The Daily Record - Mark Hateley

You can't blame stars if they walk away from Ibrox

2012-05-18T09:10:00Z

CHARLES GREEN was inside the SFA's offices talking to their chief executive Stewart Regan less than 24 hours after the transfer embargo on Rangers was upheld by an independent panel inside Hampden.

And I'm not surprised.

But I was taken aback by the decision to put a further 12 months of constraints on the club while their takeover is still at a delicate stage.

The people I feel sorry for are Ally McCoist and his first-team squad. They should be lying on a beach restoring mind and body after a hard season. What they're dealing with instead is mental anguish as everyone wonders which division the club will play in next season, or whether there will be a Rangers at all.

It's a mess and I'm not best pleased with the game's hierarchy as they sit in their ivory towers and let independent panels plot the way ahead.

That isn't grabbing hold of a situation that could split the game in two and shaking it into better shape.

I accept wrong-doing has taken place and I'm not suggesting the club should be allowed to escape without punishment. If the price of mismanagement is to have 10 points deducted from the side in the SPL for the next three seasons I'd have no real problem with that.

But the signing ban is a step too far down the road of retribution.

That means Rangers could lose their four best players for millions of pounds and not even be able to spend £100,000 each on replacements. You can't be competitive in that way.

I have no problem with Rangers being fined but the restraint of trade on the transfer market opens up a whole new can of worms. And I understand the senior pros at Ibrox being caught in a personal dilemma.

Players nearer to the end of their careers might think they can find it in them to stay at the club and help Rangers fight their way through the maze of problems which confront them.

But others at their peak and coveted by other clubs can't be blamed if they let professional considerations come into play.

They have an obligation to look after themselves and their families - and they might be tempted to seek a less turbulent, more rewarding time elsewhere.

But if that happens in too many instances it doesn't bode well for Rangers' immediate future. A side made up of first and second-year pros isn't going to be good for Ally or the youngsters who will make up the bulk of the first team. The kids can't reach their full
potential under duress. In fact, just the opposite happens.

They need to be drip fed into the first team, not thrown in en masse. Kids' careers are going to be lost in the midst of all the rubbish that's going on.

And the wrong mix of inexperience and whoever's left if the star names are forced to go means the end of Rangers as a properly competitive side.

The new owner in waiting needs to have a willingness, and a financial ability, to take the club forward in a purposeful manner. But how do you drive a club forward if more sanctions imposed on them make Rangers less attractive as a proposition?

We're going to be approaching the start of a new season in the twinkling of an eye and Ally doesn't know what's happening regarding pre-season training.

That's a crucial base from which everything else stems for a side and the manager doesn't know where he's going or who's going with him.

I find the whole situation to be bewildering on a daily, almost an hourly, basis. So heaven knows how the manager feels. His body should be winding down but he must feel as if his head's exploding instead.

Bidders should have got Walter Smith on board from the start

2012-05-11T10:48:00Z

THE Rangers supporters have been battered from pillar to post since Craig Whyte delivered his administration card to them on Valentine's Day. I bet he didn't even pay the postage.

Since February 14, all those fans have wanted is the truth. They've had enough lies to last a lifetime and need somebody to trust.

And the men placed in charge of the club since Whyte walked, administrators Duff and Phelps, have failed to keep the fans informed.

They have done nothing but send out conflicting messages, giving hope and then dashing it again and again.

The latest came last Thursday when Bill Miller was heralded as the man to deliver Rangers into a bold new era, only for the American to bolt as soon as he had a good look at the books.

All Miller did was cost Rangers a week they could ill afford but maybe, just maybe, some good will have come from his brief but damaging dalliance with the club.

The withdrawal of his bid seemed to be pitching Rangers headlong into a situation where the famous blue gates were going to be padlocked and the key thrown away.

That seems to have focussed the minds of the men out there who were considering an offer but were hovering in the wings.

Three of them have now made their moves, if the administrators are to be believed, and one of them has stolen a march on the others by bringing Walter Smith into the equation.

I am just surprised that nobody did that earlier. Any consortium with nothing to hide and Rangers in their heart should have got Walter on board right from the start.

He would have given any bid genuine credibility as the supporters know he wouldn't put his name to anything that did not have the best interests of Rangers as its first, second, third and final priority.

All the Rangers supporters are asking for is honesty and transparency and, as this saga has dragged on, they've had neither. People stepping in, then stepping out. It has been like some hideous hokey cokey but the time for games is over. Duff and Phelps must get their finger out now.

We all know that every administrator's main job is to get the best deal for creditors but if they cannot save Rangers they will have failed miserably and their company's reputation will be damaged.

However, I don't give a damn about that, to be honest. I do care about Rangers, though, and the news that Walter might be on board is the best thing I've read all week.

Let's be straight here. The biggest issue for Rangers fans is trust. The two people they trust most of all to steer their club to safety are Walter and Alastair McCoist.

One of them, McCoist, is already working from the inside as manager, chief executive and just about every other role at the club.

The other, Smith, is simply in with the bricks. He loves the club and if Walter tells the fans that one of the interested parties in the takeover process is completely trustworthy then they will believe him.

There are so many other strands to this story that need to be addressed, however. We still don't know what form the SFA and SPL sanctions will finally take and those, of course, will have a major impact on how competitive Rangers can hope to be over the next few seasons.

Which brings me on to the players. I feel for them, I really do.

And I can't help but think that the longer this whole debacle drags on, the more certain it is they will decide to move on from Ibrox.

Do they want to? I don't think so but when your future is uncertain you have to make your own future.

I think some players, maybe most of them, will decide that they can't hang around waiting and waiting for something to happen.

They know Rangers will have no European football next season. They don't know if the club will have to go three years without it. Hell, they don't even know if they will be in the SPL or Third Division next term.

Under those circumstances, can you blame anyone who is offered the chance to end the uncertainty of their personal situation by signing for someone else who can give them a big salary that is guaranteed over the length of their contract? Right now, nothing is guaranteed at Rangers.

The players have made massive sacrifices - make no mistake, their decision to take those wage cuts 10 weeks ago is what's keeping Rangers alive at the moment.

Imagine for a minute that you were asked by your employer to take a wage cut of 75 percent for three months. How hard a decision would that be to take - and how much grief would you get from your missus or husband?

Make no mistake, the Rangers players will be getting it in the neck at home but they made their decision and the least they should expect is being kept appraised of the situation by the administrators.

