ian1964

C'mon now,Lafferty is a '' YOUTH ''

Yip,if somebody comes in for any of our players they will be off

Maybe we should send this to WS http://www.aaronboria.com/

I think he will leave in January

By Andrew Dickson WALTER SMITH bemoaned Rangers' lack of a cutting edge after they failed to take their chances and lost 1-0 to Celtic. The Light Blues had several opportunities to go in front in the second Old Firm clash of the season but were off target too often. Ally McCoist and Walter SmithThey then paid for that when Scott McDonald put the Parkhead outfit in front and his strike ultimately proved to be the winner. Smith feels his men did play well enough to get a positive result from the derby but admits his men weren't sharp enough in front of goal. He said: "We are obviously disappointed to lose the game. I felt we started well enough and until the goal, I felt you could argue we were the better side. "But after we went behind, we lost a bit of composure as we started pouring forward in search of an equaliser. "Celtic defended very well from then on and we never created many opportunities - if any at all - in the latter stages of the game. "After having a lot of the territorial pressure, it was extremely disappointing not to get a good result with it." Smith accepts his men must improve in the SPL when 2009 begins, with a need for results against so-called lesser sides to get better essential. With one win each against the other, Glasgow's big two are seven points apart because of Celtic's better record against the teams further down the table.Walter Smith Smith added: "The Old Firm results cancel each other out and we're behind because of what we've done elsewhere. That has been our season. "We must face up to that fact and there is no margin for error now. Celtic have that but we don't. We have to make sure we can go on and keep winning in the months ahead. "Another disappointing thing is that we've lost our unbeaten home record. We have played extremely well at home and I felt we did that for the first hour here today. "Now we will keep going, we'll push on and make sure this defeat does not affect us too greatly. "There wasn't a great deal between the teams and we felt we could win this one but that didn't happen and we must look to bounce back."

By Andrew Dickson CHARLIE ADAM insists Rangers can still catch up with Celtic and win the league the way the Parkhead club did last season. The Light Blues find themselves seven points behind in the title race after they lost today's Old Firm derby 1-0 at Ibrox. Kenny Miller, RangersBut having seen the title go to Glasgow's east end after Gordon Strachan's men made up a similar gap before the summer, Adam sees no reason why Gers can't do the same thing. He said: "It was a tough day for us. Goals win you games and on this occasion it was Celtic who managed to score. "The first goal has a big say in what happens in these games. It has been that way over a number of years. "We had opportunities to score and might have won if we'd gone ahead but we never did that and they made the breakthrough. "Now we'll get on with it. We'll bounce back and we know there is still a long way to go in the championship. "We're perfectly capable of winning anywhere and we know we've got to roll our sleeves up, work really hard and try to claw the gap back.Davie Weir "Celtic did that last year so I don't see why we can't do the same thing again ourselves this season. "The title is not lost and there are plenty of games left to play with lots of points up for grabs. "There will still be twists and turns from now until May and it's just up to us to capitalise on it if Celtic make any mistakes" Adam was a surprise starter as he came into the team for the first time in four weeks at Kyle Lafferty's expense. Although he has been linked with a January move away from Ibrox, he's determined to stay and fight for his place. Charlie Adam, RangersAnd having lost in the derby after he was a winner last time out, he's just as eager to ensure he tastes victory in the big game again in the future as a Gers star. Adam added: "It has been the case a few times now that I've only played in certain matches but I train as though I'll play in every game so I was prepared to play. "When I'm not in the first team, I'm taking part in bounce games or in the reserves so it's not a difficult situation for me. "To come back into the team was fantastic and it showed the manager still has faith in me. "It was great to be back in the side but you obviously you to come in and get victories so it was disappointing the way the game ended."

