Latest news with #AlexMcLeish
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rangers spy delivers Club Brugge intel as specific threats to Champions League objective must be eliminated
Thomas Buffel will be back in Glasgow to catch up with some old team mates as Rangers tackle Club Brugge on Tuesday. He'll likely meet up with Barry Ferguson, Nacho Novo and Alex Rae amongst others ahead of sitting down for the first leg of the pressure pot play-off for a spot in the Champions League. Together the quartet were a key part of the Gers side that stormed to the last 16 of the competition under Alex McLeish 20 years ago - agonisingly crashing out to the La Liga side on away goals after a 2-2 draw at Ibrox was followed by a 1-1 draw in Spain. READ MORE: Nico Raskin given Rangers transfer advice as former mentor tells club what Belgian needs from them READ MORE: I know what Russell Martin's Rangers credibility really depends on before Champions League – Hugh Keevins That run remains one of Buffel's career highlights. But times have changed, the competition has changed, and these days Rangers are doing well just to reach the main stage never mind the knockouts. A place in that league phase, worth £40m, is the prize on offer as Russell Martin's side take on Buffel's hometown club over the next 10 days. And while the 44-year-old might be born and bred in the Belgian town, a part of his heart still remains in Govan where he spent four seasons, winning a league and cup double in 2005. For that reason - or maybe it's more to do with his two spells at rivals Cercle Brugge - Buffel had no problem lifting the lid on the threat that faces Rangers come 8pm on Tuesday. He reckons the tie is too tight to call. But one thing is for sure - Rangers will need to be on their mettle in the wide areas. He told MailSport: 'I've not seen enough of Rangers this season under the new manager to say who I think will win. But it will be a close one I'm sure. 'I've seen more of Brugge. I saw the games against Genk and Salzburg, 'They like to play attacking football. They try to have a clear build-up with the wing-backs going high to pin the defence of the other team. 'Then they have the wingers coming inside between the lines. They have three midfielders with a lot of rotation to drive the ball and go deep. 'It's sometimes difficult to have a good press on them. If you are scared from the wing-backs going high and you go back with your own wingers, then they are going to sit deep also. 'If you don't have a good transition game then it's difficult to play against them.' The hype surrounding Brugge's Portuguese wide man Carlos Forbs hit new levels this week when captain Hans Vanaken claimed he's 'practically impossible to defend against'. That duo both netted in the last seven minutes as Brugge dramatically dumped RB Salzburg 4-2 on aggregate to set up the do-or-die double header with Rangers. And Buffel - who worked directly with striker Romero Vermont while Belgium U21 coach - said: 'The winger Forbs is a new player who has come from Ajax. 'He did quite a good job against Salzburg. He was fast but also without the ball he runs and you have Vanaken who can pass it through. 'They also have Christos Tzolis on the other side who has a good shot coming inside and dribbling and trying to find the far corner. You have to make sure you can block that. 'Then they have the striker Vermont, a young lad. 'I had him with my U21 team. He is a guy who works a lot and gives a lot of pressure. 'He can hold off a ball. He is not the one who is going to make a dribble on you but he can be clinical with a one touch finish. He is ruthless in that. 'He can come in front of his men and try to score. He is dangerous also. 'Brugge certainly have a lot of young talent throughout their squad. 'Of course the media will speak about the atmosphere of Ibrox and Scottish football. 'But actually if you have to compare a team in Belgium who also have these fanatic supporters and home crowds, it is also Brugge. 'Ibrox is still maybe a step higher but still I think they will not really be influenced by that I think. 'I'm actually coming over to watch the game. I'll hopefully see some friends, Nacho Novo, sometimes Barry is there and Alex Rae. 'I know the two sides drew 2-2 in a pre-season friendly. But I don't think too much can be read into that because both teams have changed quite a lot since.' Buffel left his position as manager of Jong Genk earlier this year and is looking for his next opportunity in coaching. But turning the clock back, he has fond memories of his playing days in Glasgow after signing from Feyenoord in 2005. He said: 'The Champions League qualification when I scored against Famagusta to qualify is one of my favourite memories. 'We reached the last 16, qualifying from a group that had Inter Milan and Porto and even against Villarreal in the last 16 we had chances to go further. We were so unlucky. 'But that year had magical nights at Ibrox and again when we saw the number of fans travelling to support the team. 'Also getting to the final of the UEFA Cup in 2008, that was great, although I didn't play too much because I was coming back from a double knee injury. 'I loved my time in Glasgow. That's why I like to go back and watch these big games.'
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Celtic attempt to conquer country Scottish clubs always lose
The Hoops face a marathon 3,536-mile, 11-hour trek from Glasgow to Almaty in the Champions League play-off round against Kairat Almaty. Scottish clubs have a nightmare record in Kazakhstan and have lost on five of the seven occasions, drawing twice. Celtic have been in Kazakhstan on three occasions, but each time it was in Astana. In 2013, they crashed to a 2-0 defeat to Shakhter Karagandy, who had moved their game to the capital. Three years later, Celtic salvaged a 1-1 draw against FC Astana, and a year later, Celtic lost 4-3 in the away match to the same opponents, although the tie was wrapped up after a 5-0 home victory. Scotland also suffered a defeat under Alex McLeish six years ago when they were destroyed 3-0 in Astana. Three Scottish teams have also played 770 miles to the east in Almaty. Aberdeen lost 2-1 to Kairat Almaty ten years ago in the Europa League when a Kenny McLean goal wasn't enough for Derek McInnes' team, who could only draw 1-1 at Pittodrie in the return and were eliminated. Scotland Under 21s have twice played there in the past three years - they drew 2-2 in 2022 and last October, they lost 3-2 despite a goal from Udinese star Lennon Miller, when a win would have seen them qualify for the Euros play-offs.