As far as I am aware, that has not happened and I can understand them being completely hacked off.

Duff and Phelps handed them the begging bowl and they filled it with their hard-earned cash. If they have been ignored ever since, it is yet another own goal from the administrators.

And they've had so many of them that they should be challenging Gary Hooper and Jon Daly for the SPL's top scorer award this season.

Hot under the dollar

2012-05-03T06:15:49Z

THE key to winning over a large group of supporters in the sporting world is clarity, honesty and transparency - basically everything Craig Whyte didn't do during his disastrous spell in charge at Ibrox.

Bill Miller should take note as he inches towards preferred bidder status in his quest to purchase Rangers.

To get the fans on side it is all about putting your cards on the table and being as up front as possible.

That's exactly what Fergus McCann did when he assumed control at Parkhead and saved Celtic from going out of business in 1994.

He had a five-year plan and spelled out exactly what he was going to do with the club.

The Bunnet, as McCann become known as during his time in Glasgow, proved as good as his word. He did exactly what it said on the tin.

Fergus was straight-talking and brutally honest - traits which Miller should be accustomed to having made his millions in the United States.

The Celtic fans bought into McCann's vision straight away and contributed £3million of their own money towards a £13m share issue.

Fergus replaced a previous regime which was despised and will be forever remembered as the man who prevented over a century of history disappearing.

The $64,000 question is whether Miller will do the same for Rangers?

He has only said that he wants to buy the club. So far Miller hasn't divulged his long-term plan for Rangers and that's why supporters are treating him with an air of suspicion.

If he wants to get the 50,000 who turn up at Ibrox every fortnight onside then he has to go public with his business plan quickly.

While McCann was an ideal example of how to win over a sceptical support, the situation at Liverpool just a few years ago was the perfect case of how not to do it.

When American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks took over at Anfield they never made it clear what they wanted to do with the club.

They were so vague in everything they did and there were so many broken promises about big-name signings and the possibility of moving to a state-of-the-art stadium.

There was a bad vibe around Anfield from the moment the Yanks arrived in England and they were unable to win over the fans.

They were never taken on board and quickly became dead men walking.

It was a desperate time for everyone connected with the club and I don't know a single Liverpool supporter who has a decent word to say about Gillett and Hicks.

That was a marriage made in hell and it all went sour because the new owners were not up front with the supporters about their intentions.

If Miller has any hopes of getting the Rangers support onside then he needs to be open and honest. Even if it means telling them certain things they don't want to hear, he still has to be brutally frank about what lies ahead.

There is absolutely no point in painting a false picture and leading people up the garden path.

The Tennessee tycoon already appears up against it and there are plenty of doubters out there.

That is entirely understandable given what happened under the watch of Whyte - another businessman the punters knew nothing about.

The Rangers supporters made their feelings abundantly clear during the game with Dundee United.

If Miller was listening to the songs or reading the banners then maybe he will now be having second thoughts about buying Rangers.

Given what happened with the previous regime, the new owners need every fan on board. They need everybody buying into their vision.

Unfortunately for Miller at this moment in time, nobody appears to have an inkling of what his strategy is.

Due to the lack of information and communication, the fans are understandably frightened that he could be another Whyte.

Rightly or wrongly, alarm bells are ringing because Miller has not yet shown his face in Glasgow.

I find it more than a little strange that someone seriously contemplating ploughing upwards of £10m into a business venture has not yet been over to have a look at what he is getting for his money.

The fact he hasn't yet made the effort to come over and get a feel for the club is a major source of concern.

There is a real fear the current doomsday scenario could be replayed all over again just with a different cast of villains.

However, what happened at Celtic almost two decades ago is proof that an unknown entrepreneur can come in against a backdrop of scepticism and be a resounding success.

Fergus transformed the Parkhead club when it was on its knees and teetering on the brink of oblivion.

The secret of his success was honesty, clarity, transparency and the ability to surround himself with people who had background knowledge of the game.

Pitching kids in on weekly basis will kill careers

2012-04-30T06:15:59Z

Their work needed supplemented and it was time for administrators Duff and Phelps to cement the feelings of hope around Ibrox by hurrying up and finding a buyer for the club.

Well it's now over a month later. And on the back of the thumping loss at Parkhead for Alistair McCoist's team, that message to the administrators could not be any clearer as the club continues to stagger.

Now let me say this about the game. Celtic were worthy winners and fully deserved their 3-0 scoreline.

Neil Lennon's team were far too strong for Rangers in every department and it was so one-sided. Celtic played like the champions.

But the bigger picture is that this was a stark warning for everyone about what this famous fixture could be like in the next few years.

If Rangers fail with their appeals against punishment from the SFA and are also hit with strong sanctions by the SPL, this will be the shape of things to come.

Youngsters such as Rhys McCabe have had great write-ups for their performances in the past month, and rightly so, but this was a whole new ball game.

The experience at Parkhead was vastly different from the one McCabe encountered in the last derby at Ibrox and he struggled to cope, as did other rookies such as Andrew Little.

If you are forced to pitch youngsters into battle on a weekly basis it can destroy careers.

It's all right saying there is a transfer embargo to penalise the club and Rangers can't buy players.

Then it becomes all about promoting from Murray Park and the theory sounds fine. But if the kids are not ready it can do serious damage and set them back years.

There were seasoned pros such as Dorin Goian, Lee McCulloch and Steven Whittaker who were struggling yesterday but at least they have the experience and knowledge to know how to react and come back from these days in that type of intimidating atmosphere.

The youngsters, though, could find it tough to recover.

I was sitting in a London TV studio watching the game with Gordon Strachan and he agreed about the detrimental effect such a defeat can have. Gordon mentioned how he made his Dundee debut aged just 17 and toiled badly.

For the next six or seven months he struggled with issues of confidence and self-doubt.

It's okay pitching kids into big sides now and again and seeing how they adapt.

Putting them into a good and successful side helps a lot but when the team is in bother it can do more harm than good.

You can't just throw them into the lion's den and carry on.

Careers of young lads such as McCabe and Jamie Ness could be lost if that happens and that is no good for Scottish football. Still, the immediate situation facing Rangers is more pressing.

Yesterday's 90 minutes seemed to typify what has gone on this season at my old club.

The players looked drained mentally and physically by what has been happening for the past 70-odd days.

