ascender

Did I see the 5th June mentioned somewhere as a possible date for news, even though its a Saturday?

Papac as first choice LB with Whittaker as first choice RB makes sense, but with Smith gone and Broadfoot appearing to be on his way, we need cover for at least the RB slot as SW can cover on the left. Unless of course we have a younger player ready to step up as cover this season.

I'd already registered with the site for another WC predictor Frankie, do you want me to register another username with the GN prefix?

would you take riordan before the likes of nugent ?

I wondered when Riordan would be mentioned.

* pulls up chair *

This could get interesting

I'd be so much happier if Lafferty was on the bench and we signed someone naturally suited to playing wide left. I'm hoping he proves me wrong in pre-season, but the prospect of him being a first XI player for me is quite scary.

Just what I like to see, more expensive short-termism.

Thanks for the reminder, have updated the original post

Clue's definitely in the headline, "Darren Ambrose switch to QPR on the rocks after last-gasp stadium deal saves Crystal Palace from closure".

Its certainly gone very quiet in the media about this, with seemingly nothing at all coming out now from the Ellis camp or those within the club determined to paint him as some sort of fantasist. Is this good news or does it just mean everyone's gone on their holi-bobs?

So, its that time of the year again, who will stay and who will go? We've just had the end of the season and before pre-season we'll shortly be entering the silly season.

The Sun has us interested in Tommy Smith, the Portsmouth striker. He only scored one in 16 last season, but was a promising under 21 player, albeit that was 10 years ago now. Apparently we're haggling over their valuation, but given the money troubles at both clubs you have to wonder if we're offering to pay them in bottles of ginger while they're holding out for a supply of Tunnocks tea cakes based on future performances.

Its all gone quiet on the Lee Miller front and somewhat predictably, the usual papers are fawning over Celtic's (to be confirmed) management team and all their top signings. If this focus continues, I think it could work in our favour, with Walter and Ally quietly going about their business as usual.

Maybe a few rules to keep the thread on track? I can't wield the ban-hammer myself, but I'm sure Frankie will give this his full support. Feel free to add to them

• First mention of Eillis = ban.
  
• First mention of Alan Smith, Tonel, Hreidarsson, Robbie Fowler or David Healy = ban.
  
• First person to suggest we don't need any new strikers because we have Lafferty gets a free bus ticket to the loony bin.
  

Genuine transfer Latest

Players IN:

None

Players OUT:

Nacho Novo (Real Sporting de Gij�³n)

Steven Smith (Norwich City)

Out of contract:

David Weir

Kris Boyd

Kirk Broadfoot

DaMarcus Beasley

I've said for a long time that i believe our best team and formation would be:

 

___________McGregor

Whittaker Bougherra Weir Papac

_________Edu Thomson

_____Fleck Davis Lafferty

____________Miller

 

 

Possibly switching Davis and Fleck

I like the idea, but Fleck's best position is apparently behind the striker(s) and tbh, us relying on Lafferty as a starter again next season is worrying.

I'd be happier with something along these lines.

________________McGregor____________

Whittaker___Bougherra_____Weir_____ Papac

________________Thomson__________

_____New signing/Edu__Davis____New signing

____________________Fleck________________

________________Miller___________________

TBH I'd like to see Fleck and Naismith both given a run in their preferred positions before we pass judgement on them. Naismith in particular has been playing out of position pretty much since we signed him. Could say the same for Lafferty, although when we signed him, WS said he wouldn't play him wide left as that's not his preferred position either, but that didn't last long. Even at the end of the season he had a tendency to drift out wide left.

Even though Lafferty bagged a few good goals at the end of the season, he still has some way to go to convince me he's not the truly below average player we saw for most of the season. That said, I hope he proves me wrong.

If the takeover goes through and Boyd stays, what will people find to talk about next season?

Just playing devil's advocate here, but a constant theme amongst most Scottish fans is that we think the majority of our players would benefit from a spell playing with a club outside of the UK. So should Boyd be getting praised instead of criticised for considering a move to Turkey?

TBH, no matter what Boyd does some supporters will criticise him, so I shouldn't be surprised to read some of the stuff online that's been posted about him, but he more than any other player has managed to show just how fickle our support can be at times.

He's the best! He's the worst! He's a legend, he's beaten Henrik! He's working his ticket out of here. He's the best again! Get tae fuck Boyd. etc.

We should have either offered him a new contract when his current one had 18-24 months to run and if he didn't sign, start listening to offers. Its not like the Bosman ruling has just come in to force or anything.

Some more on this today.

Middlesbrough striker Lee Miller admits he would face a tough decision if he is offered the chance to join Rangers.

 

Miller has struggled to make an impact at Middlesbrough since joining from Aberdeen in the January transfer window and has failed to score in 10 Championship appearances.

 

The Scotland international has been linked with a move to Rangers over the summer as a replacement for Kris Boyd, who is leaving Ibrox on a free transfer.

 

The 27-year-old admits he is flattered to be mooted as a target for Gers and concedes it would be a difficult choice to make should Walter Smith make a bid.

