Dutch midfielder Ronald de Boer has revealed the reason why he spurned the chance to join Manchester United in favour of a move to Scottish champions Rangers. The 30-year-old has completed his switch from Barcelona to Glasgow on a four-year deal in a move worth around £4.5million. De Boer also had talks with United, but the player revealed that it was a concern over whether he could command a regular place in Sir Alex Ferguson's side which prompted his decision. He told his website www.icons.com:
"I had to decide whether to go for Manchester United or Rangers. It was a big decision but I went for Rangers for two main reasons. Firstly, in Dick Advocaat I have a trainer who I know very well and who has always had a lot of belief in me. Secondly, at my age I want to play in every game and I think I have more chance of doing that at Rangers than at Manchester United."

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat is thrilled with the signing of Ronald de Boer from Barcelona - because it concludes his lengthy pursuit of the Dutch international midfielder. Advocaat has been a long-time admirer of the former Ajax star since working with him when he was the Dutch national coach and has been keen to bring him to Ibrox on a number of occasions. So it is no surprise that Advocaat feels great satisfaction with his latest acquisition after landing the 30-year-old creative midfielder on a four-year deal yesterday in move worth around £4.5million. Despite having a small bit of paperwork unresolved, De Boer was paraded to the hundreds of Rangers supporters outside the ground before dashing off to meet up with the Dutch national squad for their World Cup qualifier with the Republic of Ireland. The Rangers boss could not contain his pleasure at the massive transfer coup and believes it is a great step for them towards bringing the Champions Cup to Ibrox for the first time in the famous club's proud history. Advocaat said:
"I have always been an admirer of Ronald de Boer and a player of his quality would not usually come to Rangers. When he played in the Barcelona side he didn't want to come to Glasgow, but that all changed when their manager (Louis van Gaal) went to manage Holland. He then said that when the new manager came in he would give him a chance to see how it goes, but he never got one. When I heard that Van Gaal went to the national side I tried to approach him then, but he made it clear that he wanted to stay there and I could understand that as well. But it was good for me and the club that that changed and that helped to bring him here, while it was also good that he did not want to join Manchester United. I think it is a great thing for Rangers that he has signed for this club. We have signed Scottish, Dutch and players from others countries, but I'm even more happy he has signed for Rangers because I know what he can do for this club."

Advocaat also revealed that Arthur Numan made a big contribution in persuading his close friend to turn his back on a move to Manchester United in favour of a move to Glasgow's west end.

John Hartson's dream move to Scottish champions Rangers collapsed on Thursday after the Wimbledon striker failed a medical. The former Luton, Arsenal and West Ham hitman had agreed terms on Wednesday with chairman David Murray after just 10 minutes and hoped to complete a deal in the region of £5.5million early on Thursday morning. But Hartson, who failed a medical at Tottenham in March, flew to Belarus to meet up with the Welsh national party this morning heartbroken after failing to satisfy club doctors of his fitness. A statement from the club said:
"Due to the fact the player John Hartson has not played a sufficient number of top class matches recently, Rangers Football Club are of the opinion he would not be at the level of match fitness required at this particular stage of the season in view of our involvement in the UEFA Champions League. Both Rangers FC and the player are very disappointed at the outcome of this matter. The player will therefore return to Wimbledon FC to continue his career."

The deal is now dead after he was put through a "strict" workout with the club reluctant to make the same mistakes of the past when Daniel Prodan was passed fit by mistake. Murray had admitted on Thursday night the deal might founder over the medical. He said then:
"There is the possibility that the medical might not go well because it is a very strict medical. We have made mistakes in the past and we don't want those things to happen again."

Rangers are today on the verge of making two new big-name signings. Dutch midfield ace Ronald De Boer and Wimbledon striker John Hartson are currently at Ibrox talking over proposed deals. Former Barcelona man De Boer is "99 per cent" sure of signing and Welshman Hartson should put pen-to-paper within 24 hours although that is subject to an "intense medical". Ibrox Chairman David Murray confirmed:
"It's 99 per cent certain that Ronald De Boer will sign, all we're waiting on is an indemnity document being signed by the player and it will all be done and dusted. As for John Hartson, he will receive an intense medical tomorrow. We have made mistakes in the past and if we don't get the chance to carry out an intense medical then the deal is off. However, he has agreed to all other terms and conditions."

Dick Advocaat is delighted at the prospect of both players teaming up with him, particularly De Boer who he worked with during his time in charge of the Dutch national team. He said:
"I've always been an admirer of Ronald De Boer and have tried to persuade him to come to Ibrox before but without success. It helps that he knows me and some of the players, he is very good friends with Arthur Numan in particular. He has a lot of world and European experience and will play either as a striker or behind the front two for us.

Asked if De Boer was Advocaat's greatest signing for Rangers, he replied:
"That he has still to show."

Ronald De Boer said on his official website (www.icons.com/RdB/playerframe.html):
Wednesday 30th August 2000: Awaiting paperwork
Apparently there's a few rumours circulating that my move to Rangers has stalled. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was at Ibrox earlier today and was even photographed there in the club's shirt. I'm very happy with the deal I've been offered and so are both clubs - it's now only a matter of the Spanish league processing all the relevant paperwork in time for tomorrow's Champions' League deadline. To all intents and purposes I am now a Rangers player.

Wednesday 30th August 2000: Going for a medical
My agent Rob Jansen has just completed talks with Rangers and I've agreed personal terms on a four-year contract. I'm about to undergo a medical, which is always a little bit nerve-wracking, but I've been fairly injury-free so everything should be okay on that score. Apparently there's a few minor issues to be sorted out between the clubs but I fully expect to become a Rangers player. I'm already looking forward to linking up with my new team-mates - but first I have to meet up with the Dutch national squad in good time for our match with Ireland at the weekend. I'll be flying out later today but will hopefully have time to fully update my site soon.

Wednesday 30th August 2000: Deal nearly done
A four-year deal with Rangers is nearing completion. My site will be updated with further developments as and when they happen.

Michael Mols made his long-awaited comeback tonight in the friendly match against Glentoran at Ibrox. And it took the Dutchman just nine minutes to find the back of the net in the 3-0 victory over the Northern Irish outfit. Mols has been out ever since he picked up a cruel knee injury in the Champions League match against Bayern Munich in November last year. But he put that injury hell behind him at Ibrox tonight when he played the first 45 minutes against Glentoran, scoring the opener after just nine minutes. Rod Wallace (28) and Allan Johnston (56) added to Mols' strike to complete the rout of the men from Northern Ireland. A healthy crowd of over 15,000 turned up at Ibrox to see Mols in action along with fellow crocked countryman Arthur Numan who also featured in the game.

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has denied that Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo will be on his way to Ibrox in a £11million move. The Spanish international has been linked with a switch to the Glasgow giants, but Advocaat said:
"He's definitely not coming."

