Celtic launch bid to hijack Rangers move for defender

[boss 1,941]

Daily Record

Exclusive: Celtic launch bid to hijack Rangers move for defender Glenn Loovens

Aug 13 2008 By Keith Jackson

CELTIC have launched a dramatic bid to sign the centre-half Walter Smith wants as a replacement for Carlos Cuellar.

Record Sport can reveal Parkhead chief executive Peter Lawwell has opened talks with Cardiff City in an attempt to thrash out a price for Dutch stopper Glenn Loovens and gazump his crisis-hit rivals.

The news will come as a bombshell to beleaguered Rangers manager Smith who asked the Ibrox hierarchy to snap Loovens up last month.

Smith's need to sign up the player is greater than ever following the controversial sale of Cuellar to Aston Villa.

But Lawwell is determined to beat him to the 24-year-old who turned in a highly impressive display AGAINST Gordon Strachan's side in a pre-season friendly in Portugal last month.

Sources in Cardiff believe Lawwell has already moved closer to meeting the £2.5million price tag set by Bluebirds chairman Peter Risdale - and that the player is excited at the possibility of Champions League football.

Loovens is now waiting anxiously to hear if an agreement can be reached with either club.

The former Feyenoord defender has been holding out for a move to Rangers for most of the summer and believed a deal would be done after a stylish display in that win over Celtic.

But the move has been left on standby as Smith's summer disintegrated into crisis with the humiliating Euro exit in Lithuania followed by Cuellar's departure.

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain has remained in talks with Loovens' advisers but could not agree a deal with Ridsdale and now faces the nightmare scenario of being beaten to the punch by Lawwell.

[MisterC 12,760]

That really was one that got away

[DietofWorms 2,079]

Ahhhh ha ha ha ha! Thank fuck we were in crisis.

[boss 1,941]

It's an absolute belter from Keith Jackson. Wrong in so many ways. Sir Walter sold the best dummy ever.

[Dennis 1,011]

good find boss.

[Senna 735]

Walter really deserves a lot of credit for this alone. :broadfoot:

[SirWalterSmithLegend 206]

Wacko Jacko. Little turn coat prick.

[Rab_Rangers 38]

[Jimbo. 952]

:lol:

[DarcheVinny 1,003]

[johanhentze 14,735]

That really was one that got away

I have to say.. I think he would have been a good defender with Rangers alongside Weir.

[welsh103 12]

:lol:

[StayWestFree 107]

Best one of these ever was the superb piece by John Hartson when we clawed back a 7 point lead twice and won the first of our last 3 titles in a row. He should head onto the comedy circuit with this piece.

I still read it now for a hearty chuckle.

Published: 07 Mar 2009

PEDRO MENDES isn't half the player Rangers fans think he is.

Kyle Lafferty is way out of his depth.

John Fleck is a child who could still be at school and can't be relied upon.

Kenny Miller will NEVER score enough goals on a regular basis to win any team a championship title.

Davie Weir getting a new 12 month contract after his 39th birthday in May will sicken the club's supporters.

Barry Ferguson isn't yet close to being the dominating figure he used to be.

Do I really need to go on?

There you have the players Walter Smith is staking his reputation on to bring the SPL title to Ibrox.

But as things stand the Rangers boss must look at that lot and know himself he has NO CHANCE of winning the league.

Four-in-a-row is in the bag for Celtic. It's over now.

Finished.

Anyone who tries to tell me differently either needs to sit down with a stiff drink - or watch a re-run of the Old Firm sides in action on Wednesday night.

At Kilmarnock you had one group of players going all out, busting a gut to get another crucial three points on the board.

In Glasgow there was another team showing no fight, no resilience and no desire to pip their greatest rivals to the post.

For me that performance and result at Ibrox was a shocking disgrace which only goes to show how big a problem Smith has.

The Rangers players are letting themselves, their club and their manager down.

Do they actually want a league winner's medal, or what?

On the evidence of their display against Caley Thistle I really don't think they do.

Winning titles takes bottle, but where was that when push came to shove on Wednesday?

Rangers were diabolical for the two years before Smith took charge again. They came close to European glory last season and deserve all the credit going for that.

But their shambolic end to the league campaign was papered over because of the hectic run of games in the final few weeks. They were given a convenient excuse.

What will these guys be saying this May when they watch Celtic clinch the title - again?

When are they going to stand up and be counted? I really would love to know because this can't be allowed to go on much longer.

