johnnyk

Rangers are considering making a loan move for Northern Ireland hero David Healy. The Sunderland striker is one of a number of names on an Ibrox hit-list as Walter Smith attempts to improve a squad that has fallen seven points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premier League title race. Smith is interested in bringing Aberdeen striker Lee Miller and Hearts right-back Robbie Nielson to the club on a permanent basis, but the Gers boss must sell before he can buy in a major clear-out, therefore at the moment is weighing up loan deals. And thatââ?¬â?¢s where Healy comes in. The 29-year-old has been linked previously with a move to Rangers when he was in the middle of that record breaking scoring run for Northern Ireland in the 2008 European Championship qualifying campaign. Last year the Glasgow giants signed two of Healyââ?¬â?¢s international team-mates, Steve Davis and Kyle Lafferty. It would be quite a hat-trick if they recruited Healy, even if it was on a temporary basis. At present though all Healy, who has scored 35 goals for his country, is concerned with is playing on a more regular basis for Sunderland. Since signing for the Black Cats, he has endured a frustrating time, sitting on the sidelines, although he did make a return to first team duty last weekend, coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 Premier League defeat at Everton. Tomorrow Sunderland host Bolton in the third round of the FA Cup and the Killyleagh man is hoping to be involved. Writing in his Belfast Telegraph column today, Healy said: ââ?¬Å?I want to play for Sunderland more in 2009. ââ?¬Å?I was delighted to join Sunderland from Fulham in the summer because it is such a big club with a passionate support, but I have not played nearly as much as I had hoped. ââ?¬Å?I was pleased to come off the bench for 15 minutes against Everton last Sunday, although losing the game 3-0 wasnââ?¬â?¢t in the script. ââ?¬Å?It had been a while since I played in the first team and it was great to get a game again. ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t want to just be playing a game every two or three weeks though. ââ?¬Å?My aim is to be involved all the time. ââ?¬Å?Hopefully I will be involved in our FA Cup tie at the week end against Bolton.ââ?¬Â http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premiership/rangers-consider-loan-move-for-david-healy-14127273.html

must be worst 'rumour' i've heard so far!!

Newcastle United are poised to test Rangers' resolve by making a �£4.5m bid for Madjid Bougherra. Sources in England claim that Joe Kinnear, the Newcastle manager, is considering an additional move to take Barry Ferguson too, but any attempt to sign their captain will be rejected by Rangers. Rangers are resigned to losing Bougherra but, while Ferguson has only 18 months left on his contract, Ibrox officials they will not countenance the sale of the 30-year-old midfielder, especially after the 1-0 Old Firm derby defeat at Ibrox which has left Walter Smith's side seven points adrift of Celtic in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. The Herald understands that Martin Bain, the chief executive, was informed yesterday afternoon of Newcastle's intentions by Bougherra's agent, Charles Collymore. It is also believed that Marseille will follow up their initial enquiry and may be the more appealing option, despite Bougherra's reiteration only last week that he had no intention of playing in Ligue 1. Sir David Murray, the Rangers chairman, is aware of the potential backlash if Bougherra leaves six months after his �£2.5m transfer from Charlton Athletic. Sanctioning the sale, even if Rangers double their investment, will be regarded by the beleaguered support as surrendering the championship. It is believed, though, that Rangers have already earmarked Christophe Berra, the Hearts captain, as a prompt replacement if Newcastle or Marseille make an irresistible offer. Rangers are preparing themselves for official contact and the inevitability of another deeply unpopular exit at the worst possible time. The club were heavily criticised for encouraging the �£9m transfer of Alan Hutton to Tottenham Hotspur last January, a move some supporters believe cost them the league. Bougherra was originally signed to partner Carlos Cuellar and facilitate the gradual phasing out of the 38-year-old David Weir but instead the 25-year-old replaced Cuellar, who joined Aston Villa in a �£7.8m transfer. The similarities with Cuellar's departure are now compelling. The Spaniard injured a calf muscle in pre-season and only returned to full fitness after completing his move to Villa Park. Bougherra has missed Rangers' last four games with a thigh strain. He is expected to make an overdue comeback against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Sunday but, with a move beckoning, his chances of reappearing have diminished. Kinnear is determined to plug a leaky defence and has been promised financial support by Mike Ashley, the chairman who has renewed his commitment at St James' Park after an unsuccessful attempt to sell the club. Newcastle's supporters will be wary of another central defender arriving from Scotland. Graeme Souness signed Jean-Alain Boumsong for �£8m in January 2005 but the Frenchman endured a disastrous stay in England before joining Juventus on loan. Bougherra has at least sampled the rigours of the Coca-Cola Championship. Pedro Mendes has also been linked with a reunion with Harry Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur but selling another first-team asset would cause mutiny among the supporters. Wolverhampton Wanderers were on the verge of completing a �£250,000 transfer of Alan Gow. The striker was scheduled to return to Ibrox yesterday when his six-month loan deal with Blackpool ended but Mick McCarthy moved quickly to strengthen the Championship leaders' promotion push. Gow has been told he has no future at Rangers after only two first-team appearances and, despite his desire for a reprieve, he is now expected to join forces with the Scotland internationalist, Chris Iwelumo, at Molineux. Rangers have declined the chance to sign Hermann Hreidarsson. The 34-year-old Portsmouth defender is available for a nominal fee but, while Smith is an admirer of the player, he is in the market for a younger defender. Bain is also under pressure to move on the squad surplus that is draining around �£80,000 per week from the club. Jean-Claude Darcheville's move to Valenciennes has freed-up �£20,000 per week while Hearts are expected to re-sign striker Andrius Velicka. Rangers are keen to offload Brahim Hemdani, one of the club's highest earners, and will also listen to offers for Graeme Smith, Chris Burke, Charlie Adam and DaMarcus Beasley. http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2478755.0.Newcastle_prepare_4_5m_offer_for_Rangers_defender_Bougherra.php

