Giovanni van Bronckhorst wants the Rangers fans to turn up the volume and help their side to qualify from their Champions League group. The Ibrox side face some anxious matches after losing 3-2 at Galatasaray, having won their opening games against Sturm Graz and Monaco. They were 3-0 down following sustained pressure from the Turks before pulling two goals back. Midfielder van Bronckhorst knows that the passionate Ibrox crowd can play a vital role in future Champions League ties, and is desperate to avoid a repeat of the Galatasaray game, which brought scathing criticism from boss Dick Advocaat. The crucial Ibrox return comes next month - and a win could see Rangers through. Van Bronckhorst, who scored his side's second goal in Turkey, said:
"Our fans are always fantastic when we play there, and they will lift us for that match. I think we have to beat them. We are still on top and we still have two home games, so I think we have the best chance to come through. Six points from three games is a good start for us, particularly when we have had two difficult away games. I think we just need to win our home games. If we can win these two then I think we will qualify."

European agent Thomas Duran said Rangers will buy his client Raul Tamudo of Espanyol when he returns from the Olympics. It's not the first time the players has been linked with a move to Ibrox, but whether Rangers chairman David Murray is prepared to splash out a whopping £11 million for the youngster is open to question, especially after he rejected signing John Hartson because he was concerned transfer fees would be scrapped. Duran said:
"Once again Rangers have shown an interest in Raul. Espanyol held their AGM and revealed huge debts which could be wiped out by selling their player. Raul and I will speak after the Olympic final but I would say at this time he has an option of going to Rangers."

Dick Advocaat has fired a broadside at his stars after their narrow 3-2 Champions League defeat to Galatasaray on ednesday. The Rangers boss was unhappy at the easy goals his side leaked in Istanbul and he groaned:
"I'm more disappointed with the performance than the result. I think in the first half we were not having any real problems. There were no real chances. At half-time I said there's time to play football but within 10 minutes we gave two goals away and the game was over. I can understand that the better side won, the better side tonight was Galatasaray but we gave goals away that were cheap goals. They were quite simple in my opinion. Then we started to play football but it was too late. I'm disappointed in the way we played. We were better in the last 20 minutes but it was too late."

Skipper Lorenzo Amoruso is banned for that game after picking up his third yellow card of the tournament last night, and Dick Advocaat must now re-shuffle things at the back for the showdown with the Turks on October 17. Craig Moore is still weeks away from fitness, so Scott Wilson, Tony Vidmar and Sergio Porrini will come into the frame to play alongside Dutch international Bert Konterman. Italian defender Amoruso was booked by countryman Pierluigi Collina for a foul on Belozoglu Emre. It was his third caution in Europe this season, following yellow cards against the Lithuanians FBK Kaunas and Danish champions Herfolge in the qualifying rounds, and that means a one-match ban.

Birthday boy Dick Advocaat is set to produce another astonishing Champions League surprise for Rangers fans which he claims could "scare" Turkish title holders Galatasaray. The Ibrox boss, who will celebrate his 53rd year preparing for the crucial clash in Istanbul, has put forgotten striker Marco Negri on stand-by to play for the first team after an eight-month exile. Advocaat believes the Italian, nicknamed "Moody Blue" after a controversial career in Glasgow, is now "mentally and physically" fit for the European arena. And with first-choice attacker Michael Mols probably only able to last part of the demanding match, Advocaat has drafted Negri into his plans in a bid to produce a sensational hat-trick of wins from his opening three fixtures in the competition. Last night he insisted the move was not a major gamble on his part as Negri, who has suffered for the last two seasons with long-term eye and back injuries, could provide a goals threat that would keep the Turks from charging forward into attack.The Rangers manager said:
"Marco started the season with the under-21 team as he was behind in his training programme because of injury, but we have been monitoring him for several months now and think he is ready to step up if needed. It is a good moment to bring him back into our plans because I have a feeling he can do a job for us. We obviously have concerns with Mols and as our other forwards such as Billy Dodds and Ronald de Boer are not penalty-box strikers it may be right to introduce Negri for this game. You have to try and threaten Galatasaray in attack. It is important they are scared of what you might do up front. If we do nothing then they can all run at us, but if we scare them then they will stay in their own area. I have no worries about Negri. He was used to waiting for the ball to come to him when he played in Italy and has never been a runner like Dodds But the game has changed a lot since then and he now knows that strikers have to defend as well as attack. I have spoken to him and I am convinced he is now mentally and physically ready to play."

Galataseray coach Mircea Lucescu fired a broadside at Dick Advocaat claiming anyone can build a side with £55 million. And he added insult to injury by claiming his players are starting to get old and he will have to spend a similar sum again in a couple of years time. The Turkish coach is under pressure to defeat Rangers and his comments may be part of an attempt at unsettling Advocaat to try something different with his team selection. This would be playing into the hands of the home side, but Advocaat is far too clever to be brought into such an argument, and didn't comment last night on the story. The Romanian coach who is set to face the sack should his Turkish players fail to win tonight, said:
"Rangers are one of the richest clubs in the world. It's not difficult to build a side when you have so much money at your disposal. He even tried to sign a striker from Holland for $25 million and that's not a problem for him. The thing is, he has several players who are 29 or 30 so he'll have to do it all again in a couple of years time."

Rangers breathed a sigh of relief here as UEFA appointed arguably the top referee in Europe to handle their potentially explosive Champions League tie with Galatasaray. Respected Italian official Pierluigi Collina will take charge of the tie in the Ali Sami Yen stadium, with the Turkish champions under pressure after recent results. Victory, or even a draw, would keep Dick Advocaat's team in pole position in Group D and their fears about a weak-willed official bowing to the special circumstances in Istanbul receded with the news that Collina will be the man in the middle. Galatasaray, who will be without Gheorghe Hagi because of suspension, have had red cards in their first two group fixtures and were fined £14,000 by UEFA for indiscipline in their 3-2 win over Monaco.

'We know all about him,' was all Advocaat himself would say about Collina but his satisfaction was evident as Rangers made a low-key entry into the sprawling Turkish capital on Monday night around 7pm local time.

Stars like Lorenzo Amoruso and Ronald de Boer were greeted by nothing more sinister at the airport than a posse of Turkish press men anxious to speak to local hero Kerimoglu Tugay, even though the atmosphere is liable to be far hotter in the stadium on Wednesday. With UEFA keeping a close watch and the local authorities and police anxious for no repeat of the incidents which marred the visit of Leeds last season, there was a high security presence at the airport to ensure no off-field danger.

