In the modern age in which we live, many people doubt the existence of a higher being looking over us; nevertheless, people follow many different Gods with many different names – Allah, God, Zeus. Personally, I am an atheist.

But I have however had the privilege of seeing a God walk amongst us, the likes of which had not been seen for a long time and he wore the famous blue jersey. Brian Laudrup was his name.

A magician on the football field, power, pace skill – Laudrup had all these qualities in abundance. Add to that his impeccable behaviour off of the park, a true gentleman and a credit to the club.

Brian knew what it meant to be a Ranger and he represented everything a Rangers player should be he was the perfect example of dignity, pride and professionalism in a professional footballer.

After an unhappy spell on loan at AC Milan from Fiorentina, Brian signed for Rangers in July of 1994 for a bargain price of £ 2.3million. Prior to this he had been an integral member of the Denmark team that won the European Championship in 1992.

Only at the tournament because of a civil war in Yugoslavia, they defied all the odds to get to the final where they beat heavy favourites Germany to lift the trophy. Brian didn’t score in the tournament but his performances on the wing caused every team he played against problems and top class international ones were no different. This lead to Laudrup winning his second of what would later on be four Danish player of the year awards.

Brian’s first game was a 2-1 win over Motherwell at Ibrox and he showed the fans right away what they could come to expect from him in that blue jersey. He provided a measured cross for the first goal for Mark Hateley to head home and ran from his own box the whole length of the field and measured a perfect pass for Duncan Ferguson to score the winner. If the fans were impressed by this display then they had not seen anything yet!

Rangers went on to win their seventh title in as many years that season and Brian was voted player of the year by the football writers and football association. He played in 33 games and scored 10 goals.

The following season Brian was joined at the club by Paul Gascoigne, having the two of these players in the one team was too much for any team in Scotland and they formed a formidable partnership helping Rangers to their eighth successive title.

Laudrup also shone in the Scottish cup that season, he scored arguably the goal of the tournament in the semi final against Celtic, controlling the ball on his chest before lifting the ball over the keeper for the winner. The final was one of his best games for the club, scoring two goals and setting up Gordon Durie for all three of his, he simply shone that day and no-one could touch him when he was on form like this.

The best was still to come from Laudrup though, the following season would be one that Rangers fans would remember for a long time, one that they had been waiting on for the past 8 years — 9 in a row.

Brian scored 16 goals in 33 games including scoring the winner in a 1-0 win across the city with a screamer from outside the 18 yard box among many other important goals, one was to come though that would stand out more than most!

It was the final game of the season and Rangers were away to Dundee United having lost the chance to wrap up the league at home to Motherwell the game before. Brian rose to crash home a header Mark Hateley himself would have been proud of to give Rangers the 1-0 win they needed, it was fitting that he was to score the winner having gave so much to the Ibrox fans in his short time at the club.

Not many players can make the impact that Brian made in his short 4 years at the club, he is one of only a handful of players that I have seen in the flesh that I can honestly say were world class and I thank him for the joy he brought me and many other Rangers fans — A God among men.

We’re not worthy!

——————————————————————————————————-
Appearances — 150
Goals — 45
International Caps — 75 for Denmark (27 with Rangers)
Honours — League Winner (3) League Cup Winner (1) Scottish Cup Winner (1)
——————————————————————————————————-

This article was previously published on RangersMedia.co.uk.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

I admit to a strange fascination with Rangers defender Steven Whittaker. His uncertainty as to best position, his hot-cold form swings from European master of the wizard dribble (cf. Lisbon, 2008) to leaden footed novice baffled by the Scottish game (cf. too many to mention), to debate over the size of his transfer fee…

…all these, though, pale into insignificance when I see his head.

Not quite bald, but certainly not boasting a fine, manly head of hair, Whittaker joins the long and distinguished line of shiny topped footballers, all of whom have exercised this strange power over me. Is it the standing out from the crowd? Is is the harsh reflective glare on those ‘under the floodlights’ European nights?

Whatever, he joins those who have gone before him in standing tall, proud and smooth of pate. But can you think of a baldilocks who has really, really shone? Being bald seems to instil a sense of the artisan rather than the artist.

