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divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/40679?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Cash+flow+crisis+at+hard-up+Heartsch=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Hearts+%28Football+club%29%2CScottish+Premier+League%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_12_06c8=1129904c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Heartsc13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FHearts” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpHeart of Midlothian have insisted their second wage crisis of the season had been resolved yesterday, despite an ongoing issue over the payment of win bonuses./ppAll but six of the Hearts playing staff received their weekly pay on Monday, three days late. Those six players, among whom are the highest earners at the club, agreed to have their salaries deferred amid cash-flow problems with the Ukio Bankas Investment Group, Hearts’ Lithuania-based parent company./ppBasic salary payments for the entire squad are now up to date, but attempts from board level to implement a new, incentive-based bonus structure mean none of them have been paid for the last four of Hearts’ five wins in succession./pp”The bonuses have not been paid at the moment,” confirmed the midfielder Michael Stewart. “The wages have been but the bonus situation is under discussion. At the start of the season, the new management wanted to implement a bonus scheme which the board accepted. Three weeks ago, there was discussion about renegotiating that. Having spoken to the hierarchy, we have been assured that the bonuses will be paid very shortly.”/ppStewart and his team-mates held talks with senior club officials before training yesterday morning in a bid to clarify Hearts’ financial position. The mood thereafter, publicly at least, was positive. “This club pays players weekly, which is different from any other club I know of,” added Stewart. “If you miss your wages one week and receive double a week later, it is no big deal and not all doom and gloom as is portrayed in the media. Money is not the be-all and end-all in life.”/ppHearts are adamant the current situation is short-term. It will be remedied in part by an upcoming pound;350,000 payment from Sunderland when Craig Gordon, the goalkeeper who moved from Tynecastle last August, makes his 50th appearance. Player departures are likely in January and next summer, when 24 of the Hearts squad are out of contract./ppCeltic’s manager, Gordon Strachan, yesterday collected the Scottish Premier League’s manager of the month award for November. The league leaders travel to Hibernian tomorrow./pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/hearts”Hearts/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/li/ul/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a
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Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/56767?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Six+Hearts+players+hit+by+wages+delaych=Footballc3=guardian.co.ukc4=Hearts+%28Football+club%29%2CScottish+Premier+League%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_12_04c8=1129071c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Heartsc13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FHearts” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpHeart of Midlothian’s players face uncertainty over whether or not they will receive their weekly wages tomorrow because of serious cash flow problems at the club’s parent company./ppWages did not arrive in players’ bank accounts last Friday, a matter which was resolved for all but six of the squad on Monday. Those six, among whom are the highest earners at Tynecastle, agreed following talks with the club’s sport director, Anatoly Korobochka, to have their salaries deferred until cash issues at the Lithuania-based Ukio Bankas Investment Group are rectified. In September, a similar wage delay occurred./ppThere are no guarantees any of the players will be paid again today and a club official was “hopeful” rather than certain of wages arriving on time./ppHearts insiders say the club should alleviate problems by selling at least one player during the January transfer window. Bids are understood to already have been received for first-team players including Laryea Kingston, who has interested Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers. Christophe Berra, Hearts’ biggest asset, has been linked with Fulham./ppThe present scenario will be embarrassing for Vladimir Romanov, who controls both Hearts and UBIG. Documentation passed to the Guardian shows a UBIG director’s attempts to offer Hearts hospitality and sponsorship as an alternative to paying a £10,000 bill in Edinburgh./ppHearts, meanwhile, are suffering on account of handing exorbitant contracts to players in the last three years. As it stands, 10 of a squad which exceeds 60 account for 50% of the wage bill. Within the last month, Hearts have started paying their players directly from Lithuania, Previously, money was transferred via the club’s current account with Halifax Bank of Scotland./ppOn the field, Csaba Laszlo has guided the Edinburgh outfit to five victories in a row and third place in the Scottish Premier League./pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/hearts”Hearts/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/li/ul/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a
