ian1964

http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/2011/03/ref-murrays-blunder-turning-point.html

CELTIC coach Alan Thompson last night blamed Ibrox star El Hadji Diouf for sparking Old Firm mayhem. Thompson claimed Diouf lit the fuse on an explosive Scottish Cup tie that saw 13 yellows dished out and three Rangers players sent off as Celtic ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Mark Wilson goal. Celtic boss Neil Lennon had a furious bust-up with Gers No.2 Ally McCoist on the final whistle and had to be hauled apart by their backroom staff. Itââ?¬â?¢s alleged McCoist told Lennon as they shook hands: ââ?¬Å?Why donââ?¬â?¢t you stay away from our players?ââ?¬Â in a reference to the managerââ?¬â?¢s earlier spat with Diouf on the touchline. McCoist and Lennon had also clashed in the first half of the fifth-round replay after the dismissal of Steven Whittaker for two yellow card offences. That left Rangers with 10 men and they were reduced to nine in injury time when Madjid Bougherra picked up his second caution. Diouf then lost the plot after Calum Murray blew for time and launched a verbal assault on the ref who flashed a second yellow just as Lennon and McCoist went nose to nose. Hoops coach Johan Mjallby also had to be pulled away from Diouf as he made his way up the tunnel at half-time. Thompson claimed his team were innocents and the on-loan Blackburn star started it all off when he aimed a dunt at Celtic physio Tim Williamson. He said: ââ?¬Å?Our physio went on the pitch as Whittaker was being sent off and Diouf threw a shoulder on him, which was dismissed. ââ?¬Å?However, Neil saw it and it has all gone on from there. ââ?¬Å?Diouf came over and said something to someone on the bench and we asked him to calm down. ââ?¬Å?Did our bench show discipline? Iââ?¬â?¢d say yes. ââ?¬Å?I didnââ?¬â?¢t see what happened with Johan at half-time, as for Neil and Ally at the end something has been said that wasnââ?¬â?¢t taken in the right way. ââ?¬Å?TV cameras show what went on but Neil has done nothing untoward.ââ?¬Â Asked if Rangers had lost their discipline, Thompson added: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t want to talk about Rangers too much but any team that has three red cards in one game Iââ?¬â?¢m sure will be looked at, yeah. ââ?¬Å?Rangers have players who play on the edge. ââ?¬Å?Overall, weââ?¬â?¢re delighted with our performance football and discipline wise. Ally and Neil may have had words and it went on a little bit from there but there is a lot at stake. Itââ?¬â?¢s understandable to a certain extent. ââ?¬Å?We got three yellow cards out of everything that went on. We asked players to be disciplined and they were.ââ?¬Â The SFA will this morning launch an enquiry into the scenes that shamed the Scottish game with the probe being launched on the same day Lennon goes before the beaks to appeal his six-match touchline ban. Thompson was asked if Lennon was absent from the media conference after the match so he could gather his thoughts. The coach said: ââ?¬Å?Yes. Heââ?¬â?¢s downstairs having a chat with Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell.ââ?¬Â Rangers boss Walter Smith tried to explain the McCoist-Lennon bust-up, saying: ââ?¬Å?Ally was annoyed Neil was being aggressive towards a Rangers player. ââ?¬Å?There was an incident involving Neil and Diouf and then another moment in the tunnel at half-time.ââ?¬Â http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/03/03/celtic-coach-alan-thompson-rangers-striker-el-hadji-diouf-provoked-all-the-trouble-86908-22962692/

You can see in this clip that the bigot walks into the Rangers technical area to have a go at Diouf http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/hadji-diouf-fights-with-neil-lennon-celtic-rangers-8649085/

