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DEREK JOHNSTONE: Expect Rangers boss Walter Smith to set the wheels of deals in

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ShaneRalfRoss

ShaneRalfRoss 278

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DEREK JOHNSTONE: Expect Rangers boss Walter Smith to set the wheels of deals in motion

WALTER SMITH returns to work this week and I don't think the manager will waste much time in getting down to business.

There is not the money available to spend on players that he would have wished for and there is still a need to cash in on one or two first-team players.

And he'll also need to trim the wage budget by getting a number of fringe players off the books.

But the Rangers manager will still have to try and find a way of freshening up his starting line-up and attempt to improve one or two areas in the team.

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So I can see a couple of arrivals at least before the start of the new season.

After winning the double last term, Rangers have got to kick on and make progress on the back of that success.

They will also find themselves operating in the Champions League this season and they've got to give themselves a chance of competing at that level.

So Smith has a tough job on his hands. It's difficult to make improvements to a team without money to spend, but he worked with next to nothing at Everton and still managed to enjoy a decent amount of success down there.

It's his job to duck and dive, get in touch with agents and managers, and see what business he can conduct without breaking the bank.

The Ibrox club have hardly been linked with a single player over the summer. As you would expect, it's Celtic who have made back page headlines with Tony Mowbray taking over from Gordon Strachan and chasing var-ious signing targets.

However, I fully expect things to pick up now that Smith has returned from holiday.

His main signing priority is to find a left-sided midfielder. Various players were deployed there last term but no-one managed to hold down a starting slot and make the position their own.

And the other arrivals might depend on which players leave. Barry Ferguson seems likely to move to Birmingham City but, with Kevin Thomson returning from injury, and Pedro Mendes and Maurice Edu performing well last term, they have enough in the middle of the park.

Perhaps another centre-half could come in as back-up to Madjid Bougherra and David Weir who, by and large, managed to avoid injury and suspension last season.

And if Kris Boyd is sold, which could still happen because he is about to enter the final year of his contract, then some of that money would need to be invested in a new striker.

I'm actually pleased that Aaron is returning for a second season on loan. It looked as though he would return to Valencia, but he might do a job for Rangers next season and he is a player who would excite the fans.

I think supporters want to see skilful players taking on opponents, creating chances for team-mates and having attempts on goal and the young Spaniard certainly does that.

But expect things to pick up speed over the next week or so at Ibrox.

Man of steel Kev can come back a stronger player

HE sustained a serious injury last season just when he was producing his best form in a Rangers jersey.

But I've no doubts Kevin Thomson won't be long in returning to the top of his game again now that he can join his Gers team-mates for the start of pre-season training.

Walter Smith originally thought he would be out until September so he'll be delighted to see Thommo join the rest of the lads at the start of next week when they all gather at Murray Park to start their preparations for the new season.

Thomson was playing some fantastic stuff before suffering the cruciate ligament injury down at Kilmarnock and even though Rangers went on to win the championship and Scottish Cup without him, there were still times when he was sorely missed.

He adds a bit of dig and steel that no-one else currently at the club does quite as well, he can pick a pass and he has shown in the past he can chip in with a few goals.

It might take him a month or two to find his feet again after being sidelined for over seven months, but he has already come back from a serious injury at Hibs and I'm fully confident he will be a huge player for the Ibrox club next term.

Decision time for Charlie ...

GERS midfielder Charlie Adam needs to be playing first-team football at this stage of his career so, if he isn't going to get that at Rangers, then he'll have to look seriously at moving on.

He performed brilliantly in the Coca-Cola Championship last season during his loan spell at Blackpool and the fact they now want to take him there on a permanent basis, not to mention Barnsley - who are in the same league - is confirmation of that.

I know Charlie well and he is desperate to make the grade at Ibrox and he loves playing for the club.

However, he is 23 now, and spending too much time on the bench isn't going to benefit his career in the long-term.

If he is going to play first-team football at Rangers this season then great - he should then stay where he is. But I'm sure he'll seek clarification on his future from Walter Smith when he returns to pre-season training before making a decision.

Any club wishing to sign him will have to pay more than £500,000 for his services, but they'd be getting a player with a wonderful left-foot and someone who is capable of hitting double figure each season.