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Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/72221?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Scots+wary+of+co-hosting+Eurosch=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Football%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+usefulc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_12_04c8=1128443c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=c13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2F” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpThe Scottish Football Association has urged caution over suggestions that it will bid to host the 2016 European Championship. The SFA and its counterpart from Wales will hold talks in February over whether to progress with a formal proposal at an International Football Association Board meeting. /ppCrucial to those discussions, though, will be confirmation from Uefa in the coming weeks about its criteria for hosting major tournaments./ppAs it stands, only four grounds between the two countries - the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Glasgow’s Hampden Park, Celtic Park and Ibrox - have a 30,000-plus capacity, the figure stipulated for previous championships. Either that has to be lowered by European football’s governing body or other grounds in Scotland and Wales - Cardiff City’s new stadium, the Liberty Stadium in Swansea plus Tynecastle and Easter Road in Edinburgh - would have to undergo redevelopment./ppA further complication could be raised by the Euros’ proposed expansion to 24 teams. That would require 10, rather than the present eight, venues to host matches./pp”As we’ve always said, we would love to host the European Championship in Scotland,” the SFA said in a statement. “However, we realise it’s a huge undertaking and, as far as 2016 goes, we simply couldn’t host it by ourselves. If there was a feeling that a bid was a possibility, we would then commission a feasibility study.”/ppThere is almost no possibility, as had been suggested, of Northern Ireland joining the bidding process. If Scotland and Wales decide to progress after February, they will have as little as four months to fully prepare the bid./ppThe fortunes of Poland and Ukraine, much-criticised joint hosts of Euro 2012, will affect Uefa’s attitude to subsequent shared bids. France is expected to tender for the 2016 tournament while Spain, /ppSweden and Norway have also expressed an early interest./pa href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a
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Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/88886?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Nakamura+agrees+to+stay+at+Celtic+until+end+of+seasonch=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Celtic+%28Football+club%29%2CDundee+United+%28Football+club%29%2CRangers+%28Football+club%29%2CScottish+Premier+League%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_12_02c8=1127629c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Celticc13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FCeltic” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpShunsuke Nakamura will remain a Celtic player until his contract expires in June, after a combination of the Scottish champions’ desire to keep him and economic troubles in Japan ended thoughts of a January move to Yokohama Marinos./ppNakamura had been expected to return home to Japan and Yokohama, the club where he started his professional career, in January. However, the J-League club’s hopes of raising £3m to tempt Celtic to part with their playmaker have been ended by the heavy decline in profits suffered by Nissan, their parent company. That, added to Celtic’s reluctance to sell, resulted in an agreement between the player’s agent, Roberto Takuda, and the Parkhead club’s chief executive, Peter Lawwell, following talks on Monday./ppYokohama will now wait until the summer to re-sign Nakamura as a free agent. His family, though, are likely to head home in March with the 30-year-old’s son due to begin school in Japan then./ppCeltic have always privately stressed their intention to retain the former Scotland player of the year as they seek a fourth championship in succession. Yet a series of injuries, loss of form and Celtic’s elimination from Europe last week prompted speculation that Nakamura would depart before the season ended. That will not now be the case and, by happy chance, Nakamura has displayed his finest form of the season in the past fortnight./ppDundee United’s manager, Craig Levein, has signed a new contract which will run until May 2012. Levein recently declined the opportunity to discuss the vacant managerial position at Watford./pp”I thoroughly enjoy working at this club and I’m genuinely excited about the future prospects for the squad of players we now have,” said Levein, who has had spells in charge at Hearts and Leicester City./ppThe Rangers manager, Walter Smith, expects to have Kenny Miller, Steven Davis and Sasa Papac all available for Hamilton’s visit to Ibrox on Saturday./pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/celtic”Celtic/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/dundeeunited”Dundee United/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/rangers”Rangers/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/li/ul/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a
