Buffel

[JR 1,480]

Ignore the sensationalistic headline:

Buffel: I'll Quit Gers If I Can't Get Game

Oct 24 2007 By Alan Marshall

THOMAS BUFFEL has warned Rangers he will quit Ibrox if he is not given a regular start in the first team.

Since recovering from a double knee operation in February the 26-year-old Belgian has made just one senior appearance, as a sub in the 4-0 League Cup win at East Fife last month.

And the £2.3million buy from Feyenoord in 2005 insists he will look elsewhere unless boss Walter Smith "rewards" him for his patience with an early recall.

Buffel said: "If Rangers keep on winning and it looks like they don't need me any more, then I will consider my options.

"I get a lot of pleasure from playing but I want to become an important first-team player once again - at Rangers or elsewhere. I am not accustomed to sitting on the bench and having to follow every match from the stand.

"I still have patience but I want to be rewarded for it. I'm itching to play once again. It would enable me to step up my return.

"I had privately hoped to be back in the first team by now, although after being out for such a long time it is extra difficult to win your place back.

"I have become physically stronger in the two years I've been at Rangers and I can cope with the nature of the game in Scotland. But my disadvantage is Rangers always play with a deep-lyingstriker and that is not really my position.

"The manager has praised me and said I'm still of value to the squad. I want to regain my match-day rhythm. I feel I'm close to being back to my best.

"I provided three assists against Aberdeen, I scored in a training match against Newcastle and against Motherwell I was able to make my mark on our second team."

[Guest]

we have a sufficent team right now without him, if he can come in and do well then fair enough but if he wants to leave i dont think he would be a big miss

[wearethepeople 0]

Don't really like the way he's addressed this situation.

He's only just come back for a serious injury and playing a handful of res games.

If your good enough to play then you will, if you want to play for the jersey then start proving it.

Quit your moaning and put a shift in FFS!

[J_RFC87 762]

Let him go in January.

[davie_bluenose 20]

If he wants to be in the team, then its upto him to prove he deserves to be in it. Its all down to him.

[chris_glasgow 2]

we should try get him fit for new camp him just off JCD would be great as he has the abilty to play killer passe's

[Rohan 25]

I'm not sure what kind of chance he is going to get in the team, considering Gow hasn't even been injured and he's not even had a look in.

[port_bear 86]

I say we change the team for the game against Dundee Utd on Sunday, lets try something different with Boyd and Naismith up front with Ferguson playing in the centre with Buffel who can play in behind the two strikers !! We have a big squad now and we should be able to rotate...

[stephenmac 0]

i'd love to see him and Gow make an appearance on sunday.

[chris_glasgow 2]

I say we change the team for the game against Dundee Utd on Sunday, lets try something different with Boyd and Naismith up front with Ferguson playing in the centre with Buffel who can play in behind the two strikers !! We have a big squad now and we should be able to rotate...

we tried that against motherwell and hibs and didnt work, we need to rotate the right players, whittaker shouldnt be in the team, beasley, naismith, boyd should prob come in

[Muff 245]

Let him go in January.

[JR 1,480]

When he gets his chance, Im confident he'll take it.

[ricksen_da_best 2,034]

i think what he said was probabley more a long the lines..

if the team continues to play well, he might not be able to fit in and get many games..so he might have to look elsewere for first team football

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,749]

He's never been part of the plans anyways methinks !

[Muff 245]

Unless we sustain a long injury list then I wouldn't even bother giving him a chance. Guy's in there are doing fine and there are others who deserve a chance before him.

[JR 1,480]

Unless we sustain a long injury list then I wouldn't even bother giving him a chance. Guy's in there are doing fine and there are others who deserve a chance before him.

Thats a matter of opinion, I think Buffel would go down a storm with this team.

[Danny 9]

Not a fan of this conduct and we clearly don't miss him. I hate players going to the press like this, Lehmann's disgraceful quotes recently left a sour taste in the mouth.

Buffel can stfu and concentrate on getting in the team rather than mouthing off to the press.

And there's nothing sensationalistic about the headline, he pretty much says it himself.

HOWEVER.

In Buffel's defence, Smith has sadly not been a man of his word. Said a month ago he was going to use him over the next few weeks - following the East Fife game.

And he hasn't.

[JR 1,480]

Not a fan of this conduct and we clearly don't miss him. I hate players going to the press like this, Lehmann's disgraceful quotes recently left a sour taste in the mouth.

Buffel can stfu and concentrate on getting in the team rather than mouthing off to the press.

And there's nothing sensationalistic about the headline, he pretty much says it himself.

HOWEVER.

In Buffel's defence, Smith has sadly not been a man of his word. Said a month ago he was going to use him over the next few weeks - following the East Fife game.

And he hasn't.

I think its written in a way to provoke a story, it only needs a few comments attributed or left out and it changes its perspective. To me, he is only stating he is ready when needed.

[Muff 245]

Games of late have been far too important to play Buffel in, especially after coming back from a double knee operation.

[Danny 9]

Not a fan of this conduct and we clearly don't miss him. I hate players going to the press like this, Lehmann's disgraceful quotes recently left a sour taste in the mouth.

Buffel can stfu and concentrate on getting in the team rather than mouthing off to the press.

And there's nothing sensationalistic about the headline, he pretty much says it himself.

HOWEVER.

In Buffel's defence, Smith has sadly not been a man of his word. Said a month ago he was going to use him over the next few weeks - following the East Fife game.

And he hasn't.

I think its written in a way to provoke a story, it only needs a few comments attributed or left out and it changes its perspective. To me, he is only stating he is ready when needed.

Perhaps, hope you're right and I was too quick to condemn.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

I think once again the press are mixing what he is saying to suit their needs and not the players, the clue is in the way the reporter says Buffel with quit etc etc.

The problem any player has if they've been out for a long time is it is harder to get back in, especially if your team is doing well, and he is quite right in saying he might have to look elsewhere, at least he isn't sitting on his backside and picking up his pay cheque every week, he wants to play and prove himself.

I think there will be changes this weekend so maybe he will get a chance, I also think there will be changes especially when you look at the reserve team which played against Hibs yesterday, no Ugo, Webster, Gow, Broadfoot and possibly a couple of others whom I can't remember, in fact Buffel was the most senior player on the pitch for Rangers and he was substituted later on.

[GrandSuckMaster 1,775]

Mr Buffel should at least be on the bench as an option to change games. Although we are very solid now, we lack creativity to come off the bench if we are behind. Buffel has never played in a good Rangers team and i'm sure he would thrive in one.