Consider Attillio Lombardo, the rather workmanlike winger who burst upon our TVs when Channel 4 started showing Football Italia. Always looking older than his years, following his days with Sampdoria he ended up at London’s perennially unfashionable Crystal Palace. A good player, but no Davie Cooper.

Epitome of the northern professional, Steve Stone deserves a statue somewhere to mark his contribution. An accent redolent of The Likely Lads and playing a brand of no-nonsense football from the same era, his chrome noggin appears through the fog of my memory clad in a cloth cap, such were his working class credentials.

Closer to home those of us who grew up in the 80s were treated to a ‘double header’, if you’ll pardon the expression, when Clydebank took on Dundee. Any corner for the Dens Park men would see a Clash of the Baldy Titans, as Jim Duffy would challenge Bankies goalie Jim Gallagher. From my vantage point as a teenager, both seemed aged beyond Methuselah, their lack of hair hiding the fact they were probably both in their 20s…to me they were ancient and seasoned warriors, whose untroubled tonsure merely reflected the effort and strain they put into their game.

And it’s this, I think, which draws me back to the thinning thatch of present day players. Whittaker, and dare I point to our revered No.9, whose hair is not exactly luxurious, are boys who are 10 years and more my junior. But as I sit back, easing my ample stomach into a more comfortable position and debating whether one or two Bluenose Burgers will suffice this week, I can run a hand through my lustrous, dark mane…I may be aging, expanding and in all probability declining, but as long as their are bald footballers to watch, I can reject Father Time for another season.

Baldies, may you long prosper!

Previously published on RangersMedia.co.uk, the #1 resource for Rangers fans online.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Nervous, scared, excited and proud.

It’s Saturday the 31st March 2007 and half time in the SPL league tie between Rangers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The supporters are fraught and nervous too. Rangers have lost the last two matches against Caley this season and need to get themselves back on track in the league.

Deep intakes of breath, standing in the tunnel in Ibrox — home of the famous Glasgow Rangers. The atmosphere is muted now, a muffled noise of 50,000 people discussing the first half events.

A first half sending off for ICT and a penalty converted to give us some leeway, some breathing space; other than that, it’s been a dire first half. Drab and dreich, filled with missed chances and slack play. The crowd need a lift.

Nervous, scared, excited and proud. Together, we can give them that lift.

Growing up in the shadow of the stadium, living and breathing the club for as long as is possible to remember; this day is the culmination of over ten years hard work. Hours of practice, numerous injuries, buckets of sweat and plenty of grit and determination has led to this day. At 18 years old, this is going to be the first time representing the club and team that mean the world.

Standing in the tunnel, ready to tread onto the famous pitch in front of 50,000 Bears and Bearettes for the first time. Swimming in the back of the brain is the knowledge that close family and friends are there to watch. Ready to bask in the glow of pride at seeing all the work and dedication pay off. Willing to give everything on the pitch for the club and for the fans.

And then it is time.

Slowly starting to filter out of the tunnel and the announcer booms over the tannoy system…

“…would you please welcome onto the park…the girls get active dancers sponsored by OP Marine….your Rangers Cheerleaders!”

This article is an interview with one of our superb Rangers Cheerleaders, Gail McCarthy. The squad itself has been running for several years now and been entertaining the masses at halftime at Ibrox regularly. The squad is involved in numerous charitable works and is very integrated in representing the club though many means in Scotland and further afield.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle and acting as role models for younger Bearettes and for us all, they are always on hand to help out the club. These are a group of girls that need to be celebrated for the work they do in our clubs great name. But less of me talking about them; let’s let Gail tell you all about it herself.

I’m Gail. We don’t really have “titles” as such. I deal with all the wages and invoicing for the squad and when our manager isn’t there I’m usually the point of contact on a match day. If for any reason something has changed in the match day running order then they will inform me.

When did you start your career as a cheerleader/dancer?

I started dancing when I was 8 or 9 – late on compared to others. I did Irish dancing but gave it up after a few months. I then joined my local dance class and did tap, disco, majorette, line dance and cheerdance. However, I had to leave when I got accepted at the auditions for Rangers.

How exactly did you stumble upon the Rangers auditions?

I knew a girl who was setting up the auditions but I never thought I would stand a chance getting into the squad as I had only turned 18 and had never danced at a professional level. I’d only attended dance class every Saturday morning.