Some might choose to point the finger of blame at the manager as he's the man who brought many of these players to the club in the first place.

But for me that's way too simple. It's not Walter Smith who is stepping on to the pitch week in week out. There is only so much he can say or do.

Lafferty for one has been given an opportunity he says is a lifelong dream. Really? You wouldn't have thought that with the way the boy has been playing. Surely he must realise his chance of making it with Rangers is now on the verge of passing him by.

If he continues the way he's going he's going to be back at somewhere like Burnley before he knows it. Lafferty must run faster, jump higher, score more.

He's the prime example of everything that's wrong in that dressing room.

Lafferty thinks he's achieved something by signing for Rangers when the truth of the matter is he's done nothing.

He's nowhere near good enough for the club if you ask me, but when I see him play it's as though he thinks he's got something special in his locker.

Mendes isn't much better. I've heard people rave about him this season and clearly he's got ability there and can see a pass.

But seeing it and making it are two totally different things.

More than that I just don't see any biting aggression there from a player supposed to be competing in central midfield for a massive club.

You could say the same about Ferguson these days as he's not dominating games like he used to, but for me he's been dragged down to the level of those around him.

You can't tell me he doesn't want to stop Celtic winning the league.

I meet diehard Rangers fans in the street and they tell me they're sick to death with what's being served up.

The only reason they go along to see the games is because it's in their blood.

It's like everything they don't have at Ibrox they see in spades across the city. Celtic were awesome against Kilmarnock with everyone pulling their weight.

Scott Brown was outstanding, snarling his way through the game.

Scott McDonald's two goals were tremendous with his determination shining through all night.

Then there was Aiden McGeady picking the ball up on the halfway line, facing his man and running at him with pace. Who at Rangers can do that?

Kirk Broadfoot virtually gets a nosebleed whenever he steps out of his own half.

No, the league is done and dusted. Celtic allowed a seven point lead to slip once and must have been kicking themselves.

But they have been allowed to get off the hook and I don't see them wasting their advantage a second time. Rangers simply can't be that lucky.

I can just imagine what it was like in the away dressing room at Rugby Park after the game on Wednesday night.

You'd have had a group of players laughing their heads off.

Celtic won the league there two years ago - it will have felt like they did again.

P.S. Gordon Strachan is still despised by a large section of Celtic supporters. They don't know they're born. If four-in-a-row is delivered each and every one of them should sit down with a pen and paper and write him a personal note of thanks. It's the very least he'd deserve.

Bits in bold - LOL. Fat John Hartson, what a dick. Roon ye.

[MartinGers93 388]

It's an absolute belter from Keith Jackson. Wrong in so many ways. Sir Walter sold the best dummy ever.

This and Samaras aswell

[watp72 54]

Sources in Cardiff believe Lawwell has already moved closer to meeting the £2.5million price tag set by Bluebirds chairman Peter Risdale - and that the player is excited at the possibility of Champions League football.

How many CL games you had there Glenn???

Funny thing about the whole Loovens thing, I genuinely believe with SDoW's mentoring, Loovens would have made a cracking defender. He joined them though.... so fuck him

[Mor3los_1 3,672]

Best one of these ever was the superb piece by John Hartson when we clawed back a 7 point lead twice and won the first of our last 3 titles in a row. He should head onto the comedy circuit with this piece.

I still read it now for a hearty chuckle.

Bits in bold - LOL. Fat John Hartson, what a dick. Roon ye.

Love that, was looking for his humble pie thread about Rangers winning but can't find it

[Senna 735]

Slightly off topic, Hooiveld scored again for Southampton tonight, seems to be doing well down there.

Arguably the scum's two best CBs are performing to a decent standard at other clubs in England.

Whilst they are stuck with Loovens and big baldy!

It's things like this that lead to the rumours that Lemon has fallen out with them or lost the dressing room. True or not, there's a lot of circumstantial evidence.

[Goianegra 4,710]

And we ended up with :bougherra:

[Boab 73]

Best one of these ever was the superb piece by John Hartson when we clawed back a 7 point lead twice and won the first of our last 3 titles in a row. He should head onto the comedy circuit with this piece.

I still read it now for a hearty chuckle.

Bits in bold - LOL. Fat John Hartson, what a dick. Roon ye.

Got the link mate at all, would love to tweet him it?

[StayWestFree 107]

Got the link mate at all, would love to tweet him it?

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/columnists/johnhartson/article2302818.ece

John Hartson also wrote this.