Advocaat's side will train in the Ali Sami Yen Stadium on Tuesday evening as he ponders his options for the tie, with German midfielder Jorg Albertz rated very doubtful following the eye infection which kept him out of last week's win in Monaco. The Rangers squad flew without French goalkeeper Lionel Charbonnier - with only youngster Mark Brown as cover for ankle injury victim Stefan Klos - but with forgotten striker Marco Negri included. That was a real surprise given Negri has only played once in a competitive game for Advcoaat earlier this year when he appeared as a substitute in a Scottish Cup tie against Morton at Love Street. De Boer, Michael Mols and Claudio Reyna have all been receiving treatment but are expected to be among Advocaat's options for what is a pivotal fixture.

There was no 'welcome to hell'-style reception waiting for Rangers as they flew into Istanbul for their Champions League clash with Galatasaray. The Galatasaray fans are notoriously volatile and traditionally greet opponents with banners saying 'welcome to hell'. But it was a low-key reception for the Scottish champions with most of the interest centred on former Galatasaray player Tugay, although the team was given a police escort to a city centre hotel.

Former Rangers star Ray Wilkins insists the Ibrox side must score first if they are to take three valuable points off Galatasaray. The Chelsea coach believes an early opener is the key to silencing the Turkish side's notorious supporters as Rangers bid to maintain their 100% record in the group stages of the Champions League on Wednesday. A year ago, the Premiership side silenced the crowd when they opened the scoring against the Turks - and went on to win 5-0. Now Wilkins believes the Scottish champions can manage similar success after Galatasaray's 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sturm Graz last week. He said:
"I had heard all the stories about going to play Galatasaray and was mindful of the problems Manchester United had when they played a Champions League tie there a few years back. When we arrived at the airport two days before the game we were met by a huge crowd of Galatasaray fans, and they gave us major abuse. But when we got down to the business, on the pitch, we scored first and it just silenced them. Chelsea went on to win 5-0 that night, and at the end of the game the Turks clapped us off the pitch."

Speaking to the Evening Times, Wilkins added:
"It is a hot-bed, there is no doubt about it. The stuff about 'Welcome to Hell' and the rest is maybe hyped a bit, but they are very noisy when you arrive at the airport. However, I'm sure Dick Advocaat has enough experience in that squad to handle it all."

Forgotten Ranger Marco Negri was a shock inclusion in Dick Advocaat's squad for the Champions League clash with Galatasaray as the Light Blues flew out to Turkey this afternoon. The Italian striker has not played a first team match since February when he took to the field in a Scottish Cup match against Morton. But his sizzling form in the Ibrox Under-21s - including a hat-trick against Dundee last week - looks to have paved the way for a return to the side. Advocaat sprung a surprise by playing Tugay as a sweeper last week against Monaco and eyebrows will be raised at the inclusion of Negri for a vital European match. Maybe this could signal the return of the hitman who's been out in the cold for so long.

Thousands of Galatasaray supporters have called for the head of coach Mircea Lucescu - who remains unmoved and confident his side will crush Rangers. Angry fans gathered outside the Ali Sami Yen stadium last night following the 1-1 draw with city rivals and relegation favourites Instanbulspor chanting for the Romanian to be axed. They are aware that a repeat of last night's dismal display could virtually hand Rangers their passport into the Champions League next stage on Wednesday and give the Uefa Cup holders a mountain to climb in Group D. Lucescu, however, does not seem fazed by the fans reaction even though defeat to Rangers in Turkey will almost certainly cost him his job. The Galatasaray coach reckons his side will have no problems in overcoming the Ibrox challenge. Lucescu said:
"It's a special match, but we can win it no problems. We are a better team than Rangers and we will win. We are Uefa Cup winners and champions and we will show why. These have been difficult moments for us, but we will soon show our true form. We will be much better on Wednesday against Rangers."

Gheorghe Hagi will return to Champions League action for Galatasaray at Ibrox on October 17 after Uefa reduced his five-match suspension to two matches. The Romanian international was sent off during the second half of the Group D game with Monaco for violent conduct but Uefa's Appeals Body have reduced the punishment after hearing that the offence should now be recorded as unsporting behaviour. Hagi will now have served out his suspension by the time Rangers face the Turks in Istanbul next Wednesday. But Hagi, who had already been cautioned earlier in the game and was twice previously red-carded in Uefa matches during a four-month period, has been fined 15,000 Swiss francs.

Dick Advocaat admitted that he has 'something in mind' for Rangers game tomorrow against Motherwell but wouldn't reveal his tactical plans ahead of time. The Manager did not confirm that he would be playing Tuguy in a sweeper role again following the Turk's incredible success in that position mid-week in Monaco. However, the little General, known for his tactical abilities, did hint that he may have something up his sleeve. Advocaat said:
"I am playing with almost the same squad. I have something in mind but I will tell the players tomorrow . I may have to make some changes as Stefan Klos is having problems with his ankle again - we will see on Saturday if he can play. Jorg Albertz is also out owing to an eye infection.'

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat sounded a note of caution following his side's 1-0 Champions' League victory in Monaco, a result that gives the Scottish champions an excellent chance of taking the group. But he did allow himself a pat on the back for another surprise selection that paid off. Advocaat switched his normal formation to play three at the back and three up front, with midfielder Tugay the wild card in the unfamiliar role of sweeper. An eighth minute goal from Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave Rangers a second victory following last week's 5-0 thrashing of Sturm Graz. Advocaat said:
"I'm delighted we have six points from the first two games, but I always say you only get the prize at the end. We went to Monaco last year needing a point but we didn't get it, but we have to be happy to come and beat the French champions away from home."

But he warned:
"We still have to do it."

Advocaat added on his tactical selection:
"The players knew what they had to do and stuck to it, we won it tactically. I was very happy with the way we played in the first-half when we controlled the game, we had lots of possession and created chances. We were pushed back in the second half but nevertheless we deserve to win. The group is still to be won, we've made an exceptional start but there is a lot of work still to do."

And he left a little one-liner to the end, with a reference to main rivals Galatasaray's surprise defeat in Austria. He said:
"Apparently Sturm Graz are not that bad after all."

