Little looking for Gers chance

January 24, 2010

Striker Andrew Little hopes he can force his way into Walter Smith’s first team plans after coming off the bench to rescue a point for Rangers in a 1-1 draw with Hearts at Ibrox.

The Northern Irish international replaced Kirk Broadfoot with 12 minutes remaining and popped up in stoppage to stab home the equaliser and keep Rangers’ ten-month unbeaten league record at home intact.

Teenager Scott Robinson had given Hearts the lead in the 75th minute just 90 seconds after Christian Nade saw red for his second bookable offence.

A spirited performance from the Jambos defence looked to have sealed the win before Little struck his first club for the club. It was only the striker’s fifth appearance of the season since he made his debut against Celtic in October.

The Ibrox side’s options up front are limited with injuries to Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller, Nacho Novo and Steven Naismith.

And Little, who was delighted to get off the mark for the Old Firm side, said the injury crisis and the current financial problems surrounding the club could present him and fellow youngsters with a chance to grab a starting role.

“The squad at the minute is very thin and it works in favour for me as hopefully I’ll get a few more chances,” Little said. “I really enjoy getting my few bits and pieces on the pitch recently so on a personal level hopefully I can get more and more game time but for the sake of the team we want all of those boys back as soon as possible really.

“The financial situation is not ideal but it’s certainly good for the young boys coming through. With a few of us getting a bit more of a chance it motivates them and pushes them on a bit.

“I’m trying to be as confident as I can and when I get to play up front I’m looking to score goals. It wasn’t as if it was anything special. It’s broken to me and if I’d have missed it then it would’ve been a bad miss.

“It’s up to me really that when I do get my 10 or 15 minutes here or there that I try to make an impact and I suppose scoring a goal is a good way to do that.

“First and foremost I want to push on and become a first team regular.”

The point takes Rangers ten points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League although rivals Celtic have two games in hand, starting with their match against St Johnstone on Sunday.

But Little said his team-mates were disappointed not to get the win and open a 12 point advantage to pile the pressure on their Old Firm rivals.

“That was the aim. We knew today was going to be hard. Hearts were always going to come her e and make it difficult for us and unfortunately we didn’t create as many chances as we might have liked in the second-half,” the striker added.

“But there’s a long way to go and every game is just as big as every other game so hopefully we can get a good run like we did in December and push on.” Rangers’ coach Smith refused to use the injury crisis at Ibrox as an excuse for the dropped points against Hearts and praised the youngsters who were asked to fill in.

“Injuries happen to all the teams throughout the season and you have to cope with that,” Smith said. “The difficulty that all the teams have, and we’re having at the present moment, is that you have to pitch people in who haven’t been playing on a regular basis and they’re not always up to full match sharpness.

“It is an awkward situation for the younger boys coming in to handle this for the simple reason they haven’t played a lot of games throughout the season.”

Rangers face St Mirren away on Wednesday before taking on Falkirk at Ibrox on Saturday and Smith hopes to have DaMarcus Beasley and Steven Naismith along with Pedro Mendes available for the match.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: bits and pieces, bookable offence, Boyd, broadfoot, Christian Nade, equaliser, Falkirk, fifth appearance, financial situation, game time, Glasgow, injury crisis, irish international, kenny miller, Kirk Broadfoot, nacho novo, northern irish, pedro mendes, personal level, premier league, scott robinson, spirited performance, steven naismith, stoppage, walter smith, young boys

Substitute gives dour Rangers a little cheer

January 23, 2010

Super-sub Andrew Little rescued a point for Rangers as he struck a last minute equaliser to seal a 1-1 draw against ten-man Hearts at Ibrox on Saturday.

Scott Robinson gave Hearts the lead in the 75th minute just 90 seconds after Hearts player Christian Nade saw red for his second bookable offence.

A spirited performance from the Hearts defence looked to have sealed the win before Northern Irishman Little popped up to strike his first club for the club.

The point takes the league leaders ten points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League although rivals Celtic have two games in hand, starting with their match against St Johnstone on Sunday.

In the absence of the 31-goal partnership of Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller through injury Kyle Lafferty and John Fleck, who between them had scored three this season, filled in up front for Rangers.

