ian1964

Cousin falls into the same category as TB & PL,IMO,we all know what talent they have,but rarely turn up to show it.I'd like to see him go,if not then he needs to get his finger out.

ANDRIUS VELICKA has warned that the Kaunas players will do everything to try to win moves to British football by starring against Rangers tomorrow night. Even although many of the Kaunas staff have found their way to Tynecastle - Velicka included - due to Vladimir Romanov's ownership of both clubs, the Kaunas players will be determined to showcase their talents. They are envioAndrius Velickaus that Velicka has ended up at a club like Rangers and he knows that it will inspire them. Velicka, who had two spells with Kaunas, said: "They will want to show they are good players and it is a chance for them to show that they deserve a good contract somewhere else. "I don't know all of the players because it is two years since I played there but I know that they will play with strong hearts. "Ledesma is a good player. He is useful at set pieces but he is a typical Braziian in that he does not offer a physical presence. "I believe they should worry about Rangers. We should be too strong for them. Rangers is a bigger and better team than Kaunas in all aspects." Velicka played for Kaunas against Rangers the last time the two sides met in the Champions League qualifying phase eight years ago. He added: "Of course, it will be a special match for me because it is against my old club and I have many good memories. I just hope I get the chance to be on the pitch to enjoy it."

Thing is,you get some fans saying that we don't play ''young players'',for me that is not true,as calscot has said,WS does play young players.What WS realises is that you need the right blend of youth & experience,which he is trying to do.Times have changed in that we no longer can afford quality experienced players,Murray park was built to produce our own young players and now more than ever Rangers are going to be relying on Murray park producing the stars of the future,and I think there is evidence that there is young talent coming through,but can they make the step up ?.IMO you will see more and more young players getting their chance to step into the first team, and hopefully they develope like BF & AH,but you won't see a team full of youths and quite rightly so as everybody knows you win nothing with a team full of young players.It is the way forward for Rangers FC for the immediate future due to lack of finances.

A Rangers youth squad travelled to Somerset Park last night for a testimonial for long-serving groundsman Davie Harkness and blew away Ayr United with a stunning performance. Steven Lennon celebrates with Andrew ShinnieThe 4-1 result prompted coach Tommy Wilson to say that this is the best batch of kids he has ever worked with and on this evidence that is no surprise. Wilson, of course, led Scotland's under-19s to the final of the European Championship in Poland two seasons ago but feels his Murray Park starlets have the same, if not more, potential. Tommy said: "I keep telling the boys that they have just as much ability as that group of players - and a lot of them have gone on to play in the SPL and even the full Scotland side." The pitch was in perfect condition for the game and it allowed the Light Blues to turn on the style on the lush surface. Steven Lennon and Rory Loy were the stars of the show in front of watching national team boss George Burley and under-21 gaffer Billy Stark. Indeed it was Lennon who opened the scoring early on when he smashed home a great cut-back from Alan Lowing. John Fleck then delivered a teasing cross and the striker was there again to head home from 15 yards.Jordan McMillan Stevie turned goal provider for his teammate Loy for his side's third although his effort took a wicked deflection before beating the wrong footed Ayr United keeper. David Gormley pulled one back for the home side on 62 minutes but Fleck and Chris Craig combined to send Loy haring through for Rangers' fourth 20 minutes for time.

Exclusive: Steve Davis's message of good luck to Rangers mates Jul 29 2008 By Keith Jackson STEVE DAVIS last night sent a good luck message to his Ibrox mates - in the hope he might be back to join them again in the Champions League. The Northern Ireland skipper is still stuck in limbo with his future hanging in the balance as his on-off return to Rangers turns into a saga. On Thursday last week it looked as though he was finally about to seal his dream move in time to make his second debut tomorrow night against Kaunas, who stand in the way of Walter Smith's side and a �£10million bounty in UEFA's elite competition. But the �£2.5m deal broke down and the signing deadline came and went with Davis, who spent the last six months of last season on loan with his boyhood heroes, still stuck at Fulham. With the move still a possibility before the end of the transfer window, Davis is desperate for Smith and his group to book their place in the second knockout round. Davis told Record Sport: "Of course I'll be wishing the boys all the best. I'll be watching for the results against Kaunas with great interest and hoping the lads get through to the Champions League. "It would be nice to think about playing in the Champions League with them but, right now, signing for Rangers is still a long way off. "I'd just like it all to be resolved so I can get on with my future. For now I'm training on my own and waiting for things to get sorted out." Meanwhile, Rangers are expected to make an offer for Cardiff defender Glenn Loovens within the next few days but reports that the Dutch ace could be heading to Ajax are wide of the mark according to the player's representatives.

