The Scottish FA leads
By: j |
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In a moment that is decades overdue, the Scottish FA has stepped in and reaffirmed the extraordinary honour to represent your country. Following Rangers’ Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor actions at the most recent match against Iceland, the Scottish FA has announced that the two are banned for life and will no longer have the opportunity to represent Scotland.
It is not only a fair judgement but one the entire sport should commend the Scottish FA for. Leadership is a lonely walk done the darkest of road at times but Scotland has just set the tone for others to follow.
Through the past few decades I have seen this sport go through countless changes. Many for the positive but all too frequently it is has ripped the very soul from the game to where it barely resembles its past. Club Football has been ruined where at least two generations have no notion of what that refers to has, all the while players make ridiculous amounts of money and foreign ownership decimates the sport one step at a time. While I have little hopes of any of these matters reversing, thankfully the Scottish FA has stepped in and made the statement for all Scottish players that there is no greater honour.
For Ferguson and McGregor, let them remember this. Let them look at those photos for the balance of their days and realize what they discarded. I am sorry that two grown men had to learn this at this stage of their lives but that is unfortunately one of the many weaknesses in this beautiful game that turned into a business. It will be a painful reminder through their lives but in the end, I am hopeful many will finally understand the extraordinary brilliance of representing your homeland.
Category: Team News
Barry Ferguson’s future with Rangers cloudy
By: j | 1 Comment
Barry Ferguson’s future with the Rangers has been clouded as he has the club has ended his captaincy reign. The move comes after his highly disrespectful behaviour in representing Scotland that started with a late evening drinking bout with Allan McGregor.
Following Scotland’s victory over Iceland on Wednesday night, the thirty-one year old midfielder who has nearly three-hundred appearances for the Gers, was photographed flashing a “V” sign. More than anything that apparently set Walter Smith off resulting in both Ferguson and McGregor being sent home from practice.
The club is expected to suspend both for the maximum allowable amount of two weeks and in conjunction with the financial disarray the envelopes the Gers balance sheet, it is very likely that both will be up for the taking this transfer season.
In a lengthy statement issued on the clubs web-site, Walter Smith said:
“They were sent home from training today and they will return later when they will meet Martin Bain, our chief executive, and the Club will make a statement after that.
“It’s not something that we would have wanted but the timing of it is not in our own control. We have to react to the circumstances and it’s regrettable that it has happened at this time.
“Obviously what happened last Sunday with Scotland players is regrettable. Then we had an incident on Wednesday with two players from our own club and that’s what we have had to act on.
“We have to respect the fact that George (Burley)will handle the international part of it but certainly from our own point of view it is regrettable that we had a few players involved in that situation.
“It was the acts of the players that caused us to move on this situation more than anything else.
“The disciplinary aspect of what happened at the weekend is something for George to act on. We are unhappy with the situation and any manager who had players involved in that would be the same.
“The most disappointing aspect for me was the subsequent reaction on the bench and from the club’s point of view I don’t think that was a good image to portray.
“I would feel it would be embarrassing for the players when they saw the images portrayed the next morning and that relates to your club as well and that was disappointing.
“I’m disappointed that we’re having to take the action that we are taking. We don’t want to do it but we have to react to a situation that the Club has been put in, in the sense that it is an embarrassment to the Club.
“These are not actions that we have taken lightly because it doesn’t help us from a football point of view but we had to take them.
“We hope that this does not affect us adversely in the Championship and we hope that we have the players to cover but we will just have to wait and see.
“Both players have been playing regularly and both are good players so it’s disappointing that we have had to take the decision that we have done.”
Category: Team Newsshocking behaviour by Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor
By: j | 10 Comments
Within the world of Football there is no greater honour then representing your homeland. The honour, regardless of your countries prominence in the world ranking, is a defining moment in your career. A players approach to such an honour speaks volumes of the man.
With this in mine, Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor have slighted their names with despicable conduct. Per various reports the two breached codes of conduct drinking late in hotel before Scotland’s match against Iceland. The Scottish Football Association later confirmed the breach of team discipline, noted it was “dealt with within the squad” and further announced that, “due to a breach of team discipline, they will not start”.