Aye,our very own poster Cammy had a wee run in with the police,witnessed by myself,Frankie & Johnnyk, but I will let him tell you about it

RANGERS were last night warned they face competition from two of Europe's biggest leagues for the services of Sporting Lisbon defender Tonel. But the Portuguese player's agent insisted that the lure of European football every season could convince the player to resist advances from Spain and Italy. Marcelo Cipriano, Tonel's Brazilian-born agent confirmed that the Ibrox club have been closely monitoring his client, left, but is adamant that no move has been made yet. He said: "There has been no contact with Sporting, or with me, from Rangers. I know they have been observing Tonel since last summer but nothing has come of it so far. "I spoke to the player last night and he has heard nothing. "Tonel is a very good player and in the last two seasons has been one of Sporting's best players. "It is normal for clubs to be looking at him and I know that others in Spain and Italy, as well as Rangers, have been observing him. "No club has made an offer, though, so there is nothing anybody can say." Cipriano, who had a spell as a striker at Birmingham City, knows his client is out of contract at the end of the season and believes his next deal will be vital. He added: "Tonel is very happy at Sporting. He has a high status in the team and with the supporters. "But he is now 28-years-old and is at the stage where he has to look at his career and look after his family. "We know Rangers are a very good club. They play in Europe every season and it is appealing for any player to take part in top European competition every season. "Going to Scotland would not be a backward step but nothing has been offered."

RANGERS fans everywhere will spare a thought at today's Old Firm game for the victims of the Ibrox Disaster on January 2. 1971. John Greig and Sandy Jardine lay a wreath at the Ibrox Disaster memorial in 2007Back then, an awful accident on Stairway 13 at the end of the Rangers-Celtic derby resulted in the death of 66 supporters while 145 were injured. It remains the worst tragedy in Scottish football and the events of that day and those which followed are indelibly etched in the minds of the players involved at that time. John Greig and Sandy Jardine both played that fateful day when Rangers came from behind to level Jimmy Johnstone's opener through Colin Stein. At the final whistle, a horrific crush developed on Stairway 13 - the quickest exit to the Copland Road tube station - and fans began to fall and suddenly became trapped as others fell on top of them. It turned into the blackest day in Rangers' history and the victims of that day shall never be forgotten. As has become tradition, a wreath will be laid at the memorial to the Ibrox Disaster victims and other supporters who have lost their lives at the stadium on the nearest home game to January 2. This year that falls today and the ceremony will take place ahead of the match. RIP

That's because Peter Martin is a MOPE

by Bert Mitchell MADJID BOUGHERRA has revealed that he can't wait to soak up the atmosphere of tomorrow's Ibrox Old Firm derby clash. The big stopper looked on in awe as he surfed the Old Firm adrenaline ride for the first time at Parkhead as Gers bashed the Bhoys 4-2 in the first encounter of the campaign. But Magic believes that the return encounter at Ibrox tomorrow will be even better because it will be dominated by the red, white and blue legions. Madjid said: "I am really looking forward to going to the stadium and seeing the colours of both sets of supporters lighting up the stadium and feeling the passion they have for their teams building the atmosphere up. advertisement "It was fantastic at Celtic Park in my first Old Firm game, but I'm sure it will be even better at Ibrox because we will have over 40,000 Rangers supporters in our ground. "But there is no doubt for me these are the biggest games I have played in. I had not played in any real derbys before, but in any case the Old Firm game is on a different level." But while he is relishing the prospect of plying his trade in the seething clamour of Old Firm battle, Magic admits that home advantage could prove a double-edged sword for the Light Blues. The 26-year old said: "I think for us there is an advantage that the game is being played at Ibrox as we have over 40,000 Rangers fans supporting us and urging us on to victory and of course we are unbeaten at home and have always played well there. "But there is also a disadvantage in that the pressure is on us to win at home and on top of that we are four points behind and we must cut that to a point and not allow it to open up. So we must be careful but we must also make sure that we win." Bougherra added: "But at the same time the championship will not be won or lost at Ibrox tomorrow as there is along way to go and many points to play for. But we want the three points." Sounds to me like he will be playing