Nade had the first real effort of the match in the fifth minute. Captain Michael Stewart picked him out at the edge of the box but he blasted his shot high over the bar.

With some of the Rangers players slow out of the blocks it was Lafferty who was first to try his luck but the Northern Irishman’s shot on the turn didn’t trouble Marian Kello.

Kello had to be at his best to produce a spectacular one-handed save low down to his right to prevent Steven Davis’ curling free-kick creeping in.

The home side threatened again from another set-piece when Kevin Thomson’s floated free-kick into a packed Hearts box was headed just over by Kirk Broadfoot.

Allan McGregor had to be alert at the start of the second-half when he saw Nade’s low drive late and got a fingertip to it to force in round the post.

Hearts were then forced on to the back foot with Sasa Papac stinging the hands of Kello with a 30-yard pile-driver.

Rangers were driving forward in search of an opener and Davis and Lee McCulloch both blasted efforts well over before Lafferty was presented with a golden chance to give his side the lead.

Fleck burst through the Hearts defence at pace and slipped in the beanpole striker but he hit his shot straight off the body of the out-rushing Kello. Hearts were reduced to ten-men in the 72nd minute following a moment of madness from Nade.

The Costa Rican, who had been booked just three minutes beforehand for a foul on McGregor, kicked the ball away in frustration after being flagged off-side and referee Calum Murray quickly gave him his marching orders.

However the sending off seemed to spur Hearts on and they took the lead 90 seconds later. Lee Wallace’s low drive was superbly saved by McGregor but Robinson got in front of Papac to slide the rebound into the net.

Rangers brought on youngsters Little and Gregg Wylde as they chased an equaliser but it was Hearts substitute Ryan Wallace who came closest when his drive was blocked by McGregor on the line.

Papac blasted a chance high over from ten yards before Little rescued a point for Rangers in the final minute.

McCulloch fiercely struck shot from the edge of the box was saved by Kello but the Northern Irish striker was first to the rebound to strike it home to keep Rangers’ ten-month unbeaten record at Ibrox intact.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: Allan McGregor, Andrew Little, bookable offence, broadfoot, captain michael, Christian Nade, equaliser, free kick, Glasgow, golden chance, Gregg Wylde, irishman, John Fleck, kello, Kenny, kenny miller, kevin thomson, Kirk Broadfoot, kyle lafferty, league leaders, Marian Kello, Northern Irishman, pile driver, Ryan Wallace, scott robinson, Scottish Premier League, spirited performance, st johnstone, Steven Davis

Rangers hand Motherwell six of best

December 19, 2009

Doubles from Kenny Miller and substitute Kyle Lafferty gave Rangers a 6-1 win over Motherwell which extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League on Saturday.

Miller followed up his double in the 3-0 win over Dundee United on Tuesday with two super strikes either side of Kris Boyd’s 13th goal of the season.

Shaun Hutchinson pulled one back for Motherwell with a bullet header but it was just a consolation as Lafferty netted either side of a DaMarcus Beasley strike to seal an emphatic win.

With rivals Celtic not playing Hearts until Sunday it gives Rangers a four- point advantage at the top.

Walter Smith made two changes from the side which swept past Dundee United on Tuesday with Allan McGregor returning in goal and Kevin Thomson replacing Lee McCulloch.

For the second week in succession Rangers got an early lead at Ibrox when Miller scored after just four minutes.

The Motherwell defenders were static as Steven Davis teed up Miller at the edge of the box and he curled his first-time shot into the net off the crossbar.

Steven Saunders came to Motherwell’s rescue three minutes later when he twice cleared Boyd shots off the line.

Kirk Broadfoot was next to be given time and space in the Motherwell half and he fired a long-range effort just wide of John Ruddy’s post.

Thomson’s return from injury lasted just 20 minutes as he trundled off to be replaced by McCulloch following an ankle knock.

A good passing move resulted in Davis picking out Miller in the box but after turning his marker he sent a left-foot shot high and wide.

Lukas Jutkiewicz flashed a header across goal and Steven Jennings fired just wide as Motherwell grew in confidence.

Sasa Papac missed a golden chance to score on the stroke of half-time after Nacho Novo found him in space in the box but he sent a shot straight at Ruddy which the keeper blocked with his legs.

Boyd doubled the lead in the 53rd minute.