Rangers will ask �£7.5million for goalkeeper Allan McGregor if English Premier League clubs seek to lure him away from Scotland. The Ibrox No 1 is the most valuable remaining asset in Walter Smith's squad and is expected to attract offers during the January transfer window. Rangers will not want to part with McGregor cheaply but, with no European income following the Champions League calamity in Kaunas, a significant bid could prove tempting http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1104014/Golden-gloves--Rangers-7-5million-price-tag-keeper-McGregor.html?ITO=1490

Maybe WS has been playing too much Football Manager as it looks like he is trying to retrain every player in other positions

I don't see the point in paying good money for players then not even giving them a chance to prove themselves in an average team. We trust the manager with the transfer money he is given but WS has wasted so much of it and the state we are in is mainly down to him IMO.

Don't know how true it is but I found this. ------------- SPL giants Rangers have had a loan bid for Mattias Bjarsmyr rejected by IFK Goteborg. Walter Smith has been interested in the 21-year-old centre back for a number of months and is eager to strengthen his defence in the January transfer window. Bjarsmyr was recently quoted as saying that "Rangers are a big club and a good team. Everyone who wants to achieve something is looking for that." IFK Goteborg’s sporting director Hakan Mild has rejected the loan bid saying "we are not interested." The Swedish club are believed to have set a high fee for the player, according to IMScouting, his estimated market value is 1.2 million euros. Bjarsmyr’s contract expires at the end of 2009. He is considered to be one of the most talented players still playing in Sweden and as well as being the captain of the Swedish Under-21 team has also made two appearances for the national team. According to reports in Sweden, Bjarsmyr could now be on his way to Holland to either AZ Alkmaar or FC Groningen. http://www.imscouting.com/global_news_item.aspx?id=965

I think Rangers should ban themselves from speaking to the press

Good enough for Real Madrid but not for Rangers eh

3-1 to the Gers. Madjid never played. Smith, McMillan, McCulloch (wilson 44), Dailly, Smith, Burke (Efrem 70), Naismith, Fleck, Beasley (Arron 60), Lafferty, Velicka. Scorers: Velicka, Lafferty and Arron. http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,5~1504115,00.html

never stopped us before m8

Nothing wrong with the statement no, pity he's a very average footballer who's ability looks to have went backwards since he came into the first team. How he gets a game for us now only Walter can know!!!!!

This again from the eveningtimes. DJs quote at the very end sums him up for me, what a tosser!!! CELTIC and Rangers fans tend to blow things out of all proportion when their team loses an Old Firm game. And it is no surprise that many Gers supporters are predicting the title race is over after such a poor performance by their team at Ibrox on Saturday. But, believe me, it is not done and dusted yet. Seven points is not too great a gap to bridge by any means. There are a lot of games still to be played by both clubs and points to be dropped. Yet, Rangers must start to show some fight, a quality which I felt was totally lacking in their dire display against the Hoops, if they want to win the SPL this season. My old boss Jock Wallace used to tell me that you need a bit of fire in your belly. Well, what player in a light blue jersey had that hunger, that burning desire to win, at the weekend? What I found particularly alarming was the lack of fight Rangers displayed once they had fallen behind to the Scott McDonald goal. They just couldn't raise their game. That, for me, was the greatest disappointment. Walter Smith kept the players in the dressing room for a long, long time after the final whistle. I am sure a few of them left the stadium with a flea in their ear from Walter and his assistants Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall. What they need to do now is react to this defeat in the same way that Celtic did when they were beaten 4-2 at Parkhead back in August and go on a decent winning run. That means picking up points both home and away. I don't think there is any need to change the favoured 4-4-2 formation or drop anybody from the side. But a few players really need to get their fingers out and show that they know what it means to play for the club. If they do, the situation Rangers find themselves in can definitely change. A few weeks ago when they fell seven points behind with a defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle everybody wrote them off. On Saturday, they could have reduced Celtic's lead to just one point with a win. As Walter has pointed out, though, there is now next to no margin for error. They maybe need to be more direct in the coming weeks and months and start to win ugly a bit more to keep up the pressure on their city rivals. Walter raised a few eyebrows by selecting Charlie Adam ahead of Aaron, DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Lafferty, Lee McCulloch and Nacho Novo wide on the left. He has not been regularly involved in the first team squad in recent weeks and there has been speculation that he has been told he can leave Ibrox during the January transfer window. But he has a proven track record in the fixture and poses a real threat from dead ball situations. Plus, the manager sees all of his players in training and must have felt that Charlie was his best option. He is just one of several players who must have a long hard look at themselves and try to improve. No way is it adios for Novo NACHO Novo is the latest player to be linked with a move away from Rangers during the January transfer window after again being overlooked against Celtic on Saturday. But I am sure the little Spaniard, who came on as a late substitute at Ibrox, will be one of the last players Walter Smith will want to see leave. Despite Nacho's frustration at his lack of first- team starts this season, he is best utilised as an impact player. He can change the course of a game all by himself. There is a lot of dead wood in the Gers squad which Walter will be far more interested in getting rid of in the next month. I think getting a centre half in has to be Walter's priority. He has been linked with big Lee Wilkie up at Dundee United. That is a signing I, and I am sure a lot of Rangers fans, would welcome. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2478464.0.0.php

