An American Abroad (FM13)

[jasontoddwhitt]

It's never a good thing when a player asks you if they can talk in private after training. It usually means that have some sort of grievance to air out to you. But then again, you can thank your lucky stars that you're hearing it first from their mouth instead of reading about it in the morning paper.

The most worrying part though is that those words came from the mouth of our best player, highest valued commodity, and vice captain Lee Wallace. I could tell over the last week or so that something had been bugging him. His form had dipped the past couple matches as had his performance in training. And his international form had been horrid.

"Lee, what can I do for you?

"Thanks for meeting with me boss. I think I made a mistake in staying at Rangers."

"What do you mean Lee?"

"I'm 25 years old, I've been playing professionally in the top flight for nine years and here I am playing at the fourth level. By the time we get back to the SPL, I'll be 28. 29 by the time we get back to European competition. A lot can happen in three or four years and I think I want to move to a bigger club now."

"This is a drastic change in direction Lee. I mean, you had the opportunity to leave on a free and chose not to. Hell, you were one of the first players to pledge his loyalty to the new Rangers."

"I know boss, but I've been doing a lot of thinking."

"This thinking wouldn't have anything to do with this article would it?"

I tossed the Daily Record newspaper on the desk as Lee Wallace read the article. Apparently, Scotland manager Chris Levein has been disappointed with Lee's form and said in the papers that it was because of the competition he was playing against at the club level and he would have to question whether to include Lee in future Scotland teams.

"Partly boss."

"Listen Lee, you are a good player. You're the best player I got. Because of the embargo that is against us, there is no way I could replace you right now. I'll tell you what. Transfer market opens back up January 1st. We'll meet before then and see if you still want to leave. Okay?"

"That's fair boss."

"Though I still expect you to give a 110% effort out there."

"Yes, sir."

Good, I thought to myself. I bought us some time.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Matches
Oct. 3rd, 2012 - Rangers hammer East Stirlingshire in the Scottish Cup Second Round replay 4-0. Andy Little picked up the Player of the Match Award after scoring his first two goals of the season for Rangers. Lee McCulloch and Ian Black also scored for Rangers, who completely dominated the match, not allowing East Stirlingshire to get off a single shot.

Oct. 6th, 2012 - The Under 19 squad defeated Dunfermline in a friendly match 3-1. Stuart Urquhart was the Player of the Match, winning three key headers, intercepting 17 passes, and assisting on a goal. Craig Halkett and Tom Walsh provided the scoring for Rangers.

News
Oct. 3rd, 2012 - Rangers will travel to Cowdenbreath to take on Cowdenbreath FC in the third round of the William Hill Scottish Cup. The match will take place on November 3rd.

Oct. 3rd, 2012 - Because of a conflict with the Scottish Cup, the league match between Rangers and Annan has been rescheduled for October 31st.

Oct. 3rd, 2012 - Lee McCulloch received an automatic one match suspension after collecting three yellow cards. The suspension will apply to all cup competitions.

Oct. 4th, 2012 - Rangers had nine players called up for international duty...

Quote:

Match Dates: October 10th, 12th, and 14th Holland Under 19s: Jamie Burrows Northern Ireland Under 19s: Kristian Gibson and Matthew Clarke Portugal Under 19s: Sergey Kundik Scotland Under 19s: Lewis MacLeod and Fraser Aird Match Dates: October 12th and 16th Romania: Dorin Goian Scotland: Lee Wallace United States: Carlos Bocanegra

"We're happy to see our players play on the international stage. However, I don't understand how Dean Shiels was left off the Northern Ireland squad again. And considering how Steven Fletcher is not enjoying the best of form for Sunderland, I feel like Scotland should be considering Lee McCulloch."

[jasontoddwhitt]

Match Day 6

Rangers win in convincing fashion

If the first six matches of league play have shown anything, it's two things. One, Rangers will dominate this level. Two, Rangers supporters would show up to watch this team play a squad of amateurs.

In front of a near capacity crowd of 48,809, Rangers dominated the "Original Glasgow Derby", defeating amateur side Queen's Park 3-0.

"Our finishing is still leaving a lot to be desired," said Rangers boss Jason Whitt. "But we've been able to get away with it so far. The scary thought is how good this team could be if we could hit on all cylinders."

Things started off shaky for Rangers as Queen's Park took the game right to the home squad and was the aggressor. But after the referee pointed to the spot in the fourth minute and Kevin Kyle scored his fourth league goal to make it 1-0, Queen's Park backed off and Rangers dominated the match from there.

