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Week Beginning 25 October 1997

1 November 1997

David Murray has ruled Kenny Dalglish, George Graham and Bobby Robson out of the running to become manager of Rangers. He told Radio Scotland listeners, "Walter has had far too much to do. It was unrealistic. The guy badly needs a break. What's more, the day of the football manager as we have come to know it, doing everything, are gone. We are looking for a coach as opposed to a manager. There is a football side to the job and there is a business side to the job so we will do exactly that. The coach's job is a massive job in itself, I don't think people in Scotland seriously realise or appreciate exactly how difficult it is to win championships."

"I have read with interest newspaper stories linking the likes of Dalglish, Graham and Robson with the Rangers job. Now that gets those names out of the way, and we can get on with things. We need a top-class first team coach, someone who has a proven track record in Europe, someone who has done it. We are probably talking about someone from northern mainland Europe as we want to try and avoid any language barriers. But you can be assured we will have the new coach well in place by the end of the season to give him and Walter as long as possible together before the new coach takes over completely. Walter will be involved very much in the process of finding the new coach. We need continuity with the coaching. Walter was recently away for a couple of days looking for players, that's two days away from the players and the coaching. We can't have that. We want the coach to identify the players he wants and then it will be up to a chief executive or myself to take that forward."

Walter Smith just wants his players to get on with the business of winning matches but he doesn't think they will be adversely affected by his decision to step down. He said, "I made that decision and now the most important thing is that we go on and win matches. Footballers are used to their managers leaving, though normally not in these circumstances, and I don't think that should make any difference. The motivation of Rangers is to win the championship right from the start of the season and hopefully that won't change."

Smith has given the biggest indication yet that he will remain at Ibrox beyond the end of this season, but he feels that the time of long-term coaches has passed. He said, "I know how much it would hurt to leave Rangers. It would be too painful to walk away from here. That is why I'm grateful the chairman has offered me another job. I look closely at myself and I can see I've been blunted by time, I suppose. It's time for someone to come in with fresh input. I've also read and heard that I'm going because I've failed at this or that, but this isn't true either. Nobody says I was the first Rangers manager to win six in a row and no one says Rangers were the first Scottish club to win seven domestic trophies in a row. Also, no one said we were the first Scottish club to come close to winning a European trophy in the last decade or so, but maybe a wee change will alter people's attitude towards the club and perhaps the club can make a new beginning."

Winning the title now has added importance and I would hope they will see it as an appropriate way for me to go. It may be selfish but I want the title so that I can leave in the knowledge of having won seven titles in seven years. It would be another record for my club and an achievement for the players. People automatically assume we will win the title but I repeat that it's far from easy."

"I think in future that coaches will be less tolerant or understanding, but I'm sure players will come to terms with that. There will be exceptions but most coaches won't be working to long-term plans. Stability will be down to chairmen who will have to find a way of working to a long-term strategy even though their coaches move on more rapidly. I have formed my own opinions of other managers and if the chairman asks me to react to anyone, I will offer a view. I will react to his suggestions but I don't see myself suggesting a successor. The club will need a man with obvious qualities like tactics, motivation and man managament, but he will have to be strong willed. He will be surprised at the level of criticism and the often muted reaction to winning. He'll have to deal with it, and it can be severe."

Ally McCoist has revealed that Walter Smith told the players about his decision before it was announced at Tuesday's AGM. He said, "Walter came in and told the players on Tuesday morning before the AGM because he felt the lads deserved to hear before the announcement. That's a measure of the man, if he had something to say he always said it dace to face in the manager's office. We didn't read about it in the papers first. He didn't get distraught, I've never seen him distraught. He stayed very calm and just said he had made his decision and now wanted to go on and win the championship. And hopefully we can do that for him."

Jonas Thern should return to the Rangers line-up today. Walter Smith said, "Thern played half a reserve game the other day and is now ready to resume. The only problem is whether or not to play him from the start. He's been training for 10 days and is an experienced player, so he'd be able to handle coming straight back in. But it will maybe be a week or two before he's back to full fitness and we don't want to push him too early."