 

"If Rangers ask the question, I would be forced to make the toughest decision of my career," Miller told the Daily Record.

 

"It is flattering to be linked with a club as big as Rangers. It is also nice to know clubs are taking a keen interest in what I am doing.

 

"I have been linked with Rangers for most of my career, but have never kicked a ball for them."

Personally i'd bid for Riordan

 

1 year left on his contract, doesn't get on with the Hibs hierarchy, and able to play left wing and up front

 

Fuck his Celtic connections, he was a nonentity there

Another player we were linked with who chose the dark side over us.

Stories coming out last week reckoned WS had 5M to spend, can't remember if this was just on fees or also had to cover any increases in renewing contracts. But given Novo is off the wage bill and Boyd will probably follow, I'm guessing so.

Worrying thing is we've been linked with him before, so there could well be some truth in it, or just lazy journalism.

To be fair, he must be in need of a rest after the frantic transfer activity over the past two years.

Football Manager 10 is bloody addictive alright.

Might not be so cut and dry. From today's Sun (I know I know, but there's actual quotes from him):

Madjid Bougherra insists Walter Smith signing a contract and the prospect of another season of Champions League football has made him want to stay at Rangers next season. It has been claimed the Algeria defender turned down an extension to his contract, which still has two years to run, and had also demanded a pay rise.

 

But despite reports this will lead to him being sold this summer, the 27-year-old former Charlton man - who has made no secret of his desire to return the Barclays Premier League one day - expects to be back in pre-season training after the World Cup.

 

He cannot wait to resume working with manager Smith, who this week signed a new one-year deal with the Clydesdale Bank Premier League champions.

 

Bougherra told the Scottish Sun: "Walter deserves his contract. After working for months without a deal, people can't say he's at Rangers just for the money. He is staying as he loves the club and everything the club has achieved in the past three years is down to him. This will be his last season but he has the strength and personality to build one more team and win the title again.

 

"Walter signing his contract is better for me. He knows my style, he knows my game and he's been great with me. I am happy to stay and I will give Rangers 200%. I have two years left on my contract and I have not asked to negotiate. I have never asked for a contract and I plan to be back for pre-season training after the World Cup."

A couple of papers reporting today that the deal is off as Benitez has been told he needs to sell before he can buy as his budget for new players is very small, so he's not going to spend 5M on Wilson. Smith meanwhile is holding firm and saying that its a nonsense we would consider to let Wilson go for 3M when guys like Ramsey and Walcott go for much more while having less top team experience than Wilson.

If the Liverpool switch doesn't happen and his contract runs down, what happens then? I'm assuming he can't leave on a free because of the rules surrounding young players, but will the fee just be a nominal one?

Our esteemed chief scout is off to Norwich apparently. From the beeb:

Norwich City have announced long-time Rangers scout Ewan Chester has joined the club.

 

Chester has been associated with the current Scottish Premier League Champions for more than 20 years.

Norwich manager Paul Lambert told the Canaries' website: "He's got excellent connections throughout Britain and Europe, which will be a real plus."

 

As well as his time in Scotland, Chester also had a brief spell with Premier League side Fulham.

Norwich chief executive David McNally added: "The role of the chief scout at any top-class football club is becoming ever more vital and in Ewan we have been able to recruit one of the very best in European football."

Could this be the best bit of business we do all summer? If there's one thing at Ibrox that's been in need of an overhaul for as long as I can remember, its our apparent lack of a good scouting network.

To be fair though, we shouldn't be asking our CB to sprint down the wing and create goals! It was a sad indictment of our midfield at times last season where Bougherra would often be the one driving us forward and trying to create something for us.

I know a few United season ticket holders and they all rate Webster very highly. They say he looks a class above the other players in the team, reads the game well and doesn't get ruffled. Every time I've seen him play he's really looked the part, so hopefully this season away has got his fitness sorted out and he'll be our first choice CB next season.

We also have a good track record with signing CBs, so I'm not overly worried just now. Would have been good to keep Wilson, but he's obviously had his head turned by the lure of money. Bougherra was a strange one because often his body language and statements did indicate he was happy hear, certainly moreso than someone like Cousin who clearly couldn't wait to leave. But what's the point of having someone like him picking and choosing what games to play in. Shut it down folks and move on.

7M for him would be a great price and I'm assuming that would give WS more cash and also pay off some of the debt so is a no-brainer. I'd even take 5M tbh.

Is he going for the money or to improve himself as a player or maybe just fancies a new challenge? Who knows. If he is going after learning Smith is staying on and a further improved contract, then it would appear to be for the money. But that's his perogative.

We can't say that we wouldn't have won the last two titles without him, but he's clearly going to be difficult to replace. That said, assuming we get some more creativity and goals from our midfield for next season, we should be able to make up for his goals with Miller and a.n. other player up front surely?

I'm a big Boyd fan, but I'm quite optimistic to see how we line up next season and if it means we change the way we play at all.