Is there a large step-up in class and expectancy to go to a pro level?

It’s a massive step up! I remember our first few training sessions well. I couldn’t move for weeks, I was in so much pain! We used to do a massive work out for an hour and then dance for an hour. It was really hard going.

Is that still part of training every week? As much about your fitness as it is about dancing?

Yeah, we do a lot of muscle strengthening and toning too. Our manager is very into fitness and gives us “killer warm ups” which never get any easier! But it is all part of the job, fitness is a major aspect in what we do and without a high fitness level half of us wouldn’t be able to last 3 minutes of full on dancing! It’s a lot harder than it looks – trust me.

Who comes up with the routines? Where do you get inspiration from? The music? Is that your own choice?

Our manager comes up with all the routines. God knows how she does it, my brain would be fried. She’s fab though, I’ve never seen anyone like her! Unfortunately the music isn’t always our choice. We are requested to stick to rock songs or the occasional dance track but the final decision sits with Rangers.

Do you ever have to change things very last minute? Routines, music and stuff all can change…

Yeah, it can all change. I have seen us redo a whole routine the night before a game because the song has changed or our positions have changed on the park such as changing to dance on the sideline instead of centre circle.

I suppose being able to change like that comes with experience?

We are professionals and no task is too difficult. Like I said, our squad manager is fantastic. She has a lot of dance experience and is good at keeping everyone motivated. The average person would go into a state of panic if they had to change at such short notice, but she keeps us calm and keeps us working hard!

How many girls are in the squad, how many nights training a week do you do? How many hours a go? What kind of ages of girls?

There are currently 28 members in the squad all aging from 18-27. We train 2, sometimes 3 nights a week – 2 hours per session (later if required). However only 18 can dance a match day so everyone is kept on their toes and is fighting for a place to dance in the next game

Why is it that only 18 girls can dance?

It’s a mixture of things – mostly formations though. It’s difficult to choreograph for a large group, especially over such a wide area.

You said earlier that you handle the wages and invoices. What does that entail and do you also do work for charity?

We get paid to dance a match day and are contracted to 10 home games a season, however we went over the limit last season and we did 16. The squad do a lot for free such as charity events such as for Sports Relief, Rangers Charity Ball amongst other things.

Where does your finance come from? Do the club help you out?

We are currently financed from our sponsor (OP Marine and Broadwood Leisure Centre). However, our sponsorship ends this season unfortunately so we are on the lookout for someone else.

OP Marine pay for our 10 contracted games and Rangers invite us to preform at other promotions such as the kids AGM Meeting, Champions League Fanzones, handing out leaflets.

You can read the rest of the interview and see some more pictures at the RangersMedia website, your #1 source for all things Rangers.

“Many thanks to Gail for giving us this interview as an insight to exactly what it is that the girls do for Rangers and for the community. If anyone would like to contact the squad directly, then they can do so by contacting any staff on RangersMedia and we will forward your details, the club itself, or through their Bebo page.

They cheer for us, we should cheer for them.”

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Following in the wake (or should that be ripples?) of Garry O’Connor’s move to Lokomotiv Moscow, news breaks that Rangers Kenny Miller is on the radar of new Russian champs Rubin Kazan. Cue mockery of the locale, disbelief of the accuracy, and doubts about the player’s willingness to move.

Why?

As you’ll see from the report in The Sun above, Ghana’s Stepehn Appiah (ex-of Udinese, Parma, Juve and Fenerbache…a slightly better pedigree than that of Miller) is happy to relocate to the banks of the Volga, no doubt to be well recompensed but also experiencing another culture, another way of life.With it’s rather impressive weather, uncluttered population and intriguing mix of Islamic, Stalinist and neo-Modern architecture, 18 months in Kazan, playing football and coming home a couple of million dollars richer sounds like a good deal to me.

Why would they want Kenny Miller, of all people? He suffers at the hands of the Rangers fans, there’s no doubt of that. And with cause – even his biggest defenders, of whom I’m one, must admit that he does everything right except put the ball in the net. From a distance, though, bald statistics paint a rosier picture. Playing in an underwhelming Scotland international team he’s done the business when the business is likely to be noticed – against Italy, against Germany, and especially for an Eastern team, against Croatia and the Ukraine.