THEY say the SPL title is priceless — but it's not.

Rangers sold it for £400,000.

A measly amount of money and God knows why they thought it was worth it.

But the second they accepted the cash for Kenny Miller their championship chances went spinning down the stank.

When Celtic lift the trophy, and they WILL, the grasping money-men at Ibrox will only have themselves to blame.

Manager Walter Smith — a picture of frustration so often in his farewell season — will have had his hands tied on that deal, I'm pretty sure. If it had been down to him he'd have kept the on-form striker.

Kenny boarded that flight to Turkey three months ago and is STILL the SPL's top scorer!

Yet Miller was allowed to go — and when he flew out for Bursaspor on that cold January morning Rangers' league chances went with him.

I tipped Smith's side at the start of the season.

But not any more.

There's now nothing to stop my wee pal Neil Lennon winning his first title.

Sure, it'll be a close run-in.

But it's in my old club's hands now and I firmly believe they will NOT let it slip away.

This week I've had a studied look at the games ahead for both sides and I do expect a few nervy ones between now and Sunday, May 15.

But Celtic have more than enough in the tank to get them across the finishing line.

Dundee United at home this weekend won't be a problem in my eyes. Peter Houston has a decent side there but nothing to worry anyone at Parkhead.

No, for me Inverness Caley Thistle away is the tricky one.

That's a tough place to go at the best of times. At this stage in the season, on a midweek when you really need to win, it's hellish.

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Terry Butcher puts out a side good enough to get something. He'll love that too. That's why I fancy a 1-1 draw. Then it's away games against Kilmarnock and Hearts.

From what I saw the last time at Rugby Park, Celtic have absolutely nothing to worry about. There's no way on God's earth Killie will take anything.

Hearts at Tynecastle will require a lot more graft because their fans will be desperate to put a spanner in the works.

They'd see that as a major achievement but for me that's when one of Celtic's big hitters will stand up and be counted.

I expect someone like Gary Hooper or Kris Commons to nick a goal with a moment of magic. I say 1-0 Celtic. Pivotal.

The final game is Motherwell at home and a chance to exorcise some of the ghosts that have haunted me since 2005. I played the day Scott McDonald scored twice to hand the title to Rangers and it was my worst day in football.

It won't happen again.

So Celtic will end up with 93 points by my calculations.

Rangers will beat Well at Fir Park today — Stuart McCall's side will now have one eye on the Scottish Cup Final against the Hoops on May 21. This time 2-1 Rangers is my prediction.

Hearts at home is where Smith's side will fall down.

I can see Jim Jefferies' Jambos leaving with a point at least — Rangers' title chances GONE with two games to go. I don't think there's anything stopping them from beating Dundee United and Kilmarnock.

But 91 points is the best they can hope for.

And you know what? No one at Rangers could argue.

Celtic, for me, have been the best side in the country for most of the season and deserve to be crowned champs.

I think they realised they were better than Rangers when they played them at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup.

They went down to ten men but still dominated the second half in the 2-2 draw.

Celtic must have come away thinking: 'We have nothing to fear with this lot. They're not the force we thought they were'. And the truth is that's the way it's turned out.

Rangers had their chances and they've been unlucky for a lot of the season.

Losing Lee McCulloch through injury was a massive blow because he held them together in the middle.

Selling Miller? MADNESS.

Look, truly big clubs don't sell their big players when they're battling for silverware and I said at the time the decision staggered me.

It's not like they raked in a fortune. They got less than half a million for a player who was virtually priceless.

Now they will pay the biggest toll of all for their folly.

Twice this fat cunt has been made to eat his humble pie. You think the fat cunt would learn. :lol:

[NorthernLights 2,529]

He's a useless fat prick.

[Senna 735]

If you do tweet him, ask him if he's paid off the bookies yet.

And tell him if not, as tragic as it is, hiding behind his cancer is not an excuse.

[watp72 54]

If you do tweet him, ask him if he's paid off the bookies yet.

And tell him if not, as tragic as it is, hiding behind his cancer is not an excuse.

As much as I hate the cunt, that last bit is harsh as fuck

[NorthernLights 2,529]

True, though, to be fair.

[Senna 735]

As much as I hate the cunt, that last bit is harsh as fuck

He moaned in his column how unfair it was that he was being chased by the bookies for his alleged £400k debts that he ran up while/because he was ill.

Not saying he deserved it, or anything of the sort, but he should at least be man enough to own up to what he did and not use his illness as some sort of invisibility cloak.