Le Guen has resigned

[Nelly]

Unconfirmed.........but it seems to be true.:mad:

[Dash]

SSN breaking News, it's definately true :(. Thats bad for Rangers, He's a top top manager.

[Nelly]

PAUL LE GUEN''S reign as Rangers manager is over after just seven months - making it shorest reign in the club's history.

Rangers Football Club today announced by mutual agreement with Manager Paul Le Guen that he will relinquish his position as Manager of the first team with immediate effect.

Chairman Sir David Murray commented: "Having met with Paul it was clear that in the interests of the Club and all concerned we agreed jointly to him stepping down as Manager.

"We are all clearly disappointed with our current circumstances and will now focus on securing a suitable replacement. I would like to wish Paul and his management team well in the future."


Paul Le Guen stated: "I am disappointed to leave the Club, but I think it is the best solution for all concerned.I would like to thank all the people who helped me and my team during my spell in Scotland.

"In particular I would like to thank the Directors who at all times gave me their total support."

There will be no further comment from the Club regarding the Manager's position, Reserve Team Coach Ian Durrant will be temporarily responsible for first team training.

[PortGlasgow]

FFS What a complete fucking shambles. Was he sacked because of Ferguson or did he resign? :(

[dimz]

Tough times for the Gers. I have no idea who a likely replacement will be. Alex Mcleish would be decent since he knows the system and has won titles with them, but i'd still say u have to search for a new head. Strachan seems to have created yet another Celtic fortress and i think intelligent new blood will be able to crack that.

[funkdoctorspock]

Nelly, can you kindly summarize wtf has been going on with your Rangers?

I didn't realize that when Bardsley was sent back to United, it was just as much to do with turmoil at the IBrox as it was with his behaviour. Was this incident the beginning of the end, or was there more hints that this resignation was going to come?

Was it player revolt? overexpectations? manager thinking he could walk on water?

[Dash]

FFS What a complete fucking shambles. Was he sacked because of Ferguson or did he resign? :(

He left, Didn't get sacked.

I reckon Graeme Souness might have a job again soon :o

Rangers deserve better though.

[been_extreme]

PLG is a top, top manager, and he can't have received the backing from the board otherwise he'd still be there.

This season gets worse and worse for the Gers, other than in Europe...

[Dash]

PLG is a top, top manager, and he can't have received the backing from the board otherwise he'd still be there.

I definately agree :(

[buckfast_kid]

out of curiousity did le guen have a director of football buying his players at lyon?

[bricktop]

apparently it was by "mutual consent"...

Le Guen leaves Rangers by mutual consent

Paul Le Guen has resigned as manager of Rangers. The Frenchman took charge in the summer but has presided over a disappointed season so far, with Rangers 17 points behind leaders Celtic in the Premier League.

He stripped the popular Barry Ferguson of the captaincy on Monday, and dropped him from the squad for the next day's match at Motherwell.

Le Guen claimed Ferguson had attempted to exert undue influence on the Rangers squad, and argued that the 28-year-old was undermining his authority.

It appeared that one of the two men would have to leave, and Le Guen's departure makes him the shortest serving Rangers manager in the club's history, having served just seven months.

Le Guen has left by mutual agreement, with executive chairman Sir David Murray saying: 'Having met with Paul it was clear that in the interests of the club and all concerned we agreed jointly to him stepping down as manager.'

Le Guen was hugely successful in French football with Lyon, helping them win three successive Ligue 1 titles.

However he struggled to make the transition to the Scottish game.

Murray added on the club's official website: 'We are all clearly disappointed with our current circumstances and will now focus on securing a suitable replacement. I would like to wish Paul and his management team well in the future.'

Le Guen added: 'I am disappointed to leave the club, but I think it is the best solution for all concerned. I would like to thank all the people who helped me and my team during my spell in Scotland.

'In particular I would like to thank the directors who at all times gave me their total support.'

Reserve-team coach Ian Durrant will take charge of training tomorrow. Rangers play Dunfermline on Sunday in the Scottish Cup.

source (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=398631&cc=5901)

[Nelly]

out of curiousity did le guen have a director of football buying his players at lyon?
Yes.........Bernard Lacombe.Apparently,le Guen's targets at Lyon were 'strange' according to Lacombe.

I'm sure PLG would have remained had Barry Ferguson been sold.David Murray wont let Ferguson leave so PLG thinks it's best to leave.

[PortGlasgow]

That seems the most likely explanation..

[jimmy]

...that confirms my own thoughts that Barry Ferguson thinks he's Mr.Rangers.Well,think again Fergie........no one is bigger than the club and more important than the manager.PLG is only the 12th manager in almost 130years.Rangers do not hire and fire.We are not Newcastle......players don't sack managers.
...sack, mutual consent whatever.

bring on the next mug to dare reclaim the fortunes of old for glasgae rangers fitba club:D

[dolpiaza]

damn.. i was actually following this with a lot of interest. i never like it when a player is deemed more valuable than the club.:mad:

[Nelly]

Aye.......the boy Murray played a blinder again.:mad: :mad:

No big pay off........no manager to back with cash - not his fault it didnt work

plg was a top name - not his fault it didnt work

[jimmy]

Aye.......the boy Murray played a blinder again.:mad: :mad:
off with his head i say!!!:D :D :D :p :p :p

or wait again, the queen just honored him, a week past.. and she says it wasn't for football related festivities, well this season has been full of the festivities:D anyway..... what you mean, he won't be getting a severants package? was only a 2 year deal anyway, right?

but i must say on a serious note his silly tactics and team selection (past, and up until the other day present) didn't do him any favors, so long plg we hardly knew ye!!

beggars belief to who would actually want the job now, leveins settled at hibs, collins at hibs.. not that he'd ever goto mordor for those reasons... brewsters just signed for the sheep.. oh who's foolish enough to take this job i wonder... perhaps romanov could pass graham rix's number onto davey murray:D

[Nelly]

Can you believe the rumour is the 'dream team' of Walter Smith & Ally McCoist which is being mentioned?