Davis played a perfect pass into the path of the Scottish Premier League’s top-scorer and he got in front of Hutchinson to fire it low past the out-rushing Ruddy.

Miller got his second five minutes later.

The Scotland striker chased down Madjid Bougherra’s long ball over the top before finishing from a tight angle to score his fifth goal in three league games.

Motherwell pulled one back with their first shot on target in the 67th minute.

Hutchinson found himself unmarked in the six-yard box to bullet a header past McGregor from Tom Hately’s corner.

Lafferty replaced Boyd in the 70th minute and it took him just five minutes to get on the score-sheet.

Miller played in Broadfoot and the right-back’s pass across goal was met by the Northern Irish international who tapped in from two yards out.

Miller was involved again as Beasley scored the fifth in the 84th minute.

The Scotland striker played a pass down the wing and the American held off Mark Reynolds to slot past Ruddy from an acute angle.

A mistake from Ruddy helped Rangers make it 6-1 with two minutes left.

The keeper rushed out his box to attempt to clear a long ball from Beasley but Lafferty got there first and fired the ball through the legs of Ruddy to get his second of the game.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: Allan McGregor, Boyd, broadfoot, crossbar, damarcus beasley, Davis, Dundee, dundee united, Glasgow, golden chance, Hutchinson, John Ruddy, kenny miller, kevin thomson, Kirk Broadfoot, kyle lafferty, Lee McCulloch, left foot, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Mark Reynolds, mcculloch, motherwell, nacho novo, perfect pass, point advantage, premier league, sasa, scotland, Scottish Premier League, Shaun Hutchinson, Steven Davis, Steven Jennings, steven saunders, Tom Hately, top scorer, walter smith

Rangers rule out January spending

December 19, 2009

Glasgow based SPL side Rangers have ruled out any move for new players in the January transfer window as the club faces an injury crisis.

Lights Blues boss, Walter Smith, does not want any new arrivals at the Ibrox as he gave loan flop Jerome Rothen permission to leave the club.

Smith decision rests on his insistence that the comeback of long-term absentees Kirk Broadfoot and Maurice Edu and the forthcoming return of Pedro Mendes, will give him a pool of players capable of competing on three fronts from January until May.

With Rangers £31 million in debt, it is doubtful Smith would have had any money to spend on transfer fees next month but his refusal to dip into any market represents a vote of confidence in his current squad.

”The group we’ve got now is big enough as long as we’ve got no injury problems,” said Smith when asked if he would consider a move similar to that made for Paris St Germain winger Rothen on transfer deadline day.

”When I brought him in, it was at the last minute, because we were faced with a situation where we knew we were going to have at least two, maybe three players out for almost the entire first half of the season.

”But we’ve got everybody back fit again so, for us, we’ll go through the season without bringing anyone in.”

Rothen is reportedly seeking a way out of his season-long loan to Ibrox and Smith has no intention of stopping him.

”We can let him go, come to an arrangement with him,” he said. ”It’s one of those things that hasn’t worked out for us, although the lad is ill at the present moment.

”If he wants to go back in the transfer window, we’ll allow him to go back and go and play in France for the second half of the season.”

Former France international Rothen has failed to make any impact after his September move.

The 31-year-old has not played since the October 20 Champions League humiliation at the hands of Unirea Urziceni and returned to Paris last month after falling ill with what was initially reported to be swine flu.

Smith is hoping Rothen will not lead a mass exodus from the club, with a host of Rangers players out of contract this summer.

One of those is top scorer Kris Boyd, who has now attracted the interest of Bundesliga side Bochum, although Smith confirmed there had been no bids for any of his players.

Should Rangers fend off interest in their big names, Smith believes he has the strength in depth to create genuine competition for places.

”We’ve not got a big group of players,” he said. ”Now we’ve got the majority of them fit, yes there is a bit of competition there that maybe wasn’t.”

That appears to be reflected in recent results, with the return of Broadfoot and the re-emergence of DaMarcus Beasley crucial to a run of three straight SPL wins which have propelled the champions back to the top of the table.

They will extend their lead over Celtic to four points with victory over Motherwell at Ibrox.