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist had to be pulled apart last night at the conclusion of an explosive Old Firm Scottish Cup tie which is likely to be subject to SFA disciplinary proceedings. The Ibrox club, who lost the fifth-round replay 1-0, had three players sent off by referee Calum Murray who dished out 13 yellow cards in total, just three of them to Celtic who secured a quarter-final visit to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 13 March. Steven Whittaker was dismissed in the first half, Madjid Bougherra followed him in stoppage time and then El Hadji Diouf was shown his red card after the final whistle. The indiscipline extended to the technical areas and saw Lennon react furiously as he shook hands with McCoist, apparently in response to a comment made by the man who will be his direct opponent in the Old Firm rivalry next season. Rangers manager Walter Smith revealed McCoist had been unhappy with what he regarded as confrontational behaviour from Lennon towards Diouf during the match. The controversial Senegalese striker had picked up his first booking in the first-half after squaring up to Lennon on the touchline. "These things happen," said Smith. "I'm always reasonably quick up the tunnel, so I didn't see what happened. But the problem there was quite simple. Alistair was quite annoyed that Neil was being aggressive towards one of the Rangers players. That annoyed him more than anything else." Asked if he would still attend the traditional post-match meeting of the rival managers, Smith added: "I always go for a drink with the opposition management team after a game. It might be an interesting cup of tea this time, right enough. I'll referee." In the immediate aftermath of his final assignment as Rangers manager at Celtic Park, Smith defended his team's conduct and claimed referee Murray was wrong to send off both Whittaker and Bougherra. He accused the official of being influenced by the home support. "I felt Steven Whittaker's first yellow card was a soft one," said Smith. "I wouldn't argue with the second one, but he is unfortunate to have got the first one. Madjid Bougherra's first one was a yellow card, but the second one was clearly not. He slid in and clearly got the ball. The Celtic player's momentum made it look worse than it was. "I think the referee got carried away by the crowd's reaction on both occasions. It was a competitive cup tie but there were challenges I didn't think were worth yellow cards. As I say, I couldn't complain about Bougherra's first caution or Whittaker's second, but I felt they were both unlucky to be sent off. I'm not sure we committed that many more fouls than Celtic. There was nothing that left anyone seriously injured but there were yellow cards handed out throughout the game. It makes the reflection of the game worse than it actually was." Smith made no defence of Diouf's red card, earned when he berated Murray after the final whistle, but did claim there was an element of provocation involved. "He is an easy target and lets himself get wound up," said Smith. "There was a lot of frustration at the end of the game. He gets a bit het-up, that's the way he is." The teams will meet for the sixth time this season in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden on 20 March and have one more SPL fixture to play at Ibrox. Smith, who joked that he agreed with a call from senior police officer Les Gray earlier this week to ban Old Firm games, admitted that the number of times the teams face each other increases the tension. "Playing each other seven times a season doesn't help, but there has to be a balance there from everyone in terms of what is a level of competitiveness and what isn't. It certainly gives you plenty to write about, so I don't think you should complain too greatly. I have been involved for a long time in these games now. How many Rangers-Celtic matches have been like this? It is worse if you don't compete. We didn't compete at all in the last game here and got battered. "From our point of view, it was a better performance than the last time here. At least we made a tackle in this game, we never made one the last time. So there was a slight improvement there. "We were disappointed to lose a goal as early as we did in the second half. It settled Celtic. We had one or two flurries going forward, but there were not many clear-cut opportunities for either side." http://www.scotsman.com/rangersfc/Rangers-blame-Neil-Lennon39s-treatment.6727585.jp

Much as I don't want to go down the same road as the BHEASTS,I'll be very disappointed if something is not said about his performance from Rangers,oh wait a minute maybe I'm asking for too much

The referee was a total joke tonight,he should be sacked for his performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQsJIqZVm_8&feature=related :spl:

Bring it on

WS will probably go with Foster,Bougherra,Weir,Papac,with Bartley sitting in front of them.Whittaker,Davis,Edu,Diouf & Jelavic up front???

Aye,another option. I'd actually like to see Jelavic & Diuof play as the front two,but I can't see that happening either

If Foster was to play RB with Whittaker RM this would strengthen the right side, I think that might just be what WS does,with Naismith out and if Weiss is out I'd have Lafferty LM and that IMO would strengthen the left side,but I can see Diuof being @ LM leaving Jelavic as lone striker???

http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/2011/03/it-was-sun-wot-done-it.html

Time for the champions to stand up to the plate and show us fans they can match the BHEASTS. Have we turned the corner after the Sporting game and the weekends results????. We will see tomorrow night,one things for sure I'd expect a bit more effort than the last two meetings. BHEASTS 1 The Champions 2 Jelavic,Edu :spl:

