Carlos who? says Weir as Bougherra eases into role

CARLOS CUELLAR'S departure from Ibrox following Rangers' elimination from the Champions League by FBK Kaunas was, in retrospect, inevitable.

While the Spaniard was content to ply his trade in the SPL while Walter Smith's side was hurtling towards the UEFA Cup final, the prospect of facing Hamilton Accies and Inverness Caledonian Thistle at least four times per season without European football was always likely to prove unpalatable.

The Rangers support was inconsolable, partly because their idol had been lured to Aston Villa by former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill but mainly because they viewed Scotland's Player of the Year as irreplaceable.

David Weir, however, thinks differently. The doyen of the dressing room is of the opinion that Cuellar's loss has been offset by the arrival from Charlton Athletic of Madjid Bougherra. The 38-year-old will partner the Algerian when they face champions Celtic at Parkhead at lunchtime today and Weir expects him to come through the ordeal with flying colours.

"I think Majhid has done very well," he said. "He had big boots to fill with such a great player like Carlos leaving but he's stepped straight in. The biggest compliment you can probably give him is the fact that up until now Carlos hasn't really been missed.

"I've no reason to think he won't be able to handle the Old Firm occasion. It's not like he's a young lad: he's experienced and has played a bit of football. This is a relatively new partnership that we have but he's an easy enough guy to play with and the biggest thing is that the communication is there – if there's a language barrier then that can be a problem."

Bougherra could be one of five Rangers players experiencing this fixture for the first time, with Pedro Mendes, Maurice Edu, Kyle Lafferty and Andrius Velicka being the others.

"There's not much you can say to the guys who will make their Old Firm debuts," Weir said. "Actions speak louder than words and I'm sure our lads will adapt to it. You either sink or swim and in my opinion they'll swim because they're all good players."

Spread betting enthusiasts may care to note that last season's four derbies saw the teams rack up 30 yellow cards while two players (Rangers' Steven Whittaker and Cuellar) were dismissed. However, Weir stressed that there was no ill-feeling between the players and that no-one would be taking the field with malice aforethought.

"Things can spill over in any game of football, it's a passionate sport and things happen," he said. "Tackles can happen, goals in the last minute or whatever and people react. At the end of the day you're a professional footballer and you go out to give your best and win the game but when the game finishes you shake hands and move on. There's no mileage in holding grudges, that doesn't win you the game or influence the outcome which is the bottom line."

Walter Smith will be anxious to avoid losing three successive matches against Celtic for the first time but, whatever the outcome, the Rangers manager refuses to buy into the conspiracy theories being propounded by some of his SPL counterparts.

Match officials have been pilloried for decisions which TV evidence have proved to be wrong. Thus far Celtic have profited from refereeing gaffes in each of their three games while Rangers had what would have been a last-minute winner at Aberdeen last weekend incorrectly ruled offside.

Smith, though, refuses to countenance any talk of bias or vendettas, preferring to talk up the integrity of the game's law enforcers. Dougie McDonald will be the man in the middle today but, while Smith will accord him respect, compassion will be in short supply.

"I don't feel a degree of sympathy," he said. "I think a lot of stuff that's been going on in the early part of the season has been exaggerated. If you are looking down through the ages, referees and linesmen make mistakes the same way that players and managers make mistakes.

"We are certainly getting them highlighted in a manner just now that it is far greater than anything I can remember but referees, if they do make an error, it's because it is an error and not because of any other reason; supporting certain clubs, or having a bias towards this, that or the next thing.

"If we stop accepting that factor, then we start to have real problems. It is a difficult environment for anybody to handle, for managers, for players, for referees but if you work in Scotland you have got to show that you can handle it and it is a big step for a referee to take."