Glasgow rivals cool on title talk
Scott Brown and Pedro Mendes
Brown is suspended and will not do battle with Mendes on Saturday
Old Firm midfield stars Pedro Mendes and Scott Brown are playing down the
bill of championship decider ahead of Saturday's Glasgow derby at Ibrox.
"There will still be three games to go, nine points to play for," said
Mendes. "But it will be a big step, I have to admit that, towards the
title."
Celtic's Brown, who misses the game through suspension, said: "If we go and
beat Rangers, we'll be delighted.
"And, if not, we've got another three games to go."
Celtic hold a one-point lead as they chase a fourth consecutive
championship, but they face Rangers without the influential Brown, who is
this season's PFA Scotland Player of the Year.
"I'm gutted to be missing out on the Old Firm game," said the 23-year-old
midfielder.
"I'll be going along, I'll be supporting the lads and I'll be in the
changing-room before the game."
Afterwards, there will be three games to go, so it will be massive for both
teams
Rangers midfielder Pedro Mendes
Brown insists Celtic can win at Ibrox without him after watching them shrug
off his absence to win 3-1 away to Aberdeen on Saturday.
"I saw it on TV and the lads didn't really need me, to be fair!" joked
Brown, who generally does not like watching his own team in action.
"They're scoring goals away from home and winning games, so that's the main
thing."
Rangers playmaker Mendes, who was on the short-list of candidates beaten by
Brown for the players' prize, feared he may also miss the vital encounter
after suffering what appeared to be a bad injury in the Scottish Cup
semi-final win over St Mirren just over a week ago.
However, the problem was not serious and the Portuguese midfielder completed
a full 90 minutes against Hearts on Sunday.
Mendes admitted to being "very tired" after the 2-0 victory, having been
unable to train for most of last week.
"I didn't train for most of the week, just having treatment and trying to
recover the knee," he said.
"I'm pleased with how the game went. It was an important win and a massive
three points for us."
Mendes thundered home what was voted goal of the season at the PFA Scotland
awards ceremony in a 4-2 win at Celtic Park in August, while Rangers were
beaten by Scott McDonald's goal at Ibrox in December.
The fierce rivals then ground out a tedious 0-0 in February but Celtic hold
the head-to-head advantage this season thanks to victory in the Co-operative
Insurance Cup final a month later.
"It's a massive game, massive," said Mendes, looking ahead to the weekend.
"Afterwards, there will be three games to go, so it will be massive for both
teams. We definitely want to win it and go top."
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
TITLE RACE FOR CELTIC AND RANGERS
Well it all comes down to this weekends game. Winner of this game will go on to win the league for sure.
COME ON THE HOOPS!!
COME ON THE HOOPS!!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Scotland/Ranger Players in Trouble after terrible loss
Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor finished at Rangers and Scotland
From the Evening Times UK
Rangers were furious over V-signs from Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor
Bad boys suspended for two weeks
Skipper and keeper's Ibrox careers over
Boss Smith fury at drinks and V-signs
Exclusive by Thomas Jordan and Matthew Lindsay
RANGERS bad boys Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor's careers for club and country are over.
The Ibrox side are today expected to impose a maximum two-week suspension and fine on both players after manager Walter Smith banished them from the club's training ground this morning.
And the SFA are also expected to announce later today that neither player will be selected for international duty again.
Rangers chief executive Martin Bain was due to hold further talks with the players later today when they will be informed of their fate.
They will be told it is the end of the road for them at Rangers and that they will both be sold in the summer.
David Weir has been appointed the new club captain after Ferguson was sensationally stripped of the armband and banished with his close pal McGregor.
Chairman Sir David Murray, Bain and Smith were in total agreement that both players embarrassed the club with their drinking antics last weekend at the Scotland team hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond.
Ferguson and McGregor were the last two standing after a group of six players stayed up throughout the night after flying back from Holland, which forced national manager George Burley to drop them from the starting line-up to face Iceland.