Gary Bollan will start a two-week trial with Huddersfield Town at the beginning of next week. If things go well then he will seal a £200,000 move to the Yorkshire club. Assistan Manager Terry Yorath said, "he is coming down for a fortnight, but if things work out then he will be offered a longer term deal."

31 October 1997

Jonas Thern is set to return to the first team for this weekend's match against Kilmarnock after missing the last 11 games through injury. The former Roma star has been back in training for 10 days and came through a reserve match earlier this week unscathed.

Vice chairman Donald Findlay again reiterated that the club has not approached anyone to replace Walter Smith. He said, "I think it is always as well to wait until people are asked and I do not think anybody has as yet been asked to become manager of Rangers, so I do not see how anybody can refuse the job. There are a number of names and people, and the list will remain confidential. The Press in England and up here can speculate to their hearts' content and they can do what they usually do and get it 99% wrong. The door is open to all. We are going to sit down over the next few weeks and are going to look at people who we think are of the right status and calibre and who want to come to Ibrox to take over from Walter Smith. The job has not been started yet and it will be completed by the end of the year when we would hope to be able to go and talk to not just one person but a number." When asked directly about Kenny Dalglish he said, "clearly Kenny does not want to come here, so no."

Soccer Australia Chairman David Hill has dismissed rumours that Terry Venables might be about to join Rangers. He said, "no, he is not free to leave if we don't qualify. We have the protection of a contract but I'm confident we won't need to enforce it. I have spoken to Terry regularly about this in the past few weeks and I am aware he is getting some very lucrative offers."

American 'keeper Brad Friedel is being linked with a move to Ibrox. Walter Smith has already contacted US Soccer officials about the player. Friedel has agreed a contract with Liverpool and a £2 million package has been agreed between the merseyside club and his owners. However, Smith is hoping to better thise terms and is hoping that a work permit snag will help him get the player. Friedel has not played in 75 per cent of the US national sides matches in the last two years but he will achieve the percentage next month when they play three World Cup qualifiers.

30 October 1997

As you would expect several candidates for the managers job are being mooted by the papers today despite David Murray's call for the media not to speculate yesterday. The names include Johan Cruyff, Terry Venables, Richard Moller-Nielsen, Tommy Svensson, Sven Goran Eriksson, Kenny Dalglish, George Graham and Bobby Robson.

Terry Venables said yesterday, "I have had a couple of terrific job offers over the last couple of months and disregarded them. I have to shut all outside influences from my mind because I can't really do anything until I know Australia's fate in the play-offs. I feel sure that I will not be managing Australia if we fail to get through the play-offs. It is only then that I would be considering any other position. Each time there is a match there seems to be another twist. It is proving a nightmare for me because we are going to have little preparation for whoever we meet. All I can do is take away videos of all the games involving the teams who might meet us and then give my players the quickest possible rundown. Under those circumstances there can be little else on my mind at the moment. It is all-consuming and I will only address other situations as and when the Australian one is sorted out. I can however confirm that there has been no approach from Rangers."

Former Sweden manager Tommy Svensson said "I have heard the speculation linking me with Rangers and I am flattered. But I have not heard from anyone in Scotland and I have not applied either. When I was the manager of Sweden, I made regular visits to Scotland and I know all about the style of play. I like the passion and the atmosphere and Rangers are a great club. Benfica spoke to me recently recently and the offer of a job from them was very good, but I said no. It would have been too soon to go back to football. Once I have a rest, I certainly want to return to football with a club side in Europe"

Bobby Robson said, " I've had offers but they have come at the wrong time. I had the offer to go to Newcastle. Without hurting Kenny Dalglish, who has done a fantastic job, I had just gone to Barcelona. I'd been there for five months. How can you leave Barcelona when you have been waiting 18 years to get there? While Newcastle was the job for me it was not the job for me at that time. The same applied with Arsenal when again the offer came for me. It was a job I wanted. Maybe there will be a time when the right club approaches me and I won't have any contractual problems about taking it. Having said that, I think that Rangers will go for a younger manager, someone who has five years or so to give to a club on a stability situation where there's continuity within the club. I never say never to anything. But I'm not going to tell anybody at Rangers what to do."

