Rangers ready to make clear-out
Scottish round-up
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Your support makes all the difference.As they eased themselves further ahead in the title race, Rangers began to prepare for the start of a new era. This season the Ibrox club could equal Celtic's record of nine successive titles, but what is certain is that personnel will change. The arrival of Sebastian Rozental to Ibrox for pounds 2m from Chile will signal the departure of several players.
Richard Gough has already indicated his intention to leave at the end of the season and Erik Bo Andersen, Trevor Steven, Gary Bollan and Iain Durrant could all be allowed to leave at the new year as the arrival of Rozental is supplemented by that of Kenny Dalglish.
David Murray, the Rangers chairman, has revealed a meeting with Dalglish will take place over the next week to determine if the one-time Celtic hero will help in the recruiting of big-name players from abroad.
"We feel we need somebody with the right credentials to help in the legwork of spotting players," Murray said. "It's the end of an era and the start of another one with Rozental's signing."
The chairman also spoke of the coming of a European League in which he expects Rangers to be a part. "Scottish football is exciting and people like to watch it as games on Sky have proved," he said. "For five years I have been talking about what is now evolving and people scoffed at it within the football authorities. There will definitely be a European League.
"Rangers perhaps initially will not be in the first or second division and we will have to play our way into that.
"But I think people are tired of seeing the same teams in the same games in the same grounds. That is true in many countries in Europe and I think TV will determine how football goes."
More immediately Rangers increased their lead over Aberdeen to nine points and opened an 11-point advantage against Celtic with a 3-1 victory over Dunfermline at Ibrox on Saturday with goals from Ally McCoist, Gough and Bo Andersen.
Rangers' victory was marred by an ankle injury to McCoist, which threatens his involvement against Kilmarnock on Tuesday night.
Aberdeen could only draw 0-0 at home to Motherwell while Dundee United secured fourth place with a 1-1 draw at Hibernian, a result which will do little to enhance the chances of Jockey Scott the caretaker manager of securing the position on a more permanent basis.
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