ian1964 10,721 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Nacho Novo brands Rangers board 'disgusting' and 'pathetic' for dragging stricken Fernando Ricksen into his Murray Park ban row 16:59, 29 January 2015 By Keith Jackson "Fitness had nothing to do with it – I’d have played for him with two broken legs," insists the fuming former Ibrox striker. NACHO NOVO has branded the Rangers board ‘disgusting’ and slammed them for bringing suffering Fernando Ricksen into his Murray Park banning storm. The Spaniard was officially blackballed from using the club’s training complex on Tuesday and insisted the under-fire board had given him the boot because of his recent high-profile backing of a fans’ group which is demanding regime change. The club responded by issuing a statement in which they denied Novo’s support of Rangers First had any part in the decision - while insisting the striker and former team-mate Peter Lovenkrands had been granted special permission to use the facilities to get in shape for Fernando Ricksen’s fundraiser on Sunday. But Novo hit back today when he told Record Sport Online: “The latest statement from the board is a joke. To use Fernando’s name to make excuses for their own behaviour is not acceptable. It’s disgusting and it sums up everything they do. “Fernando is a good friend of mine. I didn’t need to train at Murray Park to get for his game. I would have played in it if I had two broken legs so fitness had nothing to do with it. “The fact is I have been training at Rangers since the season ended in America in November. I have done the same thing every year since I first left the club to move to Spain in 2010. So for them to say this now is incredible. It has nothing to do with Peter either - he was only around for four days. “Kenny McDowall has already explained he was told to tell me that I was not welcome any more. But the people who run this club don’t have the balls to tell me to my face. They get other people to do their dirty jobs for them. “It’s embarrassing. It’s becoming a joke. These people are not good enough to be in charge of a club like Rangers.” The board’s official statement read: “Rangers today would like to clarify the situation with regard to Nacho Novo following recent reports in the media. “At no time was Nacho instructed to leave Murray Park due to him joining a Rangers supporters’ group. The Club had permitted Nacho and Peter Lovenkrands to train at Murray Park for a number of weeks in the lead up to the Fernando Ricksen Tribute Match to allow them to get match fit. “We would like to wish Nacho all the very best for the upcoming season and thank both him and Peter for taking part in Sunday’s Tribute match for Fernando.” Novo is furious the board have branded him a liar and revealed also he had offered to play for the club for free until he returns to the States for the start of the North American Soccer League next month. He continued: “If I say something then it’s because it’s true. It’s what happened. I don’t need to lie about anything and I also don’t accept their best wishes because they are pathetic. “What annoys me even more is that they used Fernando’s name to make themselves look better. It’s just not good enough. “They are saying I am lying but the truth is, since I came back in November, I was speaking to Ally McCoist and then Kenny also about playing for the club for free until I return to America for the start of the season. It was possible that I could have joined on loan and it would not have cost the club a penny. “Look, maybe I’m too old. Maybe at 35, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything for the team. But I would have given 100 commitment and I would have tried to compete because I wanted to help Rangers. And I wouldn’t have taken a penny. “The supporters know how I feel about this club and like them, all I want is for this club to be put back in safe hands.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nacho-novo-brands-rangers-board-5066750 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Well said Nacho! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSolace 0 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 The board are devoid of human dignity. Utter Scumbags. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Former players and pals of management using our facilities for free is something that should have stopped years ago. The fact he has been using them on a yearly basis is alarming and it's no wonder we have been such a financial abomination for as far back as I can remember. The only players we should be helping train with our hugely expensive facilities are our own and ones we hope to sign. Novo was clearly finished years ago and after his first season he was mediocre. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
djbroxybear 0 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Former players and pals of management using our facilities for free is something that should have stopped years ago. The fact he has been using them on a yearly basis is alarming and it's no wonder we have been such a financial abomination for as far back as I can remember. The only players we should be helping train with our hugely expensive facilities are our own and ones we hope to sign. Novo was clearly finished years ago and after his first season he was mediocre. I have no problem with our ex-players coming to use our facilities at the Club i don't see what harm it's doing tbh, It happens at all Clubs. Maybe if the situation had been clarified to Nacho from the start, there would have been no embarrassment to him or the Club. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 5,185 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 (edited) Former players and pals of management using our facilities for free is something that should have stopped years ago. The fact he has been using them on a yearly basis is alarming and it's no wonder we have been such a financial abomination for as far back as I can remember. The only players we should be helping train with our hugely expensive facilities are our own and ones we hope to sign. Novo was clearly finished years ago and after his first season he was mediocre. Whatever the policy on ex-players using the training facilities might have been and whether there is a change in it or not, isn't the main issue to take from this latest stramash. For me there seems to be two main points. 1. A player who had been allowed to train at Auchenhowie for several weeks, seemingly without a problem is instructed to pack his bags because he had just joined a supporters organisation that seek to buy shares in RIFC (note that 'Rangers First' aren't overtly political). 2. In a statement on the official site, the club would seem to brazenly lie to the support and are prepared to use the Fernando Ricksen testimonial within the deception. What this re-enforces and further highlights is the lack of honest connection or engagement in any way whatsoever from the boardroom to the support. We have a board whose interests are more Sports Direct than Rangers and a support who are only interested in Rangers. It doesn't work, at least not for Rangers. Edited January 30, 2015 by buster. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trublusince1982 243 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 if we want to remain a family then your house should be open and welcoming. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 5,185 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 if we want to remain a family then your house should be open and welcoming. Ignoring the specific circumstances regards the Novo situation............ I could understand moves that were made to save money, eg. an executive decision to charge anyone who wanted to use club facilities, including ex-players. But only if this income was geared to wholly benefit the club. However what present austerity is geared towards, is to allow Sports Direct to take a huge chunk of our commercial and retail income and have the club just about get by. History combined with current events (matchday income dropping like a stone) tells us that this plan is ambitious in the extreme. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 I have no problem with our ex-players coming to use our facilities at the Club i don't see what harm it's doing tbh, It happens at all Clubs. Maybe if the situation had been clarified to Nacho from the start, there would have been no embarrassment to him or the Club. Aye, we definitely have the cash to spare. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 if we want to remain a family then your house should be open and welcoming. I want to see us start functioning like a proper business and football club where 10s of millions don't disappear down a black hole. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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