Bougherra - I was right to stay

by Brian Etherson , 04 June 2009

Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra reckons he got it right by turning down a move to Newcastle United in January after he picked up the league and cup double.

Bougherra was offered the chance to move during the January transfer window and could have doubled his salary at the same time, but Bougherra decided to stay at Ibrox as he believed the same mistake was about to happen all over again when he moved from Sheffield Wednesday to Charlton.

"Newcastle made an offer for me but I took the right decision to stay with Rangers," Bougherra told the Daily Record. “I felt they are the right club for me. I did not want to make the same mistake I made two years ago when I left Sheffield Wednesday for Charlton.

"I knew that I was going to win something with Rangers and that there would be the Champions League for me at the end.

"So I've got absolutely no regrets about staying. The Rangers fans have welcomed me with open arms - they love me and I love them too.

"It has been a beautiful season for me. I've won the Double, been voted the Rangers fans' player of the year and will now have the chance of entering the Champions League at the group stages next season.

"It has been a perfect campaign for me and if Algeria beat Egypt on Saturday it will be the icing on the cake.”

However, the Algerian admitted to struggling with his form in the early part of the season.

He added: “I struggled a bit early on in the season but I truly exploded once January had gone. I felt more at home in the second half of the campaign and really made progress.

"I enjoy making charges upfield and I have to pay tribute to the Rangers coaching staff. They let me express myself on the ball.

"I have improved my skills playing for the Algerian national side. People in Scotland are unused to seeing defenders with technique.

"Now I can't wait to see who will be in our Champions League group. We will have a minimum of six games in Europe, even if we get knocked out straight away.”

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Pos
Team P W D L GD PTS
1.
Arsenal
0
0
0
0
0
0
2.
Aston Villa
0
0
0
0
0
0
3.
Birmingham
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.
Blackburn
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.
Bolton
0
0
0
0
0
0
6.
Burnley
0
0
0
0
0
0
7.
Chelsea
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.
Everton
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.
Fulham
0
0
0
0
0
0
10.
Hull
0
0
0
0
0
0
11.
Liverpool
0
0
0
0
0
0
12.
Man City
0
0
0
0
0
0
13.
Man Utd
0
0
0
0
0
0
14.
Portsmouth
0
0
0
0
0
0
15.
Stoke
0
0
0
0
0
0
16.
Sunderland
0
0
0
0
0
0
17.
Tottenham
0
0
0
0
0
0
18.
West Ham
0
0
0
0
0
0
19.
Wigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
20.
Wolverhampton
0
0
0
0
0
0
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