Fuck...........Cuellar off injured,hope it's not serious

Two singles and double it up Jon,I quite fancy Torres for top goal scorer

RANGERS' legend Brian Laudrup has admitted that he can't wait to pull on his boots tomorrow night and face Walter Smith's side at Broadwood. Brian LaurdupJohn Brown, now the boss at Clyde, has managed to persuade his former Ibrox teammate, along with Jorg Albertz and Arthur Numan, to travel back to Scotland for the glamour friendly and the Great Dane is looking forward to seeing some familiar faces both on and off the pitch. He said: "To play against Rangers will be something very special for me as I still love my old team. "Bomber got in touch about two or three months ago and asked me about this game. "I said yes straight away as it will be a great occasion but my only worry is that I can pick up the pace of the game quickly. "I'll probably play for 45 minutes so we will wait and see how things go. "But I'll give it my best shot and hopefully it will be a great day for Clyde and both sets of fans." Laudrup, who was named by Pele as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004 alongside his brother Michael, is expecting a bit of light-hearted stick from his former gaffer Walter Smith and his assistant Ally McCoist on the night. He said: "It will be strange to pull on a Clyde jersey and run out to face Rangers but it is going to be a great night and it is fantastic for Bomber that he has been able to arrange a friendly like this.Brian Laudrup "The pace of the game will obviously be very difficult for me to handle so my aim will be to get a few early touches and get involved as much as possible. "Of course, if I can score that would be unbelievable but this will be a massive challenge as Rangers last season showed that they defend very well as a team with Davie Weir, Carlos Cuellar and Allan McGregor in terrific form. "We will wait and see what happens but if I can find the net I know that Walter and Ally will give me a bit of stick from the Rangers dug-out. In fact they will probably do that anyway!" Brian remains in contact with his nine-in-the row pals and insists he will always travel back to his adopted homeland to remember the great times he enjoyed in the blue of Rangers. "I am still in touch with the Goalie a lot and, out of all the lads that played together during this era, he is the one I speak to the most although we do meet up as a group whenever we can. "I always try to come back to Scotland at least once a year to attend a Rangers function because the memories I have from being at the club very special and it is important for me to keep them alive as long as possible."

CARLOS Cuellar has added another awards double to his personal trophy collection after a fantastic first season at Ibrox. Carlos CuellarThe big defender picked up the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards at a glittering ceremony at the Hilton hotel in Glasgow tonight. 26-year-old Cuellar had already been named as the top performer in Scotland by SPL sponsors Clydesdale Bank and the Scottish Football Writers' Association. Now the Spaniard has been recognised by his light blues team mates and thousands of fans from around the world who voted for him as their top Gers star last season. He said: "It was fantastic to be voted the Player of the Year for Scotland and to be voted for by the Rangers' fans is special too." Walter Smith has been delighted with his defender's first season at Ibrox and says Cuellar is a deserving winner. Smith said: "Carlos has been a terrific signing for us. I think he came to us at the right time in his career and he has played exceptionally well for us both domestically and in Europe. "Sometimes it's easier for players who come from abroad to show up better in the European matches because the SPL games are different to what they are used to. "But Carlos has handled both with great aplomb and he is fully deserving of his awards." John Fleck16-year-old John Fleck picked up the Young Player of the Year trophy after playing a key role in another double for Billy Kirkwood's youth team. Fleck scored on the club's recent pre season tour of Germany and will be hoping to make the step up to Smith's first team more regularly this season. At the opposite end of the age range in Smith's squad is the winner of the John Greig Achievement Award, Davie Weir. Cuellar's centre back partner managed over 60 games for Rangers and further appearances at international level - a fantastic achievement for a player who turned 38 before the end of last season. Weir played a crucial role alongside Cuellar as Rangers enjoyed an incredible run to the UEFA Cup final in Manchester. Steven Whittaker scoresAnd it was that competition that would produce the pick of the club's goals last term as Steven Whittaker collected the Carling Fans' Goal of the Season award for his strike against Sporting Lisbon. Whittaker's mazy run and finish to cap a fantastic performance in Lisbon will live long in the memory of every fan that travelled to Portugal for the quarter final clash. It was a popular winner, edging out other Euro strikes from Charlie Adam and Daniel Cousin and domestic goals from Barry Ferguson and Lee McCulloch.

