2006–07 Rangers F.C. season

Overview

Rangers played a total of 51 competitive matches during the 2006–07 season. After signs that supporter unrest was turning on Murray, on 9 February 2006, two days before the crucial Old Firm match, it was announced that Alex McLeish would leave his position as manager at the end of the 2005–06 season, and on 11 March, it was confirmed that former Lyon manager Paul Le Guen would indeed succeed him at the end of the season. Murray predicted a fruitful reign under Le Guen, describing his capture as "a massive moonbeam of success" for the club and promising, "we’ve got big plans." He announced that the Frenchman would be given significant funds with which to strengthen the squad, with Rangers having announced an arrangement with sports retailer JJB Sports.

Le Guen made early moves in the transfer market, signing South African Under 19 player Dean Furman from Chelsea, and youngsters William Stanger and Antoine Ponroy from Rennes. While allowing Ibrox favourite Alex Rae to move to a new career as player-manager of Dundee, he has also signed Libor Sionko and Karl Svensson. Rangers had been strongly linked with a host of other players and signed midfielder Jeremy Clement from Lyon and goalkeeper Lionel Letizi from Paris St Germain as a replacement for the departing Ronald Waterreus. Senegal's World Cup 2002 midfield player Makhtar N'Diaye signed a one-year contract after a short trial period with the club. In all, he made eleven signings (of them only Saša Papac would be playing for the club the following season). Le Guen's signings including Filip Šebo, Karl Svensson, Libor Sionko and Lionel Letizi but they simply did not perform, while Jérémy Clément was to be in Glasgow for only six months.

Rangers' first match under Le Guen was a friendly against Irish Premier League champions Linfield on 6 July 2006 at Windsor Park, Belfast. Rangers won 2–0 with first half goals from Kris Boyd and Thomas Buffel. The squad flew out to South Africa on 9 July for a training camp where they played three matches, the first of which was a comfortable 4–0 win over local opposition with Charlie Adam netting a hat-trick. Rangers also defeated Jomo Cosmos 2–0 but, with a largely depleted starting line-up, they lost their final match 2–0 against Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns. Defender Fernando Ricksen did not take any part in the pre-season tour of South Africa due to what was described by the club as "unacceptable behaviour" on the flight to Johannesburg. Rangers returned to face English Premier League sides Middlesbrough and Bolton Wanderers where they won 1–0 and drew 1–1 respectively. The SPL opening day on 30 July proved fruitful for Paul Le Guen's Rangers as they defeated Motherwell 2–1 at Fir Park, thanks to an early strike from Libor Sionko and the winning header from Dado Pršo In Le Guen's first competitive game at Ibrox, Rangers were held to a 2–2 draw by Dundee United, having been forced to come back from two-goals down.

On 9 August, Fernando Ricksen went to Russian Premier League club Zenit St. Petersburg, the new club of ex-Rangers manager Dick Advocaat, on a season-long loan. In return, a friendly has been scheduled between the teams at Ibrox on 23 August. On 11 August Rangers signed Manchester United's 19-year-old winger Lee Martin on loan for a season. Rangers also recruited the services of Austrian Vienna defender Saša Papac while Marvin Andrews, Olivier Bernard, Robert Malcolm and Hamed Namouchi all departed.

By mid November, Rangers found themselves in third place, a full 15 points behind leaders Celtic. Sporadic wins were mixed with regular dropped points as the team struggled to find consistency in the early part of the season. Rangers did, however, start promisingly in the UEFA Cup, going on to become the first Scottish club to qualify from the UEFA Cup group stage in its three-year history. Domestic results and performances, however, continued to be inconsistent and in January 2007, Le Guen controversially stripped midfielder Barry Ferguson of the captaincy.

On 4 January 2007 Paul Le Guen left Rangers by mutual consent. This made him the club's shortest-serving manager, and the only one to leave the club without completing a full season in charge.

At the start of the season it had appeared that Murray had brought one of Europe's most talented young coaches to Ibrox, but the Frenchman could not repeat his previous successes. Inconsistent form from the start in the league saw Rangers fall behind Celtic in the title race as early as October and they suffered the disappointment of going out of the League Cup at home to First Division side St Johnstone, losing 2–0. Le Guen left the club by mutual consent on 4 January 2007 and was replaced by Walter Smith, who began his second spell as manager of the club.

Immediately Smith began an overhaul at the club. He deemed the defence to be the main reason for Rangers poor season. The signings of defenders David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu soon followed, along with young midfielder Kevin Thomson from Hibernian. The side's form picked up and they ended the season in second place in the Scottish Premier League and recorded a brace of Old Firm wins over Celtic.

In the Scottish Cup, Rangers were beaten 3–2 to Dunfermline Athletic, in caretaker manager Ian Durrant's first and only game in charge.