Giovanni van Bronckorst on Monday night told Rangers fans the team's Old Firm shambles was no reason for panic. The Dutchman was devastated by his side's 6-2 collapse at Parkhead, their biggest defeat against Celtic for 43 years. However, he is adamant Rangers will rally quickly and secure their third consecutive SPL title. He said:
"I don't think this is any indication of what's going to happen in the league this season. Results like this just happen, that's football. Perhaps if we had got the first goal, everything would have been different. There certainly isn't any reason to panic, things just didn't go quite right, and Celtic scored some good goals. We are the same side that has been playing some really good football over the last few weeks and we are still confident that at the end of the season we will be in the lead."

Van Bronckhorst has now set his sights on repaying the Gers' faithful in the next Old Firm tie on November 26. He said:
"We're most disappointed for the fans. I know how much it means to them to beat Celtic and we didn't do it. All I can promise is that we keep playing hard and I'm sure we'll get our revenge when they come to Ibrox."

Rangers could be set for a welcome boost following Sunday's 6-2 loss to Celtic after being linked with an £11million move for Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo. Dick Advocaat is keen to strengthen his squad ahead of Friday's Champions League deadline and Spanish international Tamudo is reportedly his number one target. The player's agent Tomas Duran said:
"It's a firm offer. They're very hopeful of signing him."

Captain Lorenzo Amoruso blamed bigheads in the Rangers dressing room for their Parkhead thrashing. The Italian believes a major factor behind their astonishing collapse was a misplaced sense of self-belief. But he reckons the 6-2 scoreline will help deflate some over-inflated egos. Amoruso said:
"There is nothing we can say to change this terrible result but we've learned a vital lesson. If you go into these games without the right commitment or thinking you are too good to be beaten, this is exactly what will happen. We are not playing at the same level as last season and if our attitude is not right we cannot win games like Sunday's. We were only up for it when we were already 3-0 down."

Amoruso is admant Rangers will get it right in time for the start of their European campaign in Monaco on September 12. He said:
"In my opinion it was not a great performance by Celtic. We gave the goals away. The biggest problem was the way we played. But now it's too late. All we can do is think about where we went wrong and try to improve. If I could, I would go out and play against Celtic again today. They could play against us another 1000 times and we would never lose 6-2 . All we can do is keep our heads up, keep working very hard and ensure we improve as the season goes on."

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat was in sombre mood after losing 6-2 to Celtic and labelled his side's display as the worst he has seen since being in charge. Advocaat's side were hit by three goals in the first 12 minutes, and Fernando Ricksen in particular was left dazzled by the mesmerising wing play of man-of-the-match Bobby Petta. Ricksen was hauled off. But by that time the damage had been done, and Advocaat was left in no doubt as to where his side had lost the game. He said:
"Quite simply we have to give all the credit to Celtic. The scoreline doesn't lie, and they deserved to win. If you give them goals away at this level you will get punished, so we probably need more practice on where we went wrong in this game and we know what we have to change. There is no doubt this was the worst game we have played since I have been here. We were very poor, and they looked like they would score with every attack.

He concluded:
"We have four internationals at the back, and I don't want to point the finger at certain individuals - but we were poor today."

Jorg Albertz is out of Sunday's Old Firm clash at Parkhead. The German midfield ace will not recover from the knee injury he picked up in the European Qualifying match against Herfolge on Wednesday. Ibrox boss Dick Advocaat said:
"Sunday's match will be too soon for Jorg. He will be out for the next few days and we will have to see how he progresses."

That is a huge blow for Rangers who know how influential the player can be in Old Firm showdowns. The fans will be desperately disappointed but Advocaat will not push the Ibrox hero for the match. The Little General insisted that Celtic may be in better form at the moment but they still have everything to prove. He said:
"It is very early to say, but we heard the same things last year as well. We were very lucky to win the last two Old Firm games. Our home games were different, but it is fair to say that we were lucky to get what we got at Celtic Park. In the first game two seasons ago they beat us 5-1 but we went on to win the treble. From that point of view you cannot predict anything from this game. Both teams are quality sides and it will be up to me to make sure that I get the best out of my players. They realise how important it is."

It could be another month before we have a real indication of the strength of both teams according to Advocaat, and he is prepared to wait and see what happens. He added:
"We are capable of playing much better and we must have time to see that. A lot of it is to do with the players we are missing and until they return it is hard to say where we are at."

Kenny Miller also misses out tomorrow as will Arthur Numan and Michael Mols who should make their returns on Tuesday in the friendly with Glentoran.

Rangers are set to make another Atlantic crossing by giving a trial to promising US star Nick Denton. The full-back, who plays for DC United in Washington, is desperate to join countryman Claudio Reyna at Ibrox and he wouldn't blow a hole in team boss Dick Advocaat's transfer budget. Denton has just finished his first season in the MSL but DC are breaking up the side that won the title last season after failing to make the play-offs this year. The 22-year-old defender is understood to have been personally recommended by DC coach Thomas Rongen, a friend of Advocaat's. With Sergio Porrini on his way out, Californian Denton could provide cover for Fernando Ricksen. However, any move would depend on the player first impressing the Rangers coaching staff.

(Only a couple of errors in this report, the player's name is Eric Denton and he would not be much cover for Ricksen as he is a left-sided defender. - Gary)

Rangers great Bob McPhail has died aged 95. The inside-left, signed by Bill Struth, succeeded Tommy Cairns in the Light Blues forward line and for the best part of a decade formed an outstanding left-wing partnership with Alan Morton. McPhail went on to be part of six Rangers cup-winning teams, scored 230 league goals, won nine league championships between 1927-38 and played 17 times for Scotland. He retired from football in 1941 and was Gers reserve team trainer for a few seasons. His funeral is on Tuesday.

Rangers have been drawn in Champions League Group D with ties against French cracks Monaco, last year's UEFA Cup winners Galatasaray and a trip to Austrian champions Sturm Graz. Ibrox boss Dick Advocaat said:
"In comparison with other sections it looks like we have had a favourable draw – at least on paper – but at the end of the day you still have to win the matches. I watched Monaco play twice last season and we all know how good French football is. France are currently the World and European champions so the standard of football in that country is extremely high. Galatasaray are the current UEFA Cup holders and Tugay can give us some valuable information on their strengths and weaknesses. I know only too well that Sturm Graz beat Feyenoord to make it to the Champions League. That is a difficult place to go to so they will not be easy to play against."

BIG GAME DATES (subject to change) Rangers v Sturm Graz Tues 12 Sept
Monaco v Rangers Wed 20 Sept
Galatasaray v Rangers Wed 27 Sept
Rangers v Galatasaray Tues 17 Oct
Sturm Graz v Rangers Wed 25 Oct
Rangers v Monaco Tues 7 Nov

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat admitted that he would not be able to assess the injury to Jorg Albertz until Friday. The Ibrox midfielder was stretchered from the pitch after a challenge with Herfolge skipper Thomas Hoyer as the Light Blues cruised into the Champions League. But Advocaat will wait until Albertz has been to hospital before making any judgements on the extent of his injury.Advocaat said:
"I will tell you about Albertz on Friday. He will go to the hospital for a scan tomorrow and then we will know more. What can I say about it? We have to wait for tomorrow like all the other players."

