The Rangers Supporters Assembly has expressed its delight at the appointment of Walter Smith as non-executive chairman at Ibrox.
The 65-year-old former Gers manager took on the leadership role in Glasgow and the Assembly yesterday tipped the switch to bring “much needed stability” to the club.
Assembly president Andy Kerr said: “Walter Smith becoming chairman of Rangers is fantastic news for everyone at the club.
“We know he has the best interests of Rangers at heart and we all hope that his appointment will finally bring much needed stability to our great club.”
Ranocchia denies Juventus rumours
Inter defender Andrea Ranocchi said he was happy at Inter and does not intend to leave the San Siro outfit to join rivals Juventus, rubbishing reports linking him with a transfer move.
Ranocchia was speaking at the end of Italy’s friendly against San Marino on Friday.
He did not play in the 4-0 win for the Azzurri but hit back when asked over his future.
“Juventus? Every summer these rumours come around, but there’s nothing to it. I have a contract with Inter until 2015 and I’m happy,” he said.
Melbourne still interested in Holt
Melbourne Heart’s move for Norwich striker Grant Holt is not dead in the water, according to the Australian club’s chief executive Scott Munn.
The impending arrival of Dutch international Ricky van Wolfswinkel has led to reports club captain Holt, 32, could leave. The A-League side have made an official approach and, despite reports the offer was rejected, Munn insists a deal could still be struck.
“We made an approach and we always knew that it would be made public, and that with him being contracted for two more years it might be complicated,” Munn told reporters.
“But we haven’t closed the door on it as yet and will be pursuing it.”
Munich and Berlin bid for Euro 2020
The German football federation (DFB) has confirmed the cities of Munich and Berlin have put forward their candidature to host games at Euro 2020.
Munich’s Allianz Arena and the Olympiastadion in the capital are both potential venues for the Europe-wide event in seven years’ time, and the DFB will now examine their dossiers before deciding which of the two to recommend to UEFA as Germany’s candidate city.
Germany is to apply for both packages available for games, the first of which includes three group games and a semi-final and the second involving both semi-finals and the final.
Lyon’s Grenier drops Arsenal hint
Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier claims to know who he will be joining this summer, and has hinted at a move to Arsenal.
The 22-year-old has been linked with the Gunners for some time, while Liverpool and Juve are also said to be monitoring his situation in France.
Lyon are reluctant to part with the services of a key performer in their present and future, but would struggle to turn down a sizeable approach.
Grenier, who has been called up to the senior France squad for the first time, said: “I have more or less made a decision about which club I want to join this summer.
“I have made the choice for sporting reasons above all.
“Arsenal? It could well be them.”
Julio Cesar gracious about Queen’s Park
Julio Cesar is still grateful to QPR for signing him last summer even though they were rele-gated from the English Premier League.
Given that Cesar won five Serie A titles and one Champions League, he could be forgiven for having bad memories of the west London club, but he has not forgotten they were the club who rescued him from a miserable end to his career at Inter last summer.
“I had a wonderful year, individually speaking, regardless that the collective is not what I expected,” Cesar said.
“I was caught by surprise and my career took a bad turn at Inter and Queen’s Park Rangers were the only club that came for me and helped me at that moment.”
Man. City to name new manager soon
Manchester City’s new manager should be announced within the next two weeks, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said.
“We have a wonderful team running this process internally.
“They have created a shortlist of managers... and we are pretty much done.
“We are very close. I expect to make an appointment probably in the next two weeks.”
Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has been strongly linked with the post, vacant since the sacking of Roberto Mancini last month, and he told Spanish radio last week that he had a “verbal agreement” to join Manchester City.