The sides meet for the first time since Well boss Jim Gannon claimed referee Craig Thomson might have handed Rangers the title by failing to award Celtic a penalty in October’s Old Firm derby.

Thomson will be the man in the middle but Smith does not believe Gannon’s outburst will have an negative effect on the official’s performance.

”I don’t think it adds any extra pressure on the referee at all,” said Smith, whose side were held to a goalless draw when they last met Motherwell in September.

”If we play in the manner we did at Fir Park, the referee won’t matter. If we play as well as we have done in the last couple of games, he’ll still not matter, but we might get a better result.”

Smith was boosted by the news Madjid Bougherra had been given permission by Algeria to play in next Sunday’s game at Hibernian before leaving for his country’s pre-African Nations Cup training camp.

Smith, who wanted the defender available until the January 3 Old Firm derby, joked: ”With a wee bit of luck, we’ll have him for the Dundee United game by tomorrow and maybe for the Celtic game after that if he keeps going!”

Tags: broadfoot, champions league, france international, humiliation, injury crisis, insistence, lad, new arrivals, present moment, swine flu, transfer deadline, vote of confidence

Boyd double keeps Gers in title mix

December 13, 2009

A Kris Boyd double helped Rangers to a convincing 3-0 win over St Johnstone to keep them two points behind Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premier League title.

Celtic’s 3-2 win over Motherwell in the early kick-off meant Rangers started the game five points behind but they showed no signs of nerves as Boyd netted within 30 seconds.

Nacho Novo won a penalty mid-way through the half which Boyd duly converted before the Spaniard added a second-half strike as Rangers ran riot.

Rangers will have the chance to top the table if they win their game in hand over Dundee United on Tuesday.

“Throughout the match we created an awful lot of opportunities,” Ranger manager Walter Smith said.

“We should have done better when we did get the opportunities but all-in-all I’m delighted with the performance.”

St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes said: “We slit our own throats and never got going defensively at all.

“All credit to the lads who kept going, but it wasn’t an enjoyable afternoon.”

Before kick-off a thigh injury for Allan McGregor meant Neil Alexander took his place between the posts, Kirk Broadfoot made his first start in nine months while Boyd also returned from injury.

And it took just 30 seconds for the SPL’s top-scorer to add to his already impressive tally for the season.

A slack clearance allowed DaMarcus Beasley to play in Boyd, who spun on the edge of the box and sent a measured shot beyond former Rangers keeper Graeme Smith.

Only a fingertip save from Smith stopped Kenny Miller from doubling the lead in the eighth minute with the keeper at full-stretch to keep out his acrobatic volley.

A lapse in concentration allowed Chris Millar to rob Novo of possession just outside his own box before he unleashed a fierce drive that Alexander did well to turn round the post.

Broadfoot almost marked his Rangers return with a goal in the 19th minute but he headed Novo’s pass over the bar.

Novo won the home side a penalty in the 27th minute. The Spaniard was quickest to a loose ball in the box but was sent flying by the trailing hand of Smith as he rounded the keeper.

Boyd stepped up to take the resultant penalty and he buried his shot low into the bottom left-hand corner. Miller came close with a dipping volley from 12 yards that just cleared the bar before he turned provider for Boyd with only the outstretched leg of Smith denying the striker his hat-trick.

Boyd did have the ball in the net in the 45th minute but was flagged offside before he finished high past the keeper. The lively Novo added a third in the 51st minute.

Beasley’s cross picked out Miller in the box whose shot was well saved by Smith but Novo was there to drill the rebound into the net from 10 yards. A slack Kevin Thomson pass allowed Graham Gartland to race in on goal but his lobbed shot floated over the crossbar before Saint’s Millar sent a weak header straight to Alexander.

Novo was inches away from his second as he slammed a shot off the post from the edge of the box, Smith saved well from Beasley’s rising shot and sub John Fleck fired just over as Saints were run ragged.

In the early kick-off Georgios Samaras gave Celtic the lead before goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and Mark Reynolds sent Motherwell in ahead at the break. Aiden McGeady scored Celtic’s 1000th SPL goal to equalise and Barry Robson missed a penalty before substitute Marc-Antoine Fortune scored a 25-yard screamer within seconds of coming on to seal the win.

