McGregor out for the season.

[juffery 0]

Rangers fear Allan McGregor may be out for season

Apr 22 2008 By Keith Jackson

 

INJURY-RAVAGED Rangers are bracing themselves for the bombshell news today that Allan McGregor's season is over.

 

The keeper will report to hospital this afternoon for a second opinion on the ankle injury he sustained in last week's Old Firm defeat at Parkhead.

 

But while McGregor is praying for good news, manager Walter Smith is all but resigned to losing his keeper for the rest of the campaign.

 

McGregor has damaged ligaments so badly Smith doesn't expect him back in training until July when Rangers begin their pre-season preparations.

 

It means Neil Alexander - the hero in Sunday's penalty shoot-out win over St Johnstone - will be placed in the firing line as Rangers' season goes down to the wire. Smith will be without seven top-team players on Thursday against Fiorentina in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final.

 

Lee McCulloch, Charlie Adam, Steven Naismith and Chris Burke are also injured while Kevin Thomson and Barry Ferguson are suspended.

 

Rangers did receive one piece of good news last night when it was revealed Burke could be back sooner than expected after fears he'd broken his ankle on Sunday in a challenge with Saints skipper Kevin Rutkiewicz.

 

Doctors believe Burke's ligaments would have been severely ruptured had they not already been loosened by previous injuries and he could be back in action in a fortnight.

 

But Smith admits Burke and his other weekend casualty Naismith are definitely out of the mouth-watering clash with the Serie A side.

 

He said: "Naismith and Burke have no chance of playing on Thursday and I think they will miss our next three games at least.

 

"We will wait and see what the specialists say but at this stage they look unlikely to feature in either of the Fiorentina games or against Celtic on Sunday."

 

 

 

 

 

As I said before, thank God we replaced Roy Carroll.

[Gribz 979]

Disaster for our most improved player. He deserves to be part of any success we go on and get.

 

I havent seen anything of Alexander except his 15 mins against Celtic, but as Juff says - thank god its not Carroll.

[juffery 0]

He did well on Sunday, a couple of smart saves and saved a couple of fairly poor penalties. Looks decent back-up and i'm not devestated the way I would be if it was Carroll backing up.

[Gazza_8 233]

I have total confidence in Alexander. Losing McGregor is a blow but it's not a crisis like when Klos fucked his knee a few years back.

[alanmidd 0]

Alexander is an excellent keeper. His distributon is probably better than McGregor

[m_momo1 0]

yeah he has a great kick... his long balls forward to novo caused a few problems

[pete 2,499]

I am not so sure about Alexander with cross balls. I think McGregor would have come for the Hesselink goal and would have either got the ball or taken the strikers head off.

[mainstandbear 0]

I just hope McGregor's there next season...but i have faith in Alexander meantime

[Hurlock 0]

Girls across Scotland beware.............Shagger Dan has time on his hands !!

[Wija 0]

He will be oot on the toon no doubt. Pub owners and club owners ensure the johhny machines are full....