Bougherra looking to stay?

[Creampuff 22,628]

BBC ARTICLE

Madjid Bougherra, Allan McGregor and Sasa Papac all hope to remain with Rangers next season despite speculation about their futures at Ibrox.

Veteran captain David Weir has hinted that he might want to extend his stay.

And outgoing manager Walter Smith has predicted that striker Nikica Jelavic will not be sold during the summer.

"I don't think it would be the brightest thing for the new owner to sell one of our best players," said Smith after Rangers' title win.

"Especially when everyone expects him to spend money."

Rangers secured the title on the final day of the season with a 5-1 hammering of Kilmarnock to finish a point ahead of Celtic and Smith paid tribute to the part played by the £4m summer purchase who missed much of the start of the season through injury.

Previous top scorers Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller were both sold in the last year and a half as Rangers sought to tackle their debt problem under pressure from their bank.

I've still got two years left here and obviously I would love to extend that and stay here because you cannot beat moments like this

Allan McGregor Rangers goalkeeper

"Kris Boyd could score, Kenny Miller could run through defences and, in the later stages of his time at Rangers, he was scoring a lot of goals as well," said Smith.

"But Jelavic gives us a mix of everything. He can run through, he can link up, he can score and it has brought a different dimension to the team.

"He just gives us something different up front - something we've never really had before."

As he prepares to stand down after winning his 10th title - a third in a row - and 21st trophy for Rangers, Smith urged new owner Craig Whyte to give new boss Ally McCoist sufficient funds to strengthen a threadbare squad.

"Unless there is a significant investment then the team will stagnate," said Smith, who had long warned of troubled times next season unless new funds were found.

"They just can't continue to do what they have been doing at the present moment.

"Hopefully, that will be looked at by the owners.

"But I don't think the new owners would have bought the club unless they were happy to put money into the team.

"The team needs a boost. He would be blind if he didn't realise that."

Until Whyte's recent takeover was completed, it had been predicted in some quarters that prize assets like Bougherra, McGregor and Jelavic would be sold, while out-of-contract players like Papac could also leave.

McGregor wants to extend his contract with Rangers

Reports had suggested that Bougherra was looking for a lucrative transfer - but, in the immediate aftermath of the title win, the Algeria defender told BBC Scotland: "I have a one-year contract, so I stay."

McGregor, who remains under contract, has been linked with a number of top English clubs.

"They know what I want to do," said the Scotland goalkeeper. "It is quite obvious what I want to do.

"Hopefully the new owner will be good for the club and I'll maybe speak to him shortly.

"I've still got two years left here and obviously I would love to extend that and stay here because you cannot beat moments like this. It is an incredible feeling."

Papac, who joined from Austria Vienna in 2006, was also keen to be part of McCoist's rebuilding.

"I hope I can sign another contract too because I have given everything to the club for five years and now I have eight trophies as a reward," said the Bosnian defender.

"We are still in talks with Rangers, so we will see what will happen in the next couple of days and I hope I can stay."

Smith had signed Weir from Everton initially as a stop-gap measure in 2007, but the former Scotland defender could play on despite having turned 41.

Asked if he might continue next season, he told BBC Scotland: "Oh, I don't know. You can't fail to fancy it on a day like this."

However, chief executive Martin Bain did not wish to comment on his own future following Whyte's takeover, which has already led to the departure of two members of the Ibrox board.

He said he had "no idea" if there would be further changes, preferring to concentrate on how the title win would improve Rangers' finances and boost McCoist's budget.

"It is obviously wonderful as we get a crack at the Champions League qualifiers next year, which you only get for finishing first," added Bain.

"We have a new manager in place for next year in Alistair, who will need all the support he can get - and we're looking forward to giving him that.

"But the club's got a tremendous platform now."

[MasterD 7,442]

To me that says he is willing to play the last year of his contract, but he wont sign a new 1

[mafia32 93]

hopefully bougie signs an extension rather than just wanting his contract to lapse to get more cash.

[Creampuff 22,628]

To me that says he is willing to play the last year of his contract, but he wont sign a new 1

That's sort of how I read it.

