PUB WISDOM
Brass Turns SilverArchive for Scottish Football
Carlos Cuts Out
Damn.
Double Damn. Carlos Cuellar, who positively locked down the Rangers defense last season, has done what was likely inevitable — get noticed by the Premiership. Following Alan Hutton’s lead, another key member of RFC’s defense has moved on up to the Premier League with the announcement that Cuellar came to terms to play for Aston Villa this season
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After last season’s successful run, one has to ask why Cuellar was so anxious to get outta Glasgow. It could be the early exit from the Champions League or his assessment of the Light Blues prospects this year. Pessimists might put more stock in these notions than I do. Me? I think it simply comes down to the fact that he couldn’t resist the temptation to play on the world’s biggest stage.
Damn. Carlos, you will be missed. You quickly became a favorite and enstilled supreme confidence back there. Part of me wishes you well. The other part hopes you get lost in the shuffle and forgetten amidst the mediocrity in the middle of the Premier League pack, and that you’ll secretly — or not so secretly — regret your decision.
Fugly Football Sees Rangers Through to UEFA Cup Finals
Ciao Fiorentina, Hello Manchester…
It wasn’t pretty, but Sir Walter Smith’s (I’ve just knighted him myself, so shaddup) strategy worked flawlessly as Rangers held the Viola scoreless in Florence, then sacked up during a nervy round of penalty kicks, including the deal-sealer by Nacho Novo (above). Here’s the report.
Rangers are through to their first European final in 36 years, and will face a Zenit side that served up a 4-0 drubbing of Bayern Munich in the other bracket.
Fiorentina may have been the classier side — I’m anticipating Aloysius’s forthcoming comments on the Telegraph message boards already — and they can soothe themselves with that knowledge as they watch the final on television. Snigger snigger.
Now, if Rangers can only survive their final six domestic fixtures to claim the SPL crown, in doubt in large part due to their unexpected European success, how sweet it would be.
A Welcome Draw at Ibrox for Ragged Rangers
With his side decimated by injury and suspensions, Walter Smith’s Rangers bent but didn’t break Thursday, battling to a 0-0 draw on the home leg of the UEFA Cup Semis against a comparatively healthy Fiorentina side, occupiers of the fourth position in the Serie A table. Here’s the report.
Rangers now face with the proposition of advancing to a European final on away goals — never easy, but it seems to be the currency with which Rangers have traded during their 2008 European campaign. Just ask Sporting Lisbon.
Now it’s home to Glasgow for two days’ rest before an Old Firm clash for the ages on Sunday — with the SPL crown potentially hanging in the balance.
In Search of… An Away Goal
The scrappy Rangers Football Club, easily one of Europe’s great turnaround stories this season, battled to a scoreless tie with Sporting in the UEFA Cup quarters on Friday. If they can win, or score an away goal in a draw, they’re through to the UEFA Cup semis. Already, this has been the club’s best performance in a European competition since 1972, but the semis would be dead brilliant.
Big Trainers to Fill for Scotland’s New Boss
Former Ipswich Town baller and Southampton boss George Burley takes over as the new boss of the Scottish national side, filling the considerable trainers left behind by new Birminghan boss Alex McLeish.
I know how Chelsea fans felt when Mourinho boned out… No matter how good Burley may be in the future, we KNOW what McLeish accomplished. It’s been a little more protracted than the Chelsea situation, which unfolded quickly. Twas sad to see McLeish go, and while the sting is tempered a bit here months down the road, this announcement dredges up the bitterness over his departure more than creating confidence in the new man.
As an aside, what ever happened to Motherwell boss Mark Maghee?? Seemed like his appointment was a foregone conclusion…
At any rate, welcome, George. Now get to work.
Roddy on Rampant Rangers
“A domestic treble (Rangers 2-0 Dundee United), a £700 million reconstruction of Ibrox and its surroundings, a player who blithely turns down a £9 million move to the Premier League. Suddenly, in the midst of bleak midwinter, shafts of warm sunlight are beaming down upon Rangers fans.
One should say at once that, of the three talking points mentioned above, the most substantial is the first. Rangers have overtaken Celtic with a game in hand - against St Mirren tomorrow night - which, if they win, will put them four points clear of the defending champions. January could see them maintain pole position in the title race, reach the CIS Cup final and stride on in the Scottish Cup…”
Read the rest of Roddy Forsyth’s column in the Telegraph here.