Alistair looked drained too and the supporters had a tough time.

To be fair, there was no one I felt sorry for in particular. It was a collective thing. Everyone connected with the club has suffered in the past couple of months.

It's not just players and management, it's fans and tea ladies, kit men, the lot.

However, the time has come to put an end to this.

Regardless of what happened at Parkhead, Rangers and their followers have to move on
quickly. No Old Firm game is ever meaningless but, to be honest, the result at Parkhead pales into insignificance compared to the off-field mess Rangers find themselves in.

Alistair knows that fine well and so does every Ibrox supporter.

This is now about Duff and Phelps making the final decisions which should have been made weeks ago.

It's all about choosing the right people, who are capable of putting the club on a good business plan and a sound structure, and moving forward.

This has to happen immediately.

If not? The warnings about what will happen in the future were glaringly obvious to anyone who was watching yesterday's Old Firm derby.

SFA allowed three people outside of Hampden to become fall guys

2012-04-26T10:50:00Z

ERIC DRYSDALE, Gary Allan and Alistair Murning. Or as I prefer to call them - Moe, Larry and Curly.

The SFA's "Three Stooges" who decided this week, in their wisdom, to hammer Rangers and threaten their existence by imposing a transfer ban on them.

A ruling that endangers the bidding process for one of Scotland's biggest clubs, which finds itself engulfed in a financial crisis. So much for the SFA servicing the Scottish game, eh?

What I want to know is, what qualifications do Drysdale, Allan and Murning have to sit on a judicial panel and dish out sanctions?

Do they have any sort of background at the top level of football?

These men have just had a major say on the future of the Scottish game. They've been asked to rule on one of the biggest decisions in the last 50 years.

Who do they think they are - and how did they get into this position of power?

Ally McCoist came out and said this SFA ban could kill Rangers. How can a judgment like that be put in the hands of three individuals who don't even work for the SFA?

Any decision should surely come from the governing body. It should be people within the game, who understand the ramifications of the punishments they're handing out.

Clearly, none of them have given a thought to the effect it would have on the game's future in Scotland.

I'm astonished the SFA get other people in to make their decisions.

I'm absolutely stunned by that.

If you want to run a successful business or organisation, I accept you will have independent consultants who advise you on some matters. But when you have monumental decisions to make, which could be detrimental to the game you're trying to improve, surely it has to come from within Hampden?

You'd think the SFA would have at least three men working for them with the knowledge and qualifications to make judgments like that.

People aware of the structure of Scottish football wouldn't have imposed these sanctions on Rangers.

And it disturbs me when I hear that it's lawyers, QCs and journalists who are part of these judicial panels. That's incredible. We're talking about football business here, which is run completely differently to any other. These people don't know the game.

I just can't understand it. Since Stewart Regan was appointed chief executive at Hampden, he's been banging on about getting their house in order. But this typifies what everyone is battling against. This ruling has taken the SFA back two decades.

They've made a balls-up of a relatively simple decision. Of course, Rangers and Craig Whyte deserved to be punished. But the timing of it - and the failure to recognise the repercussions which would follow - is staggering.

They've opened up a huge can of worms and I'm not sure they're aware of the backlash that could follow.

I've heard Murning's last involvement on an SFA panel was ruling on a red-card appeal by an Albion Rovers player.

He managed to rescind the sending off from a game against Brechin. Now, I'm sorry, but how can he go from making decisions on a Second Division game to ruling on the potential future of Rangers FC? It's unbelievable.

That's what the Three Stooges did.

After all, it was announced on the day the club's administrators wanted to name a preferred bidder and that process has now stalled as a result.

But nothing surprises me about the SFA any more. They talk of taking the game forward. Well, God help us.

Everything Regan has said since he took the job has been about improving the game. But this decision, if it means killing off Rangers, will completely knock the stuffing out of Scottish football.

After everything they've been working on in the last few years, they've managed to score another own goal. They take two steps forward then 10 back with some of their decisions.

Ally was right in demanding to know who was on the panel. Drysdale, Allan and Murning must be accountable, surely?

They're supposed to be anonymous - but that's why the SFA should have made the decision themselves, instead of getting others to do it for them.

This type of thing just wouldn't happen in England. You have to ask, what are we getting from the SFA, what are clubs paying for?

If they can't make a ruling on the biggest story to hit Scottish football what chance do we have? They are the game's governing body.

I would like to think Regan and Co will back down after an appeal. They should be big enough to hold their hands up and admit their mistake.

Because if they think they can attract sponsors for their tournaments, when they're making decisions which could liquidate one of their top clubs, they're having a laugh.

Already, Rangers fans are planning to boycott some of the SFA's big commercial partners. These deals are huge earners for them.

And if they under-estimate fan power, they'll be in an even bigger mess than they currently find themselves in.

It's slow frustrating for fans as Miller plays waiting game

2012-04-21T06:27:26Z

BILL MILLER now believes he's in pole position to buy Rangers but I have a question for the American tycoon.

If you have the £11.2 million and your plans for the club in place - why wait until Monday to finalise your bid?

If Miller's so desperate to rescue Rangers, why is he waiting for others to make a move? His statement yesterday seemed a bit far-fetched in terms of creating an "incubator" company to preserve the club's history.

But with Bill Ng pulling out of the race it's time for the administrators to be decisive and give Miller, right, or Paul Murray preferred bidder status.

In a successful administration a deadline should mean a deadline. But in Rangers' case, the goalposts have been moved at every turn.

I believe that has deterred a lot of the proposals put forward, particularly from Murray's Blue Knights group.

It's imperative that a preferred bidder is named by Monday. Not least to allow Ally McCoist to plan for next season.

Everyone is fed up with it now and I understand the fans' frustrations as this has been a nightmare for them.

There has been a lot of posturing from the various bidders but surely it's down to Duff and Phelps now to make their decision and say "on you go"?

It's not as if the administrators don't know the guys they'd be dealing with. Miller and Murray have both been around for a long time now.

And we all know that as the clock keeps ticking, the closer Rangers edge towards liquidation.

For me, that scenario must be avoided at all costs. And I'm convinced that's what Paul Murray thinks as well.

I expected a decision to be made by Friday at 5pm. In fact, I thought it would all be completed a fortnight ago.