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Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/57084?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Hearts+give+Rangers+palpitationsch=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Scottish+Premier+League%2CHearts+%28Football+club%29%2CRangers+%28Football+club%29%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_11_30c8=1126564c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Scottish+Premier+Leaguec13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FScottish+Premier+League” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpstrong/strongThe domestic fortunes of Rangers and Celtic could hardly be in further contrast since the Ibrox club inflicted an Old Firm defeat on their city rivals on August 31./ppYesterday’s defeat means Rangers have haemorrhaged 10 points in the past three months. Celtic’s run of 12 league wins in a row, the latest coming by a single goal against Inverness, means they hold a useful seven-point lead at the top. The revival of Walter Smith’s Rangers has, in short, stalled; Celtic are well on course for a fourth championship in succession./pp”It certainly means that in the three Old Firm games that are left, the pressure is heaped firmly on to ourselves,” Smith conceded. “As I’ve said all along, we have a big enough group of players and that group of players have to handle the situation that we’re in.”/ppWhether they can remains open to conjecture. Rangers were swatted aside in the first half when goals from Marius Zaliukas and Laryea Kingston underlined Hearts’ superiority. Rangers were offered hope by a Christos Karipidis own goal but even that and the dismissal of the home side’s Lee Wallace after 75 minutes could not prompt a Rangers comeback./ppSmith was missing the key duo of Kenny Miller and Steven Davis. None the less, his summer signings are struggling. Pedro Mendes was comfortably outshone in midfield by his Portuguese compatriot, Bruno Aguiar, while Kyle Lafferty, an expensive arrival from Burnley, appears completely lost in his new surroundings./ppSuch shortcomings should not detract from Hearts’ fifth straight league win, which arrived amid difficult circumstances. The Tynecastle playing staff did not receive their weekly wages as due on Friday, the second time that has occurred this season. Hearts insist the matter will be resolved today and on the field manager Csaba Laszlo has impressively guided his players to their best run since those heady days under George Burley in 2005./pp”OK, the wages are delayed, but we are professional,” said Hearts captain Christophe Berra. “If players came here today with that on their mind then those are the types of players you don’t want. We don’t have players like that. The money has been processed and we have been assured we will get it on Monday. It is not a concern, we will just enjoy our victory.”/ppWhisper it, but at this rate third-placed Hearts may be a bigger danger to Rangers than the Ibrox club are to Celtic./ppstrongMan of the match/strong Christophe Berra (Hearts)/pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/hearts”Hearts/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/rangers”Rangers/a/li/ul/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a
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Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/23715?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Celtic+hit+back+at+%27over+the+top%27+criticism+after+European+exitch=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Celtic+%28Football+club%29%2CScottish+Premier+League%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_11_29c8=1126081c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Celticc13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FCeltic” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpCeltic hit back yesterday at suggestions that their elimination from Europe at the hands of Aalborg on Tuesday is endemic of declining standards, not only at Parkhead but throughout Scottish football./ppScotland will have no European representation beyond Christmas with Rangers, Motherwell and Queen of the South having been knocked out. Celtic have reached the Champions League last 16 in the last two seasons and their city rivals also took part in the Uefa Cup final in May, yet criticism has been fierce./pp”Sometimes it is easy to criticise,” said the midfielder Paul Hartley. “If you look at the Champions League, there are a dozen top teams who spend millions and millions of pounds each year. We are trying to compete with that, which is obviously difficult because of the gulf in finances. /pp”I think the criticism has been over the top, look at what Scottish teams did in Europe last season.”