Former Rangers defender Gary Stevens believes Tugay Kerimoglu can become a major player at Ibrox in the sweeper role. The Turkish international played a starring role for the Scottish champions in the 1-0 Champions League victory in Monaco in that position despite occupying the bench for much of his Rangers career. Rangers goalscorer Giovanni van Bronckhorst was even prompted to call the little Turk 'the new Kaiser', in a reference to German legend Franz Beckenbauer, after his display in Monte Carlo. But Stevens, who played alongside the likes of Terry Butcher and Richard Gough during his time in the Light Blues defence, insists the form of Tugay will now be a major bonus in the hardest game of the group next week - away at Galatasaray. He said:
"They defended reasonably well on Wednesday night and worked well going forward. I have not seen much of Tugay since he arrived at the club. I thought he didn't like to defend, but he directed play very well. He will also be very handy for them next week. With playing sweeper, Tugay was there to look after the defence and direct play and join in. Technically it was a back five. The team can push up on that but the team looked very strong. The crowd are on his side but if he starts giving away a few goals the crowd will start to put him under pressure. But hopefully that side of his game will develop. It was a great result. They were under the cosh a bit in the second half, but nobody could ask for more than six points from two games in the Champions League. They have also kept two clean sheets, which is another bonus for (manager) Dick Advocaat. They went to Monaco and got a great result, while living on the edge in the game at times. But that is what European football is all about - snatch a goal early on and then defend that. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't - but in Monaco it paid off. Before the campaign started, I'm sure that Rangers and Advocaat would be happy heading to Turkey with two wins from two."

But Stevens remains sceptical about Rangers captain Lorenzo Amoruso and has urged the Italian to keep focused for the trip to Galatasaray. Stevens said:
"If you have got to hoof it hoof it. He has been there for two or three years, and the manager has obviously got faith in him. He relaxes too much at the wrong times, and you cannot do that at this level - no matter what the opposition is. Rangers have bounced back really well from the Old Firm defeat, and that has put paid to a few smiles on one side of the town. The only way they can truly get revenge is in the next derby game, but doing well in the Champions League is a very good start."

Celtic and Rangers are adamant that they have not given up on a proposed European League despite UEFA's insistence that the plan will not be authorised. Out-going Celtic chief executive Allan MacDonald had believed that the new league would be rubber-stamped at a UEFA meeting early next month. However the European governing body head of communications, Mike Lee, moved to dismiss the claim as undermining the current structure of European leagues throughout the continent. But both Old Firm clubs will continue to push for change in the structure of the game. Ibrox club secretary Campbell Ogilvie maintained that the announcement by UEFA had come as no surprise. Ogilvie said:
"You don't embark on a venture like this and give up at this hurdle. It is not even a hurdle, it is just part of the process. Understandably, UEFA, the SPL and the SFA have got all their members to look after and Rangers and Celtic cannot steamroller things without agreement of other bodies and that is the same in every country. This was not unexpected. The document was lodged through the management team at UEFA earlier in September and the next stage is to put that to the executive committee. It is just another stage along the road before there is a final decision. The whole process is on-going but nobody thought for a minute that it was going to be achieved overnight. We are just going through the machinery which is to be expected. We don't like the word breakaway being used as clubs would still be members of the Scottish FA. We are not breaking away - it is more about re-structuring which we would rather call it. UEFA have got much wider issues to look at obviously more than just half a dozen clubs. We wouldn't play in the league as such but what we are proposing is that any team in the SPL could have access to it. Before this could come to fruition, agreements would have to be struck with the SPL and the SFA and, likewise, associations in Belgium and Portugal. So there is a lot of discussion to go. It is on-going."

Celtic and Rangers had looked set to be dealt a massive blow to their hopes of teaming up with sides from Holland, Portugal and Scandinavia. The clubs involved have had their plans for the breakaway heard by the senior members of the UEFA management team, including chief executive Gerhard Aigner. But UEFA director of communications, Lee, insisted that the proposed European League would undermine their commitment to the domestic league structures across the continent. Lee said:
"The European governing body have got to take into account a wide range of issues and interests. We understand the concerns raised by the clubs but their proposed solution raises more questions than it answers. The integrity of domestic competitions and the current European club set-up is vital to the future of the whole of European football. You cannot look at these issues in isolation. We will reflect what the clubs have said to the executive committee, but suggestions that the green light is about to be given are simply wrong."

UEFA remain sympathetic to the Old Firm's concerns that they are being left behind in the European game. But the European governing body will not sanction any format which involves breaking away from the current domestic structure of the game to create an alternative club competition. UEFA have more serious concerns on their agenda with the very real threat to the transfer system in the offing and the continuing saga of the Bosman ruling as they attempt to negate the worst effects of the law. But the governing body will be prepared to listen to any other proposals either Celtic or Rangers put forward in the future which would help the game.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave Rangers a stunning half-time lead in Monaco tonight with a fantastic 8th-minute strike. His swerving drive from 25-yards beat Monaco keeper Stephane Porato and sent the sizeable Light Blue support wild with delight. The home side had all the pressure in the second-half but a gritty and determined display from Rangers, with Stefan Klos in fine form, saw Dick Advocaat's troops hold on for three crucial points.
In the other group D match SturmGraz defeated Galatasaray 3-0

Monaco coach Claude Puel has tried to distance himself from derogatory comments about Rangers players made by the club's technical director. Henri Biancheri, the man who supplied reports on the Scottish champions ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash in the Stade Louis II, has already declared that Rangers will not qualify. He labelled Jorg Albertz as "slow" and said the team had a single tactic - giving the ball to Ronald de Boer. He also suggested centre-backs Lorenzo Amoruso and Bert Konterman were a flat-footed combination. Puel claimed he was unaware of Biancheri's comments and shrugged:
"If it's so then we have a great chance to win."

But when pressed further he began to pour praise on German midfielder Albertz, who is doubtful for the match with an eye infection. He said:
"I don't agree that Albertz is so slow. He's got a good shot and good technique and he is a very valuable player. He's got a good view of the game also."

Puel continued with his charm offensive:
"The whole team is very good with no major deficiency, but the player I notice the most is Michael Mols."

The Monaco coach refused to follow his technical director's example by predicting the Group D qualifiers but added:
"The game is very open and it is important for us because it will determine whether or not we will qualify."

Biancheri had said after watching Rangers beat Hearts on Sunday:
"Albertz is a left-sided player with very good vision and a tremendous shot which allows him to shoot from 40 metres. But he is slow. On Sunday he was never in the game and Advocaat replaced him with McCann."