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale spoke about George Graham after he had been linked with Rangers. He said, "If you have a quality manager you expect his name to be linked with other clubs. But I am not worried. George is under contract for another 18 months and I expect him to complete the task he has started. The day people stop wanting your top players or management is the time to worry. When people want your staff it means you have got it right."

Kenny Dalglish denied the speculation. He said, " there is no foundation in it in any way, shape or form. Speculation is ok but not when there's no truth in it. And if there is no truth in something I don't have to reply to it. It has been suggested that to be linked with a big club like Rangers is a compliment. But I think it's an insult to the fans of Newcastle. I don't want people to think that because I watched Rangers as a kid I'm going to go back and work there."

The new Rangers manager is sure to bring in his own coaching staff and that could see Archie Knox and Tommy Moller-Nielsen leaving the club. Walter Smith said, "I want to thank everyone who is with me. The players and staff at Ibrox have all been fantastic, especially the boys in the coaching room. It hurts me a bit when they are criticised for their efforts as none of them could have given any more. Archie Knox could have been an outstanding manager in his own right and has loved being a coach at the club. The rest of the staff have been wonderful and have contributed greatly to our success."

Walter Smith was touched by the standing ovation he received at the AGM before and after he announced his intention to resign at the end of the season. He said, "of all the things that have happened to me in my time at Ibrox that ovation before I spoke was probably the best of them all. It was totally unexpected. As a manager you often feel alone in the middle of it all and it is easy for people to criticise what you are doing. Without a doubt, that ovation was the best thing that's happened to me and it was very difficult to start talking afterwards. I couldn't believe what they did and I'll always be grateful."

Jorg Albertz could be on his way back to Germany within the next 48 hours. Stuttgart are favourites to take the former Hanburg player back to the Bundesliga for £2 million. Gordan Petric could also be on his way with Southampton ready to offer £750,000. Andy Goram is currently thinking over a £750,000 move to Sunderland after Rangers gave the Tyneside club permission to speak to him. Coventry are waiting in the wings with a £500,000 bid for Ian Ferguson if his proposed move to Wolves falls through. Gary Bollan will join English first division side Huddersfield today.

29 October 1997

Walter Smith admitted one of the main reasons he was resigning his position as Rangers manager was the "a growing sense of anti-climax" about the job. He told yesterday's AGM, "Rangers were not given any credit for beating Hearts in the Coca Cola Cup last year. I went into the Press room after the game and it was like a morgue. There was no great sense of achievement - it was 'they've won it again, now let's get on with it'. There was a realisation on my part then that things were changing for me. The next day's papers all focused on complaints that a foul had been committed on the half-way line in the build-up to our fourth goal. It had an effect on me. I didn't get the feeling of a great sense of achievement. But I decided to carry on because of 'nine in a row' and what it meant. Towards the end of last season the chairman and I talked about the situation. We agreed I would carry on until the end of this season and hopefully take the club to '10 in a row'."

"The expectations of the club became greater with every championship we won, and obviously that led to more pressures. There have been times where I've been through periods of severe criticism in the press. A lot of demands are made on you. There are lots of pressures, but it's the same with the players. In Europe last year I felt we could have done far better than we did. I felt that there was a lot of the pressure on the players because of the pressure on me. After the Strasbourg game there was a cry for the manager to leave and I felt that me being manager was going to create a problem in the playing staff. There is no divine right for any club to be successful, but I do feel in the next few years we will have the opportunity to play and compete at the highest European level more than we have had so far. A new coach will need support. We need to be slightly more tolerant than we have been. I hope everybody will then look at the club in a new light. A new coach could lose out early in Europe and no-one will blame him, and quite rightly. We need patience but we will succeed."