Rangers have been handed a tough CIS Insurance Cup third round tie against Ebbe Skovdahl's Aberdeen. The Dons beat the Light Blues 1-0 on their way to the final last season and Gers would have wanted to avoid an SPL side early on in the competition. The match will played on either September 5/6.

Rangers can be drawn in the same Champions League group as Manchester United or Arsenal, but not Leeds. The three English teams are kept apart when the 32 clubs are drawn from four pots into eight groups tomorrow but Rangers could land United or Arsenal.

Rangers' goalkeeper Stefan Klos is delighted that his side are through to the Champions League group stage - and is happy to take on anyone. Having disposed of Danish champions Herfolge 6-0 on aggregate, Klos realises that the big guns lie ahead. He said:
"We are certain to get some good teams whether it is Bayern Munich or Manchester United. Everybody wants to play against the good teams."

For draw details and live coverage of tomorrow's draw, visit www.uefa.com

Rangers reached the group stage of the Champions League with a workmanlike 3-0 win over Herfolge of Denmark on Wednesday -- but it may prove to be a costly success. The Scotland side, who won the third qualifying round tie 6-0 on aggregate, had midfielder Jorg Albertz carried off on a stretcher in the 73rd minute with a knee injury after a late tackle from Thomas Hoyer. The German, who scored twice for Rangers in the Champions League last season, appeared to be in great pain. Rangers overcame a physical battering from the Danes before taking the lead in the 48th minute when Rod Wallace headed in Neil McCann's cross. Substitute Allan Johnston made it 2-0 with an overhead kick from 12 metres in the 78th minute and Andrei Kanchelskis wrapped up the scoring with a lob from 25 metres in the 89th minute.

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has urged his players to hold nothing back as the club stands on the threshold of a second successive qualification for the group stages of the Champions League. The Light Blues hold a 3-0 lead over Danish side Herfolge ahead of the second leg at Ibrox. Herfolge boss John Jensen has told his side that they need to be more physical for the away leg if they are to haul themselves back into the game. But Advocaat insists that his team must not shirk their commitment to finishing the job. Advocaat said:
''It is important not to pick up yellow cards but it is important to win the game,'' ''You only win games if the commitment is there. If we start saying 'Be careful', it is not a good point to go into a game. 'If they are more aggressive, they will have problems with the referee. He can do it in a home game but, in an away game, no chance. We still have to do the job and I don't want to talk about Celtic. We all know how important the Champions League is and we cannot make a mistake. 'If a player does not perform as he can, it is simple. Every player must have a good performance and they will do that because they like playing. I always like to win with style but that is not always possible. If they tryto play aggressively, we will have to react to that. 'But we must not give them the opportunity to play that way. We can only give them the opportunity to play if we play one against one. But if we are too quick, they have no chance to kick somebody.''

Advocaat added:
''It is very important for Rangers that we are involved in the Champions League. Everybody expects that. We have a big advantage with a 3-0 lead from the away game but we still have to do it. There are lots of examples of the home club winning the away game and losing the home game and we don't want to do that. So the most important thing is getting a result and then we will get into the Champions League, which will be a big success for this club - two successive years in the group stages. It will also be a big advantage for the players for financial and experience reasons.''

Lorenzo Amoruso should be fit for Sunday's Old Firm game. The Italian skipper damaged his hamstring before Saturday's SPL victory over Dunfermline and it was thought he could miss the Parkhead clash, however David Murray has told Radio Clyde Sport that he will be fit for Sunday.

The SPL have named Stuart Dougal as match referee for Sunday's first Old Firm game of the season at Parkhead. And Hugh Dallas will be the all-important fourth official who has to stand between Dick Advocaat and Martin O'Neill on the trackside, and that could be just as entertaining as what's on the field. Gordon McBride and Martin Doran are the assistant ref's.

Paul Ritchie celebrated his 25th birthday by completing his £500,000 move to Manchester City from Rangers. The Scotland defender has signed a four-year deal with the Premiership new boys after failing to play a competitive game for Rangers. City's chief operating officer Chris Bird said:
''The deal is all done and Paul has signed a four-year contract.''

Rangers are facing a defensive crisis ahead of the first Old Firm clash of the season with skipper Lorenzo Amoruso a major doubt after picking up a groin injury against Dunfermline. Lorenzo said of the problem:
"I'll just have to wait and hope it is nothing too bad."

The Gers' inspirational skipper was forced to don a pair of cycling shorts for the second half of the match and whilst there is no tear, rest may be the only cure. Lorenzo is clearly concerned, confirming:
"I don't need a scan, because nothing is torn but I will probably have to rest for a few days."

That's a blow Dick Advocaat could do without. His back-line is already shorn of Craig Moore, with a knee injury, and Paul Ritchie, who has now decided on a move to Manchester City. Amoruso sustained the injury early in the game against the Fifers and at half-time, Rangers' medics demanded he play the rest of the match in the shorts that many modern players use from the kick-off. Despite that boost, the Italian's movement was restricted after half-time, and although he didn't need a scan, he is already a serious doubt for Wednesday's Champions League qualifier against Herfolge. Naturally, he won't rule himself out until the last possible moment, but unless there is a sudden and dramatic improvement he seems certain to miss the clash. Given that the Scottish champions lead three-nil from the first leg, Dick Advocaat will surely not risk him ahead of the Celtic match next Sunday. The question of who will partner Dutch international Bert Konterman in both matches is bound to provide his countryman Advocaat with a couple of sleepless nights this week.

David Murray today dismissed reports Rangers are on the verge of signing Italian striker Cristiano Lucarelli. The Ibrox chairman admitted discussions had taken place regarding the possibility of signing the Lecce striker, but coach Dick Advocaat has decided to look elsewhere. Lucarelli, 24, is another in a long line of strikers linked with Rangers over the last couple of months. However, the £9m-rated star, who bagged 14 Serie A goals last season, won´t be coming to Glasgow. Today, Murray told SportTimes:
"This is something which was dealt with weeks ago. He was a player we watched, but in the final analysis our people decided not to take it any further."

Chairman David Murray last night denied the club had made a bid to break the Scottish transfer record by moving for Filippo Maniero. Rangers were said to have offered Serie B side Venezia £9 million for the striker, the latest in a series of forwards linked with the club ahead of its expected Champions League campaign. Murray admitted the club was aware of Maniero because his name had been one of many faxed to manager Dick Advocaat by agents. But the chairman stressed:
"I can categorically say that there has been no bid for him."

Venezia striker Filippo Maniero has revealed that Rangers have made a Scottish record £9million bid for him. Manager Dick Advocaat appears to have turned his attentions to the 27-year-old Italian star after losing out on a string of top frontmen. With the Champions League deadline looming on August 31 it appears that the Dutchman has stepped up his bid to solve the club's striker crisis. Maniero said:
"I know of the Rangers interest. My agent Andrea D'Amico has told me there has been a £9million offer. I have a year left on my contract with Venezia so it's now down to Rangers' wage pay structure and the decision of my club president."

Maniero is desperate to join the Glasgow giants despite interest from a number of Italian clubs. But the factor which could swing the deal in Rangers' favour is that both Venezia president Maurizio Zamparini and coach Cesare Prandelli are reluctant for him to sign for another Italian club. Maniero added:
"I am willing to come to Glasgow Rangers now because I long to play in the Champions League. The last time round my wife and I had to think a lot about moving to Scotland because my child was too small, but time has moved on now."