Jesus fucking Christ........did we learn nothing from watching Celtic disintegrate in the 90's?

Fully expect to see Dr.Jozef fucking Venglos in the frame next.

PS.Take it easy on me Jimmy,I'm hurting big style here.;)

[PortGlasgow]

Give Alex Ferguson a call and tell him everything is forgiven and its time to come home hes managing for some sunday league team south somewhere

[been_extreme]

What about Gazza? ;)

[Nelly]

Time for a change of sig PG.

Derek Ferguson, who also played for Rangers, said:

"The most important thing is that Barry is going to remain a Rangers player."

This bitter wee fuckwit has caused a whole host of bother.Just because Souness kicked him out years ago for being a ned.

[Fenianbhoy]

Can you believe the rumour is the 'dream team' of Walter Smith & Ally McCoist which is being mentioned?

Jesus fucking Christ........did we learn nothing from watching Celtic disintegrate in the 90's?


I heard the same and laughed so loud & immediately thought of Lou Fkn Macari also heard of a few shouts for Billy Davis , thou Duranty will probably be interim charge for this weekends game.

[Nelly]

2043




The annoying thing is........he isn't that good anymore.

[PortGlasgow]

Might ask jimmy to make us a sig of drugged up mongols with stupid head wear but im sure hed just make something offensive to my beloved team.

[Monne]

you guys think that thomas buffel is getting more chances due to this?

in fact: how doe rangers-fan look to him? pos or neg?

[Nelly]

you guys think that thomas buffel is getting more chances due to this?

in fact: how doe rangers-fan look to him? pos or neg?Thomas Bufell didn't feature at all during the last weeks.He just misses loads of good chances all the time.He is mostly known as someone who is a bit of a,shall we say,shirker of tackles.A shitebag in other words.

I've seen him play well........he has talent........looks like his confidence is very low.I doubt anyone would be bothered if he left.

[jimmy]

i just thought something.. next in line for PLG's old job will be rangers 3rd manager in less than a year.. not rubbing salt into wounds.. just thought about that.. interesting

it's at times like this when i feel the urge to just shout from the top of me lungs

4every 5iver my arse 18 points clear..... :rolleyes:

[PortGlasgow]

Jimmy stop pimping yer arse on maxxed pls I know times are hard

Always lliked Buffel I noticed he was targetted last season by hard tackles but he linked up well with Lovenkrands. Good thing about Buffel is you never here him moan about not playing or playing out of position. Good pacey player and im sure hes getting stuck in to tackles he would have minced away from last season. He hasnt played enough to form any good partnerships.

[jimmy]

just heard from reliable source, that this is the case lol, :eek:

[PortGlasgow]

mixed emotions about Walter Smith. It would be a massive impact on the Scotland squad if he just left. I hope he can do both roles. It would be apt as Ranger is Scotlands club first and foremost ;)

/suppose that makes you a hardcore fan if you put club before country

[Nelly]

Tommy Burns new Scotland manager!!!:p :p

Errrmmmm........It's aaaaahhhh....macknificenthonour....toooo beeee the new manager of Scotlandfootballclub.:D :D

[varun]

OMFG :eek:......but so funny this is :D:D:D ROFL :D:D

Give Alex Ferguson a call and tell him everything is forgiven and its time to come home hes managing for some sunday league team south somewhere
Aye :mad:

[cavenaghi]

PLG a top manager? :confused:
I'm not saying he's bad but it seems too early to say he's great. Lyon's successes were much more the results of Aulas' strategy than anything. They were already champions before PLG came and they still are without him. Almost any french coach would have had the same results with such a club (b_e, don't forget that even Santini was champion with Lyon ;) ).
So I don't think you can already qualify him as a top manager. And, even if the context wasn't great, I doubt his short Rangers period demonstrated anything about his potential greatness.
We'll see in his next club. Paris-Saint-Germain? :rolleyes:

[Nelly]

They were already champions before PLG came and they still are without him. Almost any french coach would have had the same results with such a club Got a point there.Houllier has Lyon 15 points clear in Ligue1.:p
We'll see in his next club. Paris-Saint-Germain? :rolleyes:If PLG walks into the PSG job it will reflect badly on him.Some will say he manouvered his way out of Rangers after seeing he was making a cunt of it.:eek:

[No1_Dave]

any1 else think PLG has bought poorly? underestimated the SPL perhaps?

[cavenaghi]

If PLG walks into the PSG job it will reflect badly on him.Some will say he manouvered his way out of Rangers after seeing he was making a cunt of it.:eek:
Does he really need to do that to get a bad reputation? I mean the guy waited for a whole year before picking a new club. He had a project, his staff... and 6 months later he's giving up :confused:
I know he had excuses (or let's say you're kind enough to find ones for him, Nelly) but still it just demonstrates, imho, that he's not a fighter. If he trully believed in his project (if he ever had one), he wouldn't have given up so soon. PLG didn't make a mistake when choosing the Rangers, the Rangers did.
Don't regret him, he's not worthy.

any1 else think PLG has bought poorly? underestimated the SPL perhaps?
Underestimate for sure. I think he saw the SPL as a step before going to the EPL. He thought he would quickly manage to get the Rangers on top and then go to some ambitious english club and become Wenger#2.
Well, he underestimated the SPL, the same way that people are overestimating him. The guy is young, he still has a lot to learn. Cause if you can't manage the environment, you're not a good manager. And his not... for the moment ;)

[cartbran]

I am a little confused by all this talk of what a good manager Le Guen is. Last year, I watched him week in and week out as a commentator on Canal+Sport and he said some truly bizarre and dumb things quite frequently. The impression he gave on the tele was of an individual who was weird and goofy and definitely not a top shelf intellect. Someone wrote that his transfer targets at Lyon were strange, well I'd believe it. I never thought he was a good fit for Rangers, being a Frenchman without a great command of English leading a Scottish club.

