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Andrius Velicka


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Don't think Hearts would have sold him to us unless it was for a lot more money than £1 million...?

Maybe Rangers and Ostenstand had already secretly decided this was going to happen back then... :D

Why the happy smiley, it's another "squad signing".

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Don't think Hearts would have sold him to us unless it was for a lot more money than £1 million...?

Maybe Rangers and Ostenstand had already secretly decided this was going to happen back then... :D

Why the happy smiley, it's another "squad signing".

I always thought that was a cheeky grin smiley, my bad :D and anyway it had nothing to do with the actual possible signing itself, but to do with the irony of an ex Gers possibly signing him in the first place to make sure we had first dibs on him. Apart from all that, getting a player who has an average of 1 in 2 might not be just a squad player, not in the SPL anyway.

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Velicka set to seal Rangers move

Velicka has already expressed interest in a move to Ibrox

Viking Stavanger have given Rangers permission to hold signing talks with Lithuanian striker Andrius Velicka.

The 29-year-old, who left Hearts in February, will speak to Ibrox officials over the next few days and the deal is expected to go through next month.

"It wouldn't have been right for us to block a move to one of the biggest clubs in Europe," said Viking sporting director Egil Ostenstad.

"He will earn considerably more than he earns at Viking."

It is believed that both clubs have agreed a fee of around £1m for Velicka, who scored 25 goals in 55 appearances for Hearts.

The Lithuanian international agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Tippeligaen side, with Hearts receiving a similar fee.

And Velicka has scored five goals in 13 games for the Norwegians.

On Friday, Rangers completed the signing of striker Kenny Miller from Derby.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ers/7444234.stm

Might be a decent signing but we lack so much ambition its unreal.

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Yet again we look like signing an average, almost 30 year old dumpling.

Surely the £1m could be put towards some quality ffs?

More concerned with Miller being a nearly £3M dumpling, Velicka is a goalscorer, ain't scared to have a crack at goal and does have a more than decent return, my biggest problem is that Watty will play Miller (no goals) before proven strikers, as in goalscorers, Boyd and Velicka, i know you don;t rate Boyd or Velicka Muff, but they do put the ball in the pokey and goals win games. Our 4-5-1 defensive formation lost more goals than Sellik, the problem is NOT up front.

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The only thing that baffles me about this is why didn't we just go for him in January?

He was obviously available and we were desperate for a striker back then.

It said in one of the papers thaty it was to do with him playing for 3 clubs in one year ,when rangers sign him he will be free of that restriction

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It's a done deal, trust me.

Can't say it's a signing that particularly thrills me. He's not the worst player in the world, but he's nowhere near the standard we should be aiming for.

The serious lack of ambition from WS is beginning to scare me. :(

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I remember Velicka as being a fairly big and strong player - am I correct in thinking this?

He was a good player for Hearts, just like Gomis has been a good player for Dundee Utd.

Not Rangers class

If they can do it AGAINST us, then, who better will they come up against in the league or domestic cups? You also have to question that If they do/did perform well against us, then, surely they are better than we have in that position?

As DO said above, they put the ball in the net, and, that wins games.

As for miller, my only hope is that he has been bought to play WITH the goalscorers, rather than instead of :unsure:

Theres also a lot of saying we can get better for £1million, so, who?

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Frail: Hearts defenders will run a mile from Velicka and Miller

Jun 15 2008 Exclusive By Gordon Waddell

STEVIE FRAIL last night warned the SPL's defenders that non-stop Andrius Velicka and Kenny Miller could be their worst nightmare if Rangers make them their striking dream team.

Ex-Hearts hitman Velicka will become Walter Smith's latest recruit today and his signing comes just two days after former Rangers and Celtic ace Miller was lured back to Ibrox.

And the man who knows Velicka best reckons the SPL's stoppers will be left chasing shadows as both men are more than capable of giving teams the runaround.

The Jambos sold Velicka to Viking Stavanger in February but the hitman still ended the campaign as Tynecastle's top scorer with 14 goals in just 18 starts.

And departing gaffer Frail said: "He's top quality and Rangers will be getting a forward with a real eye for goal.

