disgruntled_bear 157 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 SASA PAPAC last night insisted Rangers' focused stars won't let the current troubles surrounding the club ruin their fight for a treble. Chairman Sir DavidMurray and manager Walter Smith have spoken out in recent days to ease the fears of fans growing increasingly agitated at the situation within the Ibrox club. Murray's acceptance of a £3.75million bid from Birmingham for top scorer Kris Boyd and subsequent confession that a major player will have to be sold during this transfer window has brought an angry response from a section of the support. Punters unfurled a banner aimed at the chairman during the midweek Homecoming Scottish Cup win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park and Murray has faced some calls to quit his post. But Papac insists the current outcry has been kept out of the dressing room as the squad sets about winning silverware. With the SPL to fight for and involvement in both the Scottish and Co-operative Insurance Cups, Smith's players have plenty to focus on. And Papac insists togetherness is still very much within the squad and that disruptive outside influences will not hinder their bid for success. He said: "I cannot speak too much about politics around the club. I just have to play and focus on the pitch. We have to be strong. We have a good team spirit and everyone is together. I don't see any problem. "Players don't think too much about seeing newspapers or anything. We have our job on the pitch and we must concentrate just on that. We have a really good team and, on the inside, everything is okay with no problems. "Of course, we have a good team and a good squad and we work together in training, on the pitch and everything. I don't see any problem, really. We, as players, train, go on the pitch and play." Papac, of course, is correct to keep his mind bang on the challenges ahead with huge matches on the horizon. Just like last season Rangers go into the New Year with their sights set on the three domestic trophies. But this time around there is no European run to clutter up the fixture list and sap the legs. Papac believes that could be a huge factor in the upcoming silverware scuffles and said: "Last year, we had a difficult time because we had too many games. "For one team, it was just too many and this season should be a little easier for us." Naturally, the main objective of the trio for Smith's troops is the capture of Celtic's SPL crown. At the moment the Light Blues are lagging five points behind Gordon Strachan's side but events of last season have encouraged Papac. Celtic were able to overturn a seven-point Ibrox advantage to grab the trophy on the final day and Papac says that bitter memory can act as a driving force for his squad in the weeks ahead. He said: "Okay we lost recently against Celtic but we can keep the pressure on them by trying to take three points from every game. "Last year we were fighting for four titles with the UEFA Cup. This year, we are still in the fight for three. We are still going forward in both cups and in the SPL. "We are five points behind but I can tell you, we will push and it is important to keep piling on pressure. There are 17 games until the end of the season and we can still win the title. "We are playing good football and keeping the ball. I am enjoying it." Having come through their tricky midweek Perth test against Saints, Falkirk are next on the agenda for Rangers. John Hughes' troops are at Ibrox aiming to cause an upset and Papac insists it should be a game for the purist. The match will also be a dress rehearsal for the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final at the end of the month and the left-back said: "Falkirk are a really good team. I have been here for two and a half years and every time I have seen them they play football. "They are good and not a typical Scottish team in the sense they always try to play. But we also try to play football this year so it should be agood match." Papac will feature against the Bairns as he maintains his quest for the prize which has eluded his club for the past three years. The Bosnian signed a new two-year deal at Ibrox last month and winning a championship medal was the burning incentive to put pen to paper. He said: "I am happy here but there is something missing and that is winning the league. "When I take the SPL title, my heart will feel okay. I don't want to leave Rangers until I take that title and that medal." http://www.<No links to this website>/football/spl/...86908-21045070/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson 2 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Nice to hear a bit of reality rather than the usual fantasy from a player. Although I would question us having a good team and there being no problems with training. But then again, as he says, we are still going for the treble. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzapat 83 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Well I hope Papac gets his finger out cause he has been woeful the past couple of games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 9 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 *awaits 'naw, another player shouting off to the press' style replies* Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvager 498 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Much better article from Papac than a lot of others. All reasonable stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaD CoW 3 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Well I hope Papac gets his finger out cause he has been woeful the past couple of games. He has been very poor in recent games. We are really crying out for a decent quality right & Left back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
outlaw69uk 123 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 *awaits 'naw, another player shouting off to the press' style replies* haha Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaguy51 912 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 *awaits 'naw, another player shouting off to the press' style replies* haha Not if they talk sense. When Chris Burke comes out and says: "We'll win the rest of our games!", then that's a different matter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythebest 11,453 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I hate all the talk about the treble. To be honest i'd be just happy with the league! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the bears ba's 1 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I hate all the talk about the treble. To be honest i'd be just happy with the league! Me too, sensible enough words from Papac though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_ni 12 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I hate all the talk about the treble. To be honest i'd be just happy with the league! Me too, sensible enough words from Papac though. I think we all would be Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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