Not to be harsh, but I suspect his coaching career may be over. That is unless he follows fellow countryman Claude LeRoy and starts managing national teams in Africa. I can't think of a club team where he would be chosen, except maybe back in France for a struggling Ligue Un side. I don't think his reputation is entirely positive.

Edit: as for taking the job at PSG, well it is probably a toss-up, whether Le Guen is the intellectual superior of Guy Lacombe. Lacombe is a true idiot, so I suspect Le Guen will win due to his greater Forrest Gump-like intellectual curosity. Remember when he left Lyon and decided to travel the world to learn coaching football? It was a bizarre idea. But I cannot see Le Guen having any greater success at PSG, than Lacombe. A big problem at PSG is the ownership structure and incapable management and that is not going to change anytime soon. With or without success on the pitch, the club makes a ton of money, it's a recipe for mediocrity when your club is controlled by an investment firm and not an individual with a reputation at stake.

[PortGlasgow]

He still has his integrity intact, as anyone outside SPL will think he wasnt allowed to have full control of the club.

If he does walk straight into the PSG job then it will be very hard not to assume Le Guen dropped Ferguson to get the fans/chairman against him and easy way out of a situation that was steadilly breaking apart his reputation as a world class manager.

But then again Le Guen hasnt shown this level of Tactical thinking so far this season so maybe Murray put him out his pain and gave him the boot.

Ferguson cant be the reason Le Guen walked their must be more to it than this one incident. I hope the truth comes out but it doesnt look good for PLG atm.

[jimmy]

http://images.bol.de/images-adb/1b/97/1b9709b3-488a-42af-a07d-3fc85d84f801.jpg

[Nelly]

Reports in the Telegraph say that PLG was sacked by Murray.

It's a strange one.This time last year we had just gone on our worst run of domestic results ever.We were third in the league but McLeish wasn't sacked.At the moment we are 2nd with a new manager but yet he gets the boot.

There are a lot of things flying around just now.We looked okay at the start of the season.The first match at Motherwell was the best I've seen us play since the days of Advoccat.We were a bit up n down which can be expected of a young,inexperienced team.Without Barry Ferguson,and there were questions as to where he'd fit in after his recovery at the start of the season,we've not lost a league game.With him,we've lost 6.

We can hammer Hibs,Hearts.......dominate against Celtic recently but then lose to ICT,Falkirk.That suggests all is not well in the dressing room.On Saturday there was the ridiculous sight of Ferguson running back to take the ball from Hemdani......Hemdani shaking his head as to say 'you don't need to do this,I can pass from here',then only playing the ball down the right hand side to either Prso or Hutton.Completley ignoring half of his team mates.Added to all the other bullshit about the role of captain and Derek Ferguson leaking it to the press it makes me feel that player power has had an effect.PLG dropped Ferguson after Saturday because it's clear he wasn't doing what he was told and that it had been an ongoing thing.Ferguson immediately calls the media on Monday making Tuesday's game with Motherwell a must win game for the manger or the knives would be well and truly out.A game in which PLG was shamefully booed and harrassed as he got off the team bus on the way to the match by Rangers fans.

David Murray has not backed the manager over Barry Ferguson and some other players if rumours are to be believed.That's why he left/got fired/whatever.David Murray also failed to provide the cash.Our transfer targets were Elmander/Kallstrom etc but the money wasn't offered.It'll be strange if Smith/McCoist immediately get big money to spend.

I'm dissapointed it's ended this way.I really thought that what we were getting was what was exactly needed at this club.Discipline......fitness.....a whole new way of preparing and thinking and playing.At certain times in the season it looked as if progress was being made but ultimately transfer signings and pissed off Scottish players ended it all.

A story about last season and how unprofessional everything was.Steven Thompson refused to do extra traing one afternoon because he'd miss a guitar lesson.This season........Barry ferguson moaned about crisps being taken out of the machines in the training complex,about afternoon traing sessions meaning he couldn't collect his kids from school,about not being able to sleep on the couches at the training complex.Basically resisting all forms of change that PLG brought in.
If the team were behind PLG then it would have been interesting but they clearly weren't.

Good news.......Smith/McCoist are in charge.Good news for Santhi Singh and his curry house,not to mention various nightclubs in town.Back in time to the great old days of players drunk in training,getting horsed in Europe and an annual battle with the dims.Cannae wait.:eek:

[Seany463]

Murray the mint has a cannie way of ridding RFC of a useless manager, as he wants to go down as the chairman who never sacked any of his managers.

I always said PLG never achieved much @ Lyon as the european setup takes more responsibility away from the manager. He inherited a title winning team from Jaques Santini. He was in charge of the richest club in france and they were already the dominent force in football over there. PLG's rep has surely deflated somewhat considerably since taking the reigns at mordor. Deservedly so. His signings were GASH and his team selection was bizarre to say the least at times.

This will set RFC way back to square 1. Unless Murray ploughs in considerable funding NOW or sells up asap, there will be a big black cloud over mordor for the long term future.

I think Murray is right to back his captain, and PLG was wrong to undermine the best player at the club. BF has proved he can play a class apart for the club and PLG hadnt achieved anything with gers, all he was doing was destroying his reputation amongst those of the clubs and others.