"He's one of these guys you always fancy to score when he is around the box.

"He takes the ball so quickly and catches keepers out all the time. He has this kind of toe-poke finish with no back-lift that he specialises in.

"Everyone could see his ability last season when he finished our top scorer despite leaving in February.

"Andrius scored three against Celtic and one against Rangers in the space of six weeks which shows he can do it against the top teams.

"The two he got when he came on as a sub against Celtic to put them out the CIS Cup were top drawer.

"But he also works hard and has real strength of character.

"That was summed up for me when Velicka dislocated a toe in a game and refused to come off. He was a really good influence in our dressingroom and it was a blow to lose him."

Hearts' loss has proved to be Rangers gain though.

The Jambos never saw a penny of the s450,000 fee paid by the Norwegians for their loan star, the cash going straight to FBK Kaunas.

Gers had to cough up s1million to prise the player away from Stavanger with the Norwegian side's boss Egil Ostenstad - a former Ibrox player - driving a hard bargain before agreeing to let his star striker leave.

But Frail reckons it will be money well spent and that the Ibrox club will have the makings of a class double act after the s1.9m deal for Miller.

He said: "I'd never begin to guess Walter's thoughts on how he uses players or who he picks especially as he still has Kris Boyd as well.

"But Andrius can play in a pairing or up on his own if that's what Walter needs.

"We used him that way a lot and he grafts to hold things up and links the play well.

"He's a serious test for defenders.

In fact if he played alongside Kenny, defenders just wouldn't get a minute to breathe.

"The way they both make the centre halves and full-backs work for everything, I can't imagine anyone would enjoy facing that."

Frail also believes Velicka has the ability to step up a grade to the Champions League.

He said: "He's an international player with Lithuania who are a decent side - there's no reason he can't cope with European football."

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Move to Rangers has me in dreamland, says Andrius Velicka

Jun 15 2008 Exclusive By Mark Guidi

ANDRIUS VELICKA last night spoke of his delight at joining Rangers and set his sights on scoring an Old Firm winner.

The Lithuanian striker will jet into Glasgow tonight for a medical and is expected to sign a three-year contract tomorrow after Gers agreed a s1million fee with Viking Stavanger.

Velicka had a habit of finding the net against Celtic when he played for Hearts and hopes that scoring run will continue for Walter Smith's side.

Speaking exclusively to MailSport from Lithuania, Velicka said: "I am excited. Rangers are big and have a history everybody knows about.

"This is the kind of chance I have been waiting for since I was nine years old and started to play football.

"It is also an opportunity to help improve the reputation of Lithuanian footballers.

"A lot of people think our game is not of a good standard and that Lithuanian players aren't so good.

"Well I have a chance on a big stage to show that's not correct.

"To score in an Old Firm game would be perfect. That would be special, like a dream.

"I scored a few goals for Hearts against Celtic and in the Edinburgh derby against Hibs.

"But to score for Rangers against Celtic would be a bigger feeling than anything I've experienced in football."

Velicka will head back to Norway to play a few games for Viking before moving to Ibrox next month.

And the striker - who only left Hearts in January - insists he will be ready to hit the ground running.

He said: "I will be ready to join Rangers and will be in good fitness.

"The news I am joining Rangers has given me confidence and energy. I want to make a good impression."

Velicka grew up wanting to follow in the footsteps of his footballing father Liongina. And the 29-year-old is thrilled after landing the massive move he always dreamed of.

He said: "My dad was also a striker and I wanted to be like him. He always gave me great encouragement.

"But he gave up the game in Lithuania at 26 because there wasn't enough money in football.

"Now he is proud to see me develop my career this way."

Velicka first played against Rangers eight years ago in a Champions League qualifier for Kaunas.

Dick Advocaat was in charge at Ibrox and Gers won the first leg 4-1 at home before a stalemate in the return.

Andrius said: "I was on the bench in Glasgow and did not get on but I did feature in the second game.

"I was just 20 and the size of Rangers as a club impressed me.

"I had known about them before when I was a child and they had Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup.

"Walter Smith was the manager at that time and now he is going to be my boss. It can sometimes be funny how things work out."

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