WALTER SMITH has banned his players from boozy nights out and trash talking on social networking sites as part of his bid to turn their season around. Record Sport told yesterday how the Rangers boss ordered his players into Murray Park last Monday on their day off for a crisis summit less than 24 hours after watching them slump to a humiliating 3-0 thrashing against Celtic. Now we can reveal explosive details of Smith's dressing-room address which has stirred his team back to life ahead of tomorrow night's return to Parkhead for a winor-bust Scottish Cup replay. Smith demanded that his troops rediscover their focus in time for the end of season run in by: Warning that any player caught nightclubbing will face disciplinary action. Blasting the use of Twitter accounts. Barring his players from posting any inflammatory remarks. Ordering them to keep their private lives off the front pages. Smith's training ground showdown has triggered an instant reaction from his players who have bounced back with a European glory night in Lisbon and a 4-0 SPL thumping of St Johnstone. Smith even went as far as to say his players were disgusted with themselves after their capitulation on derby day. But rather than go easy on them the veteran manager made it clear what he demands of them in his final three months at the helm. Record Sport can reveal that he was angered even before kick-off at Celtic Park when a Sunday tabloid splashed graphic details of a fight between the wags of keeper Allan McGregor and midfielder Maurice Edu. He has demanded that his players and their partners keep a lower public profile from here on in. And that includes using the internet to take cheap shots at Celtic. Smith has clearly reached the end of his tether and his players were left in no doubt that they will be in hot water if they are caught stoking things up again. Edu - who bagged the goal in Portugal which saw Smith's men into the last 16 of the Europa League - is a prolific tweeter with almost half a million followers. But his last comment came one hour before the derby on February 20. It read: Game time Old Firm derby let's go. A Rangers source said: "It is fair to say Walter went off on one during his meeting with the players. They have been left in no doubt over what is required from them from now until the end of the season. "He felt they needed reminding of exactly what is expected of them as Rangers players and his message seems to have hit the mark." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/03/01/rangers-boss-walter-smith-lays-down-the-law-to-players-to-turn-around-season-no-drink-no-nightclubs-no-twitter-86908-22957890/

Nice pics http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9408858.stm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57wz3eTPc7c&feature=player_embedded#at=59

Well done big Eck and BF Obafemi Martins pounced on a calamitous Arsenal defensive mix-up two minutes from time as Birmingham City claimed their first major silverware since 1963 by winning the Carling Cup at Wembley. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/9405702.stm