Of de Boer he added:
"The Dutchman has found his form straight away and with him Rangers have never lost. I think in time he will become their play-maker but at the moment he is playing as their second striker. He's a bit like their Hagi, only with less talent but better discipline. His team-mates look to play the ball to him all the time. Rangers have a Latin-like style and are like Chelsea - you can count the number of Scotsmen in the team on one hand. We have the ability to pose them several problems by playing with vigour. The experimental axis of Amoruso and Konterman is potentially good for Rangers but at the moment they are a bit stiff. I believe Monaco and Galatasaray will go through."

Puel admitted he had not gone to watch Rangers himself but had seen some video footage. Biancheri was also present when Rangers crashed 6-2 at Celtic last month.

Rangers chairman David Murray insists it is inevitable that the Old Firm will leave Scottish football to play at a higher level. The Ibrox supremo believes that Rangers and Celtic are matched only by Manchester United in terms of size in Britain. And he is determined to see the Scottish champions given the chance to play regularly at a higher level in Europe. Murray's comments come as UEFA are set to consider a proposed European League which will see teams such as PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord and Benfica join forces with Scotland's top two teams. UEFA could make the decision on whether to give the green light to the Euro League in as little as a fortnight when the teams involved - lead by PSV Eindhoven president Harry van Raay - will make a presentation to chiefs in Malta. And Murray is adamant that it is only a matter of time before Rangers are taking on other top clubs around the continent. He said:
"There is an inevitability that we are going to play at a higher level in a European context and we will see the value of Rangers and Celtic increase remarkably. That's the fact. If Rangers and Celtic were playing in the Premiership, the only club that would be bigger would be Manchester United. Rangers got over £30million in a media deal and we gave away not 1% of our equity - that's how big Rangers are. We are going to get onto the higher level, I am sure it is going to happen. I enjoy going to Dundee on a Saturday afternoon but I'd like to go broader in a European context on a more regular basis."

Speaking on Sky Sports, the Ibrox chairman revealed he has no fears that manager Dick Advocaat will be lured elsewhere after the success he has enjoyed at Rangers. He said:
"I see no reason why he will not be here for several more years, he enjoys it - he finds it intense - but he's a winner."

Striker Michael Mols is struggling to be fit for tomorrow night's Champions League tie against Monaco says Dick Advocaat. Rangers Dutch coach revealed his star player is still in some pain with his knee which required surgery last season and is rated at just 50-50 to play. Advocaat claimed he is such an important player for the side that no decision will be taken until after tonight's training session, but the player is receiving treatment for his discomfort.

Rangers were sweating on the fitness of Jorg Albertz last night when they arrived in Monaco. The midfielder is suffering from a painful infection which has almost closed his right eye. Albertz said:
"I woke up on Sunday morning and discovered the problem with my eye. I don't know what caused it but I am using drops and hopefully it will clear up in time for the game."

Claudio Reyna reckons a win for Rangers against Wednesday night could spur Gers onto qualifying for the second group phase. The Ibrox men kicked off their Group D campaign with a storming 5-0 win over Sturm Graz and the American hopes the Light Blues can carry that form into the Stade Louis II against Claude Puel's side. He said:
"Monaco don't have any points at the moment, while we have three and if we can turn that into six with a win tonight then we will be a long way down the road to qualifying for the next phase. We will go there and concentrate hard on what we have to do, hopefully in the same way we managed against Sturm Graz. We will be aggressive and we will not go there and defend for 90 minutes. We will certainly be looking to win this game. The main aim will be to get off to a quick start, we done that against Graz and got our reward. We were aggressive, we defended well, we passed and moved well and we looked dangerous throughout."

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat hopes to be able to include Michael Mols and Claudio Reyna in the squad that travels to Monaco on Monday. Striker Mols was rested for Sunday's 1-0 home win over Hearts while Reyna, who had been playing at right-back, missed out because of a cold. Jorg Albertz was substituted at half-time but that was for tactical reasons and he too will travel. Rangers, who take on the French champions in the latest round of Champions League fixtures on Wednesday night, found it hard to overcome a stubborn Hearts side. Hearts had little time to prepare after they did not return from their UEFA Cup tie in Stuttgart until Friday. Rangers on the other hand had a couple of extra days following their 5-0 Ibrox thrashing of Sturm Graz on Tuesday night. Advocaat said:
"I'm very pleased with this week. That's two wins against two different teams. It was most important to win both games but Tuesday's was better quality. We had to be careful when we went 1-0 up because they could break us on the counter-attack."

Rangers had the lion's share of possession as Hearts were content to defend in numbers until Ronald de Boer made the all-important breakthrough. Former Rangers player Antti Niemi was the busier of the two goalkeepers and Advocaat said:
"Niemi had an excellent game today but we deserved to win."

Asked about Hearts' tactics, which mirrored those used in the 1-0 first-leg defeat at Stuttgart, he said:
"That was quite successful on Thursday."

Rangers coach Dick Advocaat is delaying naming his squad because of injuries to goalkeeper Stefan Klos and midfielder Claudio Reyna. Klos suffered an ankle knock against Sturm Graz in midweek and Reyna has a groin injury, though both are expected to be pronounced fit. Comeback striker Michael Mols may be rested, however, after Advocaat admitted the Dutchman was exhausted following the five-goal win over the Austrians.

For Tugay, Rangers' demolition of Sturm Graz in the Champions League was the perfect performance. The only problem for the Turk was that he had to watch every minute of it from the substitutes' bench. Such is life for the midfielder since his £1.3million transfer last season from Galatasaray, Rangers' future Champions League opponents. In the current campaign he has made just four starts, a real contrast to the 14 years he spent in his home country, where he was an automatic pick for most of that period.But the man who became the first Turk to play in Scottish football is not complaining about his change of circumstances. Tugay, who knows he has a good chance of a recall for the visit of Hearts tomorrow, insisted he would always accept being left out of the starting line-up. He said:
"I haven't got a problem. I believe I am having enough chances to go out and play my game. I have never had any hard feelings because it is all for the team and every individual game has different plans. If I play, then I play, but if I don't then I won't not talk to people or be in a bad mood. I respect the manager's decisions totally. Everybody in this team respects those decisions. There is only one guy who can make these decisions and that's the manager."

