead of the likes of Iweulmo and Morrison. Great minds eh? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Great minds eh? What is it. Fools seldom differ. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 What is it. Fools seldom differ. Get it up ya! Noticed a few people making this point after he scored a brace today. Wish I'd brought it up at the start of the week now. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppardized2001 0 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Well I was thinking of it before then..so there was thinking the only reason he was omitted from squad was because he must have been injured. Cracking wee player...and can play few positions too. Him and Boydy up front for Scotland :fish: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,448 Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 RANGERS assistant manager Ally McCoist insists Kris Boyd can handle life on the bench and has never worked harder than he is doing now – at club level at least. McCoist said the striker has remained committed to the cause despite not starting for Rangers on a regular basis, a situation that has also arisen with the international squad and caused Boyd to quit following last weekend’s goalless draw against Norway at Hampden, where he was an unused substitute. “I’ve not seen Kris as committed to Rangers as I have in the last few months,” said McCoist. “I can’t comment, not being with the Scotland squad, but we certainly don’t have any complaints about his day-to-day work. Kris is in as good nick as I’ve ever seen him, we’re constantly looking at his levels of fitness and his results are very good.” Boyd played just 28 minutes in Burley’s six matches in charge so far. It is a situation McCoist can sympathise with from his own playing career. He was nicknamed ‘The Judge’ for sitting so long on the bench under Graeme Souness at Rangers, and also missed out on two World Cups, at Mexico in 1986 and France in 1998. “No-one knows better than me how it feels when the team’s read out and you’re sitting on the bench, but Kris has handled that side of it well at club level,” said McCoist. “I was told I was being taken to Mexico and I didn’t go, and I should have been in the squad for France. But I’m not comparing myself to Kris, no two people are the same and I was fortunate to get a cap after France 98. I never thought about telling Craig Brown not to pick me again because I’m stubborn and I knew I could get back into it. It wasn’t to show Craig, it was to show myself.” He disclosed that Boyd called him last Saturday night before the news broke about the attacker’s decision to withdraw himself for consideration for future Scotland squads, at least while Burley is in charge. “He was calm and composed, it certainly wasn’t a decision in the heat of the moment,” recalled McCoist. “All I said to him was to weigh up the pros and cons and judge what was beneficial for him. The only decision which effectively matters is the player’s. He’s made it now, we should all just get on with it. I can totally understand his frustration, I don’t think for a moment it’s been easy for him but I’m not going to say whether he’s right or wrong.” However McCoist fears that Boyd could come to rue his decision if Scotland earn a place at World Cup 2010. “I’d be surprised if he doesn’t have a tinge of regret if Scotland do well and I think second place [in Group 9] is still very achievable.” The Rangers assistant manager, speaking as Rangers announced a three-year renewal of their six-figure partnership with Coca-Cola, also scoffed at conspiracy theories that the Ibrox squad has turned on Burley – Lee McCulloch has also retired from international duty – citing Kirk Broadfoot as the prime example. “I catch big Broadfoot pinching himself every morning he’s in the Scotland team, that’s after I’m pinching myself as I can’t believe it either.” Terry Butcher, the Scotland assistant manager, criticised Boyd’s decision yesterday, claiming he had “turned his back” on Scotland. “This isn’t just the Kris Boyd show,” said Butcher. “There are others who were left out who started earlier in the campaign. Paul Hartley, who played in Macedonia, didn’t play [against Norway]. He hasn’t said that he’s not going to play for George Burley. Other good pros would do the same. He’s said ‘I’m going to work hard and be there [for the next game].” 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon 0 Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Love the bit where he says he's pinching himself too about Broadfoot 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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