KRIS BOYD today told Rangers boss Walter Smith he can improve on his disappointing strike rate against Celtic - if he is handed a start. Despite banging in 89 goals in just three years at Ibrox - including 18 in 19 games this season - Boyd has a poor track record in the Old Firm game. Indeed, the prolific hitman has only scored once against his side's age-old city rivals - in a 2-0 triumph at Ibrox at the end of the 2006/07 season. Even that effort came in a match which had next to no meaning for his team as Gordon Strachan's side had already sewn up the SPL title. advertisement However, that statistic is a bit deceptive. Amazingly, the 25-year-old has only been involved in the world-famous fixture on just four occasions, once as a late substitute, since joining from Kilmarnock. And the only time Kris started for Rangers against the Hoops on home soil was the game he managed to hit the target in. Having been in possibly the best goalscoring form of his life in recent months, he is itching to get involved from the kick-off in the latest showdown with the Parkhead club. Boyd confessed: "Obviously, I want to play in all of the team's big games and to show I can score against the best teams in Scotland. "I have been disappointed only to score once against Celtic in the past. That is something that I definitely want to improve upon. "I think it helps players in general, and myself in particular, to start games. Sometimes it can be difficult coming on and making an impression midway through a game, especially in the Old Firm game. "I would like to think I have done enough with my goals and my performances this season to merit my inclusion from the start this weekend. "I've been scoring goals and have struck up a good understanding with Kenny Miller." He went on: "We complement each other well. Kenny does a lot of work for the team outside the box and will run all day, whereas I pride myself on my finishing. But I am happy to drop deep and help the team out whatever way I can. "The way the team is playing just now we are going to create a few opportunities to score. I know that if I can get myself into good positions then I can take them. "We are four points behind Celtic and we are not happy to be in that position. We did well against Celtic earlier this season and a victory this weekend would go a long way towards helping us win the title again." In the past, Boyd's distinct lack of mobility and highly questionable work rate up front have perhaps resulted in him being left out of the equation in the Old Firm game and European matches. Since returning to the Govan club for a second stint as manager, Walter Smith has preferred to play Daniel Cousin, Jean-Claude Darcheville, Lee McCulloch, Kenny Miller, Nacho Novo and even Filip Sebo in attack. In the first meeting with Celtic this season at Parkhead back in August, he gave Cousin the nod even though the Gabonese internationalist had played just once all season - as a last-minute substitute against Falkirk. Kris was left out of the squad altogether for a game his side won 4-2 so prompting speculation that he would move on to pastures new in the weeks and months ahead. The chances are high that Boyd, who watched all Old Firm four games from the sidelines last season, will be involved from the off in the live Setanta match. Certainly, there would be an outcry among the Light Blue faithful if the Ayrshire-born player was omitted from the starting XI altogether this time around. For, with the help of Murray Park sports science guru Adam Owen, he has got himself in fantastic shape and his contribution to the Rangers cause is now far more than just goals. Kris admitted: "I have taken on board what I have been told by the coaches and have worked hard on my fitness in the summer and pre-season. "I think I am reaping the rewards of that in matches at the moment. I certainly think I would be able to handle anything the Old Firm game throws at me and am hoping I am involved." Smith has suggested the new lean and mean Boyd now has all the attributes he needs to emulate, and then outstrip, the goalscoring achievements of Ibrox legend Ally McCoist. However, current Gers assistant boss Super Ally had a happy knack of doing the business when it mattered most to supporters - in Old Firm games. He has 27 goals against Celtic to his name. Kris, then, has some considerable distance to go to catch up. Nevertheless, he is still determined bridge the gap -starting at Ibrox tomorrow. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2477858.0.0.php