Add to that the fact that he’s scored goals for an unnamed side in the UEFA Champions League, and you can see why teams on the lookout for a relatively cheap striker with a decent track record would be interested.

Would he go, though?

The reluctance of Scottish or British players to move around the footballing globe leaves me amazed. Perhaps not the players such as Miller who have already made a good living out the game, and are set for life. But there are plenty of good, solid professionals in the SPL who could quite easily carve out a career through their twenties, traveling the globe or finding somewhere they fit in and settling down. In a worst case scenario, they will become more self reliant being away from home, earn a lot of money but not get many games. What’s not to like?

What’s the appeal of our repetitive leagues, our awful, sould crushing weather, our obsession with the trivial. Unless you have a chance at the Old Firm or a settled family I fail to see what any player finds to hold him back. How good it would be to see Scots venturing all over the globe, learning new methods, making new contacts, just plain seeing what the world has to offer. I’ve had enough of kick and rush, and I’vegiven up hope of Scottish coaches ever going for a skill based, footballing approach. If it takes our players globe-trotting for a generation to re-instill the basics of passing fitba to our country, I hope Kenny can be the trailblazer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Ten questions posed about Glasgow Rangers FC right now that we should maybe be asking ourselves. Just why is it….

1. That Walter Smith gets little criticism from the Scottish media?
2. That Lee McCulloch seems to have some Dutch blood to play in all these different positions?
3. That Aaron Niguez is good enough for the Spanish Under 21s but not for the Rangers First team?
4. That Steven Whittaker looks better at left back than at right back?
5. That Andy Webster, went out on loan but didn’t prove himself there and if he needed games then why wasn’t he kept back as back-up to Bougherra and Weir or do we have to fit in Mr McCulloch somewhere?
6. That when Lafferty, like others, gets played in his proper position they start to look comfortable and even better?
7. Talking about others, isn’t it amazing that Steven Davis has accomplished 10 assists and 5goals from the right of midfield when he could be even better from a central position?
8. That just even a little bit of width gets the fans excited/off their seat and the team more dangerous…
9. That Kevin Thomson only scores at important times?
10. Nacho Novo can almost only ever come on for Kenny Miller with 20 minutes to go?

Just some food for thought for the freethinking bear….

This article was previously published on RangersMedia.co.uk, the premier website for Rangers FC fans.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

I was at Ibrox last Wednesday night to watch Rangers take on AC Milan along with 45,000 other loyal fans but it appears my seat offered a different view to most.

At first, I decided that there was nothing to write home about after the game. Rangers played well, everyone got a run and a few promising players made an impact but none of it really mattered.

Getting a result at Celtic Park is all that mattered.

That was before someone posted one pro-Kyle Lafferty thread too many. The Northern Irishman started upfront on his own against Milan and put himself about a bit but that was it. I saw nothing that said “this man will beat Celtic for us.”

Now let me just clarify that I have nothing against Lafferty, he is an honest hard working lad like so many of the members of the current Rangers squad but why does he suddenly get praise for the same technique that others get castrated for? Lafferty won nothing in the air, despite being 6ft 4 and in general couldn’t trap a bag of cement.

He was constantly derided by the Rangers support around me and at one stage kicked the ball straight out of the park. I believe Christian Daily did that too but no one has anything positive to say about him.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

45,197 last night at the bounce game.

I for one am on record as saying that I have given up friendlies as you get nothing out of them but an empty wallet and a feeling of disappointment at the quality and pace of the game.

But 45,197 disagreed with me last night and I take my hat off to them.

The size of the crowd is absolutely amazing. Midweek, mid-season and in the midst of a snow-laden, sub-zero cold spell in deepest mid-winter. Add to that the fact we bought no new players in the transfer window, sit behind our rivals for the 4th consecutive season, have no superstars of our own in the team, are in financial melt-down, and it just gets even more amazing that so many turned up.

Yes, the opposition have a few world-class players, but remember they only came 5th in the league last season and failed to qualify for the lucrative Champions League this season, and sit 6 points behind great rivals Inter in Serie A this season.

I hear time and time again arguments against us extending the capacity of our stadium to at least match that of our rivals across the city. Surely last nights attendance proves that if you give the punters what they want, they will come, even at over the top prices.