Elsewhere St Mirren and Falkirk and Kilmarnock versus Hibernian both finished 1-1, Hearts and Dundee United ended goalless and Hamilton won 2-1 away to Aberdeen.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: Aberdeen, Alexander, Allan McGregor, Barry Robson, broadfoot, chris millar, damarcus beasley, Derek McInnes, Dundee, dundee united, eighth minute, enjoyable afternoon, Falkirk, former rangers, Glasgow, graeme smith, Graham Gartland, Hamilton, impressive tally, John Fleck, kenny miller, kevin thomson, Kirk Broadfoot, loose ball, Lukas Jutkiewicz, marc antoine fortune, Mark Reynolds, mid way, Mirren, neil alexander, s pass, Scottish Premier League, st johnstone, thigh injury, top scorer, walter smith

Rangers teen Wilson out to impress

November 7, 2009

Rangers defender Danny Wilson is not taking his place in the side for granted ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Premier League clash with St Mirren after an impressive start to his Rangers career.

The 17-year-old hasn’t put a foot wrong since being asked to partner David Weir in the centre of the Gers defence after Madjid Bougherra and Lee McCulloch were ruled out with injury.

The teenager made his debut in a 3-1 League Cup win over Dundee and has since made his European bow in the Old Firm side’s 1-1 with Unirea Urziceni on Wednesday.

Bougherra expects to be fit enough to return when Rangers take on St Mirren this Saturday at Ibrox but Wilson’s early contributions will cast genuine doubt over whether the Algerian merits an instant comeback after injury.

The teenager insists he is taking nothing for granted but there’s no doubt he has given manager Walter Smith something to think long and hard about as Rangers aim to cut Celtic’s lead at the top of the table.

Wilson – who became the club’s youngest Euro debutant since Willie Henderson in 1961 – added: “I’m just taking things as they come.

“I know there are more players in the squad who are capable of stepping back into the team.

“Just to have been given the nod for the couple of games I’ve played in so far has been excellent for me. I think I’ve done well so far but I need to keep trying as hard as I can when my chances come along. If I play I play and if I don’t, I won’t be too disheartened.”

Smith will be without injury victims Pedro Mendes, Maurice Edu and Kirk Broadfoot for the match against the Buddies, who have made a solid start to their league campaign.

On Sunday, league leaders Celtic are away to Falkirk where boss Tony Mowbray will be without midfielders Scott Brown and Shaun Maloney through injury.

But the boss has been boosted by the return of Marc-Antoine Fortune from injury after he made his come-back as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Kilmarnock last Saturday.

His eight-week absence limited Celtic’s striking options but Fortune looked sharp and dangerous when he came on as a second-half substitute.

“It’s easy to look back and say that we’ve missed Marc but you always miss good players when they are out,” Mowbray said. “He adds something different to the team.

“When he was fit and available at the start of the season, the team was generally scoring goals. He gives us a different dimension to the qualities of Scott McDonald and Georgios Samaras.

“Those two players have worked very hard for us, but Marc’s work with his back to goal can give us a platform. We will look to utilise him and the other strikers as the season goes on. They all have a part to play, but I was delighted with Marc’s return.”

Hibernian could join Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League if they triumph against Hearts in the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle on Saturday.

John Hughes’ side are 12 points ahead of their city rivals, who sit in eighth position in the table but the Jambos have home advantage.

In Saturday’s other games Aberdeen take on St Johnstone at Pittodrie, Hamilton take on high-flying Motherwell in the Lanarkshire derby and Kilmarnock host Dundee United.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v St Johnstone

Hamilton v Motherwell

Hearts v Hibernian

Kilmarnock v Dundee United

Rangers v St Mirren

Sunday

Falkirk v Celtic (AFP

Tags: Aberdeen, broadfoot, danny wilson, David Weir, debutant, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Ibrox, john hughes, Kirk Broadfoot, league campaign, league leaders, Lee McCulloch, madjid bougherra, marc antoine fortune, mcculloch, no doubt, partner david, pedro mendes, Scott Brown, scott mcdonald, Scottish Premier League, Shaun Maloney, st mirren, sunday league, tony mowbray, urziceni, walter smith, willie henderson, Wilson

Cash-strapped Rangers start season under cloud

August 15, 2009

Cash-strapped, injury-hit Rangers open the defence of their Scottish Premier League title against Falkirk at Ibrox on Saturday with manager Walter Smith facing a major selection headache.

