McLeish is keen for Ricksen to stay put

Published on Thursday 23 September 2004 12:58

RANGERS manager Alex McLeish wants Fernando Ricksen to extend his stay at the club.

The Dutchman, who netted his side’s terrific opening goal in last night’s 2-0 win at Aberdeen, is in the final year of his current contract.

Whether he will walk away on a free transfer is unknown, but McLeish has come to rely on the hot-tempered Ricksen, who has been pushed into a midfield role following a spate of injuries.

He said: "I hope he stays at Rangers. Certainly he is in the last year of his contract but I always played my best in the last year of my contract.

"It is maybe not quite the time to speak about it now. We will see what unfolds over the next couple of months or so but I know he loves the place. And with performances like that of course we would want him to stay. He has shown his passion for the club."

The victory, which was wrapped up by a late Steven Thompson strike, booked Rangers a place in the quarter-finals of the CIS Cup, and it also lifted some of the pressure that has been weighing McLeish down since the start of the season.

Ricksen has previously been guilty of some unprofessional incidents both on and off the field, with a ‘kung-fu’-style kick on Aberdeen player Darren Young at Pittodrie four years ago arguably top of the list. But McLeish was sure Ricksen, whose goal came from a superbly-struck free-kick, had now matured into one of the team’s leaders.

He said: "Fernando has been a revelation in midfield. We wanted him to win the ball and keep it simple and he has been exceptional at that. And he scored a sensational goal. He has definitely taken up a leadership role in the dressing room this season and on the pitch, where it really matters."

Meanwhile, Motherwell star Richie Foran admits they were fortunate to get away with yet another slow start against Inverness and knows the Steelmen must learn to play from the first whistle if they are to make an impact on the Premierleague this season.

The 24-year-old Irishman had arguably his best game since joining the club from Carlisle in the summer, scoring one and setting up another for Phil O’Donnell as Motherwell marched to the quarter-finals with a well- deserved 3-1 victory.

Boss Terry Butcher was furious at his players for their performance in the first half at the Caley Stadium and let them know his feelings at half-time. His dressing-room outburst had the desired effect as Foran and O’Donnell struck soon after the restart to give the Lanarkshire side a 2-0 lead.

They conceded a goal to Ross Tokely and had to hold on until Kevin McBride struck in the dying seconds to secure their place in Saturday’s quarter-final draw.

Foran, who is adjusting to life as a winger after being used as a striker at his previous clubs, believes Butcher was right to give them a blast at half-time. He said: "We did not start particularly well, but we got away with it. It would have been a different story if we were playing one of the top sides, so we will have to make sure we play from the start from now on."