I EXPECT Celtic to lose tomorrow's Old Firm derby at Ibrox - but it won't affect their grip on the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title and the march towards four-in-a-row. The outcome of this Glasgow derby and the two to follow will not, in my mind, determine the destination of this season's championship flag. Both teams have proved they can slip up elsewhere in the fixture list, and weaknesses in either defence tell me there are more points to be dropped at other grounds. I asked Gordon Strachan, in a special one-to-one interview this week, if he had enough leaders in his pack. The manager put forward a brave case for a number of his team, but a flawed one in my view. advertisement This is a Celtic side lacking the mental toughness, grit and deter- mination to win the physical battle facing them in the cauldron of Ibrox at 12.30pm tomorrow. Captain Stephen McManus is struggling with his fitness, but he has still to prove to me his credentials are worthy of the armband in the first place. Paul Hartley, Scott Brown and Barry Robson are an absolute must in the middle of the park to have any chance of at least a point. Pedro Mendes and Barry Ferguson could have a field day if Robson isn't fit, because Brown is the great enigma. At times, I've thought he was the real deal this season, someone to boss games, but there's no consistency. There's no Shaun Maloney or Aiden McGeady, but if the Celtic fans are honest, neither has had a major impact on Old Firm games for quite a while now and their absence is not the over-riding factor in the bookmakers' decision to make Walter Smith's side the favourites. If McManus is fit, Gary Caldwell could find himself in the holding role in midfield to allow Strachan to use Glenn Loovens' height to defend and switch to attack from set-pieces. Playing a half-fit Marc Crosas in the middle of the park would be a gamble. Rangers can get at both Celtic full-backs and, where before, Martin O'Neill's defenders tried to make sure crosses were blocked off at the source, these two give you enough chances to supply the strikers. Artur Boruc, as ever, is the ticking bomb in this fixture. If his head is not right, anything can happen. Strachan needs Artur focused and ready to perform. There are no excuses left for any more blunders. He's used up all his get-out-of-jail cards, saves rather than signs are what real Celtic fans want to see from the Holy Goalie. Shunsuke Nakamura is capable of a moment of genius, but he has been known to disappear in this fixture. Georgios Samaras and Scott McDonald are the last two parts of the jigsaw in this battle for Celtic, I'm not impressed by either. Can they go to Ibrox and boss an ageing David Weir and a player of limited ability' in Kirk Broadfoot? Let's wait and see. If you look at both defences, this should be a high- scoring 4-3 cracker. Both teams have inferior players playing out of position in the backline and that should spell goals. Rangers' winning ingredient for this fixture is home advantage and a greater hunger, especially from their front two. I expect Kris Boyd to get the nod to finally start an Old Firm game with his preferred partner Kenny Miller. Both men are desperate to do well in this game for different reasons. The game will be bossed from the middle of the park and the class of Ferguson will take its toll on the less exper-ienced campaigners wearing the Hoops. How Rangers fans still moan about their captain escapes me, but this match is tailor-made for the number six. The last line of defence for Smith is Allan McGregor. If he has his mind on the job on the park, then it could be a clean sheet but, like Boruc, he's part of the goalkeeper's union and calamity is sometimes never too far away. Big games need big players and they, in turn, win games. I don't think Celtic have enough to match Rangers over the 90 minutes of this encounter. If Strachan's team get a draw, they'll be lucky, very lucky. Thomson well up to derby day task THERE'S an old saying among the refereeing fraternity that will ring true by about 2.15pm tomorrow afternoon. You can't guarantee who scores, you can't guarantee who wins the game, but you can guarantee who gets the blame!' Step forward the 23rd man in the second Old Firm game of the season, referee Craig Thomson. At 36, there has to be better ways of spending your weekends than listening to 50,000 fans united in giving you stick. The lawyer from Paisley, however, is more than up to the job and, for me, is slowly but surely cementing his place as Scotland's top official. Regardless of how highly I rate Craig, there is one element in tomorrow's match that he will need that is not in the referee's manual ... luck! Every aspect of the man in the middle's decision-making will be scrutinised, analysed and then replayed again from 25 different camera angles on Setanta. What chance does he have with only one set of eyes? This will be Mr Thomson's fourth Old Firm match in charge, each as important as the last, but for the man in black each with different problems that require an instantaneous decision that hopefully, is the correct one at the end of the 90 minutes. Craig will sit down today with Hugh Dallas and have a coffee and a chat about the madness that will undoubtedly unfold. The requirements don't change - keep a cool head, get the players onside early, communicate without a sense of superiority, try to let the game flow and trust in the judgement of yourself and your assistants. It all sounds so easy, but when the noise engulfs you from the tunnel to the pitch and the shrill of your whistle signals the start of the battle, lesser men can lose sight of their role in one of the great derbies in football. Not so Craig. He's a streetwise official mentally, tactically and is physically prepared for the big one. Let's hope he has a good one, because if he doesn't there's only one direction the flak will be flying tomorrow night. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2477854.0.0.php

