Latest news with #Lovenkrands
Glasgow Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Peter Lovenkrands on why he left Rangers for Schalke
The Danish footballer, who was a fan favourite at Ibrox, left for Schalke on a free transfer in 2006. He had just finished a successful season, scoring 18 goals, including four in the Champions League. Despite his impressive performance, Lovenkrands said he was given no indication that he was wanted at the club. He said on Open Goal: "When I was leaving, I got a phone call. "David Murray brings me up to the office and basically says, 'Le Guen is on the phone, wants to talk to you'. Read more: "And I went, 'right, okay'. "So I've got the phone, and he basically said to me, 'if you stay, great, if you don't, I'll just get someone else'. "And I'll never forget that sentence. "It was like, 'I've just scored four goals in the Champions League, 18 goals in the season, and you don't want me to stay? "There was no 'we want you to stay', or whatever, to try and convince you to stay. "It was literally like a hit in the stomach. "If you stay - great. If you don't - I'll just get someone else" @lovenkrands11 on the conversation with incoming @RangersFC Manager Paul Le Guen that decided his exit from Ibrox. Full Podcast 📺⚽️ #Rangers — Open Goal (@opengoalsport) June 25, 2025 "It was like 'okay, I don't like this. "It doesn't need to sound like he wants me to stay'." Lovenkrands revealed that even after agreeing a deal with Schalke, he gave ex-chief executive Martin Bain a chance to make him stay. However, he claimed he was stonewalled again. The Dane said: "I agreed the deal but I had to go and do my medical. "Went across to the hospital, done my medical. "On my way back from the medical to sign the deal, I phoned Martin Bain and said 'That's me just done my medical at Schalke, I'm away to sign the deal. "Is there anything you want to say to me? "He was like 'good luck'. "If he'd said 'we'll match it' or 'we'll offer you this', I would have went straight on the plane back. "But he just said 'good luck' and that was it." During his time at Rangers, the left-footed attacker, who could play wide or centrally, was a big favourite at the club and scored several important goals.
Daily Record
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
I'm an ex Rangers star who conned a referee to get my arch Celtic rival sent off as payback
It's one of the most infamous incidents in the history of the great Glasgow rivals Peter Lovenkrands has revealed his old Celtic sparring partner wound him up so much - that he feigned injury to get him sent off. Hoops legend Alan Thompson was infamously red-carded for "head-butting" his Rangers rival during a powderkeg derby at Ibrox in 2004. The Danish winger dramatically tumbled to the deck clutching his face but TV replays showed minimal contact. Furious Parkhead boss Martin O'Neill appealed the decision but, surprisingly, the SFA decided against overturning the ban. Lovenkrands was hooked at half-time by Alex McLeish after being accused of falling theatrically in his face-off with Thompson - who he later worked with at Newcastle. But speaking 20 years on from the incident, Lovenkrands revealed why he conned referee Kenny Clark during the fiery affair, which Gers won 2-0. "Me and Alan Thompson had a big rivalry", he told Open Goal. "He was after me. He was always trying to get inside my head. "I think it was tactical from their point of view to try and get me off my game. I'm a young boy, try to get in my head and by physical. "He was always after me on the pitch and giving me all sorts of abuse. I got him sent off at Ibrox, that famous thing when I went down and got him off. "It was literally just because me and him and this rivalry and it was my chance to get him back. That was the only reason why I did it. "It was just, I need to get him off here because it's the only way I'm going to get him back. There were rivalries all over the pitch." 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. We're also on WhatsApp, where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Scottish Sun
24-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Rangers chief Murray ordered my agent to leave then asked me what it would take to sign – here's what I told him
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIR DAVID Murray was known for splashing the cash when he was the main man at Rangers. And one former Ibrox star has opened up on the moment he ordered his agent and his dad OUT of the room when he was in talks to sign for the club - before he made a demand of his own. 5 Sir David Murray at his desk during his time at Rangers Credit: PA:Press Association 5 Peter Lovenkrands has opened up on the negotiations he had with Murray 5 He made a huge demand of Murray to seal his deal to Ibrox Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing - The Sun Glasgow When Murray bought Gers for £6million in 1988, he set about ensuring the Glasgow giants became the dominant force in Scottish football. The Light Blues won nine league titles in a row in the nineties but Murray wanted to make an impact in Europe too and by the turn of the decade the spending was out of control. In their heyday Rangers attracted the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Mark Hateley and Brian Laudrup to Govan. And it was the latter's star turns at Ibrox that played a huge part in compatriot Peter Lovenkrands coming to Gers. Murray famously vowed "For every five pounds Celtic spend, we will spend ten," and when he was trying to convince Lovenkrands to choose Rangers over Newcastle of the Premier League, he showed he was prepared to open his wallet. Lovenkrands - who actually supported Rangers growing up because of the Laudrup link - sat down for talks with Murray, his agent and his dad as they prepared to thrash out a deal. But Murray shook things up when he demanded to speak to the player alone to talk finances. And the young striker