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Friday Kickoff: Rangers players await cuts; Rooney, Bale fit for key bout & more

Rangers (Reuters Pictures)

It is about to go from bad to worse for a number of players at Rangers FC.

With the outlook of the near future looking bleak after the club was forced to go into administration, Rangers players are meeting with union officials to explore their possibilities in anticipation of numerous cuts. According to the BBC, manager Ally McCoist has been told that as many as 11 players could be let go on Friday as the proud club goes through a treacherous time.

In an attempt to cut costs while the club strives for financial stability, the BBC reports that a pay cut of either 50 percent or 75 percent could be instituted as well, with some wages being deferred until the end of the current season.

These developments could affect the three Americans at Rangers, as Maurice Edu, Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandro Bedoya await Friday's announcement.

Here are a few more stories to get your Friday going:

ROONEY, BALE FIT FOR KEY MATCH

Manchester United and Tottenham are two of the three teams realistically in the hunt for the Premier League title, and both clubs look set to have their star players available when they meet in a crucial match on Sunday.

United striker Wayne Rooney and Spurs winger Gareth Bale have been given the green light for this weekend's match after recent aiments and injuries.

Rooney was forced to miss the Red Devils' last two matches with a throat infection, and he sat out England's friendly against the Netherlands as well.

Bale, meanwhile, suffered a hamstring strain while training with the Wales national team ahead of the Gary Speed memorial friendly on Wednesday against Costa Rica. Bale was forced to sit out the game, but manager Harry Redknapp expects to have his prized winger on Sunday.

WENGER FUMING AT BELGIUM

Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen played the entire 90 minutes of Belgium's friendly with Greece on Wednesday, and Arsene Wenger is fuming about it.

Wenger is considering filing a complaint against the Belgian FA after saying that the oft-injured Vermaelen, who picked up a minor knock during the week, should not have been forced to play. 

"Firstly they forced the player to travel, then they forced him to play 90 minutes after being injured and had a centre-back on the bench who did not play at all, in a friendly game knowing they do not even go to the European Championship," Wenger told reporters. "For me, that is difficult to understand."

Vermaelen and star striker Robin van Persie, who suffered a groin injury while on international duty with the Netherlands, are both doubtful for Arsenal's match with Liverpool this weekend, which has hefty table implications.

FIFA VP AGAINST GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been vocal about his wish for goal line technology to be used in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but one of his colleagues who has a say in the matter doesn't think it is necessary.

FIFA executive committee vice president Prince Ali is opposed to the new technology being implemented, primarily because less-financially capable countries would not be able to afford it, making for an unlevel playing field.

"Referees are part of the game and I would feel a bit depressed if every day something is coming out about how they are not capable of doing their jobs," Prince Ali said. "There is no rush. I think football can survive (without goal-line technology) … it should be a process and evolution.

"There are some countries that cannot afford to implement it and … technology is always an advantage if you are used to using it against others who are not."

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What's your take on the situation at Rangers? Who do you see winning the Man. Utd-Tottenham clash? Think Wenger has a point? What do you think of Prince Ali's comments?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I don’t think that Prince Ali is being stupid. I think he’s doing a favor to someone who’s against goal-line technology. That would be business as usual for FIFA officials (although stupidity could also fall into that category).

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  2. Its not even debatable, MLS is rising and except for the top 5, each league is of similar talent. Its not the EPL yet, but in the next 5-10 years who knows. with european clubs losing money, the future of soccer of europe doesn’t look good. Aston Villa, Man City, clubs in spain and through out europe have lost money. I think FIFA must adapt a germany system of spending.

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  3. I agree ligue 1 is a good league, however dont go to SPL which is lower then MLS. Thats what I was saying, before going to SPL, if he was going to make a move, MLS is better.

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  4. Someone needs to explain to me how a country’s experience with playing with goal line technology would give them an advantage when playing a team that is not familiar with the technology.

    There is no gamesmanship involved in this (no challenges, etc), so that statement from the fresh prince is infuriatingly stupid

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  5. Not really, given that the guy’s name actually is Prince Ali and that’s what Aladdin was called. No more than calling a girl named Ariel a mermaid, although that would make me aquaphobic I guess. It’s not like he said he would by flying in on a magic carpet or anything.