But where are these bears at other, far more important matches? The attendances for non-season ticket games recently have been disappointing in comparison to the kickabout against Milan. This season we have had 34,847 for our CL qualifier against Kaunas and 32,083 against Hamilton in the CIS cup QF.

Last season included 33,000 and 35,364 against Zeta and Red Star in the CL qualifiers. Domestic games included 34,024 for East Stirling in the Scottish cup where prices were slashed, 33,837 for the SC replay against Hibs, 36,724 for the SC QF against Partick Thistle.

We only managed 6 more people to the Panathanaikos match than the Milan friendly.

Hopefully we can atttract some of the many fans last night who were attending their first match, or at least their first match in a long time, back on a more regular basis. If that happens to work out, we can call last night a great success.

Were you one of the newcomers last night?

Did you make an effort to take along family members, nephews and nieces, for a special treat?

Why not do it again? kids tickets for the upcoming match against Kilmarnock are only £6.50. An adult and juvenile ticket for £29.

The club are making an effort to get more people along to the games, especially kids. The reduction in junior season tickets for 208-09 was most welcome, and hopefully will be continued next season.

If these newcomers really enjoyed the experience last night, make sure it is not a one-off just to see the opposition, get along and become a member of the Rangers family.

Rangers are for life, not just glamour friendlies.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Written by D’Artagnan and previously published on Rangers Media.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

We learnt a lot about the recent attack on Neil Lennon during the court case this week. It turns out that he wasn’t jumped from behind after all. His attackers didn’t call him a fenian as they sucker-punched him to the ground. We now know that the attack wasn’t a sectarian hate crime, but rather a crime that built out of some name calling about a football result.

So, after all the press attention and the accusations and the debates in various forums both blue and green, it turns out that the attack doesn’t serve as a proxy for Rangers vs. Celtic after all. After some heated words, a few gestures, a shove or two, he was beaten up — not because he was a Catholic but because he was someone that his attacker disliked.

There’s one more thing that this was not. A legitimate attack on a guy who needed a beating.

Written by CanadianGer and previously published at Rangers Media, the best online community for all things Rangers FC.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Let’s face it, Rangers fans couldn’t agree on the colour of s***e these days (no, it is not green, not in this context anyway). I’m also wondering if some of us even know what s**t is?

Kirk Broadfoot is not shit, Kirk Broadfoot is not brilliant but Kirk Broadfoot is an honest player. Not a first division player as some people would have you believe but a decent Scottish Premier League player who does a top job for Rangers.

All we hear all the time is how bad a player he is and I’m fed up with it, no one has ever said he is a great player, no one has ever expected the sun to shine from his big feet but I do expect him to get respect. Alan Hutton is gone but some people are struggling to face up to that.

Anyway back to Kirk, everyone knows he isn’t the ideal solution but simply put, the now Scotland international has stood up to be counted when many of his team mates have simply been disappointing. I was the same as most last season, watching the UEFA Cup run on TV, I cringed at the big defender and was constantly shouting at him to put his f*****g arm down.

Again however, I have since realised it was players like Kirk that got us to the UEFA Cup Final. The fact he constantly had his arm in the air and making space to receive the ball meant he was standing up, when many players were hiding, big Kirk wanted the ball. Every team needs players like Broadfoot, players willing to take responsibility, players willing to take it on the chin.

In an ideal world, he would never have sniffed the first team, we all know that but not only did he sniff the first team, he established himself and pushed on for international honours.

Fair play to him.

I for one do not believe Scotland play first division players (not first division players in this country anyway) and when I sat 10 metres away from him at Hampden as Scotland took on the worlds best, Argentina (not Airdrie vs. Greenock Morton), I was more than impressed.

When faced with the Carlos Tevez’s and Javier Mascherano’s of this world, he didn’t change his game, he didn’t panic, he as usual wanted the ball, got forward and was willing to stand on it like any normal day in training. After the recent defeat to Celtic, Kirk put his hand up and said he let Scott McDonald get away from him. Well done to him but as far as I was concerned, Rangers problems were at the other end.

This fan has faith in Kirk Broadfoot and looks forward to seeing his name on the team sheet for a while to come.

Written by Andrew McNair and previously published on Rangers Media.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News