Boyd's Blast After Double
KRIS BOYD showed George Burley what he was missing by rescuing Rangers yesterday - then insisted he has nothing to prove to anyone except himself.
National boss Burley claimed the 25-year-old hadn't established himself at Ibrox in the wake of the striker's controversial decision to quit the Scotland set-up two weeks ago.
But Boyd stuck two fingers up at him by netting a double on his seventh start of the season in Gers' 3-1 comeback win at Hamilton.
Spanish striker Nacho Novo then grabbed the clincher just days after admitting he would consider playing for Scotland. And afterwards Boyd grinned: "I haven't liked hogging the headlines in the past few weeks but at least wee Nacho has taken the pressure off me now.
"I'm pleased with the goals I've scored but I'm hungry for more.
"And I don't have a point to prove to anyone except myself. As long as I keep going about it the way I did today I'll do all right.
"I knew when I made the Scotland decision I had to start again at club level.
"The manager and Ally McCoist have said nice things about me and it's a confidence boost. But it's up to me, and no-one else, when I get in the team.
"Once I knew I was starting it was important I got my name on the score sheet.
"It's a relief to get a game to be honest. I was looking forward to the match against Dundee United last week but it was called off due to the death of Eddie Thompson.
"However, we got back to business here with the victory we needed."
It took Gers a while to get going though and Brian Easton headed Accies into a deserved lead in the first half.
That had Boyd dreading another shock after their defeat to St Mirren last time out but his penalty just before the break sparked Gers back to life.
The hitman admitted: "We were sloppy to start with and got what we deserved.
"Hamilton coped better with the weather and should have been more than one up before we had the penalty.
"We dominated the second half though and should have won by more."
Boss Walter Smith shared that sentiment and said: "It was always going to be tough.
"Hamilton's first home game against an Old Firm team was always going to be more of a cup tie and they started well.
"We struggled to start with but after we got in front we had opportunities to create a number of chances.
"Fortunately the third goal came at a good time and killed the game off."

Arthur Numan: Kris Boyd can return, just like Ruud

ARTHUR NUMAN last night backed Kris Boyd to copy Ruud van Nistelrooy - and one day return to become his country's hero.
Ex-Gers star Numan was stunned at the Rangers hitman's spat with Scotland boss George Burley.
But the 45-times capped Dutch ace urged Scotland not to slam the door shut on Boyd for good.
Numan said: "The news was all over the sports pages in Holland.
"Kris is a great player who gives you goals. But he feels a little left out and has made his decision."
Numan says it reminds him of Van Nistelrooy's situation when he quit the Dutch side - only to return to the fold. Numan said: "He didn't want to play under the previous coach, Marco van Basten.
"But he's back now and hugely important for the national team.
"It was a big loss for Holland but you have to respect their decision.
"People in Scotland should just forget about the situation and leave Boyd alone."

Darcheville's attempts to stick up for Boyd highlight shortcomings

IN THE debate over the merits of Kris Boyd, those expressing sympathy for his decision to blank Scotland have tended to be outsiders looking in. Ringing endorsements of the Rangers striker from those tasked to play him, or play with him, haven't always been forthcoming.

Last week, his club manager Walter Smith described Boyd as the "biggest enigma" he had met. And as Jean-Claude Darcheville politely attempted to take the middle ground on his Ibrox partner preferences , he only succeeded in highlighting Boyd's short
comings.

"Kenny (Miller] is good," said the Frenchman, on who he likes to operate alongside, before rushing to add: "though I can play with Boydie and Nacho Novo, and it is very important that you know I'm not saying I prefer Kenny.

"When you play with a partner, it is very important to have a good relationship. For this you need two strikers who move. Every striker at the club is good, every striker has a different style. Everybody knows Boydie doesn't move a lot, but in the box he's the best striker in the team.

"It's good for the manager because you may need one type of striker for one game when you know you have a lot of balls coming in to the box. For that you can have Boydie.

"When I play, I prefer a striker who moves with ease. It is not as difficult. If it is only you who moves every time, after 50, 60 minutes, you tire."

So, in essence, Darcheville is saying he welcomes those days when he doesn't have to run himself into the ground to compensate for Boyd's immobility. Ahead of this weekend, it surprised that in Rangers' recent games Smith had spared the 32-year-old an tiring shift by linking him with Miller.

Darcheville has become the prime groan-and-grumble-inducing player for the Rangers support. In part because his inclusion means Boyd warms the bench and, in part, because he is the antithesis of the man he is keeping out of the side. His industry outside the box has been laudable but, with no goals in a handful of appearances, his efforts inside it have been lamentable.

"I'm disappointed with myself because I know in the time I've been at Rangers I've never given more than 60% of my capacity because I've had problems. (As well as injuries last year] there were a lot of times I had to play on my own up front and I need a partner," he said.

"This year, though, I've been working well because I have had a good training programme that I've never had before. This has been my best form in Scotland because I've been working hard.

"A lot of times people judged you only on your scoring. When it's full time and people count your goals, maybe they don't count a run you made to create space for another to score. The manager sees these things better than anyone else, better than you journalists."

Smith sees something in Darcheville that is being missed by many. He is unlikely, though, to see enough to consider offering him a new deal that would allow him to play "one or two more years" before retiring in a country that he and his wife are settled in.

"The club haven't said anything to me yet about the possibility of extending my contract," he said. "If I score a lot of goals maybe the manager will give me one more year. I played in France for 13 years and don't want to go back there. I love the fact in Scotland the stadiums are full wherever we play."