Fraser Aird scored his first career goal in the 37th minute to make it 2-0. Lee McCulloch scored his second goal in league play in the 81st minute to round out the scoring.

Next week sees the Scottish Leagues take an international break. The next match for Rangers will be in two weeks, when they travel to Stenhousemuir to take on East Stirlingshire.

Rangers: Alexander (7.0), Argyriou (8.3); Wallace (90th), Hegarty (7.3), Perry (7.3), Cole (7.6), Faure (6.9), Crawford (7.4), Hutton (6.9), Aird (7.8), Shiels (7.0); Templeton (82nd), Kyle (7.0); McCulloch (63rd - 7.3)
Subs: Gallacher, Cribari
Booked: None

Queen's Park: Parry (6.3), Shand (6.8), Benton (6.8), Donnelly (6.1), Gibson (5.9), Capuano (6.6), Anderson (6.8), Quinn (5.0); Shankland (89th), Kennedy (6.5); Gebbie (81st), Robertson (6.7), Longworth (6.6); Keenan (61st - 7.0)
Subs: Sinclair, Doris
Booked: Capuano, Quinn

Match Stats
Possession: Rangers 55%, Queen's Park 45%
Shots: Rangers 18, Queen's Park 2
On Target: Rangers 5, Queen's Park 1
Fouls: Rangers 5, Queen's Park 18
Corners: Rangers 4, Queen's Park 0

Other Scores from Match Day 6
Annan 1:2 Elgin City
Clyde 3:2 Stirling
East Stirlingshire 2:2 Peterhead
Montrose 4:1 Berwick

[jasontoddwhitt]

Rangers picked up three victories in league play over the last two weeks, picking up a 3-0 road victory over East Stirlingshire, a 2-0 home victory over Montrose, and a 2-1 road victory over Annan. With one quarter of the season in, here's a look at the league table...



Up next for Rangers will be a trip to Cowdenbeath to take on First Division side Cowdenbeath FC in the 3rd Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup. Cowdenbeath are currently 8th in the First Division and enter the Scottish Cup in the 3rd Round. Rangers entered the competition in the 2nd Round and defeated East Stirlingshire 4-0 to advance. Rangers are 1-6 favorites, but will have to play the match without captain Lee McCulloch, who was suspended after picking up his third yellow in cup competitions in the 4-0 victory over East Stirlingshire in the 2nd Round.

Injury Report
Pip Yeates has reported that there are still a few injury problems persisting within the Rangers squad.

Sébastien Faure (twisted knee) and Francisco Sandaza (broken collarbone) are still a couple of weeks away from returning to full training. The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division match against Clyde on Saturday 10th November and the Reserves match against Peterhead Reserves on Wednesday 7th November could be considered realistic targets for a possible return.

We have also received an injury update on Kane Hemmings (strained knee ligaments) from his specialist. Kane is expected to be out for another six weeks to three months.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Third Round

Rangers storm back to advance

With recent match congestion, injuries, and a suspension to captain Lee McCulloch, Rangers boss Jason Whitt elected to go with a young squad in today's match and it was nearly their undoing.

"We obviously missed Lee back there," said Whitt. "He orchestrates the defense from his holding midfield position. He's the first line of defense really, and with him not there today, some balls got through that normally don't and Cowdenbeath were able to hit us on the break a couple times."

Whitt also held vice captain Lee Wallace and Anestis Argyriou out of the starting eleven, has he felt their fitness levels wouldn't allow them to go the full ninety. By the end of the game, both fullbacks were on the pitch, and it was Argyriou's crossing ability that dug the Light Blues out of the hole they were dug in.

Cowdenbeath midfielder Mark Ramsay got the Blue Brazil off to a flying start when he received the pass from striker Greg Stewart and scored a powerful effort from 21-yards out in the third minute to make it 1-0. Rangers equalized in the ninth minute, when center back Emilson Cribari got on the end of a David Templeton corner that should've been intercepted by Cowdenbeath keeper Craig Wight. It was Cribari's first goal of the season.

In the 29th minute, Ian Black scored his fourth goal of the year to put Rangers in front 2-1 when he got on the end of a Fraser Aird corner. In the 45th minute, Cowdenbeath equalized when captain Kenny Adamson banged home the free kick from 28-yards out that deflected off the wall and past keeper Neil Alexander.