There has yet to be an announcement by either party.
Category: Team NewsRangers championship hopes fade with draw to Hearts
By: j | 2 Comments
Hopes of overcoming Celtic for the SPL championship took a turn for the worse as the Rangers played draw to Hearts to a 2-2 draw at Ibrox. With Madjid Bougherra and Kirk Broadfoot both out due to injury there was concern for the Rangers midfield and Walter Smith choose to keep enterprising young John Fleck out of the starting eleven.
The Gers started fast with Steven Whittaker sending an early prospect but only nine minutes after the whistle Kyle Lafferty accepted DaMarcus Beasley’ provision before pounding the ball in. Efforts came and went but just past the half hour the goal scorer was stretchered off with a injury to his right foot. Just before the break Pedro Mendes dispatched the ball to Barry Ferguson who sent the ball through a maze of players in. At the restart Hearts switched from a 4-5-1 to a 4-5-2 bringing in up and comer Calum Elliot at striker. Just past the hour those changes paid off for Hearts as former Benfica man Bruno Aguiar sent in a corner that Christos Karipidis sent in. Reeling from the goal, the Rangers were exposed in the counter two minutes later with a long pass from David Obua finding Calum Elliot to headed the ball back to Rubén Palazuelos, who subsequently finished from fifteen metres. Following the goal the Rangers were able to offer little in the hope that they fight find the winner and the match concluded with a cascade of jeers from a less than faithful crowd at Ibrox.
While I respect the hopes of fans for a championship, this is not the time to be sending the Gers off to a chorus of jeers and whistles. Solidarity and support are what is needed, particularly as the club goes through a very difficult series of financially based decisions this off-season.
Category: Team NewsRangers fall in League Cup final
By: j | 1 Comment
Hopes for a League Cup final victory over Celtic to launch them to SPL glory were dashed as the Gers fell 2-0 in an match that went into extra-time. Quite obviously as a match that needed more than ninety minutes to be decided, it was a close affair. However after regulation time heroics were in store for Celtics Darren O’Dea as he headed the ball less than two minutes into added time. Up by one, Aiden McGeady plunked in the second goal from the spot following Kirk Broadfoot’s red-card expulsion. For the Gers, scoring chances were minimal and most limited to Kyle Lafferty’s offering just before the break and Steven Davis fairly soon after the re-start. Following those limited chances the match was Celtic’s to win, to which they did.
Finally while many will look at missed opportunities to add an important trophy to the hardware case or even the financial impact on clubs too-painful to discuss balance sheet, the big story is the ongoing tussle between Kris Boyd and Walter Smith. While some will clatter about very visual notions of the rift most of it stems for the failed transfer the Rangers were plodding through in January. Not to be confused with a player transaction, this important issue was a strict bottom-line concern for the club and showing a greater burden on the club.
Category: Team Newsleading up to Old Firm derby
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Leading up to the Old Firm derby in the League Cup final, the situation around Ibrox is far from rosy. The Rangers loss to Inverness Caley Thistle has given up a share of the SPL lead and puts into a question of their preparedness but equally casts a suspecting eye towards the highly problematic financial situation that could undermine overall play. Clearly the Gers are coming into the match with a need for a rallying cry and there could be none better that a match against Celtic with hardware on the line.
Walter Smith and company have been oddly tight-lipped off the affair, with barely an utterance. Although little introduction is needed for a meeting of these two great foes the Gers must use this match as a springboard towards a late attempt of wrestling the SPL crown away from Celtic’s clutches.
On the injury front the Rangers are coyly suggesting that Pedro Mendes, Lee McCulloch, Novo and Kirk Broadfoot could return to action and that Madjid Bougherra is expected in the starting eleven. Whether said information is merely a media joust by the Rangers or factual is something we’ll find out Sunday afternoon.