David Murray feels that he will never find another manager like Walter Smith. He said, "Walter is the last of a breed and I don't think we'll have another manager with his degree of integrity and loyalty. The Bosman influence on football is changing attitudes of managers as well as players and no other manager will stay with one club for long periods. I am well aware of what this next appointment will mean to the club and that is why there will be no rush. I will work closely with Walter to find the right manager. We are looking at someone who will be Northern European and certainly English speaking and it would be beneficial if the new manager could settle in during the last couple of months of Walter's reign.

"We can be properly focused and move forward towards a future which I am certain will be bright. There will be changes because we have to move with the times and these changes will mean there will be no more bouts of indiscipline at this club. I couldn't believe the standing ovation Walter got at the AGM today. I've never heard anything like it. It was very emotional and I have to admit I had a tear in my eye. Walter feels he needs a change in his life and said he would like to leave as manager. He is one of the greatest managers Rangers have ever had and he still has a future at the club."

"Walter and I have made up a short list of possible replacements but I am not in a position to discuss any names as they are still in jobs. They will all be judged on their merits and the new manager will be integrated alongside Walter Smith. "We will make an announcement in the New Year. What we don't want to see is speculation. We have not approached anybody. We have a shortlist of people that Walter and I will collectively look at over a period of time. As soon as we are in a position to make an announcement we will endeavour to do it as soon as possible in the New Year if not before then."

Kilmarnock boss Bobby Williamson is disappointed that Walter Smith has decided to resign next summer. He said: "Walter is one of the best coaches in the game. He has taken the club to nine titles in a row. Yet despite that achievement some people are never happy. I feel it is tragic he is leaving the job in the summer. I don't think you'll hear anyone in the game say a bad word about Walter. He is respected by everyone. Walter has done a tremendous job with the club, no doubt about that. He helped foster a special dressing room spirit at Rangers."

Former Celtic manager Tommy Burns said, "the old cliche will apply, but it will be true. Rangers won't know what they had in Walter until he's away. In fact the Scottish game won't realise what it had either until after he has gone. I don't have the slightest doubt Walter would be a success if he moved to England. I sincerely hope he has not grown too disillusioned with the game because he has what it takes. He has shown that repeatedly and while figures like Alex Ferguson are exceptional Walter Smith could come down here and do something similar. He really should be looking at taking his career in that direction now and he has a start on Alex who didn't have the intense background which only the Old Firm can supply."

"I have never had anything other than total respect for Walter. I always held him in the highest esteem because he knew what managing a club of Rangers' size was all about. He always conducted himself with dignity, especially when he was living with the added pressure of trying for nine titles in a row. And I always felt comfortable and safe in his company. That, for me, was a true measure of the man. Even though he won nine in a row Walter still finds himself under pressure if he loses a few games. No one should ever undervalue what he did and even though he was able to spend a lot of money there was much more to it than that."

Portuguese side Benfica might be poised to appoint Richard Moller-Nielsen their coach this weekend. A Finnish Football Federation spokesman said, "we have only just learned of the situation at Rangers but we were already aware of Benfica's interest in Richard. We are very flattered and pleased to have two clubs of this stature connected with him and I can confirm that they are not the only big clubs to have considered him as a potential manager. However, in his first year here, Richard concentrated solely on preparing Finland for a chance to qualify for the World Cup finals and we were most unfortunate not to make the play-offs. We are very happy with the progress we have made under him because he is everything we had hoped he would be as our national coach but if Rangers make contact with us and express a proper interest in him then we will certainly listen to what they have to say."

Rangers hope to reveal details of a new multi-million pound training complex over the next month. David Murray said, "I'm 99 per cent sure the deal will be on, if not I'll admit I've failed. We wanted to buy a site at Westerlands from Glasgow University and offered £2 million. Later higher bids were received and we upped ours to £4.5 million with an option of selling some of the land to another company. Eventually the site went for £7.8 million. However, I am confident that I will have something to report within the next month."