And although he would not comment on the prospect of starting in Istanbul on September 27, it was clear it was a high priority for the 30-year-old.He said:
"My concern right now is the Hearts game and the Monaco game."

John McClelland, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations at 3Com, has been appointed a Non-Executive Director of Rangers Football Club. John has been with 3Com since 1999. Prior to that he held a number of senior board positions within several leading technology businesses. These included IBM, Philips and Digital. In addition he is Chairman of Scottish Technology Ventures Ltd, a company associated with commercialising science and technology. He is also Chairman of the Scottish Executives' Procurement Supervisory Board, which monitors the government's purchasing of goods and services in Scotland. David Murray, Chairman of Rangers FC, commented on the appointment,
"We are delighted to have John joining us on the Board at Rangers. His experience at a number of leading international technology businesses will give us an added dimension as we look to broaden the Rangers Football Club brand appeal, around the world."

David Murray has revealed that the doubt surrounding the transfer market was the reason Rangers didn't sign John Hartson. The Wimbledon striker was poised to sign for £6million two weeks ago only for the deal to collapse at the last minute. Hartson failed the mandatory medical, but Murray told skysports.comTV that the speculation over the abolishment of transfer fees played a huge part in Rangers decision. He said:
"His levels of fitness, our doctor told us, was a risk. And that was coupled with being told every hour that day about transfer fees being abolished. So no disrespect to John and his father, the overall risk, not just the fitness factor but the other things that came into consideration, would not have been good business for Rangers. If people are saying that the reason he didn't sign for Rangers because he failed his medical, that is not the case. We did not feel that he had the correct fitness at the time to go straight into the Champions League. No disrespect, but to score against Huddersfield is slightly different to scoring against Galatasaray."

Murray also denied that the Hartson episode was a publicity stunt, designed to deflect from the 6-2 drubbing by Celtic and also to combat their arch rivals' signing of Chris Sutton. The events unfolded on the same day that the Gers swooped for Dutch international Ronald de Boer and Murray is adamant that the former Barcelona man was meant to be the first half of a double signing. He said:
"If you think that, on the day we're trying to sign Ronald de Boer, we need to complicate things by bringing in another player we had no intention of signing, that's absolute rubbish."

Rangers' chances of Champions League success have been boosted by the news they will not have to face Romanian star Gheorghe Hagi. Hagi was on Friday handed a five-match suspension by UEFA after he was sent off for elbowing one-time Leeds transfer target John Arne Riise. He had already been shown a yellow card in Galatasaray's Group D opener with Monaco, which ended 3-2 to the Turks on the night Rangers were thrashing Sturm Graz 5-0 at Ibrox. The ban means the 35-year-old midfielder will take no further part in the first group stage. Rangers, who play in Monaco on Wednesday, are due in Istanbul seven days later and Galatasaray will come to Glasgow on October 17.

Meanwhile Claudio Reyna has received a two-game suspension from FIFA and will miss the US's next 2 World Cup qualifiers

Rangers' captain Lorenzo Amoruso on Wednesday night took a swipe back at the critics who have branded him and Bert Konterman the worst defence in Scotland. Amoruso reclaimed lost pride on Tuesday when he led the Ibrox side to a storming 5-0 Champions League win over Sturm Graz. And, while he concedes that he and Konterman need to work on their partnership, Amoruso insists they have been wrongly written off. He said:
"I have been angered by what has been said. I know that our partnership has not been so good but I always said that we would need time to get to know each other. But the Press, the fans and, especially, the opposition never wait for you. They don't give you a chance to sort out the problems. A lot of bad things have been said about us and so to keep a clean sheet on Tuesday gave me a very good feeling. Bert and I are getting to know each other better in every game and we know we can make a good partnership."

Amoruso was savaged for the blunder that cost Rangers two points against Dundee on Saturday and his partnership with Konterman has been under scrutiny since shipping six goals in last month's demolition derby at Parkhead. But Amoruso resents the whispering campaign which he insists is building up against him. He said:
"After the game against Celtic everyone was saying that the manager had to do something about Bert and me. That was all rubbish. The manager knows players make mistakes and he knows that, when you have done something bad, you don't always need to be told. It's crazy for people to say that he needs to tell me when I have done something wrong. I realise when I make mistakes and I accept responsibility. I made a mistake at Dens Park and I am very sorry about it but sometimes these things happen. It cost us two points and we had to take a lot of criticism but I don't think our performance against Dundee was so bad. We played an excellent game against them and, until I made my mistake, we didn't give them a single chance to score. That showed that we were already improving and after the result against Sturm Graz we need to follow this road. Now the people who were warning us to worry about the Austrians are saying they were no good. But the truth is we gave an excellent performance. If Sturm Graz didn't look so good it was because of what we were doing to them."

Amoruso then revealed how Advocaat's players held emergency talks before Tuesday's clash and agreed to talk their way out of trouble. He said:
"We agreed that we had to communicate more during the game. Last season we hardly had to speak because we were doing well and could just watch our team-mates play. But, when things are not going well, you cannot afford to stay quiet. You have to let each other know how you feel and help your team-mates through the game. This was the first time all season that everything worked well. We even had a little bit of luck when we needed it. But the most important thing was that we all worked very, very hard for each other. We have always had the quality to play well but if you don't go on to the park with determination to fight for every ball you are in trouble. Look at Ronald de Boer's determination at the first goal. That was a perfect example of the sacrifices everyone has to make in every game if we are to have a successful campaign. If we show that kind of character every time we go on to the pitch we can win every game. We can be proud of the way we played but we have to start again on Sunday against Hearts."

Preston new boy Brian McBride has revealed how close he came to joining Rangers and that a move to Ibrox could still be on the cards. The US international striker is due at Deepdale in the next 24 hours and he could face Stockport on Saturday. Rangers last month made a strong inquiry about McBride to his Manchester-based agent Paul Stretford. Gers boss Dick Advocaat would have pursued the deal if they could have snapped him up before the Champions League deadline. McBride's MLS commitments ruled that out but the player revealed Rangers will monitor him during his six-month loan spell at Preston. McBride said:
"I called my US team-mate Claudio Reyna and asked if Dick Advocaat was serious. Claudio told me Advocaat's a soccer junkie and that he watches everybody."

