Smith backing Lafferty and Edu

[ofb1988 61]

Rangers manager Walter Smith has backed Kyle Lafferty and Maurice Edu for major roles at Ibrox in the future.

The pair joined in the summer with Lafferty, 21, costing £3m from Burnley, while Edu, 22, made a £2.6m move from Major League Soccer.

"Lafferty and Edu will play a big part for Rangers in the coming years, I've no doubt about that," Smith said.

"It does take them a little time to settle and at Rangers you have to have experienced players around as well."

Smith has asked that fans be patient with the pair, both of whom are young and experiencing their first season in the Scottish Premier League.

"Even the younger ones who have played in Scotland for quite a number of seasons, your Steven Whittakers and Kevin Thomsons, took a bit of time to settle into the team," he said.

"Nowadays, we are not able to get a higher level of player.

You are expected to win well and play well and for young lads and guys who are not used to it then it's a big ask

Rangers defender David Weir

"We were able to go to England and get them in previous times, but now we have to look at the younger ones.

"And people's expectations of the younger ones should not be the same as those on the experienced players."

Veteran defender David Weir has sympathy with the young pair, who he says have come to a club where expectations are exceptionally high.

"When you are at a club like Rangers, you just have to get on with it," he said.

"It's a hard place to play and learn, but the benefits here far outweigh the negatives.

"There are not many clubs in Britain, or indeed the world, where the expectations are for you to win every week," the 38-year old added.

"You are expected to win well and play well and for young lads and guys who are not used to it then it's a big ask.

"It can be a harsh place to be because, if you don't win, it's an immediate crisis.

"I'd always rather be here, though, than at some club where it didn't really matter."

[pcbear 10,913]

Rangers manager Walter Smith has backed Kyle Lafferty and Maurice Edu for major roles at Ibrox in the future.

The pair joined in the summer with Lafferty, 21, costing £3m from Burnley, while Edu, 22, made a £2.6m move from Major League Soccer.

"Lafferty and Edu will play a big part for Rangers in the coming years, I've no doubt about that," Smith said.

"It does take them a little time to settle and at Rangers you have to have experienced players around as well."

Smith has asked that fans be patient with the pair, both of whom are young and experiencing their first season in the Scottish Premier League.

"Even the younger ones who have played in Scotland for quite a number of seasons, your Steven Whittakers and Kevin Thomsons, took a bit of time to settle into the team," he said.

"Nowadays, we are not able to get a higher level of player.

You are expected to win well and play well and for young lads and guys who are not used to it then it's a big ask

Rangers defender David Weir

"We were able to go to England and get them in previous times, but now we have to look at the younger ones.

"And people's expectations of the younger ones should not be the same as those on the experienced players."

Veteran defender David Weir has sympathy with the young pair, who he says have come to a club where expectations are exceptionally high.

"When you are at a club like Rangers, you just have to get on with it," he said.

"It's a hard place to play and learn, but the benefits here far outweigh the negatives.

"There are not many clubs in Britain, or indeed the world, where the expectations are for you to win every week," the 38-year old added.

"You are expected to win well and play well and for young lads and guys who are not used to it then it's a big ask.

"It can be a harsh place to be because, if you don't win, it's an immediate crisis.

"I'd always rather be here, though, than at some club where it didn't really matter."

If anything Whittakers gone backwards as a player, and for the other highlighted statement wtf.

[mark_ni 12]

walter why dont you pick edu so we can really see what hes like and play lafferty in his proper position. Hes scored 4 goals in 7starts and half a dozen 5min sub appearences on the left side of midfield. Not a bad return for a young player not renowned as a goalscorer. I think hes got more goals per minutes on the pitch than anyone at the club bar kris boyd of course. If he can do that at left midfield what can he do through the middle?

[Ibroxblue 122]

It's certainly too soon to write off Edu and Lafferty.

[HelloMoto 0]

"There are not many clubs in Britain, or indeed the world, where the expectations are for you to win every week," the 38-year old added.

And there aren't many leagues when you are spending 100 times more on players and still getting twatted off shite like St Mirren!

I'm fed up with his excuses or saying 'Lafferty and Edu are for the future' if you don't win the league you have no future!

[Danny 9]

The highlighted statement gives some idea how how poor Walter is these days with the media.

Way to go, insult your current players by implying we want better but can't get them.

[Danny 9]

"There are not many clubs in Britain, or indeed the world, where the expectations are for you to win every week," the 38-year old added.

And there aren't many leagues when you are spending 100 times more on players and still getting twatted off shite like St Mirren!

I'm fed up with his excuses or saying 'Lafferty and Edu are for the future' if you don't win the league you have no future!

I agree. Saying 'they're for the future' suggests 'the current' isn't really that important.

It's just more incompetence from our buffoon of a boss.

[TMWWBK 0]

So he thought that Edu and Lafferty, two players with over 30 international caps between them, needed 5 months or so to settle? God knows what Aaron and the like must be thinking.

Smith has utilized his squad and his signings poorly and this is nothing more than another bunch of transparent excuses.

His straw clutching is McLeish like.

[Danny 9]

So he thought that Edu and Lafferty, two players with over 30 international caps between them, needed 5 months or so to settle? God knows what Aaron and the like must be thinking.