David Murray also apologised to Rangers fans about comments attributed to him over the last month. He said, "I unreservedly apologise to good and loyal supporters. It wasn't them I was talking about. It's the ones who get on our bandwagon then slate us in phone-ins that annoy me."

Alan McLaren is making one last attempt to resurrect his career. He will seek help from Munich based Dr Hans Muller-Wohlfhart who helped Jose Maria Olazabal play golf again. Wohlfhart said, "I hope my work can help Alan recover. But we must have patience. It needs time but I've had the same cases with other players in the past and they have returned to play football again."

Wolves have agreed a £500,000 fee with Rangers for Ian Ferguson. Mark McGhee has spoken to his agent but the stumbling block appears to be Ferguson's wages. The player will lose out on a testimonial at Ibrox if he chooses to leave Ibrox. McGhee said, "he is out of our price range at the moment, although the deal is not dead and buried. He is the type of powerful midfielder we need. He is a motivator and an intimidator as well as a winner."

28 October 1997

Walter Smith officially announced at the AGM today that he will resign his position as Rangers manager at the end of the season. He was given a standing ovation by shareholders before he even had a chance to speak. He spoke of his honour at having been at the top with Rangers but felt that he may have lost his edge.

Holding back tears he said, "there were pressures on the players which led to difficulties in the European scene. That to me has been a disappointment. However, I felt that a lot of the pressure on the players came from me as the manager. I felt after Strasbourg that I was beginning to become a problem with the players."

Vice-Chairman Donald Findlay said, "it's not just about winning. It's about loyalty. It's about decency. If anyone has shown these three qualities it has been Walter."

Finland manager Richard Moller-Nielsen is the man Rangers want to replace Walter Smith as Ibrox boss. He admitted last night that he would be mad not to be interested in the Ibrox hotseat. He said, "I am honoured that my name has been mentioned in connection with the Rangers job but we will have to wait and see what happens. Rangers are one of the biggest and best organised clubs in the world. Walter Smith has done a brilliant job. It would be a big challenge and a great honour to be manager or coach of that club, but I am still under contract to the Finnish FA."

"I am very fond of Scotland and I am looking forward to spending some time in Glasgow in December when I come to visit my grandchildren. But there is nothing I can say about the Rangers job at this time, although of course in football you never know what could happen."

Moller-Nielsen narrowly failed to reach the World Cup Finals with Finland a fortnight ago after an own goal against Hungary in injury time put them out of contention. His biggest achievement to date was steering unfancied Denmark to victory in the 1992 European Championship.

David Murray will be anxious to avoid a repeat of the weeks of speculation which surrounded Parkhead before they appointed Wim Jansen as head coach. Smith and Murray have already drawn up a list of candidates for the job which includes Craig Brown, Terry Venables, Graeme Souness, Johann Cruyff and Tommy Svensson. Cruyff was interviewed on television last night he said, "I am not really interested in returning to coaching. There is only a very little chance that I will go to Ibrox." Svensson is a close friend of both Smith and Murray. He recently turned down the Benfica job because he was not interested in returning to work until next summer.

David Murray is understood to have offered Smith another Ibrox post but it is still unclear whether he will accept. Some people inside Ibrox believe that Smith will choose to leave the club and a host of clubs south of the border are certain to be interested. Whatever happens Smith will get a huge payout before the end of this season. Liverpool have been lined up to play Rangers in a testimonial for Smith in December if fixtures will allow. The match is certain to be a sell-out and the Rangers manager would pocket between £500,000 and £750,000.

Ray Wilkins is sure that Smith will be remembered as a Rangers legend. He said, "what Walter has achieved during his time with Rangers is nothing short of miraculous. There is no doubt that he will be remembered as a Rangers legend."

27 October 1997

The Daily Express reports today that Walter Smith will announce at tomorrow's AGM that this is his final season as Rangers manager. According to the report David Murray and Smith have already started looking for a replacement.

