Madrid want Novo

1

;):stuck_out_tongue:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot…rs/7805132.stm

Novo’s star on the rise in Spain
Nacho Novo celebrates scoring against Iran on Saturday
Novo scored twice in the Riazor Stadium in Coruna on Saturday

Spanish clubs are poised to step up their interest in Nacho Novo should Rangers decide to allow the striker to leave Ibrox during January.

The Spaniard’s agent Jorge Lera this week told BBC Sport that he did not expect the 29-year-old to be transferred during the transfer window.

But Novo scored twice and was man of the match as a Galician select defeated Iran 3-2 on Saturday evening.

And that has led to the striker being linked with Deportivo La Coruna.

It has also been reported that Novo, who has yet to play in the Spanish top flight, is among right-sided players being monitored by La Liga rivals Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Novo has been quoted as saying he would like to one day return to Huesca should they win promotion from the Segunda Division.

Novo has been in Scotland since leaving the Aragon club in 2001 and, after spells with Raith Rovers and Dundee, has spent four years with Rangers.

But, despite his popularity with the Glasgow club’s fans, he has yet to be offered an extension to his contract, which ends in May.

And speculation about Novo’s future was fuelled by manager Walter Smith’s recent hint that up to 10 of his squad would be shed by the summer.

Veteran French striker Jean-Claude Darcheville has already agreed a January transfer to Valenciennes, but Smith said on Monday that there had been no offers for any more of his players.

Novo’s profile has risen in recent months with the broadcast of the Scottish Premier League on Spanish television.

He was restricted to a substitute appearance for Rangers as they lost 1-0 at home to leaders Celtic at Saturday lunchtime.

However, he then travelled to Spain and scored twice for his native region as he lasted 60 minutes of his second game of the day.

2

Everytime I see him I am impressed. Always thought he would play for Celtic some day.

3

he is mostly a sub for the huns although he generally does well vs Celtic

4

Novo must be the biggest Catholic Hun of all time.

5

He does tend to play well against Celtic. I’m surprised Smith left him out the other day - that’s one of the huns’ biggest problems, they don’t have many stars because they all get dropped. McDonald has had poor runs of form but he’s improved through it and come out a better player. For the last few years huns have always had guys like Novo, Boyd, Burke, Adam, Prso (less so) who are touted for player of the year one month and then just spend 3 years in and out of the team.

Having said that Novo’s not that good at all. He hates Celtic and seems to do well against us but ability wise he has nice touches but no composure and fuck all else really.

6

True enough, that’s a weird one alright and it’s hard to pinpoint whether it’s a lack of consistency on the players’ part or if it’s due to chopping and changing too much.

But the size of their squad sees them shuffle their pack a lot and that can’t help their players maintain a decent level. But it’s weird to begin with that their squad is so large given how strapped for cash they are.

Those recent stories about Smith looking to offload 10 players in January mention a first team squad of 29. They had numerous ‘first team’ players who didn’t make the match day squad at the weekend as a result - Velicka, Burke, Naismith, Webster, Smith etc.

That said, they must be calling in favours from the media to get them to drum up interest in Novo by claiming Real Madrid are in for him!

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A bit like Samaras then, with the added bonus that he scores the odd important goal.

8

Linked with Depor and Hull on SSN just there

that’s more like it

9

My concern with Samaras is over his big game mentality. He missed crucial chances in Villarreal and Aalborg for example. But he’s still only 23 and has lovely hair and I think he has potential. Despite missing the late header on Saturday, his second half performance was getting back to the levels he showed in September and October before his injury.

10

I am telling the Pope on you

he will take away your season ticket

11

A couple more Huns that I pretty much forgot existed - Brahim Hemdani and DaMarcus Beasley.

A weird habit of Smith’s is buying players and never using them - Alan Gow, Andrius Velicka, Maurice Edu and this Spanish ‘wonderkid’ Aaron, who’s behind Charlie Adam in the pecking order.

Weird.

12

Gow is on loan at Blackpool I think…