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  6. Edu is solid enough to start for a bottom half team in France for sure. Relegation fodder clubs aren’t bad, as long as he starts and plays well, then another team will move for him. I say he should leave come summer, EASILY

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  7. when he moved to Rangers, he was a starter at a decent team in the French Ligue 1. That’s not usually the reason 1 leaves to go to MLS. If he was say in the second division, I could understand a move back to MLS.

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  8. Debatable. MLS is as good as Norway/Sweden. That marks it as number 22-23 in the UEFA listings for European leagues.

    Bocanegra might make $300 K at a MLS club. He makes at least 2 times that at Rangers and maybe even 3 times. He won’t be coming home for a qhile

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  9. Sochaux is bottom of the table right now, he’d essentially be moving to second tier french football. I agree he should be playing in the Premiership, but its likely he’d be picked up by a team looking for promotion rather than a mid table team at this point.

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  10. An evolution? The evolution should start now with the leagues that can implement it….It’s got to start somewhere….

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  11. Okay let’s rewrite the ending to Titanic as an analogy to the Ranger situation. Figuratively, push the Rose into the water climb on the last remains of the ship and live to play soccer another day…finally substitute Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” for Celine Deon’s “My Heart Will Go On”. Better yet take Celine Dion and push her in the Atlantic and hold her head under water. Perfect….does everybody get it?

    Rose = current state of the Rangers
    Life Raft = playing options with other teams
    Celine Dion = the annoying idiots who made this happen

    “My Heart Will Go On” = well I just hate that song and Celine Dion for that matter. Seriously hold her head under water!!!!

    Just my opinion. What do you think?

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  12. France is an huge step up from the SPL, if he goes to a championship side, he would be better joining MLS, its the same level. I think Edu has a good chance of joining an EPL side. Maybe a Everton or Fulham might give him a look. I think a move to france or EPL is the right move for edu. However, please no championship side.

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  13. You hope not? HE SHOULD HAVE COME BACK THE FIRST TIME. MLS is better then the SPL and many other lower European leagues. Unless AN EPL or the other top four leagues want him, he should rejoin MLS.

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  14. For Edu though is moving to a team that is headed for relegation in France the best move?

    Seems like at the very least he should have a decent shot of latching on with a Championship side looking to move into the promotion spots for the Championship or a decent mid table team in a continental Premier League.

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  15. Rangers should have sold Edu to Sochaux when they had the chance. Bedoya might find some time with a Championship League team.

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  16. Prince Ali! Fabulous he!
    Ali Ababwa
    Genuflect, shom some respect
    Down on one knee!
    Now, try your best to stay calm
    Brush up your sunday salaam
    The come and meet his spectacular coterie

    Prince Ali!
    Mighty is he!
    Ali Ababwa
    Strong as ten regular men, definitely!
    He faced the galloping hordes
    A hundred bad guys with swords
    Who sent those goons to their lords?
    Why, Prince Ali

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  17. Hope not. He has another good 2-3 years in Europe left in him. Now I doubt he will get many offers, unless he’s added as DEPTH but i rather he stick it out in Europe.

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  18. Honestly, I hope this means the end of the Scottish league. It’s rubbish. Only two decent teams, and the rest of the games carries a “who can I kick the hardest” theme.

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  19. That seems like crap, given what the french club was bidding. Don’t go into a firesale until there is a fire. Alternatively, they ought to have shopped him quite a bit sooner and gotten much closer to his real value.

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  20. Now, the non-deal to France for Edu make the club look very financially irresponsible. Which, I guess, is the reason they are in this situation anyways.

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  21. Fine, then, Prince Ali. At least make a goal-line confirmation protocol so that if countries can’t afford the tech, they must put another set of eyes on the goal, and have an actual person on the line, specifically for judging goals.

    No brainer, Aladdin. C’mon.

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  22. Hopefully our boys can get off that burning ship. Aside from the wages, it could really help Bedoya get somewhere where he can find some playing time, along with getting Edu in a more competitive league while he is in his prime age.

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  23. Edu, go to a French club my friend.

    Bedoya, head to Holland.

    Bocanegra, head to Italy. I’m sure some good team will pick you up for DEPTH

    Reply

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