Source: Team_Talk
Smith: Alexander can move on
Goalkeeper Alexander has said he will consider quitting the club if he continues to play second fiddle to Allan McGregor.[LNB]Alexander, 31, made his first Scottish Premier League appearance of the season in Saturday's 3-0 win over St Johnstone after McGregor suffered a hamstring injury.[LNB]He will also start Tuesday's trip to Dundee United but is resigned to losing his place once his rival is fit - as he has has done during his entire two-year Rangers career.[LNB]Smith said: "If he does come and say to me that he would like to go somewhere else and play, then obviously if the time's right and the opportunity's there then we have to let him do so."[LNB]Smith insists he can understand the frustration of Alexander, adding: "It's natural; footballers want to play football.[LNB]"Especially in the goalkeeping position, you don't get that many opportunities."[LNB]Alexander is one of a number of players to have been linked with a January move from the club and Smith joked: "He's probably joined the long list of our players who are all leaving in January.[LNB]"It's impossible for us to win a league championship with the amount of them who are leaving in that transfer window.[LNB]"I think it was eight this morning."[LNB]Smith admitted it had been awkward repeatedly axing Alexander, despite the keeper having not put a foot wrong.[LNB]"As a manager, you stand or fall by those decisions," he said.[LNB]"But it is awkward, considering that he's a terrific professional.[LNB]"He's not let the disappointment prevent him applying himself to the game."[LNB]He added: "He's been excellent for us when he's come in and played."[LNB]Smith also laughed off the latest quotes attributed to Algeria defender Madjid Bougherra, who reportedly wants a summer move back to the Barclays Premier League.[LNB]"It makes a change from the transfer window in January, which is a relief to us all!" Smith said. "Madjid seems to carry out these conversations on a regular basis. If it's not him, it's his agent.[LNB]"Whether he leaves this summer or not, I'm not quite sure."[LNB]Smith, who is becoming increasingly resigned to losing Bougherra to Algeria for the festive programme, added: "He's not leaving in January anyway, except to go to the African Nations Cup."[LNB]Smith, who also confirmed midfielder Pedro Mendes would not be fit to return from his knee injury for another month, takes his side to Tannadice on Tuesday for a rearranged SPL fixture.[LNB]The postponement led to a war of words between Rangers chief executive Martin Bain and United chairman Stephen Thompson over the latter's refusal to allow supporters in for free after last month's original fixture was abandoned at half-time.[LNB]Many visiting fans are boycotting the game in protest and Smith said: "I think it is a shame that supporters are having to be asked to pay again.[LNB]"It's happened and if our supporters don't go, that's their right and I'd agree with that."[LNB]Smith, who believes his side will handle playing in front of a relatively small travelling support, will be looking for them to leapfrog Celtic at the top of the table.[LNB]Tuesday's game in hand is the first of a run of five fixtures Smith believes could affect the outcome of the title race, ending with the Old Firm derby on January 3.[LNB]But he also pointed out the last two championships have been won by teams coming from behind in the second half of the season.[LNB]"Last year, when we got over the Celtic game we were seven points behind and we managed to claw that back," he added.[LNB]"The previous season Celtic had been seven points behind Rangers and they managed to claw that back as well. So maybe that's the secret."[LNB][LNB]