Paul Ritchie has informed Dick Advocaat that he is happy to stay at Ibrox, even without guarantees of first-team football. The Scottish international was expected to seal a £500,000 move to Manchester City early next week after the former Hearts player returned home to discuss the move with his family. After passing a medical yesterday, City boss Joe Royle was preparing to welcome the latest summer recruit to Maine Road. It has now emerged that Ritchie has told Advocaat that he would be happy to stay in Glasgow and play second fiddle to the likes of Bert Konterman and Lorenzo Amoruso at the centre of the Rangers defence. A decision from Ritchie is expected on Monday as to where his future lies.

Michael Mols could be set for a sensational return when Rangers face Glentoran in two weeks time. The Dutch striker has been out for ten months after a picking up a horror injury in last season's clash with Bayern Munich. But his return to training following a second operation on his left knee could see him return to action in the friendly match at Ibrox against the Irish League side on Tuesday, August 29. Advocaat said:
"The friendly match will give us the opportunity to play some other players. There is a good chance Michael Mols and Arthur Numan will play in that match. Mols has been looking good and although he is lacking sharpness it will be an opportunity for us to see."

Kenny Miller has picked up a slight knock in training and will not be risked in tomorrow's clash with Dunfermline and he will be replaced in the squad by Danish under-21 star Peter Lovenkrands.

Dutch side FC Twente have revealed that Rangers have set their sights on their star striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink as the answer to the Light Blues' striker search. The 22-year-old Dutch international scored a hat-trick on his Holland debut on Wednesday and Dick Advocaat would love to land the hitman. Clubs all over Europe are desperate to land the £7million-rated player and Gers will face a struggle to sign him. Hesselink said:
"I have heard many rumous about an interest from Glasgow Rangers but nothing official. In any case, I still have a lot to learn with Twente."

Twente's general manager Theo Vonk said:
"The whole of Europe wants to sign Jan, not just Rangers. Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord and almost every club in Italy, Spain and England are interested in him but he has said he wants to stay with us for one more year. In football anything can happen and the situation could change at any time. Rangers have asked about his situation and they have mentioned some amounts of money but I don't want to discuss it in the newspapers. I haven't spoken to Dick Advocaat either but I know him very well - we have had the same hair transplant!"

Ibrox stopper Arthur Numan spoke with the player during the week about the possibility of Hesselink coming to Rangers. He said:
"Jan would be a fantastic signing for Rangers. He has so much class and I would say he is as good as Ruud van Nistelrooy. Jan is big and strong, he is good in the air and on the ground, he has great pace and can score goals with either foot. He has no real weakness to his game. Jan told me that he wants to stay with Twente another season to develop his qualities. I think that he has made a wise decision because next season he will be an even better player."

Stefan Kloshas pledged his long-term future to Rangers after recent speculation linking the keeper with a move to Hamburg. The German club have lost goalie Hans-Jorg Butt to Bayer Leverkusen and reports have suggested that the Bundesliga side may move for Klos to replace him. But the Ibrox No.1 said:
"I definitely won't be moving back to Germany in the next two years. I am aware Hamburg are lookign for a keeper but I am very happy in Scotland. My contract runs for another two years and I certainly won't be leaving before then. My family have settled extremely well in Scotland. If anything, I would think about staying longer."

The former Borussia Dortmund keeper's hopes of an international recall have been given a boost after former Dortmund coach Michael Skibbe - now Germany's assistant manager - announced he is coming to Scotland to watch Klos and fellow countryman Jorg Albertz. Klos added:
"There's a chance of a call-up but I've had so many disappointments in the past so I refuse to get too excited."

Rangers chairman David Murray has rejected another approach by Coventry for winger Neil McCann. Sky Blues manager Gordon Strachan has upped his initial £3million bid by a reported further £2million but Murray has dismissed the offer out of hand. Murray said:
"I did not respond to Coventry's latest offer because, as far as both myself and manager Dick Advocaat are concerned, the position with McCann is very clear - we are not interested in selling him."

Murray added:
"We see the player as an important member of the squad who will be needed for both the domestic and Champions League campaigns this season. We hope that this is now the end of the matter."

Jorg Albertz today admitted he´s fed up saying he wants to stay at Rangers! The German midfielder´s future has been the subject of yet more speculation after Coventry expressed an interest in him last week. That bid was booted out by Dick Advocaat and David Murray - and Albertz has again insisted he´s going nowhere. Albertz has three years to run on his contract, and the 29-year-old has intimated in the past that he would like to finish his career in Scotland. The Hammer fired:
"I am fed up with it and want to get on with my football - that´s my main concern. All I want to do is keep on playing for Rangers, and I don´t want to have to keep on talking about this. What has been said lately has nothing to do with me. It is other people who have to sort out the problem. I am really enjoying my football, and that´s what makes me happy."

Albertz has had an up and down relationship with Advocaat since the Dutchman arrived at Ibrox. But the fact that his manager immediately knocked back a £4m bid for him assured Albertz he was part of the long term plans. However, in typical Advocaat fashion, the German was then pulled aside by his boss and told to start working harder on a certain aspect of his game. Albertz told the Rangers News:
"The manager has told me that I need to work on the defensive side of my game and I am trying. I always do my best and hopefully he will be happy with the progress I am making. I know that is a side of my game I need to work on and I am aiming to do that this season. I always try to keep improving because there are players waiting in the wings to take my place."

Dick Advocaat fears that if Rangers don't join a European league within two years our game could DIE. And the Ibrox boss reckons Scottish teams will become a laughing stock unless they face top opposition every week. He said:
"It's only a matter of time before an Atlantic or European league happens. "It will be the only way to survive and if we want to survive then we must join – it's as simple as that. It's the future and it only has benefits. If it doesn't start within two years we won't be able to compete any more in this country. We want to play against the big-name clubs with the big-name players and I think everyone will enjoy it. I don't think it will just benefit Rangers and Celtic, I think a third Scottish team and maybe a fourth could become involved. Maybe there could be a way for the champions of this country to get in. It has to be a huge bonus for everyone."

Advocaat also insists Gers won't have to quit the Scottish Cup to play in a Euro league. He added:
"We would play our Atlantic league games on a Saturday and then midweek we would have the Champions League and the Scottish Cup."

Other clubs which are likely to join the Euro set-up include: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord, Ajax, Porto, Benfica, Standard Liege and Anderlecht. Sporting Lisbon, Gothenburg, AIK Stockholm, Copenhagen, Brondby and Rosenborg are all other possible contenders. However, any plans to quit Scottish football would have to be approved by the SFA, SPL and then ratified by UEFA and FIFA.