[King_Henrik]

Le Guen tried to change the culture at the club for the better and too many of the 'influential' characters in the dressing room, shall we say, were opposed to that change. In the end that's what cost him his job, and now Murray has dimwittedly given in to the pressure of getting "real Rangers men" into the job with the seemingly inevitable appointment of McCoist as manager and Walter Smith playing some other role.

I think this sacking could set Rangers back years if Celtic take advantage, ie by continuing their relatively large investments in the transfer market, as Murray seems unprepared to match that anymore. Le Guen showed strong management by making the decision he did over Ferguson and i think that in the long-run he would have improved things. That's not to say that he didn't make mistakes as well though, particularly in the transfer market.

The similarities of the current situation at Ibrox to Celtic in the 90's is frightening, but hilarious at the same time.:D

[Seany463]

Spied this and thought I would share it with some of the people whom believe Barry Ferguson was wrong to challenge Paul LeGuen.
There are sacrosanct leadership rules in business, the first one being you respect the chain of command. When David Murray found it necessary to undermine his manager by speaking directly to the players, he set an inevitable process in place.

If the chairman believed that Le Guen could not be trusted to sufficiently motivate the players, the media, the fans and yes, the captain had a responsibility to make the best of it.
Havent seen it put better anywhere myself. If you want to blame someone, blame Sir Mintalot(aka Murray the Mint, lord of Mordor!). :D

[No1_Dave]

here's a long but interesting article by BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6233959.stm



Clash of cultures
By Simon Austin


Le Guen believed Ferguson was undermining his authority
Paul Le Guen's relationship with Barry Ferguson was never likely to be a marriage made in heaven.

On one side was an authoritarian French manager used to having the final word and working with clean-living, tee-total players.

On the other was a passionate Scottish captain who enjoyed talismanic status with the fans and liked to work hard and play hard.

There were reported to be differences between the duo soon after Le Guen took over at Ibrox seven months ago. And they came to the surface at a news conference before the last Old Firm derby on 17 December.

Le Guen attempted to downplay Ferguson's importance at the club by saying: "The role of the skipper isn't as important in France as it seems to be here.

"I don't believe captains are as important to the players as some people think. We had a chat about that and Barry knows my way of thinking."

Ferguson responded angrily after the match. "I read what the boss said and wasn't happy with that comment," he said.

"The manager didn't say anything to me about it - there was no meeting. To me it's the most important job. I'm privileged to be captain."

Le Guen shrugged insouciantly when told about Ferguson's response. "He thinks what he wants - I am the boss."

Barry was completely bewildered when he lost the captaincy

Peter Kay
Sporting Chance Clinic
In truth, Ferguson had long been unconvinced by the Frenchman's methods and tactics, while Le Guen believed his captain was undermining him with other players.

Another major point of contention was drinking. A football journalist for a French newspaper who is very close to Le Guen told BBC Sport: "He would have liked the players to stop drinking alcohol - it was a big problem for him.

"Arsene Wenger discovered the same problem when he arrived at Arsenal and one of Gerard Houllier's first acts at Liverpool was to ban alcohol on the team bus."

Le Guen made an immediate stand over the issue when he sent Fernando Ricksen home from a pre-season training camp in South Africa following an alcohol-fuelled incident involving an air stewardess.

The Dutchman was a former Rangers captain, joint SPFA player of the year in 2005 and a one-time favourite with the Ibrox fans.

Yet Le Guen made it clear he would not be cowed by reputations by refusing to select Ricksen and subsequently selling him to Zenit St Petersburg.

606 DEBATE: Do Rangers fans expect too much?

However, a drinking culture persisted and matters came to a head when Ferguson and several other players travelled to Newcastle for a Christmas party following the Celtic match.

Le Guen reluctantly agreed to the trip, but only on the condition that the players did not drink.

Despite his instructions, the players are believed to have turned up for training the worse for wear.

Ferguson's final game under Le Guen was in the 1-1 draw against St Mirren on 30 December.

According to the French journalist, the Scottish midfielder was asked to play in the hole behind the strikers by Le Guen, but disregarded his manager's instructions and roamed all over the pitch.

The Frenchman was furious after the match and it was probably at this point that he decided to strip Ferguson of the captaincy, which he announced on New Year's Day.

Ferguson, understandably, has a different take on events. Peter Kay, chief executive of the Sporting Chance Clinic, has been giving the 28-year-old help and support since he was stripped of the captaincy.

Kay, who also worked with Ricksen, told BBC Sport: "Barry is very passionate about Rangers and is a natural leader. He didn't want to leave.

"He wasn't undermining Le Guen and was completely bewildered when he lost the captaincy."

Kay normally helps footballers with addictions, but he emphasised that his work with Ferguson has been nothing to do with this.

"I've been helping Barry during an extremely difficult and stressful period in his life," he said.


Ferguson will have to win over a section of the club's fans
According to Kay, Ferguson is desperate to play for Rangers again, even if he is not captain and despite enquiries about his availability from Everton, Tottenham and Newcastle.

In truth, Le Guen's problems at the club ran deeper than his relationship with Ferguson.

The French journalist said that Le Guen had been told he would have only £1.5m to spend in the January transfer window - despite spending only about £2.5m in the summer.

"At Rangers, the expectations do not match the reality," the journalist told me.

"The fans want Rangers to be a big European club, but the money is not there."

He does not think Le Guen will join another club soon, even though he has been linked with Marseilles and Paris St Germain.

Meanwhile, Ferguson will attempt to force his way back into the Rangers team and win over some fans who are sceptical about his influence at the club.

The player's devotion to the club is beyond question.