Champions League winner Ronald de Boer last night labelled his Ibrox initiation in Europe as one of his finest appearances in the competition. The £4.5 million signing from Barcelona played a key role in a stunning opening-match 5-0 victory for Rangers as Austrians Sturm Graz were completely eclipsed. Five different players shared the goals as de Boer netted his first for the club, with Michael Mols, Jorg Albertz, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Billy Dodds also on the mark in front of 49,317 enraptured witnesses. It was another tactical masterplan by manager Dick Advocaat who jettisoned ten-goal Dodds from his starting line-up, with Allan Johnston brought in from the cold to give a fine individual display. De Boer was at the heart of it all scoring once, creating two more and winning a penalty which Albertz saw saved. De Boer said:
"It is up there as one of my best four or five nights in the Champions League and was a perfect night. I thoroughly enjoyed it and when I was sitting on the bench at 5-0 it confirmed for me that I have made the right decision to come to Glasgow. The atmosphere was incredible with people enjoying it, screaming and singing and I think we showed what we are capable of. I've had some memorable nights in the Champions League but this was up there. We played very well as a team but people can't go thinking it is going to be a walkover now to reach the next group stage. Galatasaray and Monaco will be harder and even the return in Austria will be different, but it was a very good team performance. I think this will help us in the SPL as well because we played as a team. It went well between Michael Mols and me up front and I think we knew where each of us was going to be. He is an intelligent player and I am a tactical player, too.'

Rangers head for Monaco next week with the French champions having lost 3-2 in Turkey last night against Galatasaray. Advocaat urged caution among fans celebrating a first-ever opening-night victory in the group stages by the Ibrox club, who have lost the last three times they entered this tournament. He said:
"Let's see where we are after the last game at home to Monaco in November, but it was a very good start. It was important to win a home game and especially against Sturm Graz, but one of the good things about the performance was our passing. It was a good display football-wise. Graz are an experienced team but an old team as well, so if we could keep the ball moving they would tire. I don't want to pick out individuals but de Boer did well as did all the rest. I am also pleased we kept a clean sheet because the defence has had criticism recently, but they did a good job tonight."

Asked about selecting Johnston, Advocaat grinned:
"I'm full of surprises. He had a good game too and that shows why we have a big squad if you want to change things a bit."

The former Hearts winger, who hit the woodwork twice, said later:
"I was only told on Tuesday morning that I would be playing and was thrilled. It was great to be involved in such a good team performance."

Disconsolate Sturm Graz coach Ivica Osim said:
"Rangers didn't play like a Scottish team. We were outclassed and, although I could say we had eight players missing through injury, it is fairer to say that Rangers deserved this. I said beforehand that they and Galatasaray would go through from the group and I still think that is what will happen. You can ask me about the influence of Ronald de Boer, but he proably cost as much as it took to put my team together. But, yes, he played well and Rangers have so many individual players who can star."

Rangers have refuted claims the club have been deliberately obstructive by refusing to postpone their Premier League match against Hearts on Sunday. The Tynecastle club return back to Scotland late on Friday afternoon after their UEFA Cup first round game against Stuttgart. Hearts had asked the Ibrox club to postpone the game, but Rangers turned down their request after consultation with manager Dick Advocaat. But in a similar situation last October the Edinburgh outfit agreed to switch a fixture between the two clubs to help Rangers' Champions League campaign. Rangers, however, are refusing to compromise, believing Hearts have sufficient time to recover from their excursions on the continent. Secretary/director Campbell Ogilvie told The Herald:
"We were asked by Hearts an hour and half before the Dundee game last Saturday that they would like the game postponed, but for practical football reasons we turned down that request. What can't be forgotten is that we contacted Hearts in the first place to tell them we were perfectly happy to have the game moved from the Saturday to the Sunday because of their European commitments. We felt we wanted to have the game played on Sunday as we have only had two games out of six so far this season played at home, and we would like to have more than that under our belts. The club are keen to get some home games played, and, to be honest we hear that Hearts will stay over in Stuttgart on Thursday and have an early afternoon flight back on Friday. So realistically they should get a good night's sleep on Thursday, not have their sleep patterns disrupted, and return again to Edinburgh about four o'clock on Friday afternoon before a game on Sunday, and we didn't see a problem with that."

However, Rangers' comments and refusal to switch have left the Tynecastle club livid.

Goals from Michael Mols, Ronald de Boer, Jorg Albertz Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Billy Dodds gave Rangers a magnificent start to their Champions' League first phase campaign against Sturm Graz at Ibrox, winning 5-0.

Mols, making only his second start of the season, put the Scots ahead when de Boer robbed Gilbert Prilasnig on the by-line of the Graz penalty area and rolled the ball across to his fellow Dutchman who had the easy task of slotting past Josef Schicklgruber from close-range. And it was de Boer who doubled the lead on 19, when Allan Johnston's ball to the near post was perfect for the former Barcelona man, who connected ahead of his marker to ram it into the roof of the net. Johnston himself had hit Schicklgruber's post moments earlier, as Rangers exerted their dominance upon the disappointing Austrians. But, it wasn't to be long before Advocaat's side were three goals to the good, when the trusty left-boot of Albertz smashed an unstoppable 20-yard drive past the despairing Schicklgruber.

The second-half saw the Gers in cruise control, safe in the knowledge three points were already in the bag and Albertz even missed a penalty after de Boer was felled in the box - Schicklgruber saving low to his left. Van Bronckhorst wasn't satisfied though, and he drilled a 25-yarder past Schicklgruber to make it four with 19 minutes left. And with just five minutes to play, Graz's misery was complete when Dodds popped up with a lovely lob to score Rangers' fifth.

Striker Rod Wallace and defender Craig Moore will miss tonight's game through injury, but influential midfielder Jorg Albertz and Dutch international defender Bert Konterman are both added to the squad. Advocaat will leave his decision on Michael Mols until late after the Dutch international striker played against Dundee, his first competitive match in 10 months.

Sturm Graz coach Ivica Osim has urged his side to refrain from worshipping at "the temple of football" against Rangers. The Austrian champions are the Ibrox club's first opponents in the group stages of the Champions League with coach Osim lavishing praise upon Dick Advocaat's side. But Osim is praying his side are not feeling the pace of a hectic start to the Austrian campaign. Osim said:
"It is difficult to say whether we are ready for the Champions League or not. We have had four very difficult domestic games, international matches in between and the Champions League games. I feel that there is a good attitude here in Glasgow, and it is special for us to come here. Rangers is a football cathedral, but only time will tell if we are ready or not for them. We are not here to look at the crowd - we are here to play football. It can be very dangerous for players to look at the atmosphere. As with any other side, there are always injury problems but I have got to be happy with them I have got right now. Any team which comes here is going to find it very difficult in Europe. Regardless of the team we are playing, we have got to respect Rangers. Ibrox is a temple of football."