Meanwhile, Advocaat has a player shortage with many stars on international duty this week. Arthur Numan, Gio van Bronckhorst, Fernando Ricksen and Bert Konterman are with the Holland squad for a three-day training camp. Peter Lovenkrands is also away with the Denmark under-21 side and American captain Claudio Reyna was back in the States for a World Cup qualifying match against Barbados. And Dick said:
"It is always difficult for players coming back from international duty. In this case we only have Friday to train together and one day's training before a match is not much. However, we are improving as a team when we are together. A few players lacked sharpness when they came here and I think they are now beginning to show improvements – one of them was Ricksen. He is getting some of his confidence back and the national team meeting could be good for him."

Manchester City have agreed a £500,000 fee with Rangers for Scotland defender Paul Ritchie. The 24-year-old, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Bolton last term, has yet to start a competitive game this season after completing a Bosman switch to Ibrox during the summer. City boss Joe Royle is a big admirer of the former Hearts centre-half and if the deal goes through as expected will have ended his search for central defenders.

Rangers have been offered ten top European strikers in the past week costing upwards of £15m each to boost their Champions League dream. The Ibrox club has been inundated with calls from agents and clubs willing to sell on players who have become surplus to requirements at their current teams and who are eager to move to Scotland. Ironically, former Serie A target Filippo Maniero, who turned down a move to Rangers in favour of joining recently-relegated Venezia two years ago because his wife didn't like Scotland, has again been put up for grabs with a £10m asking price. But Rangers won't be giving the former AC Milan striker a second chance as chairman David Murray on Tuesday night revealed there were plenty of other top players available and insisted manager Dick Advocaat would not be rushed into making a signing just for the sake of it. Murray said:
"Everyone is focusing on Rangers finding a new striker but there are other more serious problems facing Scottish football at the moment. I know that Dick Advocaat will get his man sooner rather than later, but I am not so confident about the short-term prospects of the game in this country. Unless something dramatic is done to alter our league structure and increase incomes within the next five years, then both Rangers and Celtic won't be able to compete even at their current levels. We must get involved with leading sides in countries such as Holland and Portugal because the television revenue alone would help us meet our wages bill every season. I firmly believe that our fans would prefer to see us play Benfica or PSV on a Saturday rather than St Mirren or Dunfermline. I have a responsibility to our shareholders and while I still have a few tricks up my sleeve to raise more money for Rangers, I can't keep pulling rabbits out of the hat every season to keep us on the same level as the big guns of Europe who have a much greater income."

Murray said the Premiership clubs in England did not want anything to do with the Old Firm as they already filled their own stadiums every week without them and were not keen to increase the number of clubs which would only dilute their cut from their deal with Sky TV. He said:
"Only by getting involved in another European League or reaching the second stages of the Champions League can we raise significantly more cash."

And he added:
"I would not expect our fans to travel to away matches throughout the continent every other week, but I would predict they would watch us on television or even via beam-back at the stadium. Some might well even go on and support their local teams after watching us earlier in the day."

Winger Andrei Kanchelskis has been linked with a move to Coventry despite the recent fallout between David Murray and Gordon Strachan. Both are far too big to allow a war of words enter their decisions in the transfer market, especially if they want top sign a player Rangers seem keen to offload. Strachan claimed it was Murray who said he could have either Jorg Albertz or the Ukrainian winger - or both! But as we now know, Strachan made Rangers two offers for Neil McCann and Jorg Albertz but both were turned down. Now it seems he's turned his attention to Kanchelskis who is certainly peeved about being third choice winger at the club these days.

Jorg Albertz fired a double in Rangers' 3-1 win over St Mirren last night but boss Dick Advocaat still wants more from the Hammer. Albertz converted a first-half penalty and added a second to Billy Dodds' earlier strike in a victory that leaves Saints at the bottom of the table. But Advocaat, who insisted Albertz would be staying at Ibrox despite recent reports that the fans' favourite was heading for the exit door, reckons there is room for improvement. He said:
"We gave Jorg a new contract four weeks ago and you don't change your mind about a player in that space of time. He can still improve his game further, and he knows that, but we also know what his qualities are. He has to work for the team as well, and he does try that, but he knows that is why I push him."

Rangers hadn't really hit top form until last week's emphatic win over Herfolge in the Champions League third qualifying round and the Ibrox manager believes the Scottish champions carried that form into the game at Love Street. He added:
"I think we played quite professionally tonight. In the first-half we created five or six good chances and only scored one. There should have been more goals but, competition-wise, it was our best game so far. The way St Mirren played, and their approach was very encouraging. They played with three strikers and tried to score but we have more quality players. There is no shame to St Mirren. If they go on playing the way they did today, they will get points, I've no doubt about it."

Rangers chairman David Murray insists that the proposed new European league could become more attractive than the English Premiership. The Light Blues and Celtic have both expressed serious interest in the possibility of breaking away from the Scottish Premier League to join other teams from Holland, Belgium and Portugal. And Murray believes that the new league would provide a welcome boost for Old Firm supporters. Murray said:
''Between us, Celtic and Rangers are leaking between £10m and £12m every year and we simply cannot go on sustaining such losses. We have had to assess our alternatives. We could simply put up our ticket prices and ask the fans to pay more to watch the same old product or we can embrace this European structure and improve the product to such a point that it is worth a lot more money. I believe that with the size and the stature of the clubs involved, this league can become better than the English Premiership. When you consider the likes of Ajax, PSV, Benfica, Rangers and Celtic all playing in one league and with vastly improved incomes which enable them to afford better players than before, you can imagine the possibilities. And, as far as the supporters are concerned, a combination of the Champions League, a European League and the Scottish Cup would be a massively attractive package. We have discussed the Scottish Cup and we would wish to continue playing in that competition.''

David David Murray believes it is in the club's best interests to join some form of pan-European league. He said smaller clubs would back the move as they would receive compensation, and the chance to join the league through promotion. He said:
"I'm changing my opinion. We are now hindering Scottish football. Perhaps it will be better for the other clubs not to financially strain themselves in trying to keep up with Rangers and Celtic. There is a merit in the idea of Rangers and Celtic joining a new league if it can be worked out with Uefa [European football's governing body]."

Rangers and Celtic are poised to leave Scottish league football in the most sensational move in the history of the game north of the border. BBC Scotland has exclusively revealed that the two Old Firm giants have been involved in talks, with the backing of the Scottish Premier League, designed to create a European league that would start in season 2002/3.

The new set-up will feature 16 clubs from seven nations, with three sides from Scotland. The other participating nations are Holland, Portugal, Belgium, Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden and Denmark).

A potential television audience of 59 million, larger than the cash-rich English Premiership, is the major driving force behind the move.

Discussions
SPL chief executive Roger Mitchell admitted:
"Discussions have been going on for some time and the SPL has been at the forefront of these talks. This is a chance, not just for the Old Firm, but for all ambitious clubs in Scotland."

Qualification would be by merit, with the clubs finishing in the top three next season winning promotion to the new league. In the unlikely event that the Old Firm finish outside the top three, Rangers and Celtic would remain in the SPL and be among those guaranteed substantial compensation payments for missing out on the lucrative new format.

Opposition
The previously much-vaunted Atlantic League foundered on the rock of Uefa opposition. However, representatives of clubs from the seven nations met on Friday to continue discussions and they believe they are close to receiving the necessary backing from Uefa, the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish League.