KENNY MILLER helped slay Celtic four months ago - and is determined to repeat the feat this weekend in the second Old Firm clash of the season. Kenny Miller celebrates his second goal at ParkheadThe striker hit a double in Rangers' 4-2 win at Parkhead in August and his goals were his first for the club since signing on at Ibrox in the summer. Miller has gone on to score five more counters since that memorable day and has been one of the Light Blues' best performers so far this term. But he's not the type to rest on his laurels and is preparing to do the spadework required to record another derby win on Saturday. Miller, a likely starter alongside Kris Boyd in attack, said: "This is a game you look forward whether it is at home or away. "Obviously after the first result, which was massive, we have to make sure we get the same kind of result in front of our home fans. "We have to win every game, never mind Celtic games. However, there is obviously a great deal of importance attached to this one. "We are behind in the title race and we are at home so we have to make it count. Everyone is going to be so up for it so we just have to get the right result."Kenny Miller scores his second goal at Parkhead Miller's brace at Celtic Park just three weeks into the campaign is the obvious highlight from his second spell in Govan. But as he reflects on that day, he still winces as he thinks of the dream hat-trick he might have had. A minute from the end of play, Nacho Novo played Miller in on goal but Artur Boruc - at fault for the forward's second goal - saved well. Miller added: "First and foremost, we had to get the right result and we were comfortable winners on the day. Kenny Miller celebrates his second goal at Parkhead"However, scoring the two goals was very special and I could not have scripted it better as they were my first goals since returning to the club. "I couldn't have picked a better place to score them. Getting off the mark would always be important but the fact they were against our arch rivals made it all the sweeter. "I did have a chance of a hat-trick which would have been unbelievable and I actually caught the ball as well as I would have hoped. "I was trying to give Artur Boruc the eyes but he obviously read me - I put the ball where I wanted to put it but it ended up a routine save for him."

MADJID BOUGHERRA admits the pressure is on Rangers to win this weekend's Old Firm clash with Celtic at Ibrox. Walter Smith's men go into the game trailing the Parkhead outfit by four points at the halfway stage in the championship. bougherra_160Defender Bougherra expects Gordon Strachan's team to push for victory as they try to gain revenge for Gers' 4-2 win the last time the sides met. But he realises the visitors would be happy with a draw too for the sake of preserving their lead and he knows it's up to the Light Blues to ensure they go home empty handed. Bougherra said: "This is one of the big games in the championship because Celtic are in front of us and we are four points behind them. "We need to come back and win to ensure we stay close to them at the top of the league table. "I'm still quite new in Scotland so I haven't followed the game here too much but I know Celtic have a good team. "They are leading the league so it really goes without saying they have some good players. "They can come to Ibrox with no more pressure on them than we've got. They're the ones with a four-point lead and a draw would be okay for them. "At the same time, they will try beat us because we won against them last time and we must make sure that doesn't happen."Madjid Bougherra Bougherra insists losing would not spell the end of Rangers' title hopes should they slump to defeat in the derby. It would certainly make overtaking their Glasgow neighbours in the league table more difficult but the Algerian feels that would still be possible were Gers to come off worst. The stopper, who should be fit to play tomorrow, added: "Losing would not destroy our title ambitions. "The last time I spoke to the press, we were seven points behind and now we're four away from Celtic. "If we had won at Dundee United, the gap would have been down to two and that shows how quickly things can change. "The championship is long and there is still half a season to go. At this point, we have another 19 games to play yet."

Nacho Novo has emerged as a �£2 million transfer target for Hull City, the surprise package in the Barclays Premier League this season. The Rangers forward is on Phil Brownâ��s wish-list when the scramble for signings starts again in six daysâ�� time. Brown splashed out �£3 million on Daniel Cousin in August â�� only 48 hours after the bustling front man had scored in Rangersâ�� 4-2 triumph away to Celtic. Hull have been alerted to the fact Novo has failed to find a permanent place in Walter Smithâ��s starting line-up and Brown is lining up a second swoop on Ibrox. Novo, the Spaniard signed from Dundee in July 2004 after refusing a move to Celtic, still has 18 months of his contract to run and is in no rush to leave. However, Brown could offer him a better chance of regular football and the thought of teaming up again with Cousin could persuade Novo to make the move. Smith has been told that he will have to sell next month to generate cash to bring in new players and Jean-Claude Darcheville is already on his way back to France with Valenciennes. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5397900.ece

2 more sleeps.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 more sleeps..............CANNY FOOKIN WAIT !!!!!!!

