Buffel "gone to" Brugge, Smith on the transfer window

[Boab 73]

I am also hoping we win the league but don't expect to, unless we have a altered playing style, different/better team selection and quality brought in.

I hope and expect to win the league but I certainly don't hope my manager is sacked before he gets the chance to do so.

Very negative of you.

I agree, but I'm struggling to be positive right now over the short and long term.

• Lee is staying, when we seem to have been offered very good money.
• Velicka I can understand but the other two, KL and KM, I can't quite comprehend when we are needing players and money for other positions.
• Walter says we're looking at 1 or 2 additions? We need a right-back, a quality centre back (that doesn't mean Christian Dailly), at least 2 wingers/creative midfielders of a quality to take us forward
• And we're resigning Christian Dailly and David Weir? The latter I can just about understand but him playing means we will continue very very deep.

[Gaffbear 4,101]

Only in Scotland can a manager sign a 24 year old youngster.

He was 23 when he signed.

Other players such as Hutton, Thomson, Adam, Burke, Naismith and Broadfoot all featured a fair amount when fit and ready which suggests Smith is more than happy to play younger players as long as they do the business.

The signing of Lafferty and first team exposure of Furman and Fleck last season lends weight to that fact.

Even if 3 out the 6 are fuckin rank.

Broadfoot and Burke should never have played at all...Adam contributed with a few goals.....usually cancelled by Bambi giving the ball away and the oppo scorin.

[Frankie 505]

Even if 3 out the 6 are fuckin rank.

Broadfoot and Burke should never have played at all...Adam contributed with a few goals.....usually cancelled by Bambi giving the ball away and the oppo scorin.

Their quality can be debated of course. But the inaccurate premise of Smith not playing younger players remains.

[Boab 73]

Circumstances gave them a title they didn't deserve. I'm not bitter about that. I'm looking forward with complete enthusiasm for the season ahead under Walter in the full knowledge we will win the league.

You obviously are bitter the way you keep on referring to us as the best team in Scotland and saying we deserved the league.

The other part of the sentence, that unfortunately is so far away the truth for me.

[Frankie 505]

I agree, but I'm struggling to be positive right now over the short and long term.

• Lee is staying, when we seem to have been offered very good money.
• Velicka I can understand but the other two, KL and KM, I can't quite comprehend when we are needing players and money for other positions.
• Walter says we're looking at 1 or 2 additions? We need a right-back, a quality centre back (that doesn't mean Christian Dailly), at least 2 wingers/creative midfielders of a quality to take us forward
• And we're resigning Christian Dailly and David Weir? The latter I can just about understand but him playing means we will continue very very deep.

I don't blame anyone struggling to be positive. However, we must be realistic and I'm also unsure how helpful it is to hope our manager is sacked before Xmas.

McCulloch is staying because he offers something different in wide or attacking roles as well as maintaining some continuity in the squad.

KM will do what JCD and Cousin did but hopefully on a more consistent basis - ie; working the channels, offering pace and decent quality to the side.

Lafferty represents a combination of the above and has the potential to be a fine player.

We do need some more additions to the squad, so that's why were moving on the dead wood and attempting to improve as much as our finances allow.

Weir won't play too often next season IMO.

[nvager 498]

The Spain midfield was great, but their players could control and pass a ball, something our midfielders - Barry apart - cannot do.

It just hits off their legs, knees, ankles etc. and for passing - one in a million comes of for Adam, but the rest - forget it.

I would like to see us bring in two attacking midfielders with flair, ingenuity, ability to beat a man, pass a ball and score. What are the chances?

Oh for a Laudrup, Gazza and esp a Jim Baxter.

[papaguy51 912]

Only in Scotland can a manager sign a 24 year old youngster.

He was 23 when he signed.

Other players such as Hutton, Thomson, Adam, Burke, Naismith and Broadfoot all featured a fair amount when fit and ready which suggests Smith is more than happy to play younger players as long as they do the business.

The signing of Lafferty and first team exposure of Furman and Fleck last season lends weight to that fact.

You could say that he had no choice BUT to play Hutton. Never mind the best right back at Rangers, he's one of the best rightbacks in Europe, up there with Lahm and Alves.

Burke didn't get a game until Xmas and Broadfoot only played because Hutton left.