It will all come down to how big a part he will get to play in Rangers' season.

Kids on fringe will mean less loan Rangers

RANGERS have made it clear they will restrict the amount of young players going out on loan this term.

The Ibrox club loaned out a host of youngsters to various clubs last season but not all of them were playing every week.

If you aren't playing first-team football then going out on loan is a complete waste of time.

A loan deal can provide the players with a great insight into first-team action, but a number of the kids did not gain as much of that experience as the club would have liked.

Gers' squad will be trimmed this year, with a number of the younger lads making up the numbers.

Some players have made it into the first team without going out on loan - John Fleck is the perfect example.

And that now seems the road Rangers will go down this season.

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/displa...s_in_motion.php

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super hans

super hans 55

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I hope Walter doesn't just rush and bring in any diddy because Celtic are getting a few players in.

The lad from Le Havre we were linked with, a new centre half, and shipping out the deadwood, and i'll be happy with that.

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FlippinEck

FlippinEck 3,510

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Goodbye to: Adam, Ferguson, Beasley, Webster, Gow, G. Smith, Mcculloch, one would hope combined fees for all of them come to £3Million+

That leaves us needing a centreback, a striker and a winger

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theweebluenose

theweebluenose 4,331

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A centre back, winger and possibly left back should be our priority imo.

I agree, although I can see Walter looking at the return of Aaron as solving the Left Wing problem. We need a more experienced Winger in my opinion and have a bit of rotation.

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Gaz52

Gaz52 11,837

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IMO we need a CB and a winger, although i think if Walter was to give Aaron a run in the team he'd turn out good. Thats all Whittaker needed, a few games to boost his confidence

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flecky1

flecky1 4

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A centre back, winger and possibly left back should be our priority imo.

I agree, although I can see Walter looking at the return of Aaron as solving the Left Wing problem. We need a more experienced Winger in my opinion and have a bit of rotation.

how come? he was here all last year and never solved the left mid problem, aaron is a winger and does not suit walters "dont get beat" tactics, i cant see him playing any more times this season than he did last season.

anyways our dealings imho should be

fergie out

mcculloch out

velicka out

dailly out (hes not really away yet)

mcgregor out

beasley out

webster out

broadfoot out

maybe some more.....if the money was right.

and i hope we take our time to find the right back up for neily alexander a young GK, a centre half to oust davie weir, a real left midfielder to play on left hand side of midfield, and a champs league striker to bring on the likes of gow, laffs, fleck and boydy in europe.

build our team around the likes of whittaker, bougherra, thomson, davis, boyd, edu, fleck...........that is a strong base to build on, we still have laffs, naismith, niguez, novo and gow, all 5 capable of contributing imho.

its the deadwood and anti footballers we must get rid of. the ones getting ridiculous contracts and not playing, they must go.......

anyone brought in must be better than what is already in our strongest starting 11

that will take scouting which we dont have and also our chief executive Martin Bain is not upto the job. He is way out of his depth, imo of course.

I suppose i do feel for Walter a bit, having to work under "the downsizers Bain n Murray", when we still sell the same amount of strips, maybe even more now, and we still fill ibrox 95% of the time, and we still rake in merchandising and sponsorship monies, and we win cups and leagues, and we still qualify for europe, yet were told were skint, we cant do this we cant do that...........its a joke

there are not many players in our pool who deserve the contracts given to them by mr bain.

does our huge wage bill, which has crippled us for 9 years EQUAL what is on show on the pitch? imo absolutely NOT

we need fixed, big time, on and off the park

my fear is Murray doesnt have the heart or bottle for it and Bain doesnt have the brains for it.

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1873WATP

1873WATP 0

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A centre back, winger and possibly left back should be our priority imo.