/ppHartley was backed by his manager, Gordon Strachan. After reeling off a list of teams Celtic have defeated in the last two years - Manchester United, Milan and Benfica among them - Strachan pointed to fine margins at football’s top level./pp”The hurt was huge on Tuesday but we get on with it,” he said. “We have a lot going for us. The media can start wars and cloud people’s judgments. The defining moments in the Champions League are incredible. It is incredible how you can go from having two points to having 10.”/ppStrachan also refused to criticise his board for not handing him increased transfer funds. “In the times of the credit crunch, a lot of clubs could have big problems. We are nowhere near that. We are safe as houses, the club’s future is secure.”/ppCeltic attempt to get back on track as Inverness visit this afternoon. The game of the day, however, sees the third-placed Hearts tackle Rangers./pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/celtic”Celtic/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/li/ul/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a
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Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/64069?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Hearts+blame+%27blip%27+for+failure+to+pay+wagesch=Footballc3=guardian.co.ukc4=Hearts+%28Football+club%29%2CScottish+Premier+League%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_11_28c8=1126170c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Heartsc13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FHearts” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpHeart of Midlothian failed to pay their players their weekly salaries today, the second time such an incident has occurred this season, but the club insist the matter will be resolved on Monday./ppHearts’ players, who receive their salaries every week rather than monthly as is common at football clubs, discovered this afternoon that no wage payments had been received. a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/sep/23/hearts.scottishpremierleague” title=”"The same affair occurred in September/a, with the club blaming a “glitch” for the delay on that occasion; the monies were eventually paid a week late./ppThis time, Hearts say there has been a “blip” in the payment process. A club spokesperson said: “The funds are in place, the money has been transferred and will be in the players’ bank accounts on Monday morning.”/ppRoutinely but randomly, money is transferred from Hearts’ parent company, the Lithuania-based Ukio Bankas Investment Group, into an account with Halifax Bank of Scotland to cover costs./ppIn September, such monies had not arrived and the bank were unwilling to provide an overdraft of more than £100,000 given that they hold no security. A week ago, the off-field staff at the Edinburgh club were paid their monthly wages but now players’ salaries, which total about £90,000 a week, have not been forthcoming./pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/hearts”Hearts/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/li/ul/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a
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Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/20149?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Lucky+Boruc+stays+the+course++as+Celtic+feel+love+at+St+Mirrench=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Scottish+Premier+League%2CCeltic+%28Football+club%29%2CSt+Mirren+%28Football+club%29%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_11_24c8=1122847c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Scottish+Premier+Leaguec13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FScottish+Premier+League” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpIt was almost an ignominious comeback for Artur Boruc. Celtic’s colourful goalkeeper, returning on Saturday following knee surgery, was fortunate to last more than 15 minutes after a reckless challenge on Craig Dargo. The St Mirren striker had headed the ball beyond Boruc before the Pole took him out, 25 yards from goal./ppDargo was not prevented from having a clear goalscoring opportunity - Celtic had two players providing cover - but St Mirren’s manager, Gus MacPherson, rightly highlighted what appeared to be violent conduct. Photographs show that Boruc played Dargo rather than the ball./pp”If an outfield player makes a challenge like that, he would be expecting a red card,” said MacPherson. “It shouldn’t be any different for a goalkeeper. It was a professional foul and he should have been sent off.”