The Herald Scotland
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
The Kazakhstan hex Celtic will attempt to smash in UCL tie
But Scottish clubs have a nightmare record in the former Soviet outpost in Asia and have lost on five of the seven occasions and drawn twice. Celtic have been in Kazakhstan on three occasions, but each time it was in Astana. In 2013, they crashed to a disastrous 2-0 defeat to Shakhter Karagandy, who had moved their game to the capital. Three years later, Celtic did at least salvage a 1-1 draw against FC Astana, and a year later, Celtic lost 4-3 in the away match to the same opponents, although the tie was wrapped up after a 5-0 home victory. Read more: Scotland also suffered an infamous defeat under Alex McLeish six years ago when they were destroyed 3-0 also in Astana. And three Scottish teams have also played 770 miles to the east in Almaty too. Aberdeen lost 2-1 to Kairat Almaty ten years ago in the Europa League when a Kenny McLean goal wasn't enough for Derek McInnes' team, who could only draw 1-1 at Pittodrie in the return and were eliminated. And Scotland Under 21s have twice played there in the past three years - they drew 2-2 in 2022 when current Celtic scout Peter Houston took charge of the team because manager Scot Gemmill was suffering from Covid in a match with floodlight failure. And last October, they lost 3-2 at the crumbling Almaty Ortalyk Stadium despite a wonder striker from new Udinese star Lennon Miller, when a win would have seen them qualify for the Euros play-offs.
The National
6 days ago
- Sport
- The National
The Kazakhstan hex Celtic will attempt to smash in UCL tie
The Hops face a marathon 3,536-mile, 11-hour trek from Glasgow in the Champions League play-off round against Kairat Almaty as they bid to reach the league stage. But Scottish clubs have a nightmare record in the former Soviet outpost in Asia and have lost on five of the seven occasions and drawn twice. Celtic have been in Kazakhstan on three occasions, but each time it was in Astana. In 2013, they crashed to a disastrous 2-0 defeat to Shakhter Karagandy, who had moved their game to the capital. Three years later, Celtic did at least salvage a 1-1 draw against FC Astana, and a year later, Celtic lost 4-3 in the away match to the same opponents, although the tie was wrapped up after a 5-0 home victory. Read more: Scotland also suffered an infamous defeat under Alex McLeish six years ago when they were destroyed 3-0 also in Astana. And three Scottish teams have also played 770 miles to the east in Almaty too. Aberdeen lost 2-1 to Kairat Almaty ten years ago in the Europa League when a Kenny McLean goal wasn't enough for Derek McInnes' team, who could only draw 1-1 at Pittodrie in the return and were eliminated. And Scotland Under 21s have twice played there in the past three years - they drew 2-2 in 2022 when current Celtic scout Peter Houston took charge of the team because manager Scot Gemmill was suffering from Covid in a match with floodlight failure. And last October, they lost 3-2 at the crumbling Almaty Ortalyk Stadium despite a wonder striker from new Udinese star Lennon Miller, when a win would have seen them qualify for the Euros play-offs.
Daily Record
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
I spent six months at Rangers after turning down Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan but now I am finally home
One former France star enjoyed a successful six-month stint at Ibrox during Alex McLeish's reign Rangers fans are aiming for the stars following the takeover from Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises group, who have already pledged £20million to Russell Martin's transfer kitty this summer. And Ibrox diehards will also be dreaming of a return to the summer of 2004, where they defeated strong competition from around the continent to land one of Europe's hottest commodities at the time. French defender Jean-Alain Boumsong had been a long-term target for the late Gerard Houllier at Liverpool and had also been strongly linked with Arsene Wenger's Arsenal and San Siro giants Inter Milan when he rocked up at Murray Park 21 years ago. Boumsong was widely expected to make the move to Anfield on a free transfer from Auxerre at the end of his contract, but thanks to the work of his Monaco-based Scottish agent Willie McKay, it was Alex McLeish 's Rangers who won his signature. And while the 27-time France cap only ended up seeing out six months of the five year contract he signed, few players have made a level of impact at Rangers that the centre back did in such a short time frame. The now 45-year-old scored two goals in 27 appearances for the Light Blues before he was snapped up by Ibrox hero Graeme Souness at Newcastle for £8million in January 2005, making Rangers a more than tidy profit on their investment. Despite his premature exit, the defender's 18 league appearances for the club where enough to see him granted with a Premiership winners' medal when a last-gasp brace from Motherwell's Scott McDonald handed Gers the title at the expense of bitter rivals Celtic. After 18 months with the Magpies, Boumsong then moved to Italy to join Turin powerhouses Juventus, who had just been sent down to Serie B in wake of the Calciopoli scandal that stripped them of their top-flight title from the previous season. Boumsong then winded down his playing career with Lyon and Panathinaikos - winning a Ligue 1 championship with the former - before hanging up his boots in 2013. The 2003 Confederations Cup winner then enjoyed a five-year stint as a TV pundit for beinIN Sports before going into coaching as assistant of the Cameroon national team but his spell in the country of his birth would last just 12 months. However, Boumsong has now returned to Auxerre - where he scored the winning goal in the 2003 Coupe de France final against Paris Saint-Germain - as number two to boss Christophe Pelissier and is delighted to see his career come full circle. Speaking to L'Yonne Reublicane, he said: "My home. So many memories have come flooding back. "More than 20 years ago, I took the same route to start my first session at AJA. Monday, it was pretty much the same emotion." You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. here and our Celtic community here.