I think (possibly) what a lot of people moan about is the fact that he seems unwilling to give any of the Rangers youngsters (from the U-19's etc) a chance, instead buying other teams' youngsters a la Naismith, Lafferty, Thomson and Whittaker.

Furman and Fleck didn't feature enough last season, especially when you saw in the games they played that they probably could handle at least the SPL.

Here's hoping for next season though.

[BillyBoyBlue 0]

I agree, but I'm struggling to be positive right now over the short and long term.

• Lee is staying, when we seem to have been offered very good money.
• Velicka I can understand but the other two, KL and KM, I can't quite comprehend when we are needing players and money for other positions.
• Walter says we're looking at 1 or 2 additions? We need a right-back, a quality centre back (that doesn't mean Christian Dailly), at least 2 wingers/creative midfielders of a quality to take us forward
• And we're resigning Christian Dailly and David Weir? The latter I can just about understand but him playing means we will continue very very deep.

I don't blame anyone struggling to be positive. However, we must be realistic and I'm also unsure how helpful it is to hope our manager is sacked before Xmas.

McCulloch is staying because he offers something different in wide or attacking roles as well as maintaining some continuity in the squad.

KM will do what JCD and Cousin did but hopefully on a more consistent basis - ie; working the channels, offering pace and decent quality to the side.

Lafferty represents a combination of the above and has the potential to be a fine player.

We do need some more additions to the squad, so that's why were moving on the dead wood and attempting to improve as much as our finances allow.

Weir won't play too often next season IMO.

Good comments!

As bad as people think McCulloch is he is still a handfull for defenders and hard to play against!

I think Miller will create goals for Boyd and Velicka and the boy Lafferty will surprise a few people too!

If Walter is bringing in 1 or 2 more players in it will be a centre back and either a fullback or wide man!

[papaguy51 912]

The Spain midfield was great, but their players could control and pass a ball, something our midfielders - Barry apart - cannot do.

It just hits off their legs, knees, ankles etc. and for passing - one in a million comes of for Adam, but the rest - forget it.

I would like to see us bring in two attacking midfielders with flair, ingenuity, ability to beat a man, pass a ball and score. What are the chances?

Oh for a Laudrup, Gazza and esp a Jim Baxter.

Surely passing and controlling a ball is a basic requisite of a professional footballer?

[KingOfTheWing 0]

Only in Scotland can a manager sign a 24 year old youngster.

He was 23 when he signed.

Other players such as Hutton, Thomson, Adam, Burke, Naismith and Broadfoot all featured a fair amount when fit and ready which suggests Smith is more than happy to play younger players as long as they do the business.

The signing of Lafferty and first team exposure of Furman and Fleck last season lends weight to that fact.

23 is hardly a youngster.

Hutton - I'll give you that.

Thomson - Already established with another SPL side so it was low risk.

Adam - Was already playing regularly

Burke - Again 24 is hardly young. He had played for years before he arrived anyway.

Naismith - Hardly played but when he did he was out of position. Same as Thomson aswell.

Broadfoot - Why did he even play?

Lafferty - Yet to see whether he plays or he becomes a Naismith.

Furman - only played because there was no other option. He was the only midfielder on the bench.

Fleck - Coisty played him in the cup games. The only time Smith put him on was against Aberdeen in a desperate attempt to salvage something.

[Frankie 505]

The youngsters from the under 19s etc have hardly gone onto to be anything special once they leave Rangers though.

As I said, the quality and reasons for playing younger players may be debatable but the general rule of thumb people often apply about Smith and young players is wrong.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

Agreed! I'm just not sure that being 'physical' is a requirement.

While I know we have nowhere near the squad depth of Spain, you have to look at the way their midfield of Senna, Xavi, Iniesta, Silva and Fabregas (a combined weight of 7st and height of 9 inches) passed their way around almost everyone.

I just think we could learn from that.

We don't have the cash to buy those players and we don't have the climate to develop that kind of player.

The most we can hope for is building a strong competent core with a bit of pace and craft in forward roles.

Even Barca have to supplement those players with expensive foreigners. It never got them as far as Chelsea with the Drogbas, Terrys, Lampards, Ballacks and Essiens.

Generally, that kind of play is developed in the Mediterranean countries and the north of Europe has to be more physical when trying to be successful. Even Lyon are in southern France. Holland can occasionally be an exception but they're a nation of giants, a bit like Germany.

