Former Glasgow Rangers / Newcastle and current Queensland Roar defender Craig Moore underwent surgery yesterday to remove his left testicle after having been diagnosed with Testicular Cancer that was detected early enough to treat.

Withdrawing from the Australian National Team ahead of their game in Bahrain next Thursday after having just returned to the Soceroos after an 8 month retirement (and having previously captained the squad) for the 4 - 0 win over Qatar last month in Brisbane, the soon to be 33 year old is hoping that this would be the last time he was forced to miss a game.

“It’s always a shock to hear of a diagnosis like this but I am encouraged by the prognosis from the medical practitioner,” Australia head coach Pim Verbeek said.

image via ABC

Spanish Glasgow Rangers star Nacho Novo has reiterated his desire to play for his adopted homeland after revealing that he could be eligible for Scottish Citizenship after spending 8 year in Scotland playing for Raith Rovers (2001 - 02), Dundee (2002 - 04) and Rangers (2004 - present).

Once gaining Citizenship, it would be up to the SFA and Manage George Burley to decide if Novo would be the first “foreigner” to don the Scottish Kit.

Via DailyRecord

“I was asked a simple question about playing for Scotland and I gave an honest answer. When I was young my dream was to play for Spain but that hasn’t happened.

“I have been in Scotland for many years now. My family is Scottish as well. It would be an honour for me to pull on a Scotland jersey.”

Marco Senna anyone?

image via TheSun

Glasgow Celtic Assistan Coach and former player Neill Lennon was attacked by three men in the Ashton Lane area of Glasgow’s West End after Celtics 4 - 2 loss to Glasgow Rangers in the first edition of the 2008 / 09 Old Firm clash at Parkhead.

Lennon is believed to have gone out after the game to grab a drink when he started getting abuse from opposing fans, leading to the violence.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said yesterday: “Police were called around  12.25am to a report of a 37-year-old man assaulted in Ashton Lane, Glasgow.

“The injured man was taken to hospital then discharged after treatment for minor injuries.  He did not wish to make a complaint, however police enquiries are ongoing into the incident.”

image via DailyMail 

With Maurice Edu looking set to make his Rangers debut against Celtic in the storied Old Firm rivalry, our boy Graig wrote a nice piece about what this rivalry means. Dunny can tell you first hand about his experiences over there and how there is no other game like this in the world. Head here to check out the article.

The 2.7 Million Pound man has finally landed in Glasgow and despite all the delays, Maurice Edu chances of featuring in this weekends Old Firm match against Glasgow Celtic are still significantly high.

And with Barry Ferguson and Gary Naismith out with injuries for significant amounts of time, Edu’s chances of forming a serious midfield partnership at Parkhead with newly signed Pedro Mendes seem that much greater.

From Toronto to Hong Kong to Beijing to Glasgow to Guatemala to Toronto to Glasgow….  That’s one hell of an impressive month.

image via EveningTimes

UPDATE -  Maurice Edu is officially a Glasgow Ranger after the hearing panel in Hampden took just over an hour to grant him his Work Permit and seal his 2.7 Million Pound switch.

And the first game he’ll be eligible to play in, The Old Firm Match on August 31st at Parkhead (Celtic).  Wow.

I was lucky enough to train with Rangers back in 1997 for three months and I can tell you first hand as I was able to see two Old Firm matches at Ibrox (Rangers) and one at Parkhead, it’s one of the craziest games you’ll ever see up close.

Toronto FC’s Coach / GM / Director of Football / Trade Maestro Mo Johnston has a great interview over at the Evening Times of Glasgow about everything that IS Maurice Edu.

From his time at Maryland, the MLS Combine, MLS Draft, MLS Rookie of the Year, Olympic Team Qualification, Full National Team call ups, Olympics to his 2.7 Million Pound Transfer that is only held up as of now by a Work Permit, the former Celtic and Ranger man quotes it all.

And yes, that Five Year Deal is something that proves that Ranger’s boss man Walter Smith is very high on the Inland Empire (909) product.

Imagine a midfield of Barry Ferguson, Pedro Mendes, DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu. Won’t have to much longer.

One of the more underrated players in the Premiership, Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes has made a 3 Million Pound move to Walter Smith’s Glasgow Rangers.

Add in the Maurice Edu rumors and Smith will have a nice little summer signing period under his belt.

Talking about the Old Firm match at the end of the first month of the season, Mendes said, “It is a very big game, I think it is a massive game, and I think it is a game when you’re at home and you’re a football player and you see the game on the TV and think, ‘I wish I could be involved in a game like that’.”

I’m still trying to wrap my head around Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane up top for Liverpool, but I’m loving what I see from N’Gog so far.

DaMarcus Beasley will be out a minimum of 3 weeks after pulling up during Glasgow Rangers 1-nil win over SC Preussen Munster.

While the injury means Beasley will miss out on Ranger’s Champions League Qualifiers next week, there are no long term worries concerning the hamstring strain.

But Beasley isn’t the only injury concern for Walter Smith’s Rangers as club and country Captain Barry Ferguson is set for ankle surgery.  Ferguson, who has had ankle surgery to repair ligament damage back in April 2006, had to have injections throughout the 2007/08 campaign to keep his season on course.

The Captain will miss a minimum of 4 months, meaning he will miss the start of Scotland’s World Cup Qualifying Matches as well.

image via BBC

I love when stories come out like this after the match.

If you’ve ever been through something like that where it’s the night before the big match, once you realize you’re safe and there’s really nothing wrong, you just laugh.

It’s happened to me with alarms next to the bed (one of the more brilliant ones because it was the maid), wake up calls at 3:30am, fire alarms or where 3,000 supporters from Chile are singing below your window in Sydney the night before the Bronze Medal match.

I’m just surprised they pulled the alarm at midnight and not around 4am.

image via Edweb