They also stress that it is not a "breakaway" from the Scottish game and, indeed, the three clubs taking part in the European league would continue to participate in the Scottish Cup. The other departure from the Atlantic League idea is the introduction of promotion and relegation from domestic leagues.

Guarantee
Initially, the new league would guarantee three places to Scotland, four to Portugal, four to Holland, three to Scandanavia, which would be treated as one nation, and two from Belgium. That would mean Scotland's representatives would be involved in home and away matches with the likes of Benfica, Porto, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Feyenoord, Rosenborg Trondheim and Anderlecht.

Those finishing bottom would be involved in an end-of-season promotion and relegation play-off that would give clubs left behind in the SPL the chance to swell Scotland's representation further.

Games would kick off at 1pm on Saturday afternoons in an attempt to maximise television audiences.

Neil McCann insists he has no intention of leaving Ibrox unless he is forced out of the club – a scenario Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has assured him will not be happening. High profile interest from Coventry in McCann ultimately resulted in a bitter war of words between Rangers chairman David Murray and Highfield Road boss Gordon Strachan and left the players immediate future in doubt. But McCann claims to be unconcerned at the speculation and, after speaking to Advocaat, is confident he is a valued asset at Rangers and stresses he never instigated a potential move. McCann said:
"The manager is the only one who has spoken to me about this. There really is nothing much to tell from my point of view. As far as I'm concerned there was no bid accepted. As far as the manager is concerned, he is happy for me stay at Rangers and hopefully I can continue to enjoy my football here. It's not for me to about what Gordon Strachan says or does, but it honestly hasn't caused me any problems. Dick Advocaat has never approached me and told me there is a deal on the go or told me he wants me to leave and I've never asked to leave either. I'm enjoying my game and I'm happy with the way things are. I've never approached the manager or the chairman for a move. The manager has spoken to me and told me he doesn't want to sell me. It's not unsettling for me because nothing concrete is happening. If the manager comes up and says he doesn't want me and I'm not in his plans that's different and that's the time to move but he has said the total opposite."

The war of words between Rangers and Coventry has intensified, with Gers boss Dick Advocaat slamming his Sky Blues counterpart Gordon Strachan for the way he has conducted himself. The Midlands outfit made two bids for Neil McCann and Jorg Albertz, but both offers were eventually rejected by the Glasgow club. This resulted in Strachan furiously claiming that Ibrox supremo David Murray had reneged on two agreements - upping the prices for the duo at the last minute. Dutchman Advocaat has come out in support of his chairman, saying:
"He (Strachan) has not handled these things well. He's probably very upset, but you should keep it gentlemenly. He had nothing on paper to say bids were accepted. It's his word against ours."

Rangers, Celtic and another Scottish club could be involved in a European League by as early as season 2002/03. The league is a similar setup to the proposed Atlantic League involving clubs from Scotland, Holland, Portugal, Scandinavia, Belgium but is reported to have the backing of UEFA with places in the Champions League and UEFA Cup. It will not be a closed league with promotion/relegation playoffs giving other teams from the involved nations the chance to enter the league.

More details later.

Rangers have been rocked by the news that Craig Moore will be out for at least two months after undergoing knee surgery on Thursday night. The loss of the big Aussie defender, ahead of Sunday's game against St Mirren is a huge blow to Dick Advocaat's defensive plans. And the Little General said:
"It is very unfortunate for the player himself and for the club. At first we thought it would be a small operation and he would recover quickly but they had to go inside his knee and it will be six to eight weeks before he is back."

Rangers will be out to exact revenge on St Mirren for inflicting the Ibrox side's only loss during their pre-season last year. Dick Advocaat's side went down 2-1 to the Buddies at Love Street in match which saw Michael Mols make his Gers debut. Advocaat warned against a repeat of last week's stuttering start against Kilmarnock and reckons his side are in for a tough time. He said:
"We play them in friendly matches every year and even then they play very well against us. It will be hard and they will make it very difficult for us. It was the only game we lost pre-season last year so that says enough. We showed enough in the first-half against Herfolge in midweek to suggest that we may have put that defeat behind us."

Giovanni van Bronckhorst picked up a knock and it will be Saturday before a decision over the Dutch midfielder is made.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has assured Rangers his ambitions are being satisfied at Ibrox as he prepares for a renewed bid for Champions' League success. The Dutch international midfielder was linked with a possible £8million switch to Fiorentina this week, something Rangers manager Dick Advocaat denied all knowledge of. The speculation highlighted the progress van Bronckhorst has made since becoming one of Advocaat's first signings when bought for £5.5million from Feyenoord two years' ago. Speaking on his own official website, he said:
"I have an OK relationship with the press in Scotland, and on the whole they have been fair in their reports about me. What has annoyed me in the past is when they say things that aren't true about my move to Rangers. Some of them claimed I'm just using Rangers as a stepping stone. But that simply isn't true. I came here because Rangers are a great team, and I have two years remaining on my contract. At the moment I'm really enjoying myself here. We are playing great football and my family and I have settled in Scotland. Why would I want to walk away from that? So any talk you may have heard about me leaving should be ignored."

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat promised there is even better to come from his side after they dismantled Herfolge to all but seal their place in the Champions' League. Goals from Jorg Albertz, Rod Wallace and Lorenzo Amoruso meant a 3-0 third qualifying round first-leg triumph for Rangers, who dominated their Danish opposition. Rangers had struggled to find their best form in their four preceding competitive games this term, but turned on the style to leave boss Advocaat satisfied his message had finally got through to his players. He said:
"I think it was a good result in an away game against the champions of Denmark. The expectation was that we would win but we still had to show that and in the first hour we had a lot of quality. We showed at times the way that we like to play with some excellent moments and considering we can still bring back players like Arthur Numan and Michael Mols we can be even better still if we are in the first phase of the Champions' League. The first season that I arrived at Ibrox was just after the World Cup in 1998 and this time we have had squad members at Euro 2000 while others like Lorenzo Amoruso have been injured. With all respect to Herfolge I believe that we have a better side than they do and did well tonight if you consider we are still missing some key players from the team who can help us to improve on where we are now. We still have a way to go but at this stage of the season no team can say they are already there in terms of being at their very best, so hopefully it is just a matter of time for us now - there were a lot of encouraging moments tonight."

Rangers fans' chief John MacMillan believes Champions' League football could be the deciding factor in ending the club's long search for a top-class striker. The Ibrox outfit claimed a commanding 3-0 third qualifying round first-leg lead over Danish champions Herfolge on Wednesday night to effectively seal a place among Europe's elite for a second successive season. MacMillan, chairman of the Rangers Supporters' Association, said:
"I don't think it's been through a lack of money or a shortage of effort that we haven't already got someone. It's really just that players don't want to play in the Scottish Premier League and that has proved frustrating. They would rather be in the Premiership - or the Italian and Spanish top divisions - and to an extent you can understand that, but the Champions' League is what modern players want to be part of and we can now offer that."