[Frankie 505]

23 is hardly a youngster.

Hutton - I'll give you that.

Thomson - Already established with another SPL side so it was low risk.

Adam - Was already playing regularly

Burke - Again 24 is hardly young. He had played for years before he arrived anyway.

Naismith - Hardly played but when he did he was out of position. Same as Thomson aswell.

Broadfoot - Why did he even play?

Lafferty - Yet to see whether he plays or he becomes a Naismith.

Furman - only played because there was no other option. He was the only midfielder on the bench.

Fleck - Coisty played him in the cup games. The only time Smith put him on was against Aberdeen in a desperate attempt to salvage something.

I never said 23 was a youngster but it is a younger player usually with minimal experience so it is positive to see these lads play at Rangers.

Again, the quality and circumstances of each player can be debated, but the argument about Smith being unwilling to play younger players is a red herring.

It's up to these players to show they're good enough at Rangers in whatever position they're asked to play in.

[KingOfTheWing 0]

He plays younger players that have already established themselves at other teams, it's the fact that he doesn't play our own youngsters. He would sign Reynolds who is 20/21 and play him every week because he's played already but not give a chance to one of our own youth.

We'll never know the quality of our youngsters because there development gets halted by holding them back when there ready and then when the get punted they've missed that vital stage in there development.

Some people say who has left yet went on to have a highly successful career but if they got the chace with us they could have. If Advocaat never gave Ferguson his big break he could easily have been playing for the likes of Hearts just now.

[outlaw69uk 123]

I am also hoping we win the league but don't expect to, unless we have a altered playing style, different/better team selection and quality brought in.

I hope and expect to win the league but I certainly don't hope my manager is sacked before he gets the chance to do so.

Very negative of you.

I agree, but I'm struggling to be positive right now over the short and long term.

• Lee is staying, when we seem to have been offered very good money.
• Velicka I can understand but the other two, KL and KM, I can't quite comprehend when we are needing players and money for other positions.
• Walter says we're looking at 1 or 2 additions? We need a right-back, a quality centre back (that doesn't mean Christian Dailly), at least 2 wingers/creative midfielders of a quality to take us forward
• And we're resigning Christian Dailly and David Weir? The latter I can just about understand but him playing means we will continue very very deep.

Just a quick thought Boab, perhaps there is more money to spend than you and some others are guessing at?

"We" seem very obsessed with the fact we have next to nothing to spend, however, we spent, what, £6mill so far, we offered another 6 for the italian in Jan. It all suggests or at the very least hints that we have more to spend than is commonly thought, especially given the intimations by Smith that there are still "a couple" more faces to bring in.

Add to that, that the squad we have got to the Uefa final, and acquitted themselves well in the Champions league, that at the very least we can expect the same squad to make the group stages, thus ensuring further funding. We arent going to come across teams better than we beat last season in the qualifiers.

Sorry, just some calm, rational thought, I will try not to do it again

[Boab 73]

Hopefully so

[KingOfTheWing 0]

I am also hoping we win the league but don't expect to, unless we have a altered playing style, different/better team selection and quality brought in.

I hope and expect to win the league but I certainly don't hope my manager is sacked before he gets the chance to do so.

Very negative of you.

I agree, but I'm struggling to be positive right now over the short and long term.

• Lee is staying, when we seem to have been offered very good money.
• Velicka I can understand but the other two, KL and KM, I can't quite comprehend when we are needing players and money for other positions.
• Walter says we're looking at 1 or 2 additions? We need a right-back, a quality centre back (that doesn't mean Christian Dailly), at least 2 wingers/creative midfielders of a quality to take us forward
• And we're resigning Christian Dailly and David Weir? The latter I can just about understand but him playing means we will continue very very deep.

Just a quick thought Boab, perhaps there is more money to spend than you and some others are guessing at?

"We" seem very obsessed with the fact we have next to nothing to spend, however, we spent, what, £6mill so far, we offered another 6 for the italian in Jan. It all suggests or at the very least hints that we have more to spend than is commonly thought, especially given the intimations by Smith that there are still "a couple" more faces to bring in.