However, some Ibrox fans feel that as he was the first Rangers captain to ask for a transfer, prior to his departure to Blackburn in 2003, they were entitled to query his eventual return.

Ferguson's autobiography, Blue, is a 268-page love letter to the Govan institution and his fee for the book was passed to the Rangers Charity Foundation.

Yet a section of the club's fans are angry that the player's spat with Le Guen has ultimately led to the Frenchman's departure.

Despite a dismal time in the league so far this season, Le Guen had led Rangers into the knock-out stages of the Uefa Cup and they have played some attractive football.

Many believed that, given time, he could turn things around at Ibrox.

Despite his major status and the fact he has probably been Rangers' best player this season, Ferguson will have much to do to win round some sceptics in the aftermath of an issue which has deeply divided Rangers supporters

[PortGlasgow]

I know plenty of people who would sacrifice everything to play for Rangers and didnt Le Guen know the exact money situation before he arrived?

[Sawyer]

Walter Smith and Ally McCoist here we come 8) :D

The dream team of Rangers (now Rangers just have to sort out there defence)

[Fenianbhoy]

Honestly , No serious Celtic fan Has ever gave 1 fk about who is the Rangers manager, and this time we do hope its The Dweam team of Wattie (hannibal) & McCoist(howling mad murdoch).

Let the good times ROLL.

[Seany463]

Honestly , No serious Celtic fan Has ever gave 1 fk about who is the Rangers manager, and this time we do hope its The Dweam team of Wattie (hannibal) & McCoist(howling mad murdoch).

Let the good times ROLL.

Couldnt agree more FB! We'll see off the next one too! :p

I've never worried about who the Rangers manager will be and im worrying even less now. For starters they'll have a squad full of duds & no money to spend. Will Minty even give you back cash if you manage to offload some?

You're more than welcome to Coisty & Smith as all they're doing for Scotland is organising them and that aint all that hard if were honest. Negative tactics, overloyalty to players who are past it, to scared to give youngsters a go in big games.

Craig Brown anyone? Its happening all over again.

[Sawyer]

I dont support Rangers (In fact is there any Rangers fans on these forums lol). I lean more towards the Gers than any other club due to the circumstances of where i live and politics. I just think there going to bring back the glory days of Rangers, it gets a bit boring in the Scottish league when Celtic reign year and year out. Hearts are the only team who coulda gave u guys a run in until the take over and gettin rid of nearly the whole 1st Scottish back 4, now there gonna offload Gordon as well. Its just pure silly.

All i wanna see is the competition back in the SPL.

[No1_Dave]

I dont support Rangers (In fact is there any Rangers fans on these forums lol). I lean more towards the Gers than any other club due to the circumstances of where i live and politics. I just think there going to bring back the glory days of Rangers, it gets a bit boring in the Scottish league when Celtic reign year and year out. Hearts are the only team who coulda gave u guys a run in until the take over and gettin rid of nearly the whole 1st Scottish back 4, now there gonna offload Gordon as well. Its just pure silly.

All i wanna see is the competition back in the SPL.

I was wondering why a person from NI supports Inter as their club (Italian?) but then England as their NT(English?) shouldn't you pick a SPL side :D


but yeah, an exciting SPL is what we need, 2 horse race is bad enough, now we're getting NO horse race :D :(

[Sawyer]

Born in England = Support England

Live In Norn Iron = Rangers (Not A supporter, only if they ask lol)

My Spl side would be Hearts mate - true bill. My Brother is a huge Hearts fan.

[Seany463]

I was wondering why a person from NI supports Inter as their club (Italian?) but then England as their NT(English?)
:confused:

I was wondering why you have "Team Great Britain" in your National team supporters status when there is no such team. Then, to add insult to injury, why do you remove Northern Ireland from it when Northern Ireland is one of 4 countries which make up Great Britain?

And you're not even British are you? :p

[No1_Dave]

I was wondering why you have "Team Great Britain" in your National team supporters status when there is no such team. Then, to add insult to injury, why do you remove Northern Ireland from it when Northern Ireland is one of 4 countries which make up Great Britain?

And you're not even British are you?


I've already mentioned this before, I think to another Celic fan as well, but I say again I'm not originally from the UK, but I AM British now(got the passport, and the flags, & I know which side of my bread is buttered ;) ), so I can choose which of the 4 home nations I support, so I decided to support all 4, and hence also I picked Rangers as I live in Scotland :p

the full name of the UK is "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", so I put team GB & NI for my NT, just incase ppl outside of the UK(& even some in it) didn't know NI is actually part of the UK ;) football is one of the few sports in the world where the UK is split into bits, but many others, e.g. the Olympics, there is indeed Team GB :p

for Queen & Country! :D

[Seany463]

there is indeed Team GB :p
I don't care how you explain/justify supporting team GB. Your National team status in yer profile means the National team you support in Football. Not the olympics, not motorsport & not any other sport for that matter :rolleyes:

I say again, there is no such thing/team as team Great Britain & hopefully never will be! :p

[PortGlasgow]

haha Seany to add insult to injury you dont know even know what country Northern Ireland is in :P The lad supports the United Kingdom very patriotic if you ask me. Too bad their isnt more with that attitude :)

And on the other hand I agree hopefully their will be never GB Football team its just too much fun when we all beat England.

[Sawyer]

And on the other hand I agree hopefully their will be never GB Football team its just too much fun when we all beat England.

Lol! I actually would laugh if Scotland beat England, I was at Windsor park for when England got beat by Northern Ireland in my Northern Ireland top, had a great day. Got a cracker photo of Healy scoring the goal on a digi camera which is now been put into fridge magnets lol.