RBS for me

ALLY McCOIST has already identified players he wants to bring to Rangers when he takes over from Walter Smith. And the manager-in-waiting is keen to land stars who can provide more quality and entertainment. Gers have enjoyed great times during Smith's second stint in charge but he has sometimes been criticised for being over-cautious. McCoist hopes to marry success with flowing football but knows pulling that off is far from easy. His great friend Tommy Burns had Celtic playing slick football in the 1990s yet won just one trophy in three years. That cost him his job. And McCoist knows the same fate awaits him if he fails to deliver titles. However, he believes he can find some players who will thrill the fans and provide value for money. McCoist said: "I've started to look ahead in terms of signing targets. We definitely need to bring players in. "My philosophy will be quite simple. You have to win. We need to win games or I won't be sitting here talking to you in the future. "In an ideal world you win with style. You will have players out there the fans want to see. "You will get people coming to watch this team who are genuinely excited about the players they are coming to watch. They will be here to see entertaining football but, most importantly, winning football. "This club has had wonderfully talented players throughout history. But it's probably had more winners than fantastically talented players. "That's not a criticism. Anything but. It's actually a compliment. "This club's history is riddled with winners - boys who wanted to do well and win trophies. "Ideally we want the fans to know they're going to be entertained AND win games of football. Our supporters know the score. They are intelligent people and know all about the situation at the club. "All I would ask for is continued support. There have been times when things have upset the punters and that will happen again because you can't please all the fans all the time. But I think we will get their support." Rangers' wage budget will be slashed by more than �£1million in the summer but McCoist feels he can be inventive and adventurous in the transfer market. He stressed: "In an ideal world the club will be bought over and investment will come in. At the moment we can't say with any certainty if that will be the case. "We need to plan for next season. I know the budget and don't see that changing dramatically unless someone buys the club. "It's up to ourselves to identify players and bring them in. "People will be leaving at the end of the season so we need new faces. "Only time will tell how good the hand I've been dealt is going to be. Sometimes you might be dealt a bad hand but can still play it well. "However, it won't be easy. We'll need to cut money off the wage bill. "That's not good news but we know the score. It's not like it will be thrust upon us with no warning. "It's up to us to plan for that. I need to persuade players to come here. "If I can't sell this club to a player I won't be able to sell anything. We have a wonderful fan base, a great stadium and a fantastic training ground. "We might not be able to offer the same finances as elsewhere but we need to sell the club to targets." McCoist will have to appoint a new captain in the summer when Davie Weir ends his playing career. He is likely to want a real Rangers man in that important role and Lee McCulloch could take the armband. The midfielder recently signed a new contract and has the backing of current skipper Weir. McCoist said: "Arguably, one of your most important decisions is the appointment of the captain. "We've had top guys like John Greig, Terry Butcher and Jock Shaw. All great skippers and great men. "It's vitally important we have a great captain again." Buying someone like Butcher would set you back more than �£20m these days - a sum McCoist is unlikely to spend over his entire tenure, never mind on just one player. However, he could be handed a bit more cash to splash if a new owner seizes power at Ibrox. McCoist said: "The ideal scenario is new owners come in and fancy me staying in charge. "However, it's natural a new regime might not want me in charge. "But I hope any new owners will be happy with the plan we have in place and give us a few quid to spend. "If they don't want me as manager then I'll be on the terracing with the fans supporting the team. Rangers Football Club is the most important thing. This club deserves the best." McCoist will be assisted by Kenny McDowall when he takes charge with Ian Durrant as first-team coach. But the 48-year-old hasn't ruled out adding to his backroom staff. Celtic boss Neil Lennon has three helpers at Parkhead - Johan Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker. And Gers gaffer Smith can also call on McCoist, McDowall and Durrant for advice as he bids to end his reign with even more success. McCoist said: "We will probably look at adding someone but I would have to say I couldn't be happier taking over with the staff I have. "I will have good men by my side and I'm thankful for that. "I have known Kenny for a lot longer than you would think. "Ian and I go back a long way and it's the same with our goalkeeping coach Jimmy Stewart and the fitness coach Adam Owen. "Stability won't guarantee you success but it's another positive. "I trust these guys too and that is the most important thing. It's arguably THE most important thing in management - you need people who are loyal and good." Should it be needed, Smith will also be there for guidance. The veteran boss doesn't plan to return to management when he brings the curtain down on his Rangers career this summer. He could be tempted back into football by a job overseas but McCoist knows he can always call his managerial mentor for some words of wisdom. He smiled: "Walter will be on the end of a phone. I don't have any doubt about that. "He might be on a golf course in Arizona but he has been told the phone must stay on. "I don't care if he's in a bunker or whatever and knowing his golf there is every chance!" http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/02/27/ally-mccoist-i-m-already-identifying-signing-targets-and-i-want-them-to-entertain-our-fans-86908-22953274/

http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/2011/02/rangers-set-for-war-with-lloyds.html

For anybody that is interested and,missed it. http://player.stv.tv/programmes/football-years/2011-02-25-2100/?yes

After a good morale boost against Sporting will we suffer the European hangover????. Nah!,I'm going for a comfortable win. Champions 4 Davis,Healy,Jelavic 2 St Johnstone 0 :spl:

Darrell King The SPL today face another fixture nightmare after Rangers made it through to the last 16 of the Europa League. As similarities with 2008 begin to emerge, league chief Iain Blair has massive headaches to address in terms of the championsââ?¬â?¢ outstanding fixtures. The Ibrox side still have FOUR SPL games to be placed ââ?¬â?? a home match against St Mirren and trips to Dundee United, Aberdeen and St Johnstone. The midweeks of March 10 and 17 will now be handed over to Europa League action against PSV Eindhoven. With international commitments gobbling up March 24 and 27, next month is gone completely for Blair to schedule any Gers games. Even if they get knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Celtic at Parkhead next week they would be unable to play any of their games on cup quarter-final weekend ââ?¬â?? March 12 ââ?¬â?? as their four outstanding league opponents all have ties in the cup. It will now be into April before they can get dates for these matches and, if Rangers get past PSV and head into the last eight, it would appear impossible for their fixtures to be played unless they have the dreaded four-games-in-eight-days scenario. Blair conceded last week that the SPL are looking at playing games on the Friday and Monday of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. RANGERS FIXTURES... Feb 27: St Johntone (h) SPL March 2: Celtic (a) Scottish Cup last 16 replay March 6: St Mirren (a) SPL March 10: PSV Eindhoven (a) Europa League last 16 March 13: Inverness (a) Scottish Cup last 8 or free weekend. March 17: PSV Eindhoven (h) Europa League last 16 March 20: Celtic (n) Co-op Cup Final March 24: International March 27: International April 2: Dundee Utd (h) SPL April 7: Possible Europa League last 8 April 9/10: Hamilton (a) SPL April 14: Possible Europa League last 8 April 16: Kilmarnock (h) SPL April 20: Free midweek SPL SPLITS INTO TWO http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/mobile/sport/editor-s-picks/fixtures-fear-now-true-for-the-spl-1.1087313