CRAIG Thomson is to make history by taking a huge step towards becoming Scotland's first-ever professional referee. Thomson, who took charge of the Old Firm game at Ibrox on Saturday, has quit his job as a lawyer with city firm Maclay, Murray & Spens. The 36-year-old is keen to devote more time and energy to his role as a senior SFA, Uefa and Fifa official. The bulk of his working week will be dedicated to training and preparing for the Scottish, European and international games he is involved in. advertisement Craig said: "I was finding it increasingly difficult to juggle my work as a construction lawyer with my refereeing commitments. I had a number of clients whose needs I had to balance with my football. "This year I have had 25 days off over and above my holiday entitlement. I was off for around 60 days and half of that was unpaid leave. I needed the extra time to fulfil my duties with Uefa." The Paisley man, who will maintain other business interests, explained his new work plan: "I was on secondment with Forth Electrical Services in Stirling earlier this year and they have asked me to come and work for them two days a week. "It suits me as I will be able to concentrate more on football. It will be interesting to chart my progress. "I am sure it will benefit me. I will be fitter, fresher and more prepared for each game I take charge of." Thomson's decision to go part-time takes him into line with the leading referees in the Barclays Premier League. Thomson explained: "I speak to the top referees down in England fairly regularly. They are classified as full-time professional referees, but that is not really the case. For example, Mike Riley is an accountant to trade and he still works two days a week. "The only one, in fact, who is strictly speaking full-time is Howard Webb. He is a policeman who has taken a five-year career break to concentrate on refereeing. The other guys all still have jobs." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2478456.0.0.php I thought he had a terrible game on Saturday and is an averge ref IMO, maybe this will help him maybe it won't!!

http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,5~1503204,00.html

He gives it everything and I don't understand why he doesn't play more especially with the players/squad we have just now!

just saw it on SSN m8

He mustn't train for long then! Down the pub and bookies after an hour in the gym sitting watching others get fit........

Another waste of money we can hardly afford without giving the guy a chance what was the point, I wouldn't give WS anymore money to waste. I see Webster has came back from his loan spell, I wonder if he'll get a chance, I don't see why not!

If we're targetting the likes of Shiels, Wilkie, Cowie etc I'm surprised we never went for Ian Black he's no worse than the above names mentioned IMO. I'm not saying he's someone I would go for but he would give you more effort than some we are being linked with and most of the squad we have just now IMO and he was a free at the end of this season!

The atmosphere was one the worst I've ever heard at an old firm game. I don't know if it was because both teams were shite or as Frankie said yesterday no one knows what is safe to sing anymore incase they get lifted by the scum.

I agree with BD that it is the managers fault for picking a player who is not match fit and has hardly played this season, doesn't make sense to me. He would never be near my first team either and is not good enough.

So if he took his 'chance' he would be ok? It was a good save IMO. he never exactly got many other chances to score against them as we hardly created anything for him. Long balls up to him is no good so why play them? Miller who in the past has been very good was very very bad and I agree doesn't look fit so why play him? Ally had a great scoring record against them purely because he got so many chances and missed more than he scored but he was playing in a far better team than we have now. we have been playing Boyd's strengths recently and he has been scoring so why change it at home against our biggest rivals? WS bottled it, if we went for it we would have wiped the floor with them IMO!

If in doubt blame Boyd ffs.......Miller was far worse than him today and should've been through on the keeper more than once from Boyds flick ons. Boyd wasn't great but was not the worse player on the park IMO but he always seems to get the blame if he doesn't score against the so called bigger teams. The keeper had a great save against him did he not? and don't goals against the rest of the league count!!! We needed width today and to have a go at them we never end of story. WS played it safe and went out not to get beat but it went tits up. He is to blame IMO.......

Here here, all the best to everyone on here........ Roll on Saturday