Keep faith in Walter Smith, says Rangers ace Nacho Novo Jul 22 2008 By Keith Jackson NACHO NOVO last night urged Rangers' increasingly anxious supporters to keep the faith in Walter Smith and his players. The Spanish striker spoke out as the Ibrox boss and his squad prepared for their first pre-season match on home soil tonight at Broadwood against a Clyde side which, with guest stars Brian Laudrup, Jorg Albertz and Arthur Numan, will conjure up memories of better times at Ibrox. But, although some Rangers fans are pressing the panic button over Smith's paltry summer transfer dealings, Novo is adamant that last season's UEFA Cup Finalists will be ready to hit the ground running when the new campaign begins. The little hitman, speaking exclusively to Record Sport, said: "People are asking why we have not signed players like Laudrup, Albertz and Numan this summer and I understand that the fans can get frustrated. But there is a lot of quality in our squad. "It was good enough to reach the final of a European competition last season and the manager has added one or two new faces. "We still have people like Carlos Cuellar, Barry Ferguson and DaMarcus Beasley to return from injury and I believe we will be a very strong team this season. "People can overreact to performances in pre-season friendlies. Yes, we didn't play well in our last game against Schalke on Saturday but it's not time to panic. These games are about getting our fitness right for the new campaign. "I wasn't happy with the way we played against Schalke - none of the boys was. But we are all working hard and our focus is on getting it right for our game against Kaunas in the Champions League qualifier. "That's what the manager is working towards and the fans should know enough about Walter Smith to trust him by now. He has done an amazing job since he came back to the club. "Yes, it would be great if he had the cash to go out and sign the next Brian Laudrup but Rangers can't compete with the wages these kind of players earn in other countries. "Everybody should trust the gaffer because he knows what he is doing. I'm behind him 110 per cent because I have learned so much form him in the last 18 months. Everybody needs to calm down, relax and let us get on with the job." Smith's squad will be split in two today for the clash with Clyde and a closed-doors match at Murray Park against Morton. That will take some doing considering the Ibrox boss is currently operating with a midfield that can be described as patchwork at best. With Ferguson out for up to four months and Steve Davis back at Fulham after being priced out of a permanent move north, Smith is desperately short of manpower. But Novo said: "It's always like this in pre-season. Everybody struggles for a while. But the boss will have his plans and the players who are already here will be ready for the Kaunas games and the start of the SPL. "There is too much negativity at the moment. Personally, I feel very positive about the new season. "Last season we came really close to something very special and there is no reason why we can't build on that. "I believe in my team-mates and I believe in my manager. But it's up to us as players to show the fans we mean business this season. "If we want to go into the new season with everyone feeling positive, we have to lead from the front and give them something to get excited about. This is a big season for everyone at the club and it's time for the players to deliver. "We all have to remember how lucky we are to be playing for a club like this and have to give everything to show the fans we deserve to wear these shirts. "We did that last season and I am confident we won't let anyone down when the campaign begins." The hard work starts tomorrow week when Rangers will bring the curtain up on 2008-2009 with a potentially perilous Champions League qualifier against Kaunas. Novo said: "After what we achieved last season in Europe we don't want to fall flat on our faces. Rangers belong in the Champions League and the fans deserve to watch us at that level. "That's why it is so important we get our fitness levels right. The results and performances have to improve and they will. Right now we still need a few more games to get our sharpness back. "As long as we are in top shape for Kaunas, everyone will have done their jobs. We proved we are a good European side last season and we want to show again that Rangers can compete at the highest level."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JiwQVtza4s&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMizfq5zVcE&feature=related

Left wing I think

Nope,KM is a far better player than Kirk,but to be fair to Kirk he isn't a right back

Not really,say what you like about KM,but one thing he will give you is effort,you can't say that about PL

Me as well. I wouldn't be totally against him coming back,just think he is not what we need right now,if it happens then he will get my support,I just hope he doesn't return

Or because he wanted more money ?

A friendly it was,means nowt,good to see the sheep getting humped by anybody all the same

Ok,but not for me,maybe for you, however I just see him as a waste of money,and remember why he left Rangers in the first place

That's my point though,he isn't a winger,he is more suited to a striker role,how many strikers do we want/need ?, midfielders is where we all want to see some activity not wasting money on another striker

Very true,however IMO you get more out of the mentioned players,also i'm not sure what position Lafferty plays,left wing I think !!!

Agree with you here Pete,another overpaid player who plays every now and again,and he's certainly not a winger

I hope this doesn't happen

Jon,don't bite................

I've never ever been to a great friendly game,well maybe for the first half and then went for some ale,but i've also never ever been dissapointed as i've always known what to expect !!!

Smith was the right man to come in,when Rangers needed him,and he has almost bought a new team in a very short time and is still not finished building his team,if he will ever get the money to build a team I don't know.If Walter is not the right man then who is ?.I'm not saying WS is the manager who is going to bring the glory days back,i'm only asking who is if not him ?