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Davie Weir Column


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Published Date: 09 August 2009

IT IS THE WAY football operates that our league success seems a long time ago. I don't know if we haven't had the recognition for what we achieved at the end of the season because of how the summer has since panned out. We enjoyed it, savoured it, and were proud of bringing the championship back to Rangers after the club was too long separated from the SPL trophy. But you can't look back. In this game you must always look forward, and, having reached that pinnacle, we want to be doi

We have had a decent pre-season, all told. I know there has been a lot of talk about no new signings and the need to reduce the squad, with four players having left. But as a player you can't be concerned with comings and goings in the playing staff.

Essentially, there is continuity in our ranks and that could be a benefit. Overall, you can't be caught up looking beyond what should be your primary focus. What is important for any player is making sure you are ready to earn a place in the team. Everything else is the responsibility of our manager Walter Smith and his coaching team.

It is a thrill to be the captain of the defending champions and be preparing to lead the club in the group stages of the Champions League. Mind you, I am conscious that I only had the armband for the run-in and Barry Ferguson performed the role in the vast majority of matches.

It will be a new high to have the position permanently in such a big season. I have been a captain before at clubs, did the job at Everton, and know it won't change me. With or without these duties, I would look to help others within the team, so it's not really a case of being a different David Weir because I shake hands with the opposing skipper before kick-off. And I know enough about how football works to realise that if I am not performing, the captaincy won't keep me in the team.

We have produced some good displays in the pre-season wins over Nuremberg, Paris Saint Germain and Manchester City. The defeat by Arsenal wasn't enjoyable, but we aren't going to meet sides of that calibre very often in the coming months. The manager has set us up a little differently over the summer and I believe that is the precursor to us adapting to whatever challenges we will face. It is not about the team lining up in a 4-3-3, 4-5-1, 4-4-2 or whatever. It is about having a system for Champions League games, for home matches and away fixtures. We have been pretty open and that has allowed us to produce some free-flowing football in matches that have had plenty going on in them. But I'd be a little surprised if we didn't tighten up when there are points to be played for.

Despite the financial difficulties, I hope we can see the merits in the Scottish game. That seems to be difficult and after Celtic lost the first leg of the Champions League qualifier against Moscow there was an awful lot of crisis talk. Again. When they then pulled off a great result in Russia this week, suddenly the same people were saying perhaps the standard wasn't so poor after all. That becomes a little tiresome, but you just have to wear it.

Admittedly, beating Arsenal will now be a tall order for Celtic, but people should remember that, as it stands, only one tie stands between Celtic and our country having two teams in the Champions League group stages. The picture is not as black as many want to present it.

From a personal point of view, regardless of what people keep telling me, even at 39 years old I am not preparing for the new campaign as if it will be my last. I feel that if I did that, an inevitability would develop and it certainly would be. The same goes for my Scotland career, which I will never give up on even if I was not selected for the squad to face Norway.

I must say that I didn't necessarily think I would go into a fourth season at Rangers when Walter brought me to the club in January 2006. Equally, though, I didn't put any time limit on how long this period of my career could last because football can change by the minute.

I have now made more than 100 appearances, won every domestic honour and played in a UEFA Cup final. But it is not enough. No success in football is ever enough. Knowing how good it has been to rack up these successes simply makes me all the hungrier to keep the honours rolling in.

http://sport.scotsman.com/football/David-W...work.5536980.jp

...

CLUB captain David Weir believes Rangers will be much stronger this season than last when they picked up a league and Scottish Cup double – even though many fans are concerned at the lack of new faces at Ibrox this summer.

The 39-year-old defender believes a lack of activity at the club means the squad will be thoroughly settled for the season ahead.

He said: “You can look on the fact we have no new players as a positive . The fact that nobody has to settle in or try and fit into the team and we know what everyone can do can be a good thing.

“We’ve also got some lads coming back who missed large parts of last season.

“And boys who were new here last time, like Kyle Lafferty, have a year under their belts. So we’re in good shape and I think we’ll be a lot better for all that.”