/ppBoruc escaped with a yellow card, Celtic again benefiting from poor officiating. Eight days ago they were awarded a penalty at Hamilton for a foul that occurred outside the area. It has not been an auspicious season for Scottish referees./ppSt Mirren had been dominant before two Celtic goals in as many minutes - Georgios Samaras and Shunsuke Nakamura the scorers - settled matters on their last visit to Love Street. Cillian Sheridan tapped home a third, 10 minutes from time, with Jim Hamilton heading a consolation for the hosts./ppCeltic’s attention turns to tomorrow’s crucial Champions League meeting with Aalborg in Denmark. Only a victory, and the same for Manchester United over Villarreal, will keep alive the Scottish champions’ hopes of a place in the last 16. “This game is a last chance for both teams,” said Celtic’s Andreas Hinkel. “At Celtic Park, with the atmosphere, any team can struggle.”/ppstrongMan of the match:/strong Craig Dargo /pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/celtic”Celtic/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/stmirren”St Mirren/a/li/ul/divdiv class=”guRssAdvert”a href=”http://ads.guardian.co.uk/click.ng/richmedia=yessite=Footballcountry=nldspacedesc=rsssystem=rsstransactionID=1227488414454112401024538411″img src=”http://ads.guardian.co.uk/image.ng/richmedia=yessite=Footballcountry=nldspacedesc=rsssystem=rsstransactionID=1227488414454112401024538411″ border=”0″ //a/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a

Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/68296?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Mascherano+claims+Argentina+are+already+reaping+Maradona+effectch=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Argentina+football+team%2CDiego+Maradona%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Football+World+Cup%2CNot+commercially+usefulc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_11_21c8=1121576c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Argentinac13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FArgentina” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpJavier Mascherano believes Diego Maradona is already having a positive effect on Argentina. Maradona’s first game in charge was the comfortable 1-0 victory over Scotland at Hampden Park on Wednesday and the former World Cup winner has fostered a new sense of unity in the national side, says the Liverpool midfielder. /ppHaving been idolised as a player, Maradona had been considered by some as a figurehead rather than a hands-on influence for Argentina. Yet Mascherano, newly appointed as Maradona’s captain, has emphasised the 48-year-old’s qualities. “It has been an amazing experience,” he said of Maradona’s coaching debut. /pp”This is the first time that a [national] coach has pulled all of the players together. I am very happy with Maradona as a coach and a human. He includes each player in everything we do, it is the first time I have seen it like this. The key to the future now is that all players play for the national team as they do in their club sides.”/ppA troublesome World Cup qualifying campaign was part of the reasoning behind Maradona’s appointment last month. Argentina will seek to recover from their fourth position in the South American section, so Mascherano views victory in Glasgow as a significant step forward, albeit in a friendly match./pp”It was the most important thing to show to the people of Argentina that the players have a winning attitude,” he added. “Winning games at the moment is very important for our future. Now we have to improve but this is the start of a new era.”/ppMascherano laughed off the suggestion he would seek to take on another captain’s role, this time at Anfield. “That is impossible,” he said. “We have guys like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, born in Liverpool. I want to play for Liverpool, to try to do as well as possible and that will make me happy.”/ppIf Scotland and George Burley could take little in the way of encouragement from Wednesday’s encounter, the return of the captain Barry Ferguson after a year’s international absence was at least noteworthy. Ferguson, who has only recently returned to the Rangers team, too, following ankle surgery, played 59 minutes, a development which pleased Alan Hutton. “Barry is a massive influence both in the team and when around all the players,” said the Tottenham and former Rangers full-back. “It is great to have him back.”/pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/argentina”Argentina/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/diego-maradona”Diego Maradona/a/li/ul/divdiv class=”guRssAdvert”a href=”http://ads.guardian.co.uk/click.ng/richmedia=yessite=Footballcountry=nldspacedesc=rsssystem=rsstransactionID=1227226547152112100215136364″img src=”http://ads.guardian.co.uk/image.ng/richmedia=yessite=Footballcountry=nldspacedesc=rsssystem=rsstransactionID=1227226547152112100215136364″ border=”0″ //a/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a

Original post by Ewan Murray

