LE GUEN: I GOT IT WRONG ON MAC

PAUL LE GUEN last night confirmed Allan McGregor as Rangers' No.1 goalkeeper and admitted he blundered by axing the Scot for Lionel Letizi.

Letizi is fully fit again after recovering from a calf muscle strain but the Ibrox gaffer admitted he will keep faith with McGregor for tomorrow's clash with Hearts at Tynecastle.

Le Guen's U-turn comes just weeks after he ditched McGregor despite the 24-year-old's string of outstanding performances while deputising for Letizi.

Letizi returned for only three games before suffering a recurrence of his injury during the warm-up before the UEFA Cup match against Maccabi Haifa.

McGregor turned in another series of stunning displays in the Frenchman's absence.

And Le Guen believes binning him for a second time would be bad for dressing-room harmony. The Gers boss said: "Letizi is fit and physically ready to play but he won't be selected. I think we need stability in the present circumstances. I think this time the circumstances are different and it is better for the team that Allan carries on. That's why I decided to make this choice."

Le Guen insists he's anxious to have a nucleus of Scots in his side and that is why he's pulling out all the stops to keep Chris Burke at the club.

The manager is disappointed the contract rebel has not signed a new deal but has put further talks on hold until after the New Year. However, Le Guen feels the 22-year-old winger, currently recovering from a shoulder operation, would be making a huge mistake if he walked away from Rangers at this stage of his career.

Le Guen said: "I'm still hopeful Chris will opt to stay at Rangers because I know he likes it here.

"I told him I can make him a better player and I believe Rangers is the best place for him at the moment.

"We can have a good squad with McGregor, Chris, Charlie Adam, Steven Smith and Alan Hutton - young Scottish players together."

Tomorrow's Tynecastle clash throws together two clubs in crisis.

Le Guen said: "My priority is to worry about our strengths and our way of playing. I don't want to speak about their problems. I have enough problems of my own.

"It was good to have eight days to work together after the Dunfermline game and to have a rest after playing four games in 12 days. Every day we work on team spirit and we know it is the key. "

Rangers welcome back Libor Sionko after six weeks on the sidelines while Ian Murray, who has not played this term due to an arthritic condition, is on the verge of a comeback.

Le Guen said: "It's good news for him and for us. He's back in training and I am looking forward to him coming back. There is a chance he will have a reserve game next week."

Taken from the Daily Record