ian1964

'Don’t help Rangers' Former SFA president George Peat reveals begging phonecall from top chairman The Ibrox side faced Zenit St Petersburg in the 2008 UEFA Cup Final amid acrimony over fixture congestion. Former SFA president George Peat has revealed he received a phonecall from a prominent club chairman begging him not to help Rangers "in any way". Back in 2008 the Ibrox club had reached the UEFA Cup Final where they were preparing to face Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester. But Walter Smith’s side faced a major fixture backlog as they fought on three separate fronts – the league and Scottish Cup as well as their European adventure. Rangers played five games over 11 days that season and Scottish football’s authorities decided to help. League bosses – the SPL as it was then – delayed the final day of the competition till after the European Final. But it was not the extension Rangers had called for and figures such as Smith and David Murray reacted with fury. Now Peat, who stepped down from the SFA presidency in 2011, has disclosed there was one unnamed club that simply did not want any assistance to be extended Rangers’ way. In an interview with the BBC , Peat said: "One thing disappointed me from my time there. "I remember Rangers got to the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester and I received a phonecall from a prominent chairman of a club requesting me not to help Rangers in any way. "It just so happened I had already had a meeting with Lex Gold of the SPL. We were willing to extend the season because of the fixture pile-up Rangers had. "And I was most disappointed to have got back to the office and receive this call. He asked me not to help them in any way. "That really stuck in my throat. I just said 'no', I’m not doing it. "The prominent club asked me not to and I refused. I’d rather not name the club." Rangers lost to Zenit, finished behind Celtic in the league but won the Scottish Cup after defeating Queen of the South in the Final. The league season ended on May 22 with the cup final taking place two days later. Then-Ibrox chairman Murray said the rest of the football world would have reacted with "disbelief" at the decision not to postpone Rangers' clash with Dundee United ahead of the Euro final on May 14. He said in 2008: "Throughout the world people will laugh at this decision in disbelief, and none more so than in Russia as their own association have done everything they can to assist FC Zenit St Petersburg. "We were not asking that all games be called off, simply one match prior to such a prestigious European final. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dont-help-rangers-sfa-president-13261722

as they strive to improve standing of Scottish football Neil Lennon wants the league’s governing body to help him, Steven Gerrard and Steve Clarke as they strive to improve the standing and reputation of Scottish football. Lennon would like a sit-down with the SPFL to see if there is anything that can be done with the fixture schedule to aid the cause of both Celtic and Rangers in the Europa League, but mainly to help Scotland reach their first major tournament since 1998. Lennon led his Celtic team to a stunning win over Lazio in Rome on Thursday night to qualify for the last 32 of the Europa League, and Rangers look to be on course to join them there after a brilliant win of their own over Porto at Ibrox. The national team meanwhile have the huge Euro 2020 play-off fixtures looming in March, and when asked if he would like a meeting between the managers and the league’s governing body to give all three sides the best chance of success, Lennon said: "Yes. Predominantly for the national team more than anything else. “Steve should get what he wants because the national team is a priority and these playoffs coming up are probably the most important games Scotland have had for a long time, so whatever he needs the authorities should give him what he wants, if it's the best for the national team for those games.” Lennon knows that there are obstacles to altering the packed fixture schedule, but with Scotland’s co-efficient score creeping the nation closer to the all-important 15th position that would give the Premiership two Champions League places, he says the league should be doing everything in its power to make things easier for the clubs who are carrying that fight on the continent. "You are battling with the TV companies as well because they want the early kick-offs,” he said. “You are playing on a Thursday night and then you are in Aberdeen on Sunday for a 12.15 kick-off. Yeah we played well, got a great result, but it's still the players who have to go out and do the work and the fatigue or injury can cost you going forward. “Sometimes, we need a little bit of help on that, there's no question of that.” One of the by-products of Celtic's early qualification for the knockout stages of the Europa League is an easing of the workload on their players, with Lennon pleased to be able to rotate his squad for q hectic spell throughout December. “It’s excellent for the club," he said. "For one thing, it takes away the anxiety of playing on Thursdays and Sundays. "While we still want to finish on top of the group, there won’t be the same stress levels in the European ties and we can rotate a bit more. “When you look at us having nine fixtures in December, that will help. We need to balance that." https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18026541.neil-lennon-asks-spfl-help-celtic-rangers-scotland-strive-improve-standing-scottish-football/

Good win & performance, wanted a 3rd goal!

It's his birthday today as well

Pleased with that 1st half, we are looking strong and positive. This was never going to be a classic, their keeper had a great save from Kamara. We do need at least another one goal.

I've said for years now that why we don't use ex players who are based all over Europe and elsewhere to keep the club informed of any potential players! use them to spot talent.