Smith has utilized his squad and his signings poorly and this is nothing more than another bunch of transparent excuses.

His straw clutching is McLeish like.

You know, you're the first person I've seen since that era ended to actually recall his atrocious media performances as they were, rather than somehow changing the past to claim he acted with great dignity and professionalism in front of the mike.

His displays with the media were sodding embarrassing, all these bloody excuses and his reasoning as to so much was absolutely awful.

And yes, Walter has become as bad as that - maybe worse tbh because we all expect so much more of him after his first spell in charge.

[JimmyCR1 1,502]

Its all very well saying this but he needs to give them a chance along with aaron and i think velicka deserves a run also

[The Lad 0]

Velicka and lafferty aren't in the same boat as Edu. Our midfield isn't performing, so he should be given a chance. You shouldn't drop miller or boyd just because you want to give velicka or lafferty a chance as striker. When one of them stops performing, then give them a chance.

[Tommy WATP 86]

Its funny how there is no mention of Aaron

A player who is well capable of solving our LM problems

Why do the reporters never ask Walter about him?

I cant remember the last time Smith came out and said anything about him

[ricksen_da_best 2,034]

i cant believe we pay this guy to run our club

[outlaw69uk 123]

The highlighted statement gives some idea how how poor Walter is these days with the media.

Way to go, insult your current players by implying we want better but can't get them.

Surely its just stating the fact that EVERYONE knows, which is, we cant buy the "top level" players like we used to be able to do? or is that not cynical enough?

Seriously, Wayne bloody Bridge just went for what, £12 million?? We cant shop in those stores, so, we have to do the best we can.

Not rocket science

[Muff 245]

So we spend £2m on Steven Whittaker because we can't get a higher level of player - that is absolute bullshit. Just shows Walter Smith's knowledge of World football and shows our scouting network up big time!

£3.5m and £2.7m spent on two players who will do well in the future. That's all very well, but we need players who are going to do it now and in the future!

I guess old Wally doesn't realise we are on the brink of handing them, 4 in a row?

[Danny 9]

The highlighted statement gives some idea how how poor Walter is these days with the media.

Way to go, insult your current players by implying we want better but can't get them.

Surely its just stating the fact that EVERYONE knows, which is, we cant buy the "top level" players like we used to be able to do? or is that not cynical enough?

Seriously, Wayne bloody Bridge just went for what, £12 million?? We cant shop in those stores, so, we have to do the best we can.

Not rocket science

And not good for team morale either. It's true, but it's not something you say if you manage the team you're stating isn't actually very good.

[outlaw69uk 123]

So we spend £2m on Steven Whittaker because we can't get a higher level of player - that is absolute bullshit. Just shows Walter Smith's knowledge of World football and shows our scouting network up big time!

£3.5m and £2.7m spent on two players who will do well in the future. That's all very well, but we need players who are going to do it now and in the future!

I guess old Wally doesn't realise we are on the brink of handing them, 4 in a row?

See, in all honesty, that doesnt either concern or bother me mate. All it means, is, at the end of the season, WE arent champs, and, I want us to be champions. Dont care what they do

[slimjim1690 4,534]

What another load of pish from Walter, if they are not good enough why the fuck were they bought in the first place, and the pish about being to young and the expectations placed on young players, ask Ferguson, Wenger,Moyes even MON for christ sake or almost any Epl,Spanish,Italian, etc. manager about that quote and they would laugh at you.

And Davie Wier would be well advised to shut up as well, the above named managers have proven that if your good enough your old enough, end of.

[paul73 0]

So we spend £2m on Steven Whittaker because we can't get a higher level of player - that is absolute bullshit. Just shows Walter Smith's knowledge of World football and shows our scouting network up big time!

£3.5m and £2.7m spent on two players who will do well in the future. That's all very well, but we need players who are going to do it now and in the future!

I guess old Wally doesn't realise we are on the brink of handing them, 4 in a row?

Totally agree.

I find it really hard to criticise WS, but the amount of money spent on ones for the future is ridiculous. The club is on its knees financially so this is a very risky way to construct a team. We needed instant imrpovement. Surely that can't be hard to achieve looking at the team just now? We would have been better promoting from within, giving a couple of the young lads a chance saving transfer fees and wages for definate first team starters.

[stuvey 5]

I've ran out of patients Walter.

[paul73 0]

I've ran out of patients Walter.

Why? Are you about to be struck off?

Sorry mate couldn't resist.

[HelloMoto 0]

Walter, pick a window, you're leaving

[SUPERCOOPER 115]

We are not in the situation where we can pay this type of money on players who are going to do it in the future. We need players that are going to hit the ground running. Surely he must realise this.

[rfc_no1fan 13]

So we spend £2m on Steven Whittaker because we can't get a higher level of player - that is absolute bullshit. Just shows Walter Smith's knowledge of World football and shows our scouting network up big time!

£3.5m and £2.7m spent on two players who will do well in the future. That's all very well, but we need players who are going to do it now and in the future!

I guess old Wally doesn't realise we are on the brink of handing them, 4 in a row?

Aye, but he got us to a UEFA Cup final and only lost the league because the SFA, SPL and the referees are against us.

[rfc_no1fan 13]

i cant believe we pay this guy to run our club into the ground