In defence, Sasa Papac is injured while Kirk Broadfoot is ruled out with an ankle injury.

American midfielder Maurice Edu is out with a knee injury, Kevin Thomson is still in need of match fitness as he continues his rehabilitation and disgraced former captain Barry Ferguson has been moved on to Birmingham City.

Up front, Nacho Novo dislocated his shoulder in a training ground accident while Northern Ireland forward Kyle Lafferty is banned for the first two games of the season.

However, one selection issue that Smith will welcome is the one to decide who will start in goal against Falkirk.

Neil Alexander was handed the gloves to the end of last season but Allan McGregor, who was dropped for his behaviour while on international duty, is back in contention.

Another player Smith will be happy to have available is last season’s top-scorer Kris Boyd who has warned his teammates that Falkirk, now managed by Eddie May and assistant Steven Pressley, will be difficult opponents.

“Falkirk have caused us a lot of problems in the past and they’ve shown they can make life difficult for us,” Boyd said.

“As such, we need to go in against them with all guns blazing from the off and it’s up to us to take the game to them.”

In Saturday’s other games, Tony Mowbray makes his league debut as Celtic manager away to Aberdeen.

He has Dutch defender Glenn Loovens missing to suspension for what is a potentially difficult tie at Pittodrie just three days before a crucial Champions League play-off clash against Arsenal.

Dons manager Mark McGhee knows his side will need to drastically improve from their humiliating 8-1 defeat to Czech side Sigma Olomouc in the Europa League.

New Hibernian manager John Hughes welcomes St Mirren, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, to Easter Road.

Kilmarnock host Hamilton at Rugby Park with both sides expected to be involved in the battle against relegation and will want to get some early points on the board.

Newly-promoted St Johnstone open their campaign against Motherwell.

Derek McInnes has added to a squad which coasted to the First Division while new Motherwell manager Jim Gannon will have to pick up his players after their Europa League exit to Steaua Bucharest.

On Monday, Dundee United and Hearts clash at Tannadice.

Craig Levein will be hoping to lead his side to a European spot this season after narrowly missing out last year while Hearts are looking to mount a challenge to the Old Firm following on from last season’s third place finish.

Fixtures (1500 GMT, unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v Celtic (1245), Hibernian v St Mirren, Kilmarnock v Hamilton, Rangers v Falkirk, St Johnstone v Motherwell

Monday

Dundee United v Hearts (1945)

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: Allan McGregor, barry ferguson, birmingham city, broadfoot, bucharest, captain barry, captain Barry Ferguson, craig levein, czech side, Derek McInnes, Dundee, Easter Road, Eddie May, Falkirk, Glasgow, ground accident, Hamilton, jim gannon, john hughes, kevin thomson, Kirk Broadfoot, kyle lafferty, league debut, mark mcghee, Maurice, nacho novo, neil alexander, Northern Ireland, papac, pittodrie, Rugby Park, Scottish Premier League, sigma olomouc, st mirren, steven pressley, tony mowbray, walter smith

Exploding egg just the first of Broadfoot’s troubles

May 22, 2009

Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot is an unlucky man.

Earlier this month, the 25-year-old Scotland international was taken to hospital after an egg he was microwaving exploded. He was trying to poach the egg but hot liquid squirted out when he opened the microwave door, burning his cheek.

There followed lots of newspaper headlines about him having “egg on his face”.

The player was already ruled out for the rest of the season because of a series of niggles.

Now he has been told he won’t play again until November following surgery on his left foot.

It seems he isn’t a broad foot after all…

PHOTO: Scotland’s Kirk Broadfoot celebrates scoring against Iceland during their World Cup 2010 Group 9 qualifying soccer match in Reykjavik September 10, 2008. REUTERS/David Moir

Go to Source

Tags: broadfoot, cheek, David Moir, egg, Kirk Broadfoot, left foot, match, microwave, newspaper headlines, Photo, rangers, reuters, reykjavik, scotland, scotland international, soccer, unlucky man, world cup 2010

Smith lauds Gers desire after vital Old Firm win

May 10, 2009

GLASGOW (AFP) – Walter Smith praised the winning attitude of his Rangers side after they moved two points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 1-0 win over Celtic in a crucial Old Firm derby.