[NorthernLights 2,526]

Wasn't expecting to have Bougherra next season. Don't think there's really much chance of him signing a new contract, so I'd rather we cashed in and got a replacement. Get the Papac signed to another year, though! I think that, if Bougherra and Weir left, we'd have to be pretty brave to let a solid, dependable guy like Papac leave. Losing three of our back five wouldn't be good. Everybody says that one of the reasons we won the league is because Celtic players have never done it before and don't know what it's about - surely that would be the same as a lot of ours if we lost three of our first choice defenders?

[blueben_d 40]

He may want to stay but if he won't sign a new contract we will cash in

[jackunion 536]

I remember a certain Barry ferguson saying the same after a big title win before fucking off to Blackburn, wait till the booze wears off before taking it seriously.

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

Hopefully now we have new owners in this pish of letting contracts run down will be a thing of the past.

If they don't sign a new one sell them,and I include Bougherra in this.

[Jordo 33]

"I hope I can sign another contract too because I have given everything to the club for five years and now I have eight trophies as a reward,"

"We are still in talks with Rangers, so we will see what will happen in the next couple of days and I hope I can stay."

The Papac

[Gaffbear 4,101]

If he doesn't sign a new contract then sell him.

Even a 1 years extension so we could sell him next summer.

[TheNuts 552]

some people say things whilst in ecstasy they dont mean. Let all the excitement die down see what they think then.

[outlaw69uk 123]

Hopefully now we have new owners in this pish of letting contracts run down will be a thing of the past.

If they don't sign a new one sell them,and I include Bougherra in this.

exactly.

[bringonthbarca 25]

I think you should read this piece on the STV sports site about Bougherra. The author is very handsome, by the way.

Dougie, im fast becoming a big fan of reading your blogs. Another well constructed piece. How did that end up on the stv site?

[BEE 4,880]

I remember a certain Barry ferguson saying the same after a big title win before fucking off to Blackburn, wait till the booze wears off before taking it seriously.

Aye cos I'm sure Boughie was full of booze

[Amac9 2,060]

Ideally I would want him to stay.

[Broxi 11,536]

if he's not 100% dedidicated and signing a new contract then sell him now.

[ogbg 20]

That's not really news. He's always said that he won't sign a new contract but would be happy to see out the existing one.

I'm not sure really. It depends on the quality of replacement we can find against the price that we can sell him for. If that doesn't match up then we're as well keeping him for another year.

[H72 265]

I think you should read this piece on the STV sports site about Bougherra. The author is very handsome, by the way.

Look at you, moving up in the world.

Another great blog post.

[King Jela 20,544]

I'd rather Bougherra left.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,748]

while the big man has been easily one of our best players since he arrived, if he doesnt want a new deal then he has to be sold this summer

letting him stay and then seeing him sign a deal with someone in january would sicken the fans

[maverick1200 2,833]

some people say things whilst in ecstasy they dont mean. Let all the excitement die down see what they think then.

True. It sounds like he could stay but he wont sign another contact. I'd ask Bougherra to sign a new contact with a min fee release, so we at least got some money for him.

[DamienM855 413]

Aye cos I'm sure Boughie was full of booze

I remember being at Ibrox after winning the league two seasons ago, and Boughy was absolutely bladdered!

Was standing at the goal-post slapping it with his scarf for around 5 minutes solid with a huge drunken grin on his face until Nacho stopped crowd pleasing and escorted him away.

[BEE 4,880]

I remember being at Ibrox after winning the league two seasons ago, and Boughy was absolutely bladdered!Was standing at the goal-post slapping it with his scarf for around 5 minutes solid with a huge drunken grin on his face until Nacho stopped crowd pleasing and escorted him away.

Really? I was driving past the mosque in Rutherglen one day and he was standing talking to an asian boy I work with. He fasts at Ramadan too so really surprised he drink if true.

[SirWalterSmithLegend 206]

No way would i let him run down his contract. No chance. If he wont sign a new one before the season starts, sell him.

[SansPeur 7]

If you love the club big man do the right thing and sign on the dotted line. We'll punt you next summer for Odense of cash. If you are lying about you love for this great institution and won't do the right thing you can get tarr fuck this summer.

However please resign cos I fucking love you, you big daftie. Just don't go any of those crazy forward runs in Europe next year cos my old ticker can't handle them outside the SPL!!