Add to that, that the squad we have got to the Uefa final, and acquitted themselves well in the Champions league, that at the very least we can expect the same squad to make the group stages, thus ensuring further funding. We arent going to come across teams better than we beat last season in the qualifiers.

Sorry, just some calm, rational thought, I will try not to do it again

It's the way the £6million has been spent. If you believe we offered £6million for Carraciolo (sp) your clearly off you head.

[Frankie 505]

KotW:

He doesn't play our own youngsters?

Pressley, Murray, Miller, Moore, Gattuso, Wilson and Ferguson were all played reasonably regularly or given their debuts during Smith's first spell. Hardly dozens of youth players but this was a period where the fans expected European success and we spent accordingly.

As for signing other team's younger players, well I've no problem with that as, more often than not, our own younger players don't get the patience of the supporters to develop at our club.

The rest of your post is merely conjecture.

[outlaw69uk 123]

He plays younger players that have already established themselves at other teams, it's the fact that he doesn't play our own youngsters. He would sign Reynolds who is 20/21 and play him every week because he's played already but not give a chance to one of our own youth.

We'll never know the quality of our youngsters because there development gets halted by holding them back when there ready and then when the get punted they've missed that vital stage in there development.

Some people say who has left yet went on to have a highly successful career but if they got the chace with us they could have. If Advocaat never gave Ferguson his big break he could easily have been playing for the likes of Hearts just now.

The argument here is, the fans wouldnt accept it since we "cant take the chance" etc. If we played a few of the youngsters, and were well beaten (as is possible), then,

1 - manager would be slated

2 - players given stick (ala Hutton, Adam etc etc)

So, this makes it counter productive most of the time. We expect to win every game, and, as such, lower teams can afford to play youngsters, partly due to finance and also because of lower expectations. Thats how guys like Shagger, Adam etc got their experience, by being loaned out.

[Frankie 505]

The argument here is, the fans wouldnt accept it since we "cant take the chance" etc. If we played a few of the youngsters, and were well beaten (as is possible), then,

1 - manager would be slated

2 - players given stick (ala Hutton, Adam etc etc)

So, this makes it counter productive most of the time. We expect to win every game, and, as such, lower teams can afford to play youngsters, partly due to finance and also because of lower expectations. Thats how guys like Shagger, Adam etc got their experience, by being loaned out.

Exactly.

The manager is to play young players but we've to win everything in every season and if they play a bad pass or have a few bad games they'll get barracked to within a inch of their career.

[Gaffbear 4,101]

I agree, but I'm struggling to be positive right now over the short and long term.

• Lee is staying, when we seem to have been offered very good money.
• Velicka I can understand but the other two, KL and KM, I can't quite comprehend when we are needing players and money for other positions.
• Walter says we're looking at 1 or 2 additions? We need a right-back, a quality centre back (that doesn't mean Christian Dailly), at least 2 wingers/creative midfielders of a quality to take us forward
• And we're resigning Christian Dailly and David Weir? The latter I can just about understand but him playing means we will continue very very deep.

I don't blame anyone struggling to be positive. However, we must be realistic and I'm also unsure how helpful it is to hope our manager is sacked before Xmas.

McCulloch is staying because he offers something different in wide or attacking roles as well as maintaining some continuity in the squad.

KM will do what JCD and Cousin did but hopefully on a more consistent basis - ie; working the channels, offering pace and decent quality to the side.

Lafferty represents a combination of the above and has the potential to be a fine player.

We do need some more additions to the squad, so that's why were moving on the dead wood and attempting to improve as much as our finances allow.

Weir won't play too often next season IMO.

Good comments!

As bad as people think McCulloch is he is still a handfull for defenders and hard to play against!

I think Miller will create goals for Boyd and Velicka and the boy Lafferty will surprise a few people too!

If Walter is bringing in 1 or 2 more players in it will be a centre back and either a fullback or wide man!

Walter always says 1 or 2..never anything else.

So i expect 3 or maybe 4 to come and the same or maybe more to leave.

I think he realises we need a right winger,a top centre half and a right full back and an attacking midfielder.

With Buffel gone and Gow following i think Darche and Cousin will join them at least.

[outlaw69uk 123]

I am also hoping we win the league but don't expect to, unless we have a altered playing style, different/better team selection and quality brought in.

I hope and expect to win the league but I certainly don't hope my manager is sacked before he gets the chance to do so.