decided to test the water by asking for a whopping £100,000 signing on fee. Murray relented - but still offered him a HUGE five-figure sum. Lovenkrands recalled the incident on the Open Goal podcast, saying: "I went to meet David Murray the day after I toured Ibrox and he immediately asked what was happening. New Rangers chiefs Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe's first interview "'Are you signing?' he asked. "I hummed, and then this is the funny story. "He said to my agent and my dad 'I need you two to walk out, I need to talk to Peter.' "So they walked out. And this is where the ruthlessness in my head comes from. "He looked at me and asked me what it would take to sign. "In my head, the deal was already great and I had no idea what to do here. "I said 'Give me a hundred grand signing on fee, I'll sign'. "His face dropped. "As soon as I said it I wanted to catch the words and put them back. "He looked at me and said 'I don't have to give you anything, but I'll give you 50 (grand). "So I shook his hand and said 'Deal!'. "That was the deal done and I then went off to do the medical." When Lovenkrands told his counsel what he said, they were shocked. He said: "I told them what I did and they said 'Are you serious? Did you say that?!' 5 "Looking back I think what was I doing, but it worked. "That was my thought process back then, I was just different." Of course, little did Murray know just how much Rangers meant to Lovenkrands and his dad. Indeed, his parents used to fly from Denmark to Scotland to watch Laudrup in action for Gers and would regularly holiday in the Scottish Highlands. After seeing his son sign on the dotted line, Lovenkrands Snr became emotional. "My dad was crying in the tunnel when I had the scarf above my head," he revealed. "It just meant so much to us." 5 Lovenkrands and fellow 2000 signings Kenny Miller, Fernando Ricksen, Allan Johnston and Paul Ritchie Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The National
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Rangers told to follow Celtic example & avoid transfer mistake
The pair eventually departed the club for free, despite giving so much over the years and proving crucial players, particularly in the 2020/21 campaign. Lovenkrands doesn't want the same to happen with current Ibrox star Nicolas Raskin, who has been a standout midfielder this campaign, making his senior Belgium debut in March. Read more: Indeed, the Dane wants his old team to take the transfer example set by their city rivals Celtic: "I think he's [Raskin] one who's proven it," he said. "He's been fantastic. Definitely, Rangers' player of the year. He's been fantastic in what he's been doing. But again, Rangers are in a situation right now where it's not like Celtic. "They've [Celtic] had good players but as soon as they've done great, they sell them on and they get a lot of money. And they're doing great at that. They've been doing this for years. "Rangers right now, when we've had good players and they're doing great, we've not sold them. They've kept a hold of them and they've messed up the deals. "Guys like Morelos and Kent, they've not got the money for them when they probably should have. "And that's for me the problem right now. So you need to look at the bigger picture of Raskin. Are you going to sell him now, or are you going to try and build around him? "He's a young boy, but also, you need money. So where are you going to get the money from if you don't sell him?" Quizzed on how much he thinks the 24-year-old is worth, Lovenkrands couldn't give a definitive verdict. He said: "I don't know. It depends on what league is looking at him. If it's Premier League, you can always put a wee bit extra on top. "But if it's not, then you look somewhere else. Then I don't know. He's definitely the most valuable for me."
Scottish Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers need to be more like Celtic when it comes to Nico Raskin, either build around him or FLOG him now says Gers icon
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PETER LOVENKRANDS says it's time to make Nico Raskin Rangers' linchpin — or flog him. The Belgian has shone despite a season of disappointment for Gers. 3 Nico Raskin heads home to score and celebrates but VAR disallows his goal Credit: Willie Vass 3 Peter Lovenkrands celebrates a famous Champions League goal in Villarreal Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow But ex-Ibrox striker Lovenkrands reckons his old club have made a mess of not selling their best players when their stock is rising and reckons they either need to decide to build a new-look team around the 24-year-old — or sell him on for a hefty profit. The Dane said: 'Raskin is definitely Rangers' player of the year. 'But they're not like Celtic, who've had good players, but as soon as they've done well they sell and make money. 'They've done this for years and are great at it. 'When we've had good players and they're doing great, we haven't sold. 'Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, they've not got the money for them when they probably should've. 'For me, that's the problem right now. 'You need to look at the bigger picture of Raskin. 'Do you sell him now, or are you going to try to build around him? 'He is a young boy, but you also need money. So where are you going to get the money from if you don't sell him?' Kris Boyd explains why Celtic striker Adam Idah and Rangers' Cyriel Dessers are similar players Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises are close to a takeover which will bring sweeping change at Ibrox. A new boss is their priority but Lovenkrands insists there needs to be a major improvement in the squad. He said: 'A lot of players are going to go and you need new ones in — they must challenge Celtic next season. 'There has to be a step up. but with fair play rules, it won't be easy.' 3 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