CELTIC'S Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink could be in line for a shock comeback in Saturday's Old Firm crunch at Ibrox. Record Sportcan reveal he has rejoined first-team training and has not given up hope of proving his fitness to play at least some part in the match. Vennegoor of Hesselink has not kicked a ball since October 4 when he injured his groin in the 4-0 win over Hamilton and had been ruled out of boss Gordon Strachan's plans for Ibrox. But he will train this morning at Lennoxtown and will be given another punishing workout on Boxing Day.

WALTER SMITH wants the Old Firm to play in a European League and leave their reserve teams to battle it out for the SPL. The Rangers boss insists a new set-up can help bridge the financial chasm that exists between the continent's elite clubs and Scotland's big two. Smith admitted his team have no chance of competing at the business end of the Champions League while they earn a fraction of the money the big guns in England, Spain, Germany and Italy make. And he wants UEFA to sanction a new European League involving big clubs in small countries - teams like Rangers, Celtic, Ajax, Anderlecht, Marseille, Porto and Benfica. He is advocating a league that would run at weekends - but insists Rangers would still put out a B team to play in the SPL should it ever come about. And Smith believes that would make the Scottish league more competitive - giving the non-Old Firm clubs a much better chance of winning the title. Smith said:"Rangers and Celtic are two huge clubs who deserve to be in a better circumstance than they are in in Scotland. There are a number of big clubs all over Europe who find themselves in the same position. "We are nearly all hamstrung in terms of finance in comparison to the bigger leagues and few people are doing a great deal to try and equalise that. "UEFA have got to help bigger clubs in small countries and there are a whole load of them out there, desperate to get closer to the likes of England, Germany, Spain and Italy in financial terms. "It's the biggest problem in European football at the moment and it impacts on us at Rangers and Celtic. "The problem is wider than just letting a few more teams into the Champions League. "There should still be a Champions League but there should be a European League to rival ordinary domestic leagues. "We should have a Saturday fixture in a European League. If Rangers and Celtic were offered the chance to play in a new European format I would agree to that. "But that doesn't mean we couldn't have teams here. I would hope we could still have a team making a decent challenge in the Scottish league but it would give the other teams in Scotland an opportunity to win, which they are not getting for the same reasons we are not getting them European-wise." Smith's frustration at being unable to compete with the game's giants was voiced as he looked back on a year that saw his team reach the UEFA Cup Final then fail to make the Champions League only three months later. But even if Rangers had reached the Champions League, Smith is adamant it would have taken a miracle to come close to winning it. He added:"UEFA have to come up with a way of helping teams challenge the big teams in the Champions League at the present moment. "Benfica, Porto, teams like that, have a similar problem to Rangers and Celtic in terms of making a challenge in the Champions League. None of us are making a challenge. "Who is going to win it - a Real Madrid or Manchester United. You won't get Ajax or Porto doing it again. "It needs a closing of the gap in financial terms and there's no way of doing it at the moment. "UEFA has a responsibility to look at that and to give the opportunity to big clubs in a small-country environment to get a level of finance that would help them compete." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/2008/12/24/rangers-and-celtic-must-quit-scotland-to-have-chance-of-success-warns-walter-smith-86908-20993073/

Galloway the TIT: [ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=j09Fj0yOM-E]YouTube - George Galloway Humiliating Himself[/ame]