In the 74th minute, Cowdenbeath hit Rangers on the break as Stewart split the center backs and banged the shot in off the post to give the Blue Brazil a 3-2 lead. Rangers equalized in the 83rd minute when Argyriou floated a cross into the six yard box and after the ball banged around, it ended up at the feet of Lewis MacLeod who blasted the ball into the net.

In the 88th minute, Argyriou floated another cross into the box and a Cowdenbeath defender deflected it to the feet of Andy Little who promptly hit the game winner for the Gers.

"That's what you call an impact sub," said Whitt. "After Anestis and Lee worked so hard in the midweek match, I felt that I would want them available for the end of the match and that gamble paid off. Anestis came in and promptly assisted on the equalizer and the game winner. Before that, we were not getting much from the wings, so once Lee and Anestis both came into the match, our energy level changed for the better."

In the fourth round, Rangers will play Second Division side Alloa Athletic at Ibrox Stadium. The fourth round draw surprisingly saw six of the SPL sides get drawn against each other, allowing more chances for league sides to advance. Also, there are still three non-league sides alive in Cove Rangers (who upset Second Division side Arbroath), Girvan, and Turiff United. Cove Rangers and Girvan drew each other, meaning a non-league side will advance to the fifth round. Turiff United's dream run will likely end as they drew SPL side Heart of Midlothian.

Rangers return to action next week as they travel to Cumbernauld to take on Clyde FC at Broadwood Stadium in league action. Rangers have defeated Clyde twice this year by scoring margins of 7-1 and 4-1.

Rangers: Alexander (6.9), Cole (7.0), Hegarty (7.0), Cribari (7.7), Perry (6.6); Wallace (72nd - 7.0), Black (7.4), Crawford (6.9); Argyriou (81st - 7.4), MacLeod (7.9), Little (7.3), Templeton (7.2), Aird (7.0)
Subs: Gallacher, Shiels, McKay
Booked: None

Cowdenbeath: Wight (5.7); Flynn (71st - 6.6), Miller (7.0); Linton (45th - 6.1), Nugent (5.6), Armstrong (6.2), Adamson (7.2), O'Brien (6.8), Cameron (7.1), McKenzie (6.1), Ramsay (7.8), Stevenson (7.0); Navas (66th - 6.5)
Subs: Neill, Coult
Booked: Cameron

Match Stats
Possession: Rangers 64%, Cowdenbeath 36%
Shots: Rangers 15, Cowdenbeath 7
On Target: Rangers 5, Cowdenbeath 5
Corners: Rangers 5, Cowdenbeath 3
Fouls: Rangers 12, Cowdenbeath 11

Other Third Round Action
Airdrie 2:1 Fraserburgh
Annan 3:1 Spartans
Ayr 2:0 East Fife
Brechin 0:0 Girvan (Girvan won 3-2 in replay)
Clyde 2:2 Forfar (Forfar won 3-2 in replay)
Cove Rangers 3:1 Arbroath
Deveronvale 0:3 Alloa
Montrose 6:0 Stirling
Morton 2:1 Albion Rovers
Partick Thistle 4:0 Stranraer
Peterhead 3:0 Brora
Queen of South 4:2 Vale of Leithen
Stenhousemuir 3:1 Dumbarton
Turrif United 2:1 Wick Academy
Wigtown & Bladnoch 0:5 Raith

[jasontoddwhitt]

Match Day 10

Rangers smach Clyde as run continues

Ten matches; thirty points. Rangers class was evident today in a stunning 7-0 demolishing of Clyde FC.

"Our defending was really sloppy, which is surprising considering we recorded a shutout," said Rangers boss Jason Whitt. "But, we just won by seven goals, so I'm going to shut up now and just congratulate the boys, especially Lee McCulloch picking up the hat trick after we moved him to striker today."

McCulloch, a striker earlier in his career but plays more now as a defensive midfielder, was ushered into the starting role as Kevin Kyle continues to recuperate from a thigh bruise, Francisco Sandaza is recovering from a broken collarbone, and youngster Barrie McKay apparently has fallen down the depth chart after his poor performance again Annan Athletic.

The captain got Rangers off to a flying start, scoring a well-timed close range finish in the 9th minute. An error from Clyde's Gavin Brown allowed winger Dean Shiels to score a deftly executed finish in the 13th minute to make it 2-0. McCulloch added his second goal of the game with a real poacher's effort from 14-yards in the 29th minute to make it 3-0. McCulloch earned the hat trick in the 48th minute with a placed shot from close range to make it 4-0. Lewis MacLeod increased Rangers' advantage to 5-0 with an accurate finish in the 57th minute. David Templeton accidently scored in the 71st minute when his cross aimed for the far post managed to curl into the goal to make it 6-0. Emilson Cribari completed the rout in extra time with a close range header to make it 7-0.

