Pre Season - Friendly

Bougherra reveals Old Firm fears

Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra has revealed his shock at discovering he could miss the final Old Firm derby of the season

The centre-half, 26, is desperate for the
Scottish Premier League not to schedule next month's clash with Celtic
on the weekend of May 2-3 as he is banned from playing then.

SPL clubs play their final matches before the division splits
in half this weekend, and the SPL will then decide the make-up of each
side's last five fixtures of the season.

It appears likely summer signing Bougherra - who has already missed two derbies this season through injury - will get his wish.

Reports today claim police do not want the Glasgow giants to meet on the May bank holiday weekend.

Bougherra earned himself a one-match ban after picking up a yellow card in last Wednesday's victory at St Mirren.

He told his club's official website: "After the St Mirren game,
I did not know how many yellow cards I had, but after the match I was
concerned.

"I do not know why it takes two weeks for a suspension to kick
in but when I found out it could be against Celtic, I could not believe
it.

"I went to my house and said to my family that I could miss Celtic and they could not believe it either."

Rangers have lost both derbies Bougherra has missed this season, including last month's Co-operative Insurance Cup final.

The two Old Firm clashes he has played have yielded a win and a draw.

He said: "Missing the Co-operative Insurance Cup final last month was a big blow for me.

"I waited for this final for a long time but, unfortunately, being injured is part of football.

"I was in the stadium with my family and it was the second time
they have come to see me play against Celtic and I haven't played.

"When I saw the team after the game I was so disappointed I could not have helped them."

The SPL have been left with a real headache over when to schedule the post-split derby.

They have previously vowed to ensure it is not a potential title
decider for safety reasons, but the weekend of May 2-3 is the only date
they could guarantee it would not be.

If Celtic were to win their next two fixtures and Rangers were
to lose both of theirs, the Hoops could clinch the championship at
Ibrox on May 9-10 or at any stage after that.

[TeamTalk]

SFA: Ban remains on Gers duo

The SFA will not change their decision to ban Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor for life despite the duo being handed a lifeline at Ibrox.

Rangers pair Ferguson and McGregor were banished from international football after the furore surrounding their late-night drinking session following the World Cup qualifying defeat in Holland last month.

The pair did nothing to help their situation by appearing to make gestures as they sat on the bench against Iceland at Hampden three days later.

Smith stripped Ferguson of his Rangers captaincy and suspended both players for a fortnight but made it clear, in an off-the-record briefing to a select number of newspapers, that their days at Ibrox were over.

However, in a surprise move, the Light Blues' boss has welcomed both players back in to the fold after hitting out at the SFA for their handling of the drinking incident which involved four other Scotland players.

Smith said: "I did say in an off-the-record briefing to journalists that they would not play for the club again.

"Since then I have had a think about it and I have looked at the way it has been handled by the SFA.

"The president (George Peat) said the issue, the original problem, was not handled properly, then (Scotland manager) George Burley said it had not been handled properly.

"So I ask myself: if the SFA admit they did not handle it properly, am I being harsh?

"There were six players involved and two end up getting the majority of the blame.

"The SFA have started a new trend in criminality - if you leave the scene of a crime early, you are not guilty.

"If people in charge are saying it was not handled well, then I feel I have got to give them some leeway.

"I have the right to change my mind but what I am doing is making them available for selection again, not saying they will play."

There will be pressure on the governing body to re-examine their decision - which many believe was draconian.

But an SFA spokesman said: "The SFA board considered the matter last week.

"We now consider it closed."

[teamtalk]

Fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wo findet denn der Emirates Cup statt? London?

Das wär ja mal geil, ich plane schon zu beiden Spielen zu gehen (Dortmund & Arsenal)
Hoffentlich macht uns eine eventuelle CL quali nicht einen strich durch die rechnung! Also C'mon rangers, zeigen wir uns in deutschland endlich mal auch als MEISTER

Zitat von Caledonia

Der DR wartet heute mit folgender News auf:

Borussia Dortmund v Rangers FC?

Fingers crossed!

Ja, BITTE

Finde immoment auch noch nichts genaureres. Müssen wir uns wohl noch gedulden.

ach gott, gegen Dortmund? na das kann ja wieder was werden...die üblichen septic Provokationen lassen dann von den Biene Majas nicht lange auf sich warten

Zitat von Rostock_Loyal

ach gott, gegen Dortmund? na das kann ja wieder was werden...die üblichen septic Provokationen lassen dann von den Biene Majas nicht lange auf sich warten

Würde zu den Hirnis passen, aber liegt für mich wieder in Reichweite I)

Zitat von Caledonia

Hey, wie könnt ihr so etwas sagen? Das ist eine der ganz wenigen Special Relationships.

7.264 & Counting I)

Wie das Match in Dortmund sicher ist ?

OK, thx!

Wer hat den kürzesten Weg(und am meisten Durst)? Ratet mal

Mein Weg wäre auch nicht so lang. Von daher wäre es willkommen ^^.