Team Great Britain and Nothern Ireland, tbh - its nice to see our wee country getting a mention :D wp!

[Seany463]

haha Seany to add insult to injury you dont know even know what country Northern Ireland is in :P The lad supports the United Kingdom very patriotic if you ask me.
To bad for the orcs at mordor you mean there isnt more Union Jacks flying high in Scotland.
Too bad their isnt more with that attitude
So why go on to say this then?
And on the other hand I agree hopefully their will be never GB Football team its just too much fun when we all beat England.
For every fiver my arse, 18 points clear... pmsl... that right Jimmy? :D

[cartbran]

I say again, there is no such thing/team as team Great Britain & hopefully never will be! :p
And on the other hand I agree hopefully their will be never GB Football team its just too much fun when we all beat England.
Sorry boys, but Team GB will compete in the 2012 Olympics. And there will be a Team GB even if SFA continues to protest or prevents players from participating. So when the Olympics comes to town, guess you'll just have to support that Union Jack.

[Nelly]

From todays Scotsman,

PAUL Le Guen will be back home in Brittany this weekend, but any suggestion he will be putting his feet up and cracking open a bottle of bubbly are way off the mark. For while a part of Le Guen will be only too glad to turn towards contemplating pastures new, another part will be unable to ignore the regrets he leaves behind in Glasgow.

Before examining them, let's set a few things straight, and put a swift end to some of the ridiculous rumours being parlayed around Scotland. Firstly, it was Le Guen who quit, three weeks after a previous offer to resign had been rejected by his chairman. The manager agreed to sign a 'by mutual assent' document at the behest of David Murray.

Secondly, Le Guen did not 'engineer' his departure, as some suggest, because he had another job awaiting him. He walked away because he'd had enough. Speculation linking him to Paris St Germain is precisely that. There has been absolutely no contact.

Thirdly, and most importantly to Le Guen, he left without a penny in compensation, but with, he believes, his dignity intact. He did not ask for a pay-off. Indeed, having returned his Rangers suit and tie, at the club's request, the only tab being picked up by Murray is the cost of his move back to France.

When considering Le Guen's spell with Rangers, it might be wise to begin by turning the clock back to last spring when, impressed by the discourse of Murray and Martin Bain and enthused by the challenge ahead, he agreed to replace Alex McLeish once the season was over.

Having won three straight league titles in France with Lyon and taken them to consecutive Champions League quarter-finals, Le Guen was hot property. Lyon hadn't wanted him to leave - chairman Jean-Michel Aulas said his manager was 'the next Arsene Wenger' - and he had plenty of other opportunities. But Le Guen chose Rangers over the likes of Benfica, Bordeaux, Lazio or Stuttgart because the task of rebuilding a big club with tradition appealed to him. He was in it for the long haul. Le Guen understood back then that he faced a sizeable test.

Rangers were in a mess. The squad had given ample notice they weren't good enough to compete with Celtic, and Murray could no longer fund extravagant forays into the transfer market. The new management team had to look for cheap players, hence Le Guen's recruitment of foreigners, mainly youngsters - footballers he could groom for Rangers' long-term future.

Problems were quick to surface though. The cultural differences Le Guen expected to confront rapidly turned into mini-battlefields. Early training sessions were very physical. Le Guen and his staff determined to improve the overall standard of fitness, and not everyone appreciated the extra miles they had to run and the onus on stamina. Le Guen was also aware that some Scottish players, and key ones at that, were not exactly living the way athletes should.

Le Guen knew that the drink culture, as we have come to term it, is alive and kicking in Scottish football. While the new management team weren't surprised by that, they were very concerned by the extent of some of the drinking. For most new recruits, it was simply something of which they could not conceive.

Murray was aware of some of the problems facing Le Guen and encouraged him to tackle them. Barry Ferguson, though, quickly found himself at loggerheads with the new regime. Perhaps the club's iconic figure and captain felt personally menaced. Or maybe he simply never liked nor got along with Le Guen from day one, or liked what the manager and his men were trying to do. That was his right. For sure, Le Guen had realised the extent of Ferguson's influence, both within the club and in the media, and wanted to reduce it.

Whatever Ferguson's reasoning, he had soon appointed himself defender of all things he felt were being threatened, and particularly of his pals in the team. While his sentiments can be understood, his reactions inevitably led to dressing-room divisions. Rather than doing all he could as skipper to help the foreign players settle, Ferguson's negative vibes towards the management team helped foster an 'us-and-them' atmosphere that ostracised the non-Scots. Le Guen, disappointed and taken aback by the hostility with which he was confronted, watched team spirit disintegrate. Confidence, a key element in the make-up of a successful sportsman, seeped out of the likes of 22-year-old Filip Sebo, the Slovakian striker who often watched his partners in training prefer to pass to Kris Boyd.

In recent weeks, as hostilities became more apparent and more open, players have come close to outright brawling. Training was not something to be looked forward to anymore, simply because of the prevailing atmosphere. The foreigners became more and more downhearted and dispirited. Some of the Scots will have shared their pain.

Dado Prso, after two-and-a-half years with Rangers, is probably the best current example of a foreign player who has fitted in successfully both on and off the field. One of the best team-mates anyone could hope for because of his whole-hearted approach, and the life and soul of many a party both in Glasgow and back at his previous club, Monaco, the striker has been struggling to keep a smile on his face of late. And a lid on his emotions. According to sources at Ibrox, the Croat nearly came to blows with Ferguson recently.

And yet, despite this lack of harmony, there have been signs of promise on the field lately. In between the catastrophic League Cup loss to St Johnstone - the low-point of Le Guen's reign - and the humiliation of a second defeat of the season to Inverness CT, Rangers had lost just once in nine games, to Falkirk, a streak that included worthy wins away to Hearts and Aberdeen, qualification for the next phase of the UEFA Cup and a 1-1 draw with Celtic.