Players

Squad information

Football Squads (for appearances, goals and player's number)|date=July 2011}}

Transfers

In

Total spending: £6.025m

Out

Total spending: £3.3m

Squad statistics

Goal scorers

Last updated: 20 May 2007

Source: Match reports

Only competitive matches

Disciplinary record

Last updated: 20 May 2007

Source: Match reports

Only competitive matches

Club

Board of directors

Coaching staff

Other staff

Matches

Pre-season and friendlies

Boyd Adam Adam Boyd Rae Correa Johannes Denisov Kerzhakov Spivak

Scottish Premier League

Pršo Kalvenes Robb Boyd Boyd Naismith Pršo Boyd Buffel Bardsley Killen Killen Miller Buffel Novo Sutton Mair Smith Boyd Pršo Sionko Ferguson Sionko Rankin Pršo Burke Boyd Boyd Ferguson Boyd Boyd Scobbie Ferguson Adam Boyd Boyd Dargo Ferguson Hutton Adam McCann Whittaker Beuzelin|rep = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6531315.stm}} Adam Lovell

Scottish League Cup

Boyd Milne

Scottish Cup

Simmons McGuire Boyd

UEFA Cup

Ferguson Lucarelli Boyd Novo Adam Boyd Niculae Dago Boyd Ferguson McGregor Adam

Competitions

Overall

Scottish Premier League

Main article: 2006–07 Scottish Premier League

Standings

Results summary

Results by round

UEFA Cup

[[2006–07 UEFA Cup group stage#Group A|Group A]]

References

References

1. Wilson, Richard. (4 January 2017). "Rangers: Paul le Guen era failed to live up to expectations at Ibrox". BBC Sport.
2. (10 May 2006). "Le Guen signs up Chelsea teenager". BBC Sport.
3. (16 May 2006). "Sionko completes Rangers switch". BBC Sport.
4. (23 May 2006). "Rangers recruit French youngsters". BBC Sport.
5. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/5022224.stm "Rangers snap up Sweden's Svensson"] BBC Sport. 26 May 2006.
6. (16 June 2006). "Letizi completes move to Rangers". BBC Sport.
7. (7 July 2006). "Rangers clinch Clement signature". BBC Sport.
8. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/5183082.stm "N'Diaye wins contract at Rangers"] BBC Sport. 15 July 2006.
9. Brown, Billy. (9 August 2006). "Whats the story over mourning Rory". Daily Record.
10. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/5171950.stm "Rangers sign Sebo for four years"] BBC Sport. 3 August 2006.
11. (11 August 2006). "Man Utd's Martin moves to Rangers". BBC Sport.
12. (16 August 2006). "Rangers sign up Bardsley on loan". BBC Sport.
13. (31 August 2006). "Rangers complete signing of Papac". BBC Sport.
14. (5 January 2007). "Webster checks in as loan Ranger". BBC Sport.
15. (27 January 2007). "Rangers seal striker Djeziri deal". BBC Sport.
16. (30 January 2007). "Rangers pay Hibs £2m for Thomson". BBC Sport.
17. (10 May 2006). "Gers confirm Kyrgiakos departure". BBC Sport.
18. (23 May 2006). "Lovenkrands agrees German switch". BBC Sport.
19. (24 May 2006). "Rae is player-boss at Dens Park". BBC Sport.
20. (13 June 2006). "Griffin & MacKenzie sign at Dens". BBC Sport.
21. (7 June 2006). "Goalkeeper Waterreus leaves Rangers". ESPN.
22. (5 September 2006). "Rangers summer signings". BBC Sport.
23. (11 July 2006). "McCormack joins up at Motherwell". BBC Sport.
24. (11 August 2006). "Ricksen completes move to Zenit". BBC Sport.
25. (31 August 2006}}{{dead link). "Lorient pay £500,000 for Namouchi". BBC Sport.
26. (31 August 2006). "Rangers release defensive quartet". BBC Sport.
27. (5 September 2007). "Derby complete signing of Malcolm". BBC Sport.
28. (1 September 2006). "Bernard makes return to Newcastle". BBC Sport.
29. (29 November 2006). "Ricksen makes £1m Russian switch". BBC Sport.
30. (29 December 2006). "Old Trafford duo make Ibrox exit". BBC Sport.
31. (1 January 2007). "Watford complete Ashikodi swoop". BBC Sport.
32. (11 January 2007). "Rodriguez makes Marseille switch". BBC Sport.
33. (13 January 2007). "Davidson completes Dundee switch". BBC Sport.
34. (19 January 2007). "Carcary heads off to Stark's Park". BBC Sport.
35. (23 January 2007). "Imps snap up N'Guessan and Green". BBC Sport.
36. (25 January 2007). "Clement moves from Rangers to PSG". BBC Sport.
37. (30 January 2007). "Keeper Letizi released by Rangers". BBC Sport.
38. (8 February 2007). "Stanger and Rangers part company". BBC Sport.
39. (9 February 2007). "Gilmour wins contract with Clyde". BBC Sport.
40. (24 May 2006). "Jolliffe quits Rangers post". The Scotsman.
41. (4 January 2007). "Le Guen and Rangers part company". BBC Sport.
42. Taylor, Julian. (4 January 2007). "Rangers reel as Le Guen departs". BBC Sport.
43. (10 January 2007). "Smith appointed boss of Rangers". BBC.