After a summer of constipation...

Although Rangers have been the busier. Another Spanish wonderkid in the Crosas mold, who no-one has heard of and like Crosas if he is this fantastic talent, why so cheap and why come to Rangers? Pedro Mendes is a good player and will contribute to a midfield incapable of a forward pass, although he might look for a bit too much time on the ball as quite a few have found coming into the SPL. He was the guy who had his face caved in by Ben Thatcher, check out this bad boy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5yp-7Y2HR8

Ugly Betty Cuellar has envoked the Santa Clause and parachuted down to Aston Villa. Which was appaling after the reassurances from the Chairman and Manager days before that he categorically would not be sold. Everyone at Ibrox is holding their hands up saying it wasn’t their fault and the Spanish pin-up worked his ticket. I’m no expert in public relations but was this clause written on the bottom of Carlos’ moisturiser? If that was in place, surely before making any promises to an already pissed off support it might be an idea to check with the player to see his intentions.

Cuellar is as good a defender as has played in the SPL in recent memory - a pivotal moment of the season was when he handballed Nakamura’s net-bound shot in the 2-1 game at Parkhead; until that point he was producing the best defensive performance I’d seen since John Kennedy at the Nou Camp. The balls that Robson and Nakamura were whipping in that night were virtually impossible to defend, invariably he cleared with some help from McCulloch. It really hacked me off at the time as it prevented Naka scoring two wonder goals in an old firm game but his red card was the main reason we won that game; there’s no way McDonald would have won that back post header if he’d still been on the park, plus he missed the next game, which was a massive factor in our victory that night and ultimately winning the title.

I find it strange that whenever Rangers have these question and answer sessions with the fans that Murray isn’t given a rougher ride. If Celtic had just been dumped out of Europe and were serving up the poor fair that Ibrox fans are enduring, our fans would have the torches and pitchforks out demanding someone’s head. Yet the questions seem to centre around lights in the bathroom or ticketing, when what really needs asked is what the chuff is happened to the money generated by the European run and the sale of Alan Hutton.

David Murray is a notoriously crabbit get and whenever he sticks his head above the parapet (which is becoming increasingly rare) he reacts very badly to any criticism whatsoever. Undoubtedly he is a charasmatic figure and I’m sure when face to face with him he would be an intimidating man to cross, but surely he needs given a rougher ride for the way his club has been handled in recent times. Every question is met with aggression and he, as usual, is blaming the media and further to that the internet for misinformation. The fact the he drip feeds his supporters very little and expects them to unite behind him against the evils of journalists who are always telling lies about poor Rangers is arrogant in the extreme.

The fact remains that the selling of Cuellar greatly weakens the Rangers squad and with Celtic nicking the ear-marked replacement they are really struggling in the centre of defence. Davie Weir had a great season but I think a lot of that was down to the quality of his partner. Pairing him with Dailly or Broadfoot would be a disaster. Bougherra looks a no-nonsense defender but does he have the pace to compensate for Weir’s obvious lack. I’m the same age as Weir, when I’ve played fives my knees feel like a couple of used bbq briquets and I’m not exactly marking Torres. That said, I’m certain that there will be a plan B. Strachan should give Walter a phone and see if he would take Bobo off our hands. I had sympathy for Balde about a year ago and when Caldwell was dodgy I thought that he should have been brought back in, but clearly he is a total mercenary, seeing out his contract to enable him a last signing on fee on a Bosman. Speaking of movement, I hope Bobo and Gravesen’s next crap is a hedgehog.