Very negative of you.

I agree, but I'm struggling to be positive right now over the short and long term.

• Lee is staying, when we seem to have been offered very good money.
• Velicka I can understand but the other two, KL and KM, I can't quite comprehend when we are needing players and money for other positions.
• Walter says we're looking at 1 or 2 additions? We need a right-back, a quality centre back (that doesn't mean Christian Dailly), at least 2 wingers/creative midfielders of a quality to take us forward
• And we're resigning Christian Dailly and David Weir? The latter I can just about understand but him playing means we will continue very very deep.

Just a quick thought Boab, perhaps there is more money to spend than you and some others are guessing at?

"We" seem very obsessed with the fact we have next to nothing to spend, however, we spent, what, £6mill so far, we offered another 6 for the italian in Jan. It all suggests or at the very least hints that we have more to spend than is commonly thought, especially given the intimations by Smith that there are still "a couple" more faces to bring in.

Add to that, that the squad we have got to the Uefa final, and acquitted themselves well in the Champions league, that at the very least we can expect the same squad to make the group stages, thus ensuring further funding. We arent going to come across teams better than we beat last season in the qualifiers.

Sorry, just some calm, rational thought, I will try not to do it again

It's the way the £6million has been spent. If you believe we offered £6million for Carraciolo (sp) your clearly off you head.

Did you get out of bed on the wrong side today? Am clearly NOT off my head.

I suppose it was all a rumour then?

You can argue its spent badly, then again, if we leave KM out of it for obvious reasons...

KL - spent good money on an up and coming player, with international experience, and youth on his side. - why is this bad?

AV - good record, SPL experience, very little money - again, why bad? I would be much happier him in the squad than Cousin, Lee or even JCD/Buffel, since he has done it before, regularily.

We spent £2mil on naismith, who is obviously for the future, but can do a job if needed, Suchy is being touted highly in the transfer section, again, young, and will cost a couple of bob, Lafferty is the same really. I dont see the problem spending good money on good players, especially young players.

[Boab 73]

Back to Buffel:

Buffel Moves To Bruges

THOMAS Buffel has agreed a move to hometown club Cercle Bruges that brings to an end his three and half year stint at Ibrox.

Thomas BuffelThe Belgian midfielder failed to hold down a regular place in Walter Smith's line up last season and will now return to his home country to continue his career.

Smith admits that Buffel had reached a stage in his career where he felt he needed regular action and was happy to return to Bruges for that opportunity.

The Rangers boss confirmed: "Thomas is going to leave us now and join Cercle Bruges. He wants to get himself in to a position where he was going to be playing.

"The people there have told him he'll be getting a game every week whereas he wasn't guaranteed that here."

Thomas Buffel in action against St JohnstoneBuffel arrived in Glasgow in January 2005 and enjoyed a successful two year spell before surgery on a knee problem curtailed his season shortly after Walter Smith's arrival in 2007.

And the Rangers boss admits that after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, it is understandable that Buffel is seeking a new challenge

Smith added: "I think when he has been out for the length of time that he has been he has to get back and show people that he can play on a regular basis.

"The opportunity has come up for him to go back to Belgium, his home country, and we hope he does well. He goes with our best wishes."

http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Ne...1336985,00.html

[KingOfTheWing 0]

KotW:

He doesn't play our own youngsters?

Pressley, Murray, Miller, Moore, Gattuso, Wilson and Ferguson were all played reasonably regularly or given their debuts during Smith's first spell. Hardly dozens of youth players but this was a period where the fans expected European success and we spent accordingly.

As for signing other team's younger players, well I've no problem with that as, more often than not, our own younger players don't get the patience of the supporters to develop at our club.

The rest of your post is merely conjecture.

I'm talking about this time around, I'm not old to remember the likes of Pressleys debut but didn't Ferguson get dropped once there was a bit of pressure on? I still doesn't seem alot of players - Anyway I'm talking about now.

I've not problem with signing other teams players if it's players like Thomson but I don't see the point in signing players like Broadfoot who would be no worse than our youngsters given half the chance.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

outlaw, you're chapping on a door that has been triple locked and welded shut.

Some people won't be happy unless they're unhappy. It's a West of Scotland thing. Everything's shite. Let's just moan about it all.

F*ck me, Le Guen got off lightly when you think about it.