Lee McCulloch - There is no way I could have walked out and looked in the mirror

[ian1964 10,761]

LEE McCULLOCH admits walking into a deserted Murray Park on Thursday morning was the spookiest experience of his Rangers career.

The state-of-the-art training ground has been transformed into a ghost town after several of McCullochâ??s team-mates decided not to join Charles Greenâ??s newco.

And the midfielder was gutted when he turned up for the first day of pre-season and missed out on seeing plenty of pals.

Allan McGregor, Steve Davis, Stevie Naismith, John Fleck, Steven Whittaker, Kyle Lafferty, Sone Aluko, Jamie Ness and Rhys McCabe have all decided to continue their careers elsewhere.

Their refusal to join Green will cost the new regime around £10million in potential transfer fees as they attempt to rebuild.

Boss Ally McCoist has been left with a handful of experienced pros and itâ??s another messy episode in the Ibrox saga. Green has blasted the players for walking out while Ibrox legend Sandy Jardine has accused them of being motivated by greed.

McCulloch, though, sees it differently.

The 34-year-old understands the chief executiveâ??s anger but can also see things from the playersâ?? point of view.

Reflecting on another dramatic week, McCulloch told MailSport: â??Walking in to Murray Park on Thursday morning was a strange experience, the strangest Iâ??ve known in my five years at the club.

â??It was also a lot quieter with some of the boys no longer there.

â??In an ideal world Allan McGregor, Steve Davis, Stevie Naismith, John Fleck and the rest would still be my team-mates. But out of the senior players only myself, Lee Wallace and Kirk Broadfoot were there.

â??Our assistant boss Kenny McDowall was there and he made sure the place was upbeat and lively enough.

â??Thatâ??s the way it has to be. We canâ??t go into a shell. Thereâ??s too much at stake.

â??Itâ??s important to remember no one person is bigger than this club. Some people may have lost sight of that.

â??Rangers must go on and try to prosper without the guys who have left. The existing players will try to fill the gap and hopefully new stars will emerge.

â??I would have preferred the lads to have stayed with Rangers but they have chosen not to. I respect and understand exactly where they are coming from.â?

 

Whittaker and Lafferty became the first Rangers rebels to find new clubs yesterday when they agreed deals with Norwich and Sion respectively.

They are likely to be on big money but McCulloch insists itâ??s wrong to brand them greedy after Gers stars took massive wage cuts in March.

He said: â??I do not blame any of the guys and I do not look upon them as turning their backs on the club.

â??I also think itâ??s wrong to accuse them of chasing money.

â??All they have done is look out for their families and their careers. Most of the guys who have left are internationalists and need to be playing at a certain level.

â??It should also be remembered the sacrifices they made to help save jobs at this club. They gave up hundreds of thousands of pounds for the good of the club when we went into administration.

â??That should never be forgotten and it wasnâ??t the act of selfish men.

â??I do not have hard feelings towards any of them and I never will. They have been my mates and I know it will remain that way for years to come. But I also understand why the new owners of Rangers are angry. I would be too if I happened to be in their shoes. Theyâ??ve just lost several assets for nothing.

â??It has just been unfortunate for players and directors that few things have been resolved in terms of where we will be playing next season. The uncertainty surrounding the future of Rangers has crippled us even more.â?

McCulloch was the first player to pledge his future to the newco and has no regrets.

He said: â??I have made my intentions clear. I will stay here to play for the club, whether itâ??s in the First, Second or Third Division.

â??Rangers need loyalty and support. There is no way I could have walked out and looked in the mirror.

â??I want to play my part in helping this great club climb its way back up the ladder. It will take time but we will get there.

â??Iâ??m ready for the challenge and up for the fight. From the conversations and atmosphere around Murray Park, I know the guys who were there share that view.â?

Away from Murray Park, however, itâ??s not harmonious. Fans are refusing to buy season tickets because they donâ??t believe Green has the best interests of Rangers at heart.

And Nine-in-a-Row legend John Brown is fronting a bid to oust Greenâ??s consortium.

But McCulloch now hopes a sense of togetherness will be achieved so the club can attempt to move on.

He said: â??We arenâ??t in a great situation and things might deteriorate in the next few days. Our focus and energy must be on trying to pull together to get through this.

â??Several challenges are ahead to make sure we play at as high a level as possible in the new season. We donâ??t also need to be arguing with each other. Iâ??m not sure that is doing any good at this stage.â?

 

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/footbal...6908-23902912/

[simplythebest 0]

I imagine Big Lee feels the same as us about the walk outs, but has too much decency to start slagging them.

[blueflag 386]

I imagine Big Lee feels the same as us about the walk outs, but has too much decency to start slagging them.

 

Us or you??

[simplythebest 0]

What is that meant to mean?

 

I think the negative view of them is in the majority, not claiming to speak for everyone mind you, i'll leave that to Dingwall and his cronies.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

big jig did the exact same as the other players. he went where he could get the most cash.

 

I doubt he's in any way shape or form critical of the other players.

[simplythebest 0]

McCulloch could get a better offer than the Scottish Lower Divisions, and that is coming from someone who has never been a fan of his as a player.

[Daniel Amokachi 0]

Big Lee wouldn't have had much other offers to be fair, certainly not good ones.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

I said money. he wouldn't be earning 20k a week anywhere else.

 

its quite funny seeing him lionised for doing the exact same think naismith did.

[simplythebest 0]

I said money. he wouldn't be earning 20k a week anywhere else.

 

its quite funny swing him lionised for doing the exact same think naismith did.

You think he's going to be able to stay on 20k a week in the third division?

[the gunslinger 3,366]

You think he's going to be able to stay on 20k a week in the third division?

 

the terms of his contract are guaranteed.

 

you think we include relegation wage reductions in our contracts?

 

what with win bonuses I expect he will earn more this year than last if were in the 3rd.