The victory over Aberdeen two days before Christmas was of particular significance, or so it seemed. Rangers looked set to give themselves some breathing space in second place. The following games, against Inverness and St Mirren, should have seen Rangers confirm their progress. Instead, they brought just one point and heralded the now infamous clash between Ferguson and Le Guen.

The clash had been coming. Le Guen had already broached the subject of Ferguson with his chairman several times. Then, three weeks ago, tired of what he saw as Ferguson's continued insubordination, Le Guen went to see Murray again. The Frenchman offered his resignation. Murray refused it, reminding Le Guen that he had a contract to serve. The manager warned his chairman that he considered Ferguson and, to an extent, Boyd, as 'undesirables', that his work was being undermined. Le Guen felt he would get more out of the remaining players if he could be rid of his two stars, in spite of their qualities.

Although Murray resolved to speak to Ferguson, Le Guen was convinced a talking-to would not solve his problems. Things came to a real head after Le Guen and Yves Colleu, his right-hand man, went back over the tape of the Inverness match. A second viewing only served to bolster their belief that Ferguson had deliberately ignored Le Guen's pre-match instructions. The Frenchman wanted Ferguson to play further forward, where he felt his eye for the final pass and ability to get into shooting positions would be more beneficial. Le Guen was happy for Jeremy Clement to sit in front of the defence, bring the ball out and look for Ferguson up-field. The Rangers captain, however, kept running back and taking the ball off Clement's toes, his all-action style certainly not lacking in energy but not at all consistent with his manager's tactics.

After seeing little improvement in the St Mirren match, Le Guen decided to act. He called Ferguson into his office and told him he was no longer captain and would not play against Motherwell. Contrary to some rather emotional accounts, there were no tears. Then, Le Guen called Murray to inform him of his decision. Without Ferguson, Rangers scraped a vital win away to Motherwell. The fans, though, made clear where their loyalties lay with the chanting of the captain's name. And when Boyd struck home the decisive penalty kick he, as we all now know, celebrated the goal by dedicating it to his favourite No.6. It was clear to Le Guen that he had failed to solve his conflict with Ferguson, that the captain was unlikely to want to leave Glasgow and that the unhealthy climate at the club would, therefore, continue to fester.

The manager regrets today not taking decisive action earlier in his 'him or me' saga with his captain, and we shall never know whether that would have made any difference. What we do know is that Le Guen went to see Murray on Wednesday night to tell him he was quitting. A sad ending to a story that had seemed so full of promise just last summer.

Also,this today as well.


BRAHIM Hemdani, in an astonishing interview, has revealed the true extent of the rift between the Scottish players and the foreign ones at Rangers - a division that had a great influence on French manager Paul le Guen's decision this week to throw in the towel.

Hemdani, who lashed in a spectacular late effort to earn Rangers a 1-1 draw against Glasgow rivals Celtic last month, labelled the loss of Le Guen as "an enormous waste" for the club. And the 28-year-old French defender, in a telling anecdote, described the state of confusion among the overseas players on the morning Le Guen's departure was announced.

Thursday's morning training session was cancelled in light of Le Guen's resignation. The Scottish players knew it, and didn't turn up at Murray Park. But nobody bothered informing their foreign team-mates.

"It was all quite bizarre," a disillusioned Hemdani recounts. "Part of the squad turned up Thursday morning, thinking there was training, and the other half were sat comfortably at home. Clearly, half of the players knew it was cancelled, and the other half didn't. Let's just say it was a bit strange. We should have been told."

Hemdani's story goes to show just how bad the communication is between some of the players at Rangers, and further highlights the split in the dressing-room that has caused so much tension at the club this season.

Coming hot on the heels of David Murray's proclamation that there would be no more foreign managers at Rangers in future, Hemdani's revelations will leave supporters wondering how many of the current crop of overseas players will remain at the club after the January transfer window. Hemdani, who was signed by Le Guen's predecessor, Alex McLeish, says he can feel the winds of change sweeping through the Ibrox club.

"When you hear the chairman say there will be no more foreign coaches at the head of the club then it's pretty clear where the club's going now," says Hemdani. "Things are going to change. Obviously, the foreign players will be in a weakened position and it's no good pretending otherwise."

Jeremy Clement, one of the rare Le Guen signings to have won over Rangers fans in his first few months at the club, agrees that these will be trying times for the foreign contingent.

"I've got another two-and-a-half years on my contract and the way I see it is quite simple - I'm paid to do a job and I just want to get my head down and do it to the best of my ability," says the likeable young French midfielder.

"Of course, we're sad to see Paul Le Guen go - we've enjoyed working with him. But when you're a player, you just have to get on with it. I've been playing regularly, and I hope the new manager will want me in his side. But you never know. It's going to be more delicate, perhaps, for some of the foreign players who haven't been getting so many games."

The bust-up between Le Guen and Barry Ferguson seemed to crystallise the growing conflict between a largely Francophone group of foreign players and the Scots, led by their intransigent captain. An "us and them" atmosphere had grown in the dressing-room, leading to several heated moments between leading players and paving the way to the mess in which the club finds itself today. Le Guen's departure, when it came, was not so much of a surprise to Hemdani.

"Frankly, we knew it was a possibility because all the ingredients were pointing to it," the former Marseille man explains. "The situation was becoming more and more difficult, and made his leaving more likely. Some might say his departure is a victory for the Scots clan. All I can say is you have to try to remain objective.

"Since the start of the season there have been people trying to build it into a Scots versus the rest thing. If the manager decided to take the decision he did, it must be because he realised that he didn't have all the right conditions to work in the way to which he aspired."