Rangers v PSV........................AH the memories!!!!

ONE man has taken so much flak since he first donned the Rangers jersey. He has taken more abuse than I've ever seen heaped on ANY player at my old club. Well, this morning I say to El Hadji Diouf: Take a bow, son. Yes, I wrote in SunSport that his spitting shame would have earned him a battering from my old Nine-in-a-Row mates. I stand by that. Last night, though? Last night I was in the midst of the Rangers support in Lisbon who saw the on-loan Blackburn Rovers star work his a*** off for the Ibrox side's cause. I thought he was brilliant and led the line so well in his role as a solo striker. I leapt for joy when he buried that header from Steven Davis' pinpoint cross and I was delighted for him. He earned his first goal for Gers. Three years ago when Gers won through against Sporting Lisbon did anyone truly believe that Walter Smith would lead them all the way to the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester? No way. Well, why shouldn't this team believe they can go all the way to the Europa League Final in Dublin? My mates were texting me last night and saying McBookie have Gers at 33/1 to win the Europa League. Well, I might just take a piece of that. Make no mistake this was a triumph fashioned by The Gaffer. He had to drag a performance out of these boys after they had surrendered so tamely in that awful 3-0 Old Firm defeat. Now I really feel this can kick-start Gers' season again. As Marvin Andrews used to say: Believe! After a poor season by his own lofty standards, this was also a great night for Davis to get back towards the levels he can reach. It was a killer ball for Diouf's goal and I was gutted Gers then fell behind to a team I believe were poorer than them over the two legs. The ending, though, was fairytale stuff and it was terrific to see dyed-in-the-wool Gers fan David Healy as the architect of it. When his low cross came fizzing over I was just praying for one of the Gers players queueing up to bundle it home. Maurice Edu did and I discovered what it was like for those punters who followed us through the Nine. I nearly had a heart attack in the celebrations! Now? Well, the SPL might be scratching their heads this morning - but Walter, Coisty and their players can hold theirs high. The dramatic away goals win in Lisbon will mean a frantic few weeks for Rangers as fixtures are crammed in left, right and centre. But Walter wouldn't have it any other way after another night to remember on the continent. I must admit, for a while it looked like Rangers had blown their chance of going through to a last 16 clash with Dutch aces PSV. But had they crashed out, they'd have wondered just how it had all happened. Once more though they never gave up, never let their heads drop. Gers' last visit here will forever be remembered for a quite brilliant individual goal from Steven Whittaker. This time though they left as winners thanks to a TEAM performance to be proud of as each man did the job Walter asked of them. At the back Davie Weir led by example after bravely rolling out of his sickbed to take his place and inspire those around him. Until he was subbed with 20 minutes to go, he proved my point that his experience is still vital - and that he WASN'T past it after Sunday's Old Firm defeat. Diouf might have his critics for what he's done in the past without a ball at his feet. But last night he showed the reason Walter decided to take him to Ibrox on loan last month with that energy-sapping shift. He set the tone for me. It would have been easier for Gers to crumble at 2-1. After all, they have been written off and pilloried for such a woeful show at Celtic Park on Sunday. I know from experience there's no hiding place at Rangers when the s*** hits the fan. Believe me, those players will have been told by Walter that they let the club down against Celtic. He will have gone over the video and SLAUGHTERED them. One by one. Last night they started to repay a debt to the manager - now who knows where they can go from here? I can't wait for the PSV tie now. As big Marv said: Believe! Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3432575/Els-angel.html#ixzz1EyBBynWL