Osim recognises Rangers have struggled defensively since the start of the Scottish season. But the Sturm Graz coach maintains his side must first get near enough to the penalty area to exacerbate those problems for his opposite number Advocaat. Osim added:
"I am aware of the problems Rangers do have in their defence at the moment. But my problem is getting to the defence. Of course we can beat Rangers, but I don't know about tomorrow night. It is very difficult to say who is the strongest team in the group. But I do feel that, if not Sturm Graz, Rangers and Galatasaray are the teams who will go forward to the next round. The team is the important thing. It would not be correct to point out anybody because the team comes first. There are a lot of good players at Rangers I would love to have at Sturm Graz if I could afford them."

Jorg Albertz is set to return to action for Rangers in their Champions League opener with Sturm Graz on Tuesday. Albertz has been out of the side since he picked up a knee injury during their last European fixture against Helfolge, but Dick Advocaat is ready to hand him a recall for the game with the Austrians even if he starts on the bench. Advocaat said:
"Jorg has been training away from the first team for the last few weeks. But now it depends on how he feels about being involved in a game of this importance. He has come back from injury before and forced himself through games like this one."

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has told his players they must improve defensively if they are to make any impression on the Champions League. An error by captain Lorenzo Amoruso gifted Dundee an equaliser when it looked like former Dens Park winger Neil McCann's goal would be enough to win the game. Amoruso lost possession to substitute Juan Sara but in Advocaat's eyes the Italian was not the only one to blame after the 1-1 draw. He said:
"The defending was very disappointing. Amoruso made a mistake but I still feel that if the goalkeeper had been a bit sharper he could have saved it. It was a poor result, two points dropped. 1-0 should have been enough to win the game. There were not a lot of opportunities for either side and with 12-15 minutes before the end we gave a goal away and it's quite difficult to come back then. The defending is a concern. It's difficult for me to say 'don't do it any more'. We have to sort it out."

Advocaat also denied rumours that Sunderland were prepared to pay £5million for McCann. He said:
"There has been no approach. Rumours are rumours."

The one plus point for the Gers was Michael Mols' comeback after 10 months out with a knee injury. The Dutchman lasted the entire 90 minutes but Advocaat would not indicate whether he was in line for a place in the starting line-up at home to Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Tuesday. He said:
"Michael played 90 minutes and that's a good thing. We will have to wait until Sunday to see how we feel but we saw some moments that he could do something."

Michael Mols making his first top team appearance in 10 months couldn't soften the blow of two dropped points at Dens Park this afternoon. The Dutch striker, who played the full game, couldn't help Rangers avoid a disappointing 1-1 draw with Dundee which now leaves them five points behind Celtic who now lead the SPL. Despite having most of the posession, Dick Advocaat's men couldn't find the breakthrough in the first half against a stern Dark Blues rearguard. Mols had Gers' best chance in the opening stages but his 25-yard effort was saved well by Robert Douglas in the Dundee goal. Defender Scott Wilson and Tugay Kerimoglu both picked up yellow cards in the first half.

Five minutes after the re-start Giovanni van Bronckhorst had Rangers' best chance but his 30-yard effort drifted just a foot over the Dundee bar. Then six minutes later Rangers finally made their lion's share of the posession count when Neil McCann fired in a sensational 25-yard drive beyond Douglas. But some sloppy play by Lorenzo Amoruso at the heart of the Rangers defence gifted posession to Dundee substitute Juan Sara who made no mistake with his finish 15 minutes from time. Stefan Klos had nothing to do all afternoon except pick the ball out of the back of the net but events at Dens Park will certainly have given the German, and the rest of the Rangers team, plenty to think about in the run-up to the opening Champions League game against Sturm Graz this coming Tuesday.

Michael Mols is set to feature in his first competitive game in TEN months when Rangers take the road and the miles to Dundee tomorrow. Gers boss Dick Advocaat will run the rule over his star striker in this afternoon's training session before making a decision on whether or not he should start. Former Utrecht man Mols has fought a long and courageous battle against the cruel knee injury which he picked up against Bayern Munich in Germany. But at long last the hard work seems to have paid off with the strong possibility of the Dutchman playing against Dundee at Dens Park tomorrow. Many people believe that when Mols was carried off in agony in Munich's Olympic Stadium last November he took with him any chance of Rangers progressing to the second phase of the Champions League. It is therefore quite ironic that Advocaat has been keen to give his fellow countryman as many minutes as possible in recent weeks in a bid to get him fit for the beginning of the new Champions League campaign. The Little General said:
"The Champions League is the reason he has been playing 45 minutes here and there and the Glentoran game as well so hopefully he will be ready for Tuesday. Michael Mols is back in the squad but we will have to see how he does in training before deciding whether to start with him or bring him in later."

Mols himself is delighted to be back after a torrid time. He said:
"It's been a very frustrating time for me because it's the first time I've had an injury like this and then just when I thought I was getting back I suffered another set-back. But hopefully it's all over now, I hope to get some minutes against Dundee but it's up to the manager what he does to me. The knee is okay but I still need a little more strength and some more minutes. I need to get more games but hopefully I'll get that within the month and be 100 per cent fit. Of course I would like to feature in the first Champions League game but first of all I have to see what happens against Dundee tomorrow. The injury happened a long time ago and now I'm just glad to be back in the first team squad and even to be training with the boys again. I'm not setting myself any targets, I'll just continue to take each day and each game at a time and see how my body reacts to that. I wasn't worried about the possibility of Dick Advocaat buying another striker, for me the most important thing was to get back fit. Anyway, the more competition the better it is for the team because everyone has to try harder."

Rangers will have Arthur Numan in defence once again as they travel to Dens Park with Michael Mols set to join the squad. Bert Konterman remains a doubt following his hamstring pull, and Scott Wilson is likely to fill in as he did against Aberdeen. Sergio Porrini and Tony Vidmar are likely to be on the bench once again, and Rangers coach Dick Advocaat has the option of recalling Kenny Miller who's free of injury. He could replace Billy Dodds who may be rested for Tuesday's match against Sturm Graz, who's coach said he spotted plenty of weaknesses in the Rangers defence especially.