We shall never know whether Le Guen would have been able to turn things round and build a more stable, successful future for Rangers. Hemdani, though, is certain his fellow Frenchman will be missed. Some of the side's recent performances made Hemdani think a corner had been turned.

"I think things were beginning to happen," he says. "We had enormously progressed in the way we were trying to play compared to what went on before. There was a clear improvement. Paul le Guen's departure is a huge loss, an enormous waste. When you have the good fortune to have a coach of his quality, it's a real shame to lose him. I think he didn't even have time to get started."

I totally despair at the state of my club.I've said it for years,the lack of professionalism and class is getting worse by the season.

[cartbran]

Well it seems clear now that that this
On Saturday there was the ridiculous sight of Ferguson running back to take the ball from Hemdani......Hemdani shaking his head as to say 'you don't need to do this,I can pass from here',then only playing the ball down the right hand side to either Prso or Hutton.Completley ignoring half of his team mates.
Is clearly explained by that
A second viewing only served to bolster their belief that Ferguson had deliberately ignored Le Guen's pre-match instructions. The Frenchman wanted Ferguson to play further forward, where he felt his eye for the final pass and ability to get into shooting positions would be more beneficial. Le Guen was happy for Jeremy Clement to sit in front of the defence, bring the ball out and look for Ferguson up-field. The Rangers captain, however, kept running back and taking the ball off Clement's toes, his all-action style certainly not lacking in energy but not at all consistent with his manager's tactics.
Ferguson was purposely being a jerk. Wow, totally amazing to be so deliberate with your teammates about undermining the tactics of the manager. Guess he showed everyone at Rangers who's boss. Maybe he should just take it all the way and officially become a player manager. He could officially institute one pint curls as part of regular training regime.

And this is just sad. If this is true, I am utterly speechless
Thursday's morning training session was cancelled in light of Le Guen's resignation. The Scottish players knew it, and didn't turn up at Murray Park. But nobody bothered informing their foreign team-mates.

[cavenaghi]

Thanks Nelly for trying to keep this thread on his subject ;)
I totally despair at the state of my club.I've said it for years,the lack of professionalism and class is getting worse by the season.
You're right but it doesn't excuse PLG's attitude. He waited for a year before picking his club, and he was even able to understand in which situation were the Rangers? :confused:
Everybody knew it would be hard to put the club back on the right tracks. Who could believe it would be sunshine everyday (especially in Scotland :rolleyes: )? For me, giving up after 7 months means that you've hardly tried.
"Players are against me, medias are against me, fans are against me..."; well, most of the time when you're trying to change things, there are always influent people who don't want a revolution and will try their best to oppose your plans. If you're not strong enough to even survive this first step, you're not the right guy. And he wasn't! At least he was clever enough to understand it.
Au revoir, Paul.

[Nelly]

It gets worse.

Scottish cup game away to Dunfermline is in the 2nd half right now.I cannot bring myself to post the scoreline.:mad: :mad: :(

[PortGlasgow]

Get the shovel out Nelly I need help with my trench its going to be a long hard season.

[Seany463]

Sorry boys, but Team GB will compete in the 2012 Olympics. And there will be a Team GB even if SFA continues to protest or prevents players from participating. So when the Olympics comes to town, guess you'll just have to support that Union Jack.
You really think so?

I beg to differ. There still has not been a final say on the matter where it counts & im sure the SFA have a lot more influence on the decision than you seem to think.

Time will tell.

[PortGlasgow]

Their will never be a team GB football team

[Raff67]

Their will never be a team GB football team

Agree.

Om another note..Thanks David Murray for tapping up the national team manager midway through a euro campaign, chunt.:mad:

[Nelly]

This season........Barry ferguson moaned about crisps being taken out of the machines in the training complex

Departed Rangers boss Paul Le Guen caused a split in the dresing room...by stopping his stars eating Monster Munch.

The Frenchman was appalled by the diet of some of his players and decided to ban the fatty corn snacks from the side`s Murray Park facility - but some of the players thought that was taking things a bit far.
Nelly.......breaks the story again.:D

http://tinypic.com/2cwlgl2.jpg

[steve huge]

http://tinypic.com/2cwlgl2.jpg

Oh my god, Pickled Onion Monster Munch, possibly the best crisp on this planet. No chance of getting those bad boys over here......:mad:

[PortGlasgow]

Then china would invade, I dont think those guys are ready for the munch.

Btw well exposed Nelly, the crisps machine part was so ludicrous that it had to be true along with the sleeping on the couches

[Nelly]

I see Durrant practices what he preaches.:D

[varun]

Then china would invade, I dont think those guys are ready for the munch.

Btw well exposed Nelly, the crisps machine part was so ludicrous that it had to be true along with the sleeping on the couches
elaborate please :)

and BTW i never tasted them crisps so can't comment on this issue :o

[PortGlasgow]

elaborate please :)

and BTW i never tasted them crisps so can't comment on this issue :o

Elaborate on China invading Taiwan to steal pickled onion flavour monster munch?

[steve huge]

Elaborate on China invading Taiwan to steal pickled onion flavour monster munch?

I'd single-handedly fend them off if they were after me monster munch...the bastards.

[cavenaghi]

Secondly, Le Guen did not 'engineer' his departure, as some suggest, because he had another job awaiting him. He walked away because he'd had enough. Speculation linking him to Paris St Germain is precisely that. There has been absolutely no contact.
Yeah right!

http://www.psg.fr/images/splash/Splash_PL.jpg

[deviant]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20070115/capt.sge.ijm60.150107185005.photo00.photo.default-404x512.jpg