Gers new defender slots in just like 'Magic'

Glasgow Rangers manager Walter Smith has been given high praise for the players he has brought in over the summer, especially with no European football to offer (for just now anyway) and this is a follow up to the Pedro Mendes and Aaron Ninguez port-folios that we are bringing you weekly on the new players.

We as Rangers fans have to give Walter Smith and the players credit where it is due, for the way we have bounced back from the worst start possible for Rangers with the European defeat and loss of a guaranteed large sum of cash that if we are to try and compete with the big boys in the European stage would have helped as we have it hard enough as it is.

Even more reason to take our hats off to the 'old fox' for completing certain signings of such a high calibre with just the domestic trophies on offer and I wouldn't have been surprised in this day and age if they had gone elsewhere for more wages, with the English Championship, now even in the top five ratings for generating money and wages etc. in Europe next to Spain, Russia and Italy !

Again we managed to lure 26 year old Algerian International from the English Premier League, along with some encouragement from fellow 'out of favour' Rangers Midfielder Brahim Hemdani who is a friend and international team mate (there is a story in the Vital archives on Hemdani if you never read it). The defender has over 25 caps for his country and has achieved his goal - with pure determination and hard work to get to where he is now.

It seems that 'Magic' or 'Boogie' as the Rangers fans have nicknamed him, is already yet another instant hit with the 'Teddy bears' as he stepped into Carlos Cuellar's position and has been rock solid with signs of great composure and passing abilities, as well as his tackling, heading and consistancy, he also seems to read the game very well.

He started out back in 1999 with AS Quetiagny before moving onto AS Longvic, where he then spent two years at the club at the age of 18.
Then as he grew in stature he was snapped up by French side Guegnon in July 2002, where he started to show signs of being a player that was destined for bigger and better things.

It wasn't long before Crewe Alexander came knocking and manager Dario Gradi, who had been chasing the Algerian since the summer beforehand took him on a loan deal in January 2006. The Cheshire fans took to him, like most clubs he has been at, straight away and as he continued to impress, a number of clubs were showing interest, as he went from strength to strength with Paul Sturrock and Sheffield Wednesday keen to get him into the Owls set up - they managed to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer of 2006 - for an undisclosed fee, although papers reported that £500,000 was enough to take him to to the Club.

Again, Bougherra made an instant impact ! then was handed the Captains armband after only two months at the club and winning the player of the month award in that same month, the fans were impressed and a short spell with Wednesday ended in January 2007, after 26 games and two goals, but as numerous sides were after his services, even although Sturrock turned down an original 1.7 million pound offer from Charlton, with Everton, Reading and Birmingham also showing keen interest he was finally sold when a bid of 2.5 million was enough to take him to England's top league. Charlton had signed Madjid and he was off to the Valley.

Sheer hard work and determination had earned 'Boogie' a place in England's Premier League and again he settled in nicely with the locals - knowing and they knew that they had a great buy from Paul Sturrock's Sheffield wednesday side who adored him, the ex Dundee United and Scotland player has recently stated that "he feels" that Bougherra, would be better in midfield as an anchor man, as his passing skills and football brain is second to none, he now thinks he would be even better in the centre of midfield, we have seen that he is complacent on the ball and is not one to just clear just blast the ball up field all the time, with no target, with many defenders it's as if the ball is aburden and they just want to get it away from them and 2hoof" it away -as we say in Scotland,"Boogie" does seem to take his time when possible and aims to pick his pass and he can drill angled balls from one side to the other - with deadly precision as well as his reading of a match and his all round skills are going to make him a firm favourite with the Rangers Loyal, and already he has won the fans over by scoring his debut goal on Sunday against Hibs at Easter Road, scoring the third in our latest win in the league.

Since joining the Gers, on the 31st of July, from under the nose of Tony Mowbary and his newly promoted West Bromwich Albion side, who had apparently made a gentleman's agreement on the day before - and a 2 million pound fee had been rumoured to have been accepted by Charlton after his spell at the Valley where he played 34 matches - with Real Betis, Sunderland, Middlesborough and West Brom all keen on his services - only for Walter to sneak in and seal a deal worth around 2.7 million the next day, which obviously infuriated Mowbray as the cool, calm and collective Bougherra strolled up North and into the heart of the Gers defence, along with his goal on Sunday - yet again put another coating of gloss over the Carlos Cuellar departure, as it now seems a distant memory since the minor protests by certain Bears, and some are even now claiming that he has filled the Spaniard's boots and so far he has not been missed as we continue our unbeaten run in the league.

The Algerian has also said he is here to win medals and his 4 year contract, and immediate first choice in the defence has pleased the player and he hopes to win the league and go into the Champions League next season, stating he feels very welcome with the fans being great, as he wasn't sure what to expect - but fellow internationalist Hemdani, sold the club to him with stories of European exploits and the fans being the best he has ever came across, along with the training facilities, the coaching and managing staff being great and he mentioned as soon as he walked out onto the pitch he realised he had made the right move and hopes to go on and win many a trophy with the Teddy Bears.

So Wattie again has in my opinion made yet another great signing and for Cuellar's name not to be mentioned and missed, proves that he has got the ability to do his duty for us, and with the likes of Davie Weir and Christian Dailly's experience on the training ground he is under the impression that the best is yet to come from Madjid 'Magic - Boogie' Bougherra.

What are your thoughts on the central defender - who as you have just read can play the holding role in midfield as well as full-back - if need be ?

He has helped deflect the moaning about the selling of Carlos Cuellar (which was not in the script as we never knew he would go up in estimation by 6 million in a season and he would have stayed if we were still in Europe, so his true colours evetually shone through after he said he was in for the long haul just a week prior to the sale), but do you think he could maybe fill his boots and maybe we some were a bit quick to jump on the band wagon, with the slating of Wattie - as we turned down Danny Shittu - who would have been cheaper and less with his weekly wages, as his agent came back after trying to play a double bluff with Walter - which is not a wise thing to try, when he realised Walter was not going to chase him - Danny said he wanted to come and was willing to play for 15k a week and sign for 2 million?

Whatis your thoughts ?

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