The St Johnstone v Rangers match at McDiarmid Park has been moved back a day to Sunday October 22 after being chosen as the first of BBC Scotland's six live Bank of Scotland SPL matches this season.

Rangers will face Dundee Utd at Ibrox in the 4th Round of the CIS Cup.

Rangers' Champions League opponents Sturm Graz have made an intriguing move for Ibrox defender Scott Wilson. The Austrians are due in Glasgow on Tuesday for the clubs' opening Group D fixture. Wilson's agent John Viola confirmed on Thursday Graz had been in contact and that he was to meet with the player. But Viola denied that he and 23-year-old Wilson, who made a rare start last night in Rangers' 4-2 CIS Cup victory over Aberdeen, had already met Graz manager Ivica Osim at Ibrox. Viola told PA Sport:
"There is a bit of interest from Sturm Graz. I believe the chairman of Sturm Graz was on TV in Austria on Wednesday night and made a comment about coming to Glasgow with a possibility of looking at Scott."

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat was pleased his side overcame their problems. He said:
"You couldn't see at half-time that they would give us problems because in the first half we controlled the game. We had a lot of chances and more than enough to score the one goal then they had two attacks and it was 2-1. We had a lot of chances to score three. Aberdeen had a lot of men behind the ball however and over the 90 minutes we deserved the win. I am happy with the whole team."

Rangers were made to work at Ibrox tonight before finally booking their place in the last eight of the CIS Insurance Cup. The Light Blues had to come from 2-1 behind against Aberdeen but eventually ran out 4-2 winners. As expected, new signing Ronald de Boer made his debut but it was Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rod Wallace, Billy Dodds and Lorenzo Amoruso who grabbed the goals. Van Bronckhorst fired Rangers into the lead after just 25 minutes with a thunderous free-kick. But Aberdeen came more and more into it in the second half and seven minutes after the re-start Robbie Winters pulled them level. Then seven minutes after that the Dons took the lead through Derek Young, the youngster picking the ball up from midfield before sending an unstoppable shot beyond the helpless Stefan Klos. Wallace pulled Gers level in the 74th minute, nodding home a Fernando Ricksen cross at the back post and Dodds made it 3-2 when he netted against his old club six minutes later. And Lorenzo Amoruso made it 4-2 with six minutes left on the clock with a crashing 30-yard free-kick which Ryan Esson didn't even get a sniff of.

Ronald de Boer will make his Rangers debut in tonight's cup clash with Aberdeen. The £4.5million Dutch internationalist declared he was ready to play in the CIS tie at Ibrox despite playing a demanding match for his country against Republic of Ireland. And he expressed his desire to play behind the Gers strikeforce as a link player although admitting he can play in a number of roles. Ronald, said:
"I am feeling fine so I don't have any problems with playing. I am raring to go. My first training session was today and I am really desperate to play with the team. The standard of player here is good and I am hopeful that we can do well."

Bert Konterman and Claudio Reyna will both miss the match. The American is not injured but has just returned from international duty and will not recover in time for the game.

Rangers have beaten off a host of European clubs to sign 16 year old Austrian striker Alex Hauser from FC Tirol. The teenage strike sensation was out of contract at Tirol and was snapped up quickly by Rangers' youth coaches, who had been impressed with the youngsters displays in his country's Under-18 side. Ibrox boss Dick Advocaat told the Rangers News:
"Yes, we have signed Alex Hauser, but that is more to do with the youth coaches rather than Bert (van Lingen) and myself."

Daniel Prodan has is moving on loan to Romanian side Rocar Bucharest. The Romanian international has never played a competitive game for the Glasgow side, having moved to Ibrox in 1998 from Athletico Madrid, mainly due to the fact that he suffered a knee ligament injury that he has never really recovered from.

Rangers have decide today to accept 250 tickets for fans to travel to Turkey for their Champions League clash with Galatasaray this month. Security chief Lawrence McIntyre and Ibrox director-secretary Campbell Ogilvie spent last week in Istanbul discussing arrangements with Galatasaray officials. Despite the stabbing of two Leeds fans in the city last season, the pair are satisfied fans won't be at risk.

Rangers defender Bert Konterman admits communication difficulties with Lorenzo Amoruso have caused problems in the early days of their partnership. But the Dutch international insists the pair will soon be playing to their full strengths when he has settled into the Scottish game. Konterman said:
"Communicating with Lorenzo still has to be improved. I know it will work out because it has in the past when I've played alongside foreigners. I am certain that I will be able to play my normal game very soon and that Rangers will begin to play more in the European style that the manager wants. The manager has pulled me aside and told me to play my own game, as I did for Feyenoord and do for Holland, and not to get involved in the kick and rush. But there is little time to do that because the pace of the game is so different from Holland."

Chairman David Murray today confessed he wouldn't mind trailing Celtic if Rangers were doing well in Europe. It may not be the message the Ibrox legions want to hear in the wake of the 6-2 hammering by Celtic in the first Old Firm clash of the season. But the Ibrox supremo admitted that his early-season priority is to take Gers on to a platform they have never reached - the latter stages of the Champions League. Murray, who this week pulled off a master stroke with the signing of Ronald de Boer, faces the exhilaration of another European campaign with Gers kicking off against Sturm Graz on September 12. And he said:
"The most important thing for Rangers and Scottish football is that we give ourselves a fighting chance of getting into the second stage. Some of our supporters might not like this but I'd settle for not being top going into the second half of the season and let the League take care of itself later on. Because there's nothing worse than that Champions League music coming to an end and there's no-one left playing when it starts again in February. That's boring, no matter whether you're a Rangers supporter or not. We have a decent draw but mustn't get carried away. Our manager believes Sturm Graz are a very strong, physical and experienced team so we shouldn't be complacent. Monaco, even without David Trezeguet and Fabien Barthez, will be dangerous because they seem to have a conveyor belt of very good talent and we had Galatasaray watched this week. I think we have a reasonable chance. I think we will do well and hopefully that will be good enough."

Rangers chairman David Murray has voiced his displeasure regarding Barry Ferguson's involvement in a brawl outside a pub last weekend. Murray believes the midfielder should have been at home nursing his bruised pride after the 6-2 defeat at Celtic, rather than an injured eye. He said:
"The place to be at times like that is in your own home and I hope that Barry learns his lesson."