McCoist backs Miller bid as signing issues cloud thinking

Chief football writer

Saturday 5 May 2012

ALLY McCoist yesterday lent his support to Bill Miller and said that Rangers needed someone with the American's reputation for saving struggling companies.

Bill Miller has the backing of Ally McCoist

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Michael Grant

The manager spoke publicly for the first time since Miller was given preferred bidder status. The tow-truck tycoon will continue to work on his £11.2m offer over the weekend and next week Rangers will have a clearer idea of what punishments they will face from the SFA and SPL. Their appeal against a year-long transfer ban will be heard by the SFA, and on Monday the 12 SPL clubs will meet to discuss, and possibly vote on, tougher sanctions against clubs that go into administration or apply to join the league as a newco.

Rangers have £55m of debt, a sum which could rise to over £130m if they lose the "big tax case" and all penalties and potential interest is applied. The club remains in grave danger and today's game with Motherwell will be their final home fixture of the term, after which income will dry up. McCoist, however, welcomed Miller's emergence as a potential saviour. "I've had numerous discussions with him and he is a fan of sport, and in his own words, he likes to fix things," the manager revealed. "Certainly we are needing fixed. I know it is not just as simple as that, but those are two of the reasons he wants to get involved. We are still a big name, and that is one of the attractions for him. I think what has happened in the last 24 hours must be regarded as positive. It is a step in the right direction."McCoist remains beset by immediate problems, though. He admitted to being unclear on the issue of whether the players' contracts would automatically transfer from the current club to a Miller newco. Duff & Phelps believe they will but PFA Scotland believes they do not. If the union is correct, players could chose to leave immediately for free. "The fact the union think one thing and the administrators another would indicate somewhere something is going to have to give. The indications from the union side is that the contracts will not have to be honoured as they are at the moment. I don't know what's right but I think we could do with the union being wrong."Unless it is lifted on appeal the SFA's embargo, preventing Rangers from registering any players older than 18, will pose huge problems. "I'm not even sure we are allowed to renegotiate players' contracts with this ban we've got? It's amazing isn't it? "Someone told me we might not even be able to bring back players we have out on loan. So effectively we might be paying wages for players we can't play. It's a registration ban rather than a transfer ban. If there is a player on loan – Kyle Hutton, for example, at Dunfermline – he possibly can come back and play [because the registration is held by the SFA]. But possibly John Fleck and Juan Manuel Ortiz [at Blackpool and Almeria] couldn't because their registrations are with another football association."One man who will definitely not be at Rangers next season is Sasa Papac. The 32-year-old Bosnian is out of contract at the end of the month and has announced he will depart. "After six seasons, the time has come for me to leave my place for someone younger who will be able to contribute to new successes at the club with passion and zest," said Papac in a statement on the Rangers website. "I wish them lots of luck and all the very best in years to come."

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McCoist backs Miller bid as signing issues cloud thinking

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