Next week, Rangers will return to Ibrox to host Elgin City FC in league action. Rangers won the first meeting back in August, 3-1.

Rangers: Alexander (7.4), Argyriou (8.6), Perry (8.7), Cribari (9.0), Wallace (8.5), Hutton (8.1), MacLeod (9.2), Black (8.9); McKay (84th), Templeton (9.2), Shiels (9.5), McCulloch (9.6)
Subs: Gallacher, Cole, Little, Hegarty
Booked: Cribari

Clyde: Blanchard (5.9), Brown (6.9), Marsh (5.8); Woodburn (57th - 6.8), Lyden (6.5), I. Campbell (5.3), Gray (5.2), Green (5.2), G. Campbell (6.6); Oliver (45th - 6.7), MacBeth (6.5), Graham (5.7), R. Campbell (5.2)
Subs: Barclay, Ritchie, McCluskey
Booked: R. Campbell

Match Stats
Possession: Rangers 56%, Clyde 44%
Shots: Rangers 18, Clyde 11
On Target: Rangers 10, Clyde 4
Scoring Chances: Rangers 6, Clyde 2
Fouls: Rangers 10, Clyde 3
Corners: Rangers 9, Clyde 7

Third Division Round Up
With five matches played and 14 goals scored, the best viewing was to be found at Broadwood Stadium where a crowd of 6,554 witnessed Clyde's heavy 0-7 defeat against Rangers. The highlight of that match being a superb hat trick for Rangers' Lee McCulloch.

Elsewhere, two goals from Leighton McIntosh inspired a win for the away team during Stirling's 1-3 defeat against Montrose and Martin Bavidge scored the best of the goals in Berwick's 0-2 defeat against Peterhead with a powerful effort.

Clyde are currently lying in 7th place in the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division. Clyde have lost four of their last five games in the league.

A total of 8,298 supporters were out in force around the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Reserve matches....they are supposed to allow a way to get players coming back from injury a chance to get some game action, or your first teamers who are also back ups some run as well as a chance for the youngsters to take a step up in class. With Francisco Sandaza and Sebastien Faure both back in training from their respective injuries, I thought the reserves match against Annan would be the perfect opportunity for them to get some game action.

Now I've got Tommy and Pip in my office telling me that both of them got hurt.

"Tommy, how did we lose that match?"

"Well boss, couldn't get a shot on target. Ten shots, only 3 made it to the keeper and he saved them all."

Apparently, the reserves are having the same problem as the first team...launching balls into the crowd.

"Pip, what's the word on Sebastien and Francisco?"

"Well the good news for Sebastien is its just a deep bruise. He should be back in a week or so. Francisco on the other hand sprained his elbow. He's out two to three weeks...minimum."

I'm starting to feel bad for Francisco. Broke his collarbone in a freak incident in training and missed nearly two months of action. And just when we thought we were going to get him ready to go, he sprains his elbow in reserves action and could be out another month. We're supposed to be paying him 250,000 pounds a year to score goals....not hang out in the physio room.

[jasontoddwhitt]

It wasn't pretty, but Rangers picked up their 11th straight victory in league action with a 3-2 victory over Elgin City. Ian Black was on fire for Rangers, playing a superb match and notching two goals from his midfield position, including what ended up being the game winner in the 64th minute.

Unfortunately for Rangers, they will be without center back Emilson Cribari for at least three weeks after he twisted his knee in the match. Rangers will also be without Anestis Argyriou, as he picked up two yellow cards today and will be suspended for Rangers next match.

Injury Report
Pip Yeates has reported that there are still a few injury problems persisting within the Rangers squad.

Sébastien Faure (bruised thigh) is very close to a return to full fitness and could be ready for the Third Division match against Peterhead on Saturday.

Emílson Cribari (twisted knee) and Francisco Sandaza (damaged elbow) are still a couple of weeks away from returning to full training. The Third Division match against Queen's Park on Saturday 8th December and the Reserves match against Queen's Park Reserves on Wednesday 5th December could be considered realistic targets for a possible return.

We have also received an injury update on Kane Hemmings (torn knee ligaments) from his specialist. Kane's rehab is moving along and it looks to be another four to eight weeks for the striker.