Seb Rozental has confirmed he's joined Argentinean outfit Independiente on a 10-month deal. His father - who also acts as his agent - is certainly no slouch when it comes to finding his son a club, and after a request by David Murray to take him off the Ibrox pay roll, he moved swiftly and Independiente will have use of his services for the rest of the season. But it's unclear at the moment whether he has an agreement to join them after this loan spell is up or whether Rangers will release him nearer that time.

Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Konterman, Amoruso, Reyna, Ferguson, McCann, van Bronckhorst, Albertz, Dodds, Wallace.
Subs: Brown(gk), Tugay, Kanchelskis, Ricksen, Johnston, Miller, Vidmar

Michael Mols has opened his heart on the injury hell that has plagued him at Ibrox. And the Dutch striker revealed his frustration at watching his Light Blue team-mates gear up for the assaults on the Champions League and the SPL title while he continues the painful process of recovery from his latest setback. A second operation on his injured right knee was even harder to bear for the Gers superstar after he seemed back to his lethal best on the pre-season tour of Holland. Now Mols is forced to spend his time recovering in the swimming pool and casting an envious eye at the events at Ibrox. And he admitted he can't wait to team up with Light Blues again and help fire them to glory. He declared:
"I want to play just now and I can't, so yes, I am fed up. It is difficult to watch your team-mates go away on the European trips and start the new season. More than anything I want to be a part of that. It's hard when you think you're over the worst, like I did in pre-season, and then something else happens. No matter what anyone says, a setback like the one I've had does get to you. I know there are worse things in life that can happen but right now I am fed up with all the waiting. All I seem to do is wait but all I want to do is be a part of Rangers and help them succeed."

The minor surgery the striker underwent looks to have been successful and Mols will visit his specialist in Holland in a few weeks to get the all-clear. Now the Dutch star must kill time until the knee heels properly before he can start to get back full fitness. He can't yet put a date on his return but at least he's happy that the ligament damage sustained in a horror collision with Bayern Munich keeper Oliver Kahn has at last been put to rights. Michael said:
"The surgeon cleaned my knee so that everything will be okay now when I finally start playing. But it is not as easy and straight-forward a recovery as everyone seems to think. My knee now has to get used to the new situation, which might take time. I will go and see the specialist again just for a check-up but how long I will be out for is difficult to say. It could be up to two months but the day I start playing again can't come soon enough. I just want to pull on the Rangers jersey again."

The long-term Rangers future of Giovanni van Bronckhorst will come under further scrutiny this week as Fiorentina prepare to table a £6.5million bid for the Dutch international midfielder. Van Bronckhorst, who yesterday flew to Denmark with the Rangers squad for tomorrow's Champions League tie with Herfolge, is keen to display his talents in one of Europe's glamour leagues. The offer from the Serie A giant would be only the latest note of interest registered in the former Feyenoord player, who has politely declined two invitations to extend his current contract, which expires at the end of next season. Dick Advocaat has made it clear to his chairman, David Murray, that van Bronckhorst is a pivotal member of the squad he seeks to take to the latter stages of the Champions League this season. But Murray is resolved not to allow the player to walk away from Ibrox under the Bosman ruling and cash in on his substantial market value, further enhanced by his displays for Holland at Euro 2000. Fiorentina's initial bid would fall well below Murray's valuation, as would any offer under £10m. Coach Fatih Terim is understood to be unwilling to go beyond £8m.

Rangers captain Lorenzo Amoruso today predicted a bright future for his team in Europe and, along the way, claimed he would stay with the club for the remaining two seasons of his contract. Amoruso today dismissed all speculation over his future, saying:
"I have spoken with my manager, Dick Advocaat, and we have a healthy relationship. As far as I am concerned, I will remain with what I consider to be one of Europe´s leading clubs. Yes, of course I have read and listened to all the speculation about my future, but, basically, I did not wish to go anywhere. I spoke to people at Sunderland, but, although they are in the English Premiership, they are not as big as Rangers. There are times when I cannot understand just why people write stories about me and my future. I love my life here in Scotland and there are no problems whatsoever with the manager. I have read that we have had disagreements, but that is not the case. In football, everything can change very quickly, yet I do consider that I will remain a Rangers player for the remainder of my contract. Quite honestly, the manager and I have had no disagreements, so you can forget about stories that claimed I was leaving. Obviously I had to look at the options when Sunderland made an approach for me. As a professional footballer, I had to speak with them. But my heart was always in Glasgow and at Rangers, and, now, I don´t want to think of anything else other than a future for this club in European football."

Rangers' extensive search for a new striker could finally be close to a conclusion, with newspaper reports in Italy suggesting that Claudio Bellucci is the man that the Scottish champions could settle for. After being linked with a galaxy of stars over the past fortnight or so, including the likes of Deportivo La Coruna-bound Diego Tristan, Ronald de Boer, Fernando Morientes and Paolo Poggi, it is now being claimed that the Ibrox outfit are having more success in their efforts to contact Napoli over their impressive attacker.

Bellucci will not be easy to prise from the newly-promoted club, however, because coach Zneden Zeman has plans to include him in his first team next season, even despite the arrival of Juventus star Nicola Amoruso.

However, the Gers have cash to spend and a move could be in the pipeline for the 25-year-old, who is at his best playing just behind the front two. Formerly with Sampdoria, he was never prolific in Genoa, but he blasted 20 goals in Serie B for Venezia during the 1996/97 season, and has proved his class with Napoli.

Rangers have dropped a 5.6 million pounds bid to sign striker Benni McCarthy from Celta Vigo after discovering he had become ineligible for the Champions League. Rangers chairman David Murray confirmed on Monday that he had made an offer to the Spanish club for McCarthy but had now withdrawn from the deal because the South African's involvement in Vigo's Intertoto Cup tie with Aston Villa had left him cup-tied. Murray said:
"We wanted the player but he cannot now be registered in the Champions League so the transfer is off."

Herfolge coach John Jensen believes new defensive duo Bert Konterman and Fernando Ricksen are the weak links in the Rangers team. The former Arsenal midfielder watched the Scottish Champions' 4-2 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday ahead of their Champions League third-round qualifying clash in Denmark. After watching Konterman clumsily concede a third-minute penalty as Kilmarnock scored twice within the opening 11 minutes, he is confident his side can take advantage of the Dutch pair's settling-in period in Scottish football. Jensen said:
"It always takes time for players to settle when they have moved to British football and I think that is the case with Fernando Ricksen and Bert Konterman. It is a new-look back four and I think it will take a few games before they are at their best. Right now it looks as if they don't know each other so well and that could give us a chance."

Rangers Champions League Qualifier with Herfolge on wednesday will be shown on pay-per-view by u>direct. U>direct is available via SKY Digital, but is not operated by SKY, with the game costing £7.99 if purchased before Wednesday or £9.99 on Wednesday.

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat launched into his defence where centre-back pairing Bert Konterman and Lorenzo Amoruso looked uncertain in the face of Kilmarnock's early onslaught.With the Ibrox outfit due to face Herfolge in Denmark on Wednesday in a Champions League third qualifying round first-leg tie, Advocaat was unable to hide his concerns despite the win. He said:
"If you saw the way we played in the first-half and gave the goals away you don't see that in amateur football. If you're not concentrated enough then you make these kind of mistakes. You cannot dive in on a man in the box (Bert Konterman on McLaren) as we did for the penalty. You cannot step in like that in the area and that was from an international defender. I also saw some mistakes in the build-up to their second goal which was also poorly defended."