Smith today confirmed Ferguson and McGregor had landed themselves in further hot water for giving V-signs in the dug-out at the Scotland game on Wednesday night.
He revealed it was the petulant pair's behaviour after they had been disciplined by Burley which had upset him.
Smith would not say whether they had a future or not, but sources say they will never play for Rangers again.
He said: "Martin Bain, our chief executive, will deal with the disciplinary side of things this afternoon. But Barry and Allan were both sent home from training. They will return later today to speak with Martin, and the club will make a statement after that.
"They won't be involved at the weekend. That is not something we would have wanted to happen at this time. Unfortunately, the timing of it is outwith our control. We have to react to the circumstances.
"It's regrettable it's happened at this time. The incident the Scotland players were involved in on Sunday morning of last week was obviously regrettable.
"But we then had an incident after that involving two players from our own club. That is what we have had to act on.
"George will deal with the international aspect of it. From our own point of view, it was regrettable we had a few players in that situation.
"What we have done has had nothing to do with bad publicity. We had to act after the actions they took at the Iceland game. That caused us to move.
"From the club's point of view, it wasn't a good image for them to portray. It was embarrassing for the players themselves I thought. It was embarrassing for this club as well. That was the disappointing thing about it.
"David Weir will be captain of Rangers between now and the end of the season."
The SFA's actions seemed strange given that chief executive Gordon Smith last night said that the matter was closed.
April 4, 2009 12:18 PM
From the Evening Times UK
Rangers were furious over V-signs from Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor
Bad boys suspended for two weeks
Skipper and keeper's Ibrox careers over
Boss Smith fury at drinks and V-signs
Exclusive by Thomas Jordan and Matthew Lindsay
RANGERS bad boys Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor's careers for club and country are over.
The Ibrox side are today expected to impose a maximum two-week suspension and fine on both players after manager Walter Smith banished them from the club's training ground this morning.
And the SFA are also expected to announce later today that neither player will be selected for international duty again.
Rangers chief executive Martin Bain was due to hold further talks with the players later today when they will be informed of their fate.
They will be told it is the end of the road for them at Rangers and that they will both be sold in the summer.
David Weir has been appointed the new club captain after Ferguson was sensationally stripped of the armband and banished with his close pal McGregor.
Chairman Sir David Murray, Bain and Smith were in total agreement that both players embarrassed the club with their drinking antics last weekend at the Scotland team hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond.
Ferguson and McGregor were the last two standing after a group of six players stayed up throughout the night after flying back from Holland, which forced national manager George Burley to drop them from the starting line-up to face Iceland.
Smith today confirmed Ferguson and McGregor had landed themselves in further hot water for giving V-signs in the dug-out at the Scotland game on Wednesday night.
He revealed it was the petulant pair's behaviour after they had been disciplined by Burley which had upset him.
Smith would not say whether they had a future or not, but sources say they will never play for Rangers again.
He said: "Martin Bain, our chief executive, will deal with the disciplinary side of things this afternoon. But Barry and Allan were both sent home from training. They will return later today to speak with Martin, and the club will make a statement after that.
"They won't be involved at the weekend. That is not something we would have wanted to happen at this time. Unfortunately, the timing of it is outwith our control. We have to react to the circumstances.
"It's regrettable it's happened at this time. The incident the Scotland players were involved in on Sunday morning of last week was obviously regrettable.
"But we then had an incident after that involving two players from our own club. That is what we have had to act on.
"George will deal with the international aspect of it. From our own point of view, it was regrettable we had a few players in that situation.
"What we have done has had nothing to do with bad publicity. We had to act after the actions they took at the Iceland game. That caused us to move.
"From the club's point of view, it wasn't a good image for them to portray. It was embarrassing for the players themselves I thought. It was embarrassing for this club as well. That was the disappointing thing about it.
"David Weir will be captain of Rangers between now and the end of the season."
The SFA's actions seemed strange given that chief executive Gordon Smith last night said that the matter was closed.
April 4, 2009 12:18 PM
Monday, March 30, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)