divimg alt=”" src=”http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/32870?ns=guardianpageName=Football%3A+Murray+upset+by+Reid%27s+%27race%27+slurch=Footballc3=The+Guardianc4=Rangers+%28Football+club%29%2CCeltic+%28Football+club%29%2CScottish+Premier+League%2CFootball%2CSportc5=Not+commercially+useful%2CScottish+Footballc6=Ewan+Murrayc7=2008_11_21c8=1121577c9=articlec10=GUc11=Footballc12=Rangersc13=c14=h2=GU%2FFootball%2FRangers” width=”1″ height=”1″ //divpDavid Murray’s 20th anniversary as the owner of Rangers will be overshadowed by a row with the Celtic chairman John Reid. Murray, who this weekend will celebrate two decades at the Ibrox helm, has been upset by Reid’s outspoken criticism of “racist” and “bigoted” sections of the Rangers support. The Rangers chairman believes the former defence secretary has breached an unwritten rule by castigating the other half of the Old Firm from a position of authority./pp”I think that John has to remember that he’s not in the House of Commons now, haggling with people across the chamber,” Murray said. “We are now in the west of Scotland, in the world of Rangers and Celtic, and I think we all have a responsibility to act in a sensible manner./pp”The fact of the matter is, he can afford to be brave, because he doesn’t have to be voted in [to parliament] again. There is a strong argument, especially in the west of Scotland, that for a politician to become a chairman of a football club could be verging on a wee bit dangerous.”/ppReid hit back yesterday afternoon, issuing a statement which could easily be interpreted as facetious in nature. “We all want to be a little indulgent towards David at the time of his 20th anniversary,” he said. “But I am unsure about the points he is trying to make regarding inference and innuendo. I will continue to comment when appropriate without fear or favour. I know we all welcome David’s respect for Celtic’s traditions and we congratulate him on 20 years.”/ppReid was far from the ever-forthright Murray’s sole target as he looked back over his Ibrox tenure. He has entered talks within the last year aimed at selling Rangers – all of which have proved fruitless – but has stressed he remains willing to tackle his critics./pp”The option for any individual to go and put a non-de-plume on a website, and call me an asset-stripper and all these other things, without foundation, is totally wrong,” said the metals tycoon, who estimates he has ploughed more than £100m into his club. “If you’ve got a case, and you’ve got something to say, then be man enough to arrange to meet and say it. But I don’t think these guys have as much credence the media give them./pp”You know what? I identified some of these guys, and I met them. And they were like mice./pp”Never worry about my motivation and dedication. It is as much as anyone I know and I’ve still got that.”/ppMurray has also confirmed an “understanding” is in place within Ibrox that Ally McCoist will succeed Walter Smith as the Rangers manager. McCoist, Rangers’ all-time leading goalscorer, is currently Smith’s assistant./pp”It is an understanding,” said the chairman of McCoist replacing Smith, while adding there had been no need to date to discuss the matter formally. “I hope for him that he gets it. You wouldn’t have thought so 20 years ago but he’s a very strong boy. He has a strong mentality. He’s bright and he and [coach] Kenny [McDowall] are a good team.”/ppMurray’s biggest frustration relates to the financial disparity between the top leagues in Scotland and England, something which was not the case in 1988. He also claimed Paul Le Guen’s failure to understand Scottish football was the main factor in the Frenchman’s disastrous time as the Rangers manager./pp”I offered Le Guen money for players and when he said he didn’t want the money, that’s what started the alarm bells in my head,” he recalled. “It was his call. He made it easier by falling on his sword./pp”I don’t know if he had been tapped for the Paris St Germain job. He said he hadn’t. What made me think he had was when he didn’t take any money for going.”/pdiv style=”float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;”ullia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/rangers”Rangers/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/celtic”Celtic/a/lilia href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/scottishpremierleague”Scottish Premier League/a/li/ul/divdiv class=”guRssAdvert”a href=”http://ads.guardian.co.uk/click.ng/richmedia=yessite=Footballcountry=nldspacedesc=rsssystem=rsstransactionID=1227226547147112100215136364″img src=”http://ads.guardian.co.uk/image.ng/richmedia=yessite=Footballcountry=nldspacedesc=rsssystem=rsstransactionID=1227226547147112100215136364″ border=”0″ //a/diva href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk”guardian.co.uk/a copy; Guardian News Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our a href=”http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html”Terms Conditions/a | a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html”More Feeds/a

Original post by Ewan Murray