Paul Gascoigne was at Highbury yesterday to watch Aston Villa play Arsenal. Afterwards he insisted he was not about to join either club. He said, "I've signed a three year contract with Rangers, I'm very happy where I am. The fans, especially the last couple of games, have been unbelievable. I promised my son to see Arsenal for his birthday. But when I looked at the fixtures and saw it was Aston Villa I went to see Walter Smith. I told him 'you're not going to believe this but I promised to take my son to the game'. I said 'I'm not going to take him because of everything' but he said 'go along'. I thank God I've got an understanding manager."

"I just feel sorry for the Rangers manager and the chairman because every time I play for England, there's speculation. . I've spoken to Glenn Hoddle and he and the gaffer have spoken, so there's no problem. The couple of games at the start of the season weren't going too well but I got a couple of rollockings from the gaffer and things are going pretty well now. Celtic are a point ahead in the league at the moment, but there are big games to be played against them and I'll be there."

Aston Villa manager Brian Little said, "I don't think I've ever talked about Paul. Good luck to him. I've never been drawn about him these last couple of weeks."

Lorenzo Amoruso will be back in action early in the New Year. The Italian defender was given the all clear when he visited a specialist on Saturday. Amoruso hopes to start training in December. He said, "I should be able to do some light work around Christmas. That is something to aim for. I'm looking at training after the New Year and that will be an important time for me."

Erik Bo Andersen watched his new side Odense slip to second bottom place in the Danish league last night as they lost 3-1 to Silkeborg. Anderson spent most of the time on the bench. He came on in the 51st minute but failed to make an impact.

26 October 1997

Erik Bo Andersen finally signed for Danish club Odense yesterday for a cut price £500,000. He will make his debut today against Silkeborg. Andersen left Ibrox at the fifth time of asking after previous moves to Nantes, MSV Duisburg, Odense and Aalborg all fell through. A part exchange deal for Odense's highly rated 'keeper Thomas Sorensen fell through but Rangers will get 40 per cent of any future transfer fee.

Another four players may soon follow Anderson out of the Ibrox exit. Ian Ferguson, Peter Van Vossen, Gordan Petric and Stephen Wright have all been told that they are surplus to requirements and will be allowed to leave for the right price. Wolves hope to sign Ferguson early next week but the midfielder will miss out on a testimonial if he leaves and that may cause some problems. Van Vossen is still being tracked by Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem while Petric is a £1 million target for Crystal Palace and Southampton. Stephen Wright is a £500,000 target for Bolton but they may face competition from Southampton for the defender.

Walter Smith was disappointed with the team's performance yesterday. He said, "its the first time since the passback rule was introduced that I've seen Andy struggling. It was bad defending that let Stephen Pressley through for a penalty. When that happens you're always going to be up against it. It was a disappointing result but we played a big part in our own downfall. Territorially we had most of the game. When you lose a goal against Dundee United and let them get in front they sit back and play on the break."

Smith denied that the club have offered Andy Goram a new contract. Goram has been linked with a host of clubs south of the border this season and may be poised to go there.

Rangers are expected to announce at their AGM this Tuesday that Paul Gascoigne will see out the remainder of his contract. Gascoigne has told David Murray and Walter Smith that he wants to stay at Ibrox. Smith said yesterday, "Paul Gascoigne prepared for the Dundee United game. He will prepare for next week's game against Kilmarnock, and he will still be around to prepare for the Ne'erday game with Celtic."

The Sunday Post reports that Rangers are keeping tabs on St Johnstone goalkeeper Alan Main. Main has been impressive this season and would cost the Ibrox club in excess of £500,000.

Rangers are set to earn themselves a further £1.2 million from the new Brian Laudrup video 'The Joy of Football'. The commercial department estimate that the film will sell more that 80,000 copies, making it the biggest earning sports video in history.

25 October 1997

Rangers
 
Goram       4                  
Miller      6                   
Stensaas    5
Petric      5                  
Bjorklund   6
Gough       6
Gattuso     6
Gascoigne   7
Negri       6
McCall      6
Laudrup     6
 
 

Man of the Match: Paul Gascoigne

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