A defeat in the same fixture in December left Rangers trailing their fierce rivals by seven points, but they have since put together a run of seven wins in a row to put themselves in pole position to claim the title with three matches remaining.

The Ibrox side have had to cope with several setbacks in recent weeks, with regular full-backs Kirk Broadfoot and Sasa Papac both out injured along with former captain Barry Ferguson.

But Smith was delighted by his side’s response after seeing them triumph in a must-win game that thrusts Celtic’s bid for a fourth successive title into serious jeopardy.

“If we wanted to win the league championship we were in a position where we had to win this game or else we were dependent on what other teams did to help us in that quest,” Smith said.

“Now we can be dependent on what we do ourselves, which is what we would want.

“We’re on a good run of form just now. I’m really pleased with how some of the boys have been playing and hopefully we can continue that.

“There is desire in the team to win. We’ve had a number of problems to overcome in recent months but we’ve come out of that and with three games remaining we’re in a good position.

“Hopefully the attitude we’ve shown in these games can see us through to the last day.”

The game at Ibrox, played in torrential rain, was never destined to be full of free-flowing football but it certainly contained more entertainment than the previous three Old Firm encounters.

The deadlock was broken by Steven Davis, who finished well from a Kenny Miller cross to score his first Old Firm goal eight minutes before the break.

The Northern Ireland midfielder was then involved in a goalmouth scramble at the other end when he cleared a Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink header from the line with Neil Alexander beaten.

Smith felt the energetic midfielder embodied his side’s performances this season.

“Steven Davis played really well and maybe typifies our team in a number of ways,” Smith said.

“He works extremely hard and it is significant that his contribution at both ends of the pitch was good today.”

Last season Rangers had a seven-point lead over Celtic going into the final stretch before a winning run by their rivals, combined with fixture backlog due to the Gers’ progression to the UEFA Cup final, helped the Hoops clinch the title on the last day of the season.

However, Smith says his side have no excuses this time around and must show the strength to go on and win the championship race.

“We are delighted to be in the situation we find ourselves in at the present moment and hopefully we can take advantage of it,” he said.

“We were in a good position last year and we had a fixture pile-up which didn’t help us at all.

“We’ve not got that this year so we have to show that we have the ability to go on and take the championship.”

Tags: barry ferguson, broadfoot, captain barry, captain Barry Ferguson, deadlock, Glasgow, goalmouth scramble, Jan Vennegoor, jeopardy, kenny miller, Kirk Broadfoot, midfielder, neil alexander, Northern Ireland, pole position, rivals, sasa, Scottish Premier League, setbacks, seven points, Steven Davis, three games, walter smith

McManus ruled out for Scots

March 26, 2009

GLASGOW (AFP) – Celtic captain Stephen McManus has lost his battle to be fit in time for Scotland’s World Cup qualifier against Holland.

The centreback, a first-choice for his country when fit, has been struggling with an ankle injury and had been rated only a 50-50 chance for the match in Amsterdam on Saturday evening.

The Scots remain hopeful he will be available for Wednesday’s group nine match against Iceland at Hampden but he will not travel to Amsterdam, said Steven Pressley, one of manager George Burley’s assistants.

"Stephen did some light running today and was still feeling his ankle," Pressley reported.

Scotland’s coaching staff have now seen five players pull out of the match against the Dutch since the start of the week with McManus joining his Celtic team-mate Paul Hartley, Rangers defenders David Weir and Kirk Broadfoot and the Derby winger Kris Commons on the sidelines.

There was good news however on Thursday concerning the condition of captain Barry Ferguson, who has been given the green light to play in Amsterdam after recovering sufficiently from bruised ribs.

Pressley said: "Barry Ferguson came through the late running okay and we are confident that he should make Saturday’s game."

The two upcoming matches are likely to have a huge impact on Scotland’s chances of reaching the World Cup finals in South Africa next year.

Holland, who top the group with nine points after three wins in their first three matches, look favourites to clinch the automatic qualifying spot with Scotland, second with four points from three matches, battling Iceland, Norway and Macedonia for the play-off slot available to the runners-up.

Written by: AFP