The league clash pencilled in against Aberdeen at Ibrox on August 16 has been postponed due to Rangers' international commitments and it is expected to take place on a free midweek in November.

Andy McLaren scored a quick fire double to give Killie the lead, nettting after just four minutes from the spot when Konterman brought him down. McLaren netted again six minutes later with a low shot rifled under the arms of Klos. But Rangers brought themselves back into the match on 36 minutes when Billy Dodds smashed home from the spot. Rangers took the lead with two goals in a minute, firstly with a header from Dodds after 72 minutes and then from substitute Kenny Miller just 60 seconds later. On 82 minutes fellow substitute Tugay rounded Gordon Marshall and deftly chipped the balll into the corner of the net. He was booked for his goal celebrations with the Gers' fans.

Advocaat has revealed that three top team stars have no futures at the club. Sebastian Rozental, Marco Negrio and Daniel Prodan have blown the boss's patience and he is now ready to off-load them for the right money. Rozenthal has never settled in at Ibrox and his lack of availability due to injury has tested the Little General to the full. He said:
"In two months he has only been here for a few days. I cannot accept that any more because we have to pay his wages. He is no use as a player so he should find another club. Walter Smith paid £4million for him and it will be very difficult to get that money back. Marco Negri and Daniel Prodan have been here for two years now and we have tried everything and got nothing in return. I cannot handle it any more. Negri is not one hundred percent fit and he is training with the reserves. There is nothing I can do with him. Daniel Prodan's career with the first team at Rangers is over, but he still has a year to go on his contract so I don't know what will happen. We have tried to sell both players but that has been very difficult as they have not played much. What is most important for us now is that we bring in players who are fit and can be used to strengthen the first team."

Jorg Albertz and Craig Moore will both miss today's game at Kilmarnock, Neil McCann is back in the squad after missing out on Wednesday.

Visit the BBC Sportsound website for live commentary on today's game at Kilmarnock.

Chairman David Murray has given the green light for Chilean striker Seb Rozental to find himself another club. The £4million hitman has been plagued by injury problems at Ibrox but just as he regained full fitness he had to go back to South America to play for his country in World Cup qualifiers - a decision that has infuriated Light Blues boss Dick Advocaat. Now the 23-year-old has travelled to Buenos Aires with his father - also his agent - to find a club to go to on loan. Murray admitted:
"Seb needs to play regular football so we have decided it would be better for him to go back to South America for the next six months. He and his father are in Buenos Aires talking things over. With all his commitments to Chile's World Cup campaign we feel it would be better all round for him to return to South America. A club like Rangers simply cannot tolerate losing a player so many times over the course of a season. But it's up to him to go back there, play regulary and prove he's a class player."

David Murray today slammed reports that Dick Advocaat has no intention of extending his contract when it ends in 2002. The Rangers Chairman described newspaper suggestions as "mischevious reporting", and revealed he has spoken with Advocaat about the possibilty of extending his current contract - which expires at the end of next season. Advocaat, in his third season in charge, has led the Ibrox side to five out of six trophies domestically, and is seen by Murray as crucial to the club´s future development. The 53-year-old Dutch-man was snapped up by Murray in the summer of 1998 from PSV Eindhoven to succeed Walter Smith, and has proved an inspirational figure. He signed a two year contract then, but extended it at the end of his first season after clinching the treble. Sources close to Advocaat, who enjoys and very close relationship with Murray, hinted in Holland over the summer that he would be willing to stay in Glasgow long-term. Murray blasted today:
"Why should Dick Advocaat not stay at Rangers? I am very surprised at this article as it has been written without any foundation, and I find it mischievous. Why would Dick be signing Dutch players like Bert Konterman and Fernando Ricksen on four year contracts if he was thinking of going? Why did he ask for £10m to be spent on our new training complex which he believes is vital to the future of Rangers? I have had telephone negotiations with Dick about his contract, and our relationship is as strong as ever."

Murray has knocked back the opportunity to sign £4m-rated Roma striker Paolo Poggi this week. The 29-year-old Italian striker was offered to the Ibrox outfit earlier this week in a bid to solve their hunt for a quality marksman as they bid to boost their Champions League ambitions. And although Murray and Advocaat are desperate to land a new player as quickly as possible to partner Michael Mols when he returns to full fitness, they turned down the opportunity to sign Poggi. With the arrival of Gabriel Batistuta and fellow Argentinian Abel Balbo at the club, Poggi knows that his first-team chances are limited. The player´s agents offered him to Rangers, but Murray insisted he didn´t fit the bill. He said:
"We were offered him three days ago, but told them we weren´t interested. We categorically turned them down."

A spokesman for Poggi said:
"I think he would be a good signing for Rangers. He would be the perfect partner for Michael Mols. Paolo had a similar relationship with Oliver Bierhoff at Udinese and it worked so well."

Dick Advocaat got torn into his Euro flops after a lacklustre goalless draw with Zalgiris Kaunas saw Gers scramble into the Champions League third qualfiying round. The Little General read the riot act and told his troops in no uncertian terms that a repeat performance against Herfolge would not be acceptable. The Dutch coach blasted:
"A result like this would be okay, but not the performance. If we play like this we do not have a chance. We are a long way short of the level champions have to achieve, and we have to get there quickly. Our two late goals in the first game allowed to come here and relax a little but I am not relaxed with the performance. The expectation is we should come here and win 4-0 or 5-0 but the other side were very well organised and made it difficult. "I have never been critical of Kaunas, all I said is that you would normally expect us to beat them. "It would be a very wrong situation if this team were better than Rangers. The way Kaunas played tonight was good, but I am only concerned with how my own team played. We still have players to come back from injury and still have many new players settling in. There is still a lot to do for us to be at Champions League level and I realise we are not there yet, but the more we play as a team I think the better we will get."

Rangers are through to the 3rd Round of Champion's League Qualifers with a 4-1 aggregate win after a 0-0 draw in Kaunas.

(Match Report to Follow)

Dick Advocaat has booted out a £4million bid from Coventry for Ibrox wing king Neil McCann. Sky Blues boss Gordon Strachan watched the 25-year-old against St Johnstone on Saturday and slapped in the cash offer but the Little General does not want to lose the player. Chairman David Murray confirmed:
"We had an inquiry from Coventry for Neil McCann - an offer of £4m - but he is an important member of the squad and Dick is not prepared to sell him. We're okay team-wise but we are still looking for a forward to supplement what we have."

Gers have been linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Diego Tristan - valued at £10m - who is not wanted by new chairman Florentino Perez. Muuray added:
"We've received a fax about the player and I have asked to be kept informed of the situation. But I have not made an offer and I have not spoken with his agents. We will keep monitoring the situation."

Dunfermline are have signed midfielder Barry Nicholson from Rangers in a £200,000 deal. Pars manager Jimmy Calderwood agreed personal terms today and made the talented 21-year-old his eighth signing of the summer.