When Rangers entered administration I thought it would be a 4-6 week job. Most football administrations are done even quicker but obviously there were complications due to Craig Whyte's handling of affairs at Ibrox.

But I'm amazed it is taking so long for Duff and Phelps to name the front-runner to take over. And if it goes on any longer, liquidation could become a probability rather than a possibility.

A result of that will mean, as Fraser Wishart said in midweek, that all the players will be allowed to leave for free this summer. And who could blame them? They've been promised certain things and they showed goodwill by taking their 75 per cent pay cuts.

As yet, they've had very little in return and they have no idea where they'll be plying their trade next term.

They have families and careers to look after. So if liquidation becomes a reality, they'll be well within their rights to say "enough is enough".

For whoever takes the club, that just adds to the mess they will inherit. They will have no players and it would take around £15-20 million to replace the ones who will have left.

So clarity and transparency are paramount now and it has to happen rapidly. I would still be surprised if the Blue Knights aren't named as the preferred bidder next week.

I certainly hope that's the case. Murray has been there from the start and would be the favourite with the supporters.

If Brian Kennedy could somehow add to the Blue Knights' bid, I think that would strengthen it - and I believe that's the way forward for the club.

It's important to know the guys you're dealing with and Paul has made his intentions clear from the outset.

As for Miller, it would be going into the unknown, a similar situation to the one Rangers encountered with Whyte.

And we all know what happened there.

As told to Scott McDermott

Rangers can't do walking away from the SPL

2012-04-13T07:06:56Z

IF RANGERS were an ordinary outfit they would stick two fingers up to the SPL and head for the foot of the Third Division.

However, this has always been more than a club.

There must be a strong temptation among the bidders vying for the club to conclude a deal and manufacture a siege mentality.

They would be wrong to do so but who could blame them? After all, with liquidation on the cards the SPL and SFA have done little to support one of its biggest members.

The SPL's latest raft of hastily penned legislation means if the Ibrox club start next season as a newco they face two years with a 10-point deduction.

Also a loss of revenue for three seasons that could amount to almost £6million for the club.

The timing of the announcement has delayed the plans of administrator Duff and Phelps to select a preferred bidder.

And as a result, Ally McCoist's planning for the new season has been disrupted further as at least another month is added to the timescale for him to select a squad for the challenges ahead.

The proposed new rules are too severe, although Rangers should not escape Scot-free.

A 10-point penalty for two years I can just about accept.

But more crippling points deductions and the withdrawal of 75 per cent of SPL funding smacks me as just too punitive.

Rangers have rightly been deducted points for entering into administration and will be penalised again if they are forced to liquidate all together.

But who at the SFA failed to conduct due diligence on the change of ownership of one of their oldest members?

Rangers are rightly being taken to task for their woeful financial mismanagement but who is taking responsibility for the SFA's role?

But the worst request any new owner could make would be for demotion to the Third Division.

Rangers fans may have to write off title success for the next few years but they can blood their kids and fashion a new team in the SPL rather than at places such as Annan and Albion Rovers.

Supporters are going to have to suck up a lot of pain in the next couple of seasons as the club struggles.

Rangers can't be transformed overnight in the fashion of Chelsea or Manchester City because new investors won't have access to the billions of Roman Abramovich and his likes.

But they'll hopefully have a wealth of integrity and decency, which seems to be in short supply right now.

As told to Gary Ralston

How can this have happened to a club as great as Rangers?

2012-04-06T07:02:30Z

FRIDAY night at Ibrox was an unbelievable experience.

For me, as an old boy of Rangers and AC Milan, it was a thrill to be playing in front of a packed house at Ibrox. Even if it was just for 15 minutes and my ankle and hip complained about it for the rest of the weekend.

But it was also an unbelievable experience for the AC Milan legends who played in the game.

They found it unbelievable that a club which can attract almost 50,000 to a kickabout can be facing the prospect of extinction.

Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta. They all came up to me and said basically the same thing: "How can this have happened to a club as great as this one?"

They are bamboozled by it, as are football people all over the world.

I mean that - I've played in Italy, Monaco and England and I'm lucky enough to have played alongside great players from almost every corner of the planet and still speak to them.

They are all at a loss to get their heads rounds this and I'm sure that every Rangers fan feels the same way.

However, we are where are and right now the club's administrators have a decision to make that will determine the very future of Rangers.

It's so important that they get it right and I hope they go for a group or person who realises the supporters are the heart and soul of the club and they do not want their 140 years of history broken by liquidation.

They want someone they can trust at the helm and they deserve that after everything they've been put through.

I don't know the Americans who are interested in the club and I don't know who the Singapore players are but I do know Paul Murray and members of his Blue Knights consortium.

I have known Paul for years and he is a man of scruples. He will not say one thing and then do another.

I'll tell you another thing - Paul has the trust of the Rangers players and believe me that could be very important in the months ahead.

These players have taken massive pay cuts until the end of the season and many of their deals have been renegotiated to allow them to leave for a fraction of their value in the summer.

The vultures are circling, make no mistake. West Brom have already tried to take advantage of the situation by making a £2million offer for Steven Naismith and the chances are they'll be back.

If not, others will. Kyle Lafferty is reported to have a £500,000 price tag and English clubs would be mad not to be looking at Allan McGregor, Steven Davis and Steven Whittaker if they are available at knockdown prices.

I know that whoever takes control will have a lot on their plate.

Setting up a board of directors, putting their business plan into action and going through every corner of the club with a fine toothcomb will take time and money but I would urge them to put at the top of their list of priorities sorting out the playing squad.

If McGregor, Davis, Naismith and Whittaker are allowed to leave, it would take millions to replace them with the quality needed to keep Rangers competitive.

I would add Sone Aluko to that list because he has played well enough to have been offered a three-year deal had he come to the club in normal circumnstances.

Getting those guys pinned down and convincing them that there is a bright future for the club is paramount.

Again, it could come down to them trusting the people in charge of the club.

Alastair McCoist has famously said "we don't do walking away" but players have their families and careers to think of and it would be unfair to put them through any more uncertainty of the type they've had to endure during this campaign.

As for their careers, the fact that they won't be playing in Europe next season is a hammer blow to them.

It's only four years since some of those guys were playing in a UEFA Cup Final but they won't be on that stage next year.

Worse than that, if the club is liquidated there will be no European football for the next THREE seasons. My fear is that some of those players will decide they won't hang around for that long, surviving on a diet of just domestic football.