Category: Team NewsRangers comfortably defeat Hamilton 5-1
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Rebounding from the mid-week disappointment to Caley Thistle, the Rangers responded with a powerful 5-1 defeat of Hamilton Academical in the Scottish Cup. After Steven Whittaker’s early goal fifteen minutes in was canceled by Rocco Quinn four minutes, the Rangers slowly overwhelmed the Accies in the attack. However the lead was restored ten minutes before the break as Steven Whittaker’s cross was redirected by Kenny Miller to Kyle Lafferty, to which the Northern Ireland international made no mistake. Prior to the break Chris Swailes brought down Kenny Miller in the area and the spot was pointed to. Aarón Ñíguez stepped up to the spot and after the first attempt was waived off, the talented Spanish U21 star drove the ball into the net. After the break Billy Reid’s side were clearly outmatched and following Steven Davis finding the net eight minutes after the re-start, the Rangers wisely but the brakes on the attack. A late opening saw the Gers score the fifth goal with nine minutes as a solid linkup of play from Barry Ferguson and Steven Whittaker provided Kyle Lafferty the opportunity for his second goal of the day.
Photo Source: Rangers Official Web-site
Category: Team NewsRangers quarter-final Scottish Cup match preview
By: j | Add Comments
As the Rangers face Hamilton Academical in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup at Ibrox, the dark financial situation of the club is a challenge to the most optimistic of supporters. While the future bodes an extraordinary unpleasant round of cut-backs, lest the life of the club be jeopardized, Sundays match is opportunity to put those matters aside temporarily.
For the match Walter Smith has a near fully-fit squad available with only Nacho Novo and midfielder Lee McCulloch out and receives a major boost with Pedro Mendes returning.
Ally McCoist commented of the match:
“We might make one or two changes for the game but nothing major. Pedro definitely has a chance after training this morning.
“He didn’t play in our small-sided games but did everything else. He was twisting, turning and running and he looked fine.
“I haven’t had a chance to speak to him since then but he certainly looked good and I’m very hopeful he’ll be in the squad for Sunday.
“I don’t think Nacho will be but he will probably resume training on Monday or Tuesday with a view to being available for the cup final.”
Enjoy the match and as always I will report on it as is concludes.
Category: Team NewsRangers drop from the top with loss to Caley Thistle
By: j | Add Comments
The Rangers championship hopes nosedived with a 1-0 loss to Inverness Caley Thistle. With the loss, coupled with Celtic’s victory over Kilmarnock, the Gers find themselves three points behind their rivals. Quite obviously the story-line of the match was a further pronouncement that the Terry Butcher-era was going strong as his side has done a complete about face with him at the helm.
With this past weekends lineup as the general template, Walter Smith made only one adjustment bringing in John Fleck for Kyle Lafferty and as Rangers supporters have come to expect, the seventeen year-old provided a number of shining moments. From the get-go the Rangers appeared confident but as the score suggests, finishing was a horror show. An early through ball by Steven Davis set Kris Boyd free but he blundered the opportunity and the first of many bullets were dodged by Caley Thistle. A later link up between John Fleck and Kenny Miller once again provided Kris Boyd a point blank opportunity but the beleagured strikes effort was denied by ‘keeper Ryan Esson. I should be no surprise that Mr. Butcher’s side showed a determined defending side, classic discipline in shape and held strong the Rangers advances. While the Gers were able to have quality possession, sight lines on the goal were far from optimal and many efforts were speculative in nature. Through the second forty-five Kris Boyd’s frustrations continued as his attempts were snuffed-out. However that frustration boiled over throughout Ibrox when David Weir brought down David Proctor and the spot was pointed to. Confidently Ian Black stepped up and sent the ball into the net, giving his side the 1-0 victory and the points needed to climb from relegation.
Photo Credit: Rangers (Craig Halket and Aileen Wilson)
Category: Team NewsRangers v Inverness Caley Thistle match preview
By: j | Add Comments
The Rangers welcome Caley Thistle to Ibrox Wednesday afternoon looking to maintain their narrow lead on Celtic. Coming off the narrow victory over the Hamilton Accie’s Walter Smith side will need to be careful with Inverness as although at the basement of the SPL table, they put forth a superb February and seemed to have turned the corner.
The Rangers will be without Pedro Mendes, Lee McCulloch and Nacho Novo with Kirk Broadfoot questionable while Caley Thistle will only miss Phil McGuire.
Enjoy the match and I will report on it as is concludes.
Category: Team News
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