Weir’s optimism will be welcomed by supporters who have looked on through the summer as the transfer goings-on have all been one-way – out of Ibrox.

Barry Ferguson, Brahim Hemdani, Christian Dailly, Charlie Adam and Graeme Smith have left.

But Weir would rather focus on who’s remained and said: “Everybody talks about bringing players in but if you’re keeping players who have already done a fantastic job that can be just as good.

“We’ve kept Madjid Bougherra, Steven Davis, Pedro Mendes and Kris Boyd, and they are guys who have been over the course and know what it’s all about.

“Then there’s Steven Naismith and Kevin Thomson and to a certain degree they will be like new signings because they missed the majority of last season.”

But, despite all that, Weir insists the Gers have it all to do once more.

He declared: “Winning the title has given us a bit of confidence, but we realise that’s in the past and we’ll have to work twice as hard to retain the title and that’s a big challenge for us.

“It’s something you’ve got to strive for. It’s motivation to do it again.

“We now know what it takes and hopefully that can be an inspiration. We also know how it felt when we did it last season and we want to experience it again.”

The smart money will be on it all going down to the wire between Rangers and Celtic once more, and, although the eternal optimists that are Hearts fans are adamant that they can rock the Old Firm boat, Weir isn’t yet convinced.

He said: “Time will tell and I don’t think you can really predict whether another club will be involved.

“I just don’t know how teams are going to come out this season and perform. I’m sure Hearts and Dundee United will be strong and it will be interesting to see how the other sides shape up, too.”

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Over 100 appearances, unreal. I was there when he made his debut at Dunfermline and his peformances since then have all been of a same level, but I think this season really has to be his last, he showed glimpses in pre-season of being a little out of his depth but that was against top opposition. This year is going to be another pack season and we will see how he gets on. You cant deny his contribution has been great and I salute you Davie weir

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What David Weir has done at Rangers is fantastic and we do have to thank him for his service but if he loved the club I feel he should say that's enough for me, he clearly doesn't have the legs anymore and I am a bit worried going into the season with him at the back.

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WRT - The first article. Easily the best worded, most thoughtful article from any Rangers player on recent memory. Now I know these are simply a guy talking to a 'writer' and it is put into an 'article'. But Davie is of a different class. An educated man, a gentleman, totally honest and a model professional.

Well said Davie.

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WRT - The first article. Easily the best worded, most thoughtful article from any Rangers player on recent memory. Now I know these are simply a guy talking to a 'writer' and it is put into an 'article'. But Davie is of a different class. An educated man, a gentleman, totally honest and a model professional.

Well said Davie.

Agreed. A better representative for the club would be very difficult to find.

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WRT - The first article. Easily the best worded, most thoughtful article from any Rangers player on recent memory. Now I know these are simply a guy talking to a 'writer' and it is put into an 'article'. But Davie is of a different class. An educated man, a gentleman, totally honest and a model professional.

Well said Davie.

(tu):clap:

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Davie Weir has been excellent for us since he signed and its astonishing how games he has racked up despite his age. We do need extra cover in defence but I can see him playing most games this season, however what I'd like to see him doing is mentoring the younger centre backs. He is also a credit to Rangers and to his profession-a total gentleman.

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Davie Weir is absolute class. A gentleman, true professional, exactly how a Rangers captain should be. He is the bench mark on how to carry yourself. I hope some of the younger boys in the locker room are really paying attention to him.

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WRT - The first article. Easily the best worded, most thoughtful article from any Rangers player on recent memory. Now I know these are simply a guy talking to a 'writer' and it is put into an 'article'. But Davie is of a different class. An educated man, a gentleman, totally honest and a model professional.

Well said Davie.

very well put. theres no other way to describe him that whats in bold.

when he signed as well i was one whos firsth thought was "what the fuck?" but he's proved me wrong. here's hoping the big yin goes in glory at the end of the season, he deserves it for what he's done for us.

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