That's another reason why liquidation should be avoided at all costs.

Top players like the keeper, the captain and Naisy could go and with no revenue from European football, there will not be enough in the kitty to bring in anything like the same quality.

Going back to that match on Friday night, you look at the ability of those who wore the Rangers jersey and you could weep.

Yes, you might not expect players like Brian Laudrup, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Arthur Numan and Jorge Albertz to be signed again in the future but we have to be able to hope that the club will be able to attract good footballers.

This club touches the heart of anyone who plays for it. I know because I was the globetrotter who played for some of the biggest clubs in the world and nowhere did I feel more at home than at Ibrox.

The others feel the same and that's why they came from all over the place on Friday night to wear the jersey one more time.

I certainly didn't think I'd ever play in front of almost 50,000 fans again and it was a magical experience.

Then again, it is a magical place and the people who want to get their hands on the club have to realise that.

One man does. Paul Murray is a fan and has a plan. I'd love to see him get the chance to put it into practice.

● As told to David Mccarthy

Liquidation of Rangers would wash 140 years of proud tradition away

2012-03-30T14:00:00Z

RANGERS going into liquidation is unthinkable. It's as simple as that.

And that's why I was so worried when I saw that dreaded word rear its ugly head again yesterday.

It looks as though Craig Whyte doesn't want to sell his shares to Paul Murray and the Blue Knights consortium. There has even been a suggestion he would rather let the club die.

Hasn't he done enough damage already? If Whyte refuses point blank to sell his shares to Paul then liquidation becomes a genuine fear for the fans again.

For me, it has always been the worst-case scenario since administration engulfed Ibrox.

I'm speaking as a fan and former Rangers player - it can't be allowed to happen. Think of the history that would be lost if the club went bust. That's the thing that disturbs me most.

Rangers have a phenomenal 140-year tradition, with some great players and managers along the way. There have been brilliant times and different generations of supporters can say: "I supported that team." The same as their grandad and great-grandad did.

But that would be broken if liquidation became a reality.

People have so much passion for Rangers and it's a club known around the world. It's important those traditions and values are maintained.

I've heard punters say: "Even if they're liquidated, they'll come back with a new name and the history will still be there." But I don't agree - it just won't be the same Rangers.

A club should be the same from birth. It allows you to keep the same values that Rangers were founded upon.

The Rangers supporters would also never be allowed to forget it by Celtic fans. So I don't even want to think about that particular scenario.

It would be another black mark against the Whyte regime.

The best thing for him to do now, in the best interests of Rangers, would be sell to someone with the club at heart.

At the moment, that person is Paul and the Blue Knights.

The most important thing is to protect the name of Rangers Football Club and ensure the club continues as the same entity.

Unfortunately, the bidders appear to be dropping by the day. But Paul has always been there, constantly saying that his Blue Knights group will do everything in the interests of the club.

That's what everything should be geared towards right now. The administrators must look at a takeover with a business plan in place for the next five years.

What matters is that Rangers operate on an even keel again.

Whyte has always said he is working in the best interests of the club. So why wouldn't he want to sell to Paul when that appears to be his sole aim?

Brian Kennedy has now been ruled out of the running but he has spoken in glowing terms about Paul. Kennedy knows what Paul is all about and what he's trying to achieve at Rangers.

He's backing Paul and obviously believes it would be for the best if the Blue Knights gained control.

The administrators are duty bound to do what is best for the club and the supporters. They are there to find the best buyer.

If the person in question has a personality clash with Whyte - which appears to be the case with Paul - it shouldn't matter. It's not about that any more.

The question the administrators have to ask themselves is: "Who are the best people to take Rangers forward?"

It looks like that would be Paul's Blue Knights group and if he needed any more encouragement to buy the club, surely Sunday's Old Firm win would have done it? It was an incredible atmosphere at Ibrox and Rangers thoroughly deserved their 3-2 victory.

Kyle Lafferty has caused a bit of a stir with his comments about Rangers being better than Celtic and the best in the SPL. And he's right - to a certain extent.

On their day, Rangers are on a level par with Celtic. But what separates them is the size of their squads.

I would suggest that when Rangers get their best team on the pitch it's as good as, if not better, than Celtic's.

The head-to-head record this season would back that theory up.

Of the three Old Firm games so far, Rangers have won two of them at Ibrox quite convincingly.

Celtic won the other one at Parkhead with Joe Ledley's header - but Rangers had a good goal disallowed.

So the starting 11s are evenly matched. But you don't win titles with your best 11 players. You win a championship with the strength of your squad.

And that's why Celtic are way out in front this season. They have a stronger pool of players.

At the start of the season it looked as if Rangers' starting side might be good enough to win the league again but they didn't have the squad to cope with losing key men through injury or, in Nikica Jelavic's case, transfer.

They lost big players at key times. Jelavic was sold in January, Steven Naismith has been injured since October, Lafferty has been out for a long period and Steven Whittaker has missed a lot of games.

You saw it at Dundee United when Dorin Goian and Carlos Bocanegra were suspended. They are quality players and Rangers just can't afford to lose them.

Look at Celtic's squad depth. They have various options at full-back and in central defence. Mark and Kelvin Wilson are struggling to get a game and they have the likes of Cha Du-Ri, Adam Matthews, Thomas Rogne, Charlie Mulgrew, Emilio Izaguirre. The list goes on.

Rangers got their best defence back for the Celtic game and that backline was the most frugal in the SPL earlier this season. When they lost that momentum, with key players out, it all unravelled.

Rangers couldn't cope with the demands of the SPL and that's when Celtic's squad came to the fore. That's why they will be the SPL champions.

As told to Scott McDermott

Ally McCoist has done his bit.. now Gers need a buyer

2012-03-26T06:20:50Z

BRITISH summer time arrived yesterday and finally some sunshine broke over Ibrox.

It was a super show from Rangers to triumph in the Old Firm game and the old adage that form goes out of the window when these two sides clash could not have been any more true.

Now it's back over to the administrators.

The players have done their bit on and off the pitch in recent weeks and now it is down to Duff and Phelps to find someone to take on the club.

They have to finalise a deal with one of the prospective buyers and keep everyone connected with the club smiling on the back of the derby win.

It's been a helluva period for Rangers and, basically, playing to beat Celtic and stopping their party was what was left to play for.

What a difference a week makes in football.