Celtic have completed the signing of Czech Republic Under-20 defender Milan Misun from FK Pribram The 18-year-old left-back has signed a four-year contract with the reigning Scottish Premier League champions. "It's a tremendous honour to sign for a club of Celtic's stature," Misun told Celtic's official website. "I know that there are some quality players at Celtic and I will need to work extremely had to break into the first team." The defender opted for a move to Glasgow despite interest from Italian Serie A club AC Milan. He is a young man with certainly a lot of potential Celtic manager Gordon Strachan Celtic have deployed Lee Naylor and Mark Wilson in the left-back position this season, but Wilson is a naturally right-footed defender. "We are delighted to complete the signing of Milan Misun," added manager Gordon Strachan. "He is a young man with certainly a lot of potential and we will be doing all we can to maximise his potential and try and ensure that he is a success at Celtic." Last week, Celtic captured Derry City winger Niall McGinn and Dundee United goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska has signed a pre-contract agreement to join in the summer. MY SPORT: DEBATE One for the future I think, but already playing for Czech U-21 team so can't be all bad?? Powered_Up_Pac-Man Whilst on trial at Celtic's Lennoxtown training centre, Misun was joined by FK Pribram team-mate Anton Fantis, but the SPL leaders have put a possible move for the 16-year-old on hold. Strachan said he had yet to make a decision on whether to sign Brann Bergen defender Erlend Hanstveit, although it appears unlikely he will be offered a deal. Hanstveit cut short his Celtic trial to return to Norway for his wedding and will learn Strachan's thoughts through the club scout. "We need to make contact there through John Park," Strachan said on Friday. "Once we make contact then we will make clear our decision." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/7783307.stm

By Andrew Dickson WALTER SMITH has refused to reveal whether he intends to start Kris Boyd in this weekend's Old Firm derby with Celtic. Kris Boyd celebrates his 150th club goalThe Rangers striker is in excellent form just now and after 18 goals so far this season, his confidence is as high as ever. His return against the Parkhead side over the years is the one thing which has let him down and he has just one career goal against them to his credit. That came in a 2-0 win at the end of the 2006/07 season but he hasn't featured in any of the five derbies since then. He has often been left out because of his poor workrate but that has improved considerably in recent months. As such, Smith now must decide whether to use the potent hitman and insists he'll not make his verdict known until the day of the game. He said: "Kris is doing very well for us at the moment. He is the leading scorer in Scotland by far and his return has been very good. "He has always scored goals and there has always been consistency in that respect but this season he has been working hard for the team as well.Kris Boyd "I think Kris has tried to add a little bit more to his game than he has done previously. In the past, he has relied solely on his goals but he has added to that. "The good thing is he has shown that hasn't taken away from his talents as a striker and that has been the most important aspect. "I haven't included Kris in a lot of games before and whether he starts at the weekend, you'll need to wait and see. "It is always difficult to leave Kris Boyd out of your team because he is a natural goalscorer. "It was difficult all the way through last season but that's why we are here. It's our job to make difficult decisions sometimes."

By Andrew Dickson MADJID BOUGHERRA reckons Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller are the best strike pair in the SPL. The defender, who is winning his battle to be fit for Saturday's Old Firm clash with Celtic, has been hugely impressed by them since he signed for Rangers in the summer. Kris Boyd celebrates his goal with Kenny MillerBoyd, of course, is the country's leading scorer with 18 goals and Miller has another seven to his credit, including two in the last derby four months ago. As Gers prepare to meet their rivals at Ibrox again this weekend, Bougherra is confident having the deadly duo in his team can help the Light Blues to three points. He said: "For me, I think they are the best forward pairing in the league. They are two very different strikers. "One of them is running all the time and the other is a good finisher. That is fantastic and Boydy is scoring in nearly every game at the moment. "When you are a defender, you are very confident that you'll win if you can keep a clean sheet because you have strikers like them in your side. "We always have a chance of winning when Kris is in the team. He is a great penalty-box player. "When you have someone like him in your team, you know your chances of scoring are very high. "I like Boydy because a defender might look at him and think because he doesn't run as much that that's okay.Miller and Boyd celebrate the first goal "Then they see how dangerous he is when he catches sight of goal and in the area, he is very hard to keep control of. He is fantastic every day in training and he is top class." Bougherra rates Boyd so highly he has compared him to Eric Cantona - but only when he scores. The way the ex-Kilmarnock hitman celebrates reminds his colleague of the Manchester United legend. Bougherra added: "I can't think of anyone in particular I could compare him to as a player but I told him that when he scores he is like Cantona. "Watch him the next time he scores and you will see what I mean. He postures just like him when he celebrates!"

[ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1kw6fuC305s]YouTube - Glasgow Rangers FC Hokey Cokey[/ame]