I agree, although I can see Walter looking at the return of Aaron as solving the Left Wing problem. We need a more experienced Winger in my opinion and have a bit of rotation.

how come? he was here all last year and never solved the left mid problem, aaron is a winger and does not suit walters "dont get beat" tactics, i cant see him playing any more times this season than he did last season.

anyways our dealings imho should be

fergie out

mcculloch out

velicka out

dailly out (hes not really away yet)

mcgregor out

beasley out

webster out

broadfoot out

maybe some more.....if the money was right.

and i hope we take our time to find the right back up for neily alexander a young GK, a centre half to oust davie weir, a real left midfielder to play on left hand side of midfield, and a champs league striker to bring on the likes of gow, laffs, fleck and boydy in europe.

build our team around the likes of whittaker, bougherra, thomson, davis, boyd, edu, fleck...........that is a strong base to build on, we still have laffs, naismith, niguez, novo and gow, all 5 capable of contributing imho.

its the deadwood and anti footballers we must get rid of. the ones getting ridiculous contracts and not playing, they must go.......

anyone brought in must be better than what is already in our strongest starting 11

that will take scouting which we dont have and also our chief executive Martin Bain is not upto the job. He is way out of his depth, imo of course.

I suppose i do feel for Walter a bit, having to work under "the downsizers Bain n Murray", when we still sell the same amount of strips, maybe even more now, and we still fill ibrox 95% of the time, and we still rake in merchandising and sponsorship monies, and we win cups and leagues, and we still qualify for europe, yet were told were skint, we cant do this we cant do that...........its a joke

there are not many players in our pool who deserve the contracts given to them by mr bain.

does our huge wage bill, which has crippled us for 9 years EQUAL what is on show on the pitch? imo absolutely NOT

we need fixed, big time, on and off the park

my fear is Murray doesnt have the heart or bottle for it and Bain doesnt have the brains for it.

agree with everything you've said 100%

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theweebluenose

theweebluenose 4,331

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A centre back, winger and possibly left back should be our priority imo.

I agree, although I can see Walter looking at the return of Aaron as solving the Left Wing problem. We need a more experienced Winger in my opinion and have a bit of rotation.

how come? he was here all last year and never solved the left mid problem, aaron is a winger and does not suit walters "dont get beat" tactics, i cant see him playing any more times this season than he did last season.

anyways our dealings imho should be

fergie out

mcculloch out

velicka out

dailly out (hes not really away yet)

mcgregor out

beasley out

webster out

broadfoot out

maybe some more.....if the money was right.

and i hope we take our time to find the right back up for neily alexander a young GK, a centre half to oust davie weir, a real left midfielder to play on left hand side of midfield, and a champs league striker to bring on the likes of gow, laffs, fleck and boydy in europe.

build our team around the likes of whittaker, bougherra, thomson, davis, boyd, edu, fleck...........that is a strong base to build on, we still have laffs, naismith, niguez, novo and gow, all 5 capable of contributing imho.

its the deadwood and anti footballers we must get rid of. the ones getting ridiculous contracts and not playing, they must go.......

anyone brought in must be better than what is already in our strongest starting 11

that will take scouting which we dont have and also our chief executive Martin Bain is not upto the job. He is way out of his depth, imo of course.

I suppose i do feel for Walter a bit, having to work under "the downsizers Bain n Murray", when we still sell the same amount of strips, maybe even more now, and we still fill ibrox 95% of the time, and we still rake in merchandising and sponsorship monies, and we win cups and leagues, and we still qualify for europe, yet were told were skint, we cant do this we cant do that...........its a joke

there are not many players in our pool who deserve the contracts given to them by mr bain.

does our huge wage bill, which has crippled us for 9 years EQUAL what is on show on the pitch? imo absolutely NOT

we need fixed, big time, on and off the park

my fear is Murray doesnt have the heart or bottle for it and Bain doesnt have the brains for it.

I genuinely believe that Walter realised that we need more pace/attack/creativity/width in our team with the Champions League looming and thats why Aaron was given a second chance. Although I have been critical of Walter I think you are right in everything you say, Bain and Murray need to go. Murray has done so much for our club and resurected the it from near death, recently however now is the right time to go.

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OrangeBurn

OrangeBurn 57

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I believe we just have to keep a good core of the team and build around it.

McGregor

Bougherra

Davis

Mendes

Edu

Thomson

Novo

I reckon keep them and wheel and deal anyone else. When it comes to winning there can be no sentiment.

Keep our best players and bring in 3 quality players ranger than 6 good players.

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