Everyone's spirits will be lifted - management, players, staff, everyone.

I was delighted for Alistair McCoist and I hope people who have criticised him lately will reconsider.

I've heard it said that the club falling into administration and the subsequent chaos and uncertainty has helped to cover up deficiences in his management.

To me, that's not the case.

If anything, it is going to hinder a manager, whether it was an experienced or inexperienced man.

A manager cannot do the job to his full ability if these things are going on.

In the week before a recent game, Alistair could not get on to the training pitch with the squad because he spent all his time in meetings with Duff and Phelps.

It's unfair for anyone to judge him during this period.

Until the club is on an even keel and he has players to deal with nothing can be decided.

After losing Steven Naismith earlier in the season the ideal scenario for the manager was to go out and recruit cover for him. But instead of signing someone to boost resources the club let top scorer Nikica Jelavic go and leave even fewer options.

With Kyle Lafferty also getting injured, the manager has had to do without three top strikers and no side can cope with that.

Last weekend at Dundee United he had to go to the Under-19 side to fill a starting line-up and didn't get enough bodies for the subs bench.

How is that covering up?

You'll see what he can do when the club is settled.

He got it right yesterday on the tactics board and his players responded.

The solidarity of the club shone through in the game and getting the back four into place again was a big factor.

Having Dorin Goian, Carlos Bocanegra and Steven Whittaker back made an immense difference as the rest of the team picks itself from that area.

For me, Lee McCulloch was outstanding. When he was up front at the start of the game the Celtic central defenders just couldn't get a handle on him.

Sone Aluko was also blinding in the first period.

He was a constant threat and scored a goal no one, Celtic fans apart, will tire of watching.

Young Rhys McCabe performed with discipline and did well. To be fair, Celtic were quickly down to 10 men and that would have helped him but he didn't look out of place. I'm sure Alistair will have a nice smile on his face regarding the kid's progress.

Allan McGregor made a big save from Georgios Samaras and also played his part.

To be honest, I thought 3-2 was a flattering result for Celtic. It was a 3-0 game.

Referee Calum Murray had a terrific game. He made all the right decisions and only took out his cards when necessary.

There was no disputing any of the three reds.

I was covering the match for a TV station in London and it had a little bit of something for everyone.

You couldn't take your eyes off it for a second and it was a great day for my old club.

Everyone behind the scenes will be smiling now and we look forward to more in what will be a productive week for Rangers as a whole.

Nothing could be as bad as last week and as I said with the forecast, the sunshine has maybe broken over Ibrox at last. Now it's up to the administrators to keep it shining.

Celts bash would be final nail

2012-03-23T07:12:54Z

RANGERS might be 21 points behind Celtic in the SPL and have European qualification taken out of their hands but Sunday's Old Firm derby is still massive.

In fact, I'd go as far as to say this is my old club's season rolled into one game. The last hurrah. Call it what you like but they just can't let Celtic win at Ibrox.

Regardless of the outcome of Motherwell's game 24 hours earlier, victory for Neil Lennon's side will spark one big party for the visiting fans and players at the home of their fierce rivals.

Publicly, the Celtic camp will say there's no talk of winning the title at Ibrox but I'll guarantee you the chat around Lennoxtown this week has been, "Let's get there and get it won".

And to see Celtic partying on the Ibrox turf would be the final insult in a season from hell. For Rangers now it's about trying to stay unbeaten in the remaining games and winning the final two Old Firm games of the season.

But the pressure on players trying to stop the other team clinching the league on their patch is just so great that when they feel it slipping away the discipline goes out the window.

That's what we witnessed at Parkhead in 1999. Celtic simply couldn't live with Rangers that day and it was hard for them to take.

Discipline is the key. You have to channel that aggression into the right areas.

Rangers' players and the management have come out of the club's darkest period like shining stars and it would be a blow if their good work to keep the club going was all lost because the red mist came down.

It's all about the discipline of everyone - players and fans.

When I came back to Rangers for my second spell we went to Parkhead and won in a match that effectively sealed nine in a row. I was sent off that day but I was harshly dealt with.

Charlie Miller was holding my arms down as the keeper ran 50 yards up the pitch and I can state there wasn't a coming together of heads. Close but no headbutt.

Once I was sent off everyone dug that bit deeper but while I deserved some red cards in my career, I was trying to calm a situation down with Brian Laudrup and Malky MacKay.

But the heat of battle is all about keeping your discipline.

You can see why these games do get out of hand from time to time. It's the culmination of a long season and going to win a title at your rivals' place.

During the nine-in-a-row era it was the icing on the cake to go to Parkhead and all but seal the title.

worried

In terms of what kind of spectacle we can expect on Sunday, a lot will depend on what team Rangers put out. If they play as they did against Dundee United the home fans could be watching through their fingers.

A lot of the young boys who featured at Tannadice last Saturday simply aren't ready for that sort of environment.

Celtic are huge favourites, with the run they're on - League Cup Final apart - and Rangers' contrasting poor performances.

Rangers fans must be worried because prior to Hampden you'd have said Lennon's side looked like going the season unbeaten.

The fact Kilmarnock beat them proves it's not all about form. But, still, Rangers fans will probably be holding their breath for this.

Rangers players must make right D-Day choice

2012-03-09T06:39:25Z

BARCELONA, 1972. Nine in a row. Manchester, 2008.

These were all historic moments in the history of Rangers and the players involved will be forever lauded by supporters.

But today, if a group of around 30 men at Murray Park make the kind of sacrifice that ensures the club's survival until the end of the season, they should be held in the same high regard.

It might sound crazy to mention the likes of Dorin Goian, Maurice Edu and Sone Aluko in the same breath as Colin Stein, Richard Gough or Davie Weir.

But if the current Rangers squad agree to the pay-cut deal put in front of them by the administrators, they will never be forgotten by the fans.

Today is D-Day for the players. Duff and Phelps have already said if an agreement isn't in place by close of play there will be redundancies throughout the club.

And for me, it's all about solidarity. Each Rangers player is an individual but on the pitch they're a team. They have to show that togetherness now.

This squad was successful under Walter Smith and it has been built on unity.

It is now down to those same players to dictate what happens to the club.

They have dug in for the past four years to win trophies.

They've won three SPL titles and reached a UEFA Cup Final by sticking together.