Does anybody expect many changes in our line up? it would be good to give some of the fringe players some game time but at the same time it's a must win game. We should be able to make some changes without weakening the team as we do have quality players not playing. When will these fringe players get game time?

Shouldn't be mate, unless they have changed it for this season? I subscribe but I was sure you can buy any of the matches?

...and is building towards a bright future with Steven Gerrard’s Rangers By Christopher Jack GLEN Kamara isn’t the kind of person to make headlines with his comments but he is a player that deserves the plaudits for his performances this season. Kamara does his talking on the pitch. He is a quiet and unassuming character, but a polite and courteous one, in front of the microphones and cameras. On the park, the 24-year-old is very different, though. He operates with a confidence and assurance that is expected of a Rangers player and he is an integral part of Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox squad. His latest impressive showing came against Porto on Thursday evening as Kamara helped Rangers to a hugely important Europa League victory. The headlines went to scorers Alfredo Morelos and Steven Davis but Kamara’s efforts are well worthy of recognition too. Gerrard said: “He’s quieter speaking to you guys! You need to try and get him out of his shell. “I think he has settled in really well. He has been schooled really well, both on and off the pitch. He is a good-mannered boy who wants to learn and wants to work. “He is in a fantastic place doing well for Finland as well. “You still sometimes have to pinch yourself to realise what we got him for and where he was at, with all due respect. “He was outside of Dundee’s XI, wasn’t playing and was running down his contract. It’s very rare to take someone of his quality for what we got him for. We’re just delighted we’ve got him here for a long time.” The Ibrox crowd were pleasantly surprised by Kamara when he first arrived from Dundee. A £50,000 deal saw him arrive six months earlier that initially scheduled after a pre-contract had been agreed and he certainly hit the ground running. That form from the second half of last season has been continued this term. There is surely plenty more to come from the Finnish international at Ibrox and it is no surprise to see potential suitors make the trip to Glasgow to see him in action in recent weeks. “It was the first time we played Dundee, really,” Gerrard said of how he became aware of Kamara’s ability and potential. “We analysed them and one thing stood out a lot – him. It was his technical ability, how he received the ball, the way he manipulated it. “It was different to the rest of Dundee’s team, with all due respect.We kept an eye on him from that moment and watched him in a lot of other games. We basically found out who was representing him and went from there. “I don’t put numbers on my players. We know he is getting watched now. We know that. And Glen can play at any level, with the right players and style around him. “But the style we play is perfect for him. The system and the people around him. He is in a good place at a magnificent club. He’s gone from Arsenal to get playing and is now back at a fantastic club. If he keeps posting performances like that, a lot more people are going to sit up and take notice for sure. “How do I know he’s being watched? Because I get a list of teams who are coming to our directors’ box. There is a mix of clubs.” The rise to prominence that Kamara has enjoyed at Rangers has been fairly rapid but the midfielder has put in the time and effort over a longer period to make his name. Spells on loan at Southend and Colchester didn’t allow him to establish himself with Arsenal but the move to Dundee gave him a chance to find his feet. Kamara took one step back leaving the Gunners, but he has made significant strides forward in the years since and he continues to improve and impress at Ibrox. Gerrard said: “I think that’s what these young kids have to do. “Sometimes if you don’t see a pathway or don’t feel you in the right place for your progression you have to take a step back, or find a place where you can get regular football for your development. “That’s what Glen did. To be fair, Dundee coached him really well. Glen really bought into Neil McCann’s possession style and he is fantastic coach who did a good job with him. “I think Neil has played his part in getting Glen to where he is now. “It just made total sense for us to do it when we did. Rangers and Glen Kamara is a good match. “A lot of kids who are schooled the Arsenal way are going to be comfortable in a style like ours. He coped at Dundee in this league so you know he has got a little bit about him in terms of out of possession. “He ticked a lot of boxes. No-one had a bad word to say about him.” The squad that Gerrard has assembled ensures he has plenty of selection questions to answer every week. The decisions in midfield - where he also has Steven Davis, Ryan Jack and Joe Aribo in form - are perhaps the most difficult. It is a good problem to have and Kamara will continue to stake his own claims for a jersey this season. “I think Glen is in good form at the moment and the players love playing with him,” Gerrard said. “He is someone who is always available. He will never hide, he will always give you an angle and take the ball in any situation. “The midfield three of late have been outstanding and they compliment each other well. That is the strongest part of our squad at the moment. “We have people who probably don’t deserve to be outside of that three. We also have people outside the 18 who are fighting to get in.” https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/18024846.glen-kamara-laid-foundations-arsenal-building-towards-bright-future-steven-gerrards-rangers/?ref=twtrec

Behind the scenes of the incredible win over last year's Champions League Quarter Finalists. https://rangers.co.uk/tv/view?it=17968&act=view&c=News&s=121