Remember when we tried to sign Julien Faubert?

[BlueThunder 8,454]

My god! I've just seen the article in The Times about Killie's Faubert. I had to do a mental double take before I remembered we tried to sign him 8 or 9 years ago. Feels like yesterday! As I remember we were all excited about him and a bit gutted it fell through and he joined West Ham.

Anyway, here is the article from the ET.

 

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Kilmarnock's Julien Faubert on his regrets over turning his back on Rangers

One that got away... Julien Faubert admits he would have liked to play in an Old Firm derby for Rangers

KILMARNOCK midfielder Julien Faubert has revealed that he regrets turning his back on Rangers because it cost him the chance to play in an Old Firm derby.

The 32-year-old was lined up for a move to Glasgow in 2007 after the Ibrox club agreed a £4.3million fee with Bordeaux. However, West Ham United trumped that offer at the last minute and lured him to London on a more lucrative contract.

"Everything was agreed,” recalled Faubert. “The length of the contract was an issue, though.

“West Ham offered five years and Rangers offered three. The Premier League is the Premier League too.

"I was young. I had many friends who were at Liverpool and Chelsea and I wanted to play there. My agent gave me the facts and I decided to change.

"Do I have regrets? Yes. Not that I went to West Ham, but Celtic and Rangers are big clubs.

"I played in lot of derbies, but I would have liked to do this one as it is one of the best in the world.”

Faubert, of course, now finds himself locked in a relegation battle with Killie following a colourful career which has taken in spells in Turkey and on loan at Real Madrid.

He spent half-a-season there in 2009 and admits he is hoping to pass on the lessons he learned at the Bernabeu to his new team-mates at Rugby Park as they bid to pull themselves away from the Premiership drop zone.

“I have shared my Real Madrid experience with the players,” he said.

“I can go through the team that was there at the time. Right-back Sergio Ramos, left-back Marcelo, centre-back Fabio Cannavaro and Pepe, Lassana Diarra and Fernando Gago in the middle.

“We had Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart with Arjen Robben on the right, Gonzalo Higuain on the left and, up front, Ruud van Nistelrooy or Raul.

“In the dressing room 15 minutes before kick-off, their faces would change. They have money, they have everything. They’ve won World Cups, but they still want to win every game. If Raul has five chances and scores two, he’s not happy. He wants to score five.

“I learned to be a winner over there.

"I think the mentality is what we have been missing in some games here at Kilmarnock.

"We are a little bit too nice and gentle defensively.”

[Marky. 6,946]

The one that got away...

 

 

Thankfully.

[K.A.I 36,183]

Trying to put himself in the shop window for us I reckon.

[Sket 13,610]

£4.3 million? West Ham done us a favour.

[pcbear 10,924]

Add to Jardel/ ,Tamuda/ Bergkamp/ Couto/ Vialli/ Radaciou(sp)

I remember the back page headline of Dennis Gergkamp, I thought we had signed him.

[Bears 794]

Looking back, we were perhaps a little indiscriminate* in our signing policy on occasion.

 

(* For the thought police, this refers merely to footballing ability and not any personal/genetic attributes so feel free to untwist yer knickers.)

[Amato 3,029]

48 minutes ago, pcbear said:

Add to Jardel/ ,Tamuda/ Bergkamp/ Couto/ Vialli/ Radaciou(sp)

I remember the back page headline of Dennis Gergkamp, I thought we had signed him.

Remember we were apparently interested in Samuel Eto'o too?

Wednesday, 3 April, 2002, 19:34 GMT 20:34 UK

McLeish admits Eto'o interest

Rangers are interested in signing Real Mallorca striker Samuel Eto'o.

But the Scottish club's manager, Alex McLeish, insists that the Cameroon international is not their top signing priority.

Eto'o was watched by McLeish's assistant, Andy Watson, during the Africans' friendly against Argentina last week and impressed the Glasgow club.

McLeish told Rangers' official website: "Samuel Eto'o is a player I like, but there are a lot of players out there that I like.

"He is not the number one target.

"There were a number of excellent players on show in the Cameroon-Argentina game which Andy watched, including Marc-Vivien Foe, who is a midfield player.

"There are a lot of players out there who we would love to bring to Rangers, but we will do it when the time is right."

Rangers chairman David Murray has made it clear that the club would also have to sell players before they could finance a move for any player.

"What I would say is that, if we were clear to go out and splash out on the transfer market, it is not certain that we would go for Eto'o," said McLeish.

Eto'o's agent, Willie McKay, told BBC Sport Online that Rangers would face competition for the signature of the 21-year-old, who is keen to play in the English Premiership.

"There are five or six clubs from England going to watch him against Deportivo La Coruña on Saturday, in addition to Rangers," he said.

Eto'o is a regular in the Cameroon national team and helped guide them to victory in this year's African Nations Cup.

He also helped Real Mallorca to third place in the Spanish Primera Liga last season, handing them a Champions League spot for the first time in the club's history.

Mallorca have struggled this year, though, and are still involved in a relegation battle.

They are also understood to be struggling financially and would be prepared to sell one of their most valuable assets.

Eto'o was bought from Real Madrid for £4.6m after spending a year on loan at Mallorca.

His present club would want at least £6m for the striker.

One player Rangers have signed is Lorient youngster Ludwig Norbert.

The 18-year-old right midfielder has been given until the end of the season to sufficently impress the Rangers management.

He made his debut for the under-21s against Celtic on Monday and could earn himself a longer contract if he does enough in the remaining under-21 and under-18 games.

[Amato 3,029]

Mcleish obviously didn't like the look of Eto'o. We did sign Steven Thompson later that year though 

[EatDolphins 5,356]

11 minutes ago, Amato said:

Mcleish obviously didn't like the look of Eto'o. We did sign Steven Thompson later that year though 

All's well that ends well. 

[Bearsden bear 2,376]

Kenny miller is the white etoo

[BigAmo'sThighs 848]

13 minutes ago, Bearsden bear said:

Kenny miller is the white etoo

I think you'll find Eto is the Black Kenny Miller

[BEE 4,880]

Only wants to go to Rangers for games vs Celt*c, a bit like a few posters on here...

[ShanksRFC 3,870]

If McCoist was still here he would probably be a Gers player rather than a Kilmarnock player.

[G.E.C. 18,867]

4 hours ago, Amato said:

Mcleish obviously didn't like the look of Eto'o. We did sign Steven Thompson later that year though 

His goal that made it 5-1 against Dunfermline clinched the title.

Great business.