Now they have a decision to make and I would urge them to display that same togetherness one last time in order to keep the club afloat.

In the fans' eyes, what they've done has been remarkable. But if they reach an agreement today it could be their legacy. It's what they will be remembered for - keeping Rangers going.

As a player, it's great to be remembered by the supporters for the titles and cups you've won but it would be even more special to be known as one of the 20 men who saved Rangers.

In 140 years there have been some great moments but this sacrifice to help the club would match any of them.

If the players accept massive cuts, it will be set in stone forever. They will be up there with the players who won the Cup-Winners' Cup in '72 or the guys who played their part in nine in a row.

The club is more important than any individual. It's a club of the people, for the people and when I played in that nine in a row team, that's what it was all about for us.

I'm absolutely certain that if we had been in the same predicament the current squad find themselves in, we would have done whatever it took to keep the club going.

I know I would have done it and I'm sure others would have as well - even if it meant taking a huge pay cut until the end of the season.

When I signed for Rangers from Monaco I forfeited a big chunk of my salary in France. I came because Rangers have a great history and that could be in these players' hands now. If an agreement isn't reached with administrators today I dread to think what the outcome might be.

Lee McCulloch has been a leading light. He is the epitomy of what the club is all about.

He has been there, seen it and done it and appreciates all he has had, everything he has won and is willing to give something back.

It's a fantastic gesture from him to publicly admit he'd be willing to lose around £250,000 in wages between now and the end of the season to ensure the club survives. Lee knows when you leave Rangers, in whatever circumstances, it leaves a big hole in you life. He's a shining example to his team-mates and he knows what this means for everyone connected with the club.

People talk about players inspiring others on the pitch and being a role model. Lee is doing that now, on and off the pitch.

He's in the final chapter of his career and has spent a long time at Ibrox. He realises there are people who work at the stadium and Murray Park who have had four generations of family associated with Rangers.

To keep that going, in terms of achievement for a player, would be on a par with winning any trophy or reaching any final in the fans' eyes.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't criticise a player if he didn't accept the cuts. I know everyone has their own personal circumstances.

It's unfair to condemn someone when you don't know the reasons. But I reiterate to them - this is a massive club. We've had everyone from the Prime Minister, David Cameron, talking about how important they are to Scottish football and the supporters.

Now it's down to everyone on the playing staff to do their bit. They must help in this hour of need.

We've had momentous days at Rangers, players and fans alike, but today a meeting of administrators and a group of players could mark one of the most important days in the club's history.

As told to Scott McDermott

D-Day is here and Rangers need more support than ever

2012-03-02T06:39:30Z

When I was in charge of Hull I remember having to sit down with young players at the end of their scholarships and telling them they wouldn't be getting a professional contract.

As any manager will tell you it's the worst part of the job, and the image of those kids sitting in my office in front of their mums and dads as I told them they were out of a job is with me this week.

But you can multiply that a hundred-fold in terms of the ramifications for a first-team player at Rangers being given that same bombshell news when D-Day finally arrives.

With many expecting it to be today there must be so much fear and apprehension for the players reporting to Murray Park this morning and wondering if this will be their last day at the club.

People assume footballers have nothing to worry about but it's not just the money side of things.

You don't find a football club like Rangers every day of the week. Everyone who pulls on that light blue jersey always has great memories of playing there. Leaving Rangers makes you realise what you're actually missing.

It's not just the football side of things, it's about those who work behind the scenes, people who have worked at the club for decades. It's a way of life.

Playing at Rangers FC does become a way of life.

You move away and realise what a huge club it is and how much you're going to miss it. That's always going to be in the back of everyone's mind.

From the backroom staff to the office workers, to the supporters - everyone is worried sick but those who work there have the biggest burden to bear with the potential loss of jobs.

That's why now is about pulling together.

Still, I didn't think I'd ever see these days at Rangers. Why? It's a club with 140 years of history and heritage. But if there's one thing we've all learned from this it's that no business is safe.

It's unfortunate, the past has caught up but while some are pointing the finger at David Murray I read Alistair defending him last week.

Footballers always remember the great times and the great times were under David Murray in his 20 years.

He tried to take the club forward and get to the dizzy heights of the Champions League and that's what we remember - and so do the supporters.

On the back end of that sort of investment, towards the latter years of his reign, things got out of hand and the climate of the business world had an impact.

But the intentions were there.

Craig Whyte, on the other, hand had a nine-month spell and as Alistair will tell you there was nothing positive during that time.

That's the difference. You'd like to see a new owner come in and be positive from day one - we didn't see any of that from Whyte.

I have no idea how the man thinks or what his intentions were. But that's part of the problem - I'm not sure anyone knew and that alarmed the fans. We've all been left to guess.

But it's out of everyone's control now and people must focus on drawing a line under it and turning the club around.

We need to support this club more than ever before. And I really mean more than ever before. I'm sure the Rangers fans will respond.

As told to Gavin Berry

Celtic are wrong to dance on Rangers' grave

2012-02-24T08:29:48Z

CONGRATULATIONS, Celtic. This year's title is yours and even though I believe it's tainted that's none of your concern.

It's not Celtic's fault Rangers have ended up in a mess of their own making.

So Neil Lennon and his players have every right to milk the moment from here on in until the medals are passed around in May.

The club's supporters are also entitled to enjoy the rest of the cakewalk.

I'd prefer just to leave them to it. Congratulate them and move on. I just wish they had the good grace to do likewise as my club attempts to battle for its very existence and good people are worried sick about their jobs.

I find the tone that has been set by the men at the top at Celtic Park in recent days and weeks has been ill-judged at best and, at worst, deliberately inflammatory.

Let's be honest here, Rangers are lying in the gutter, bleeding badly. There is no need for the likes of Lennon and Peter Lawwell to continue to sink the boot in when our wounds
have been self-inflicted.

I would hope Rangers, as a football club, would conduct themselves with a bit more class if the shoe was on the other foot. In fact, I'm sure they would.

Calling for Rangers to be stripped of titles? Political manipulating and manoeuvring in order to make sure no mercy is shown should their rivals get back on their feet?

All this crass stuff about celebrating the death of Rangers with bowls of jelly and ice cream? Is that really necessary? It smacks of the behaviour of people who hate Rangers more than they love their own club. It reflects very badly on them all.

No one expects Celtic to shed a tear over the state Rangers have got themselves into.

But, even so, there is a venom about their recent reaction which has shocked me and should embarrass the more level-headed, decent people at Parkhead. I hope it does at any rate.

It saddens me that these extreme times seem to bring out the worst in supporters on both sides of Glasgow.

I include Rangers supporters in that because last week, when they were all hurting so badly, some of them chose to bring further shame on Ibrox by singing the kind of songs that have been making us cringe for so long. Thanks for that lads. Just what the club needed in a time of crisis.

As much as I would prefer for Celtic to concentrate on enjoying their success, I would also hope Rangers and their fans can act with dignity and decorum as they fight to get through this, one of the most horrible periods in the club's 140-year history.

These are the qualities the club was built on and these same qualities have never been more important than they are right now.

In fact, I'd go as far as to say how the Rangers support acts at this crucial juncture may decide the very fate of their club.

It's time for them to think smart. Singing stupid songs of defiance is hardly what's needed now. They have to take a step back from all that nonsense and attempt to get a clear view of the bigger picture.

It's not about mindless bravado, it's about making the right choices and ensuring the club they love is around another 140 years from now.

There is no shame in being duped. Let's be honest, it happens to us all.

But what's the old saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

They should have those words engraved on the front doors of Ibrox as a permanent reminder and a warning to the next man who gets his hands on the keys.

Yes, the Rangers support is just about to realise how powerful it really is now it is galvanised again and pulling in the same direction.

These fans are about to become the king makers and that's why they should behave in a manner befitting the club they represent.

The next man who steps up to the plate will expect them to scrutinise his every move like never before. The fans will demand that, from now on, the people at the top are open and transparent. They deserve nothing less.

What the future holds is still unclear. In the short term, we can only hope the administrators find what they are looking for to keep the business going and then had it over to a safe pair of hands.

Hopefully the time will come soon when the fans are being asked to throw their united support behind a new regime.

In an ideal world a group of well meaning, wealthy and reputable Rangers supporters will step forward to claim control as a consortium to make sure that, never again, the club is left in the hands of just one man.

If all these interested parties can find a way to club together for the greater good and drag Rangers away from the brink I'm positive the rank and file won't be slow in identifying them as the men who saved them from their darkest hour.

It's time for Rangers men to stand up and be counted. It's time for the club to rid itself of all the old unwanted baggage so that Rangers can be proud of itself again for the fantastic football club it always has been.

So let Celtic get on with celebrating their title - a title they somehow failed to win throughout the last three years of financial troubles - and let Rangers get on with the painful process of putting their club back together.

Murray Park has been an expensive flop

2012-02-17T07:00:00Z

MURRAY PARK was set up in 2001 as a breeding ground for future Rangers legends. The state-of-the-art facility was built at a cost of £14million and was hailed as the beginning of a bright new dawn for the club.

But judged purely on the recent graduates it has been an expensive failure. From a purely football point of view Murray Park's youth set-up has not been good enough.

As Rangers teeter on the brink of financial collapse, the prospect of kids filling the first-team jerseys is very real. With the possibility of a cull of the current squad by the administrator, the Murray Park kids will be asked to fill their boots.

Given the club's precarious situation, the Auchenhowie complex is being talked about as one of Rangers' main assets, not as a footballing asset but as a real estate asset which surely cannot be right.

However, if Ally McCoist is forced to go with kids from now until the end of the campaign then the lack of quality will be shown up. The current system is not working and it needs to be revamped.

Players should already have reached a certain standard by the age of 18. If they don't make the grade they should be moved on in my opinion. If you keep them on your books that only serves to stifle the next crop of youngsters coming through.

Jordan McMillan is a perfect example because he started just two first team games but wasn't released by the club until he was 23.

It just didn't make any sense to keep someone at the club so long when he was blocking someone else's path. At the moment Murray Park is not maximising its potential.

You cannot compare Rangers with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United but they could certainly learn a thing or two about their set-ups.

Every season we see the Premier League big guns put out a team of kids in the Carling Cup and they are more than capable of holding their own. But if this current crop of Rangers kids were pressed into SPL service every weekend they would really struggle.

The performance of the Under-19s this season does not suggest they are quite ready for the step up. That is because the filtering process has been extremely poor for a number of years. It is as simple as that.

Murray Park is a state of the art training centre which virtually every club in Europe would be proud to have at their disposal.

It is a stunning multi-million pound facility with everything a professional footballer could possibly wish for.

However, if you don't put the right sort of fuel into such a precious piece of machinery then it won't run properly. There should be a constant supply of talent waiting in the wings but there isn't.

You need to have the right scouting network in position to find the right kids in the first place. From that point it is all about coaching them properly and that hasn't been the case at Murray Park unfortunately. You need to identify talent and make that talent better.

At Milan I spent every afternoon for three years being given one-to-one coaching. That was par for the course if you wanted to improve and make the best possible career for yourself. Clearly none of this is going on at Murray Park at the moment.

There's an old saying about only getting out what you put in. Given the amazing facilities the kids should be practising every minute of every day until it gets dark. That is what is required to make it to the very top.

Regardless of what the snipers say about Dick Advocaat, and there has been plenty comment passed on the free-spending little Dutchman following Rangers' descent into administration, the training ground he insisted on having built 11 years ago will always be his greatest legacy.

But, like me, he will be dismayed at the lack of talent coming through. There is no point trying to dress it up any other way because the bottom line is that there's been a distinct lack of progress on the youth development front.

Yes, there have been notable exceptions like Alan Hutton, Allan McGregor and Charlie Adam but there should have been a lot more over the last decade.

Of the current crop John Fleck hasn't come close to fulfilling his potential after being branded a wonderkid when he burst on to the scene a few years ago. Kyle Hutton has featured sporadically without managing to nail down a regular spot and now he has been loaned out to Dunfermline.

McMillan hung about for a number of years without managing to make an impact under a succession of bosses. Darren Cole is another who had his moment in the spotlight when he played in the Champions League before disappearing back into the shadows.

Ross Perry has also failed to press his claims for a place in the starting line-up and while Jamie Ness does look like a real prospect he has been plagued by a succession of injuries.

Yet, given the doomsday scenario facing Rangers right now most of these guys could be forming the nucleus of the first team.

Under better circumstances watching homegrown talent being given an opportunity would be a cause for celebration. At Rangers right now it is only a cause for concern.

As told to Colin Duncan