CARE AT ALL.(Sport)

Byline: STEPHEN McGOWAN Chief Football Writer

CHARLIE ADAM blazed a penalty high over the Wembley bar in last Sunday's Carling Cup Final. When it comes to Rangers and Craig Whyte, however, the Scotland player doesn't miss his target. The former Ibrox employee emerged from the dressing room following Wednesday night's game in Slovenia to field questions on international football, life at Liverpool and Rangers. On the latter subject, he was scathing. The tale of how Adam recovered from Ibrox rejection to become a [pounds sterling]9million Liverpool signing remains an inexplicable blot on the Rangers landscape. Yet no one could damn the SPL champions more than the man himself. For, in an eyebrow-raising admission, the 26-year-old says he no longer cares what happens at Ibrox.

Asked how he feels about a raft of first-team, fringe players and friends being brutally dispensed with in the coming hours, Adam singled out his brother Grant, a reserve keeper at Murray Park. Beyond that, however, his views on the subject are blunt, forthright and unforgiving.

'I'm not interested,' he said. 'It's as plain and simple as that. For me, that's the way it is. That's football. Obviously, my brother is there and I feel for him because he might lose his job. But, for the rest of it, I'm not interested one bit. For me, it's all about Liverpool.' At a time when other professionals offer words of sympathy and platitudes for the plight of players and staff at Rangers, Adam refuses to sugarcoat his sentiments. Asked why he felt such indifference, he hinted at the still waters which continue to run deep following his departure for Blackpool. He added: 'Things happened at that club that I was disappointed with. That's the way it goes and we move on. I'm interested in my brother, but no one else.

'Sure, on a human level, I still have friends there like Allan McGregor, who I played with for Scotland this week. If guys like that lose their job, of course I'm disappointed. 'But the club is in a bad way and, for me, it's only down to one person -- everybody knows who it is -- the chairman who's gone there and taken the money out of the club. 'He's the one who has made it difficult for everybody else.' That Whyte is hugely culpable for the sorry mess into which Rangers have descended is beyond all reasonable dispute. With a shameless and callous line in misinformation, the Ibrox chairman has taken the SPL champions to the edge of the cliff. One from which supporters would gladly dispense him were he ever to show face at Ibrox again.

Long before the venture capitalist arrived on the scene bearing other peoples' money, however, there were those instrumental in leading the club to the precipice. Most notably, where supporters are concerned, Sir David Murray.

Defensive of Murray's record, Adam said: 'I know some people blame the previous chairman, but I don't think so. I think David Murray did an incredible job at Rangers.

'His success is shown.

He is a shrewd businessman. He didn't achieve what he has without putting money in himself. Did the other guy do that? I don't know. 'It's sad so many people could lose their jobs, people I worked with. But, on a club level, that's the way it goes. I've moved on from it and I'm not interested.' To some, Adam's comments will sound callous and inappropriate. When old colleagues are packing bin bags full of possessions and preparing to leave Murray Park on a one-way ticket, the timing of his comments is suspect. That Adam remains irked by many aspects of his time at Ibrox is apparent. The assumption that a former Rangers player is an old hand at the art of winning trophies is a natural one to make. In the case of Adam, however, it is mistaken. Last week's dramatic Wembley triumph over Cardiff City, in fact, helped to heal the open wounds created by a series of cup final snubs at Ibrox. 'I didn't win anything at Rangers,' he said. 'I always got dropped for the cup finals.

'I wasn't involved in the final of the CIS Cup because I'd got booked in the semi-final against Hearts and was suspended. 'There were other finals when I was fit and available, but didn't play. That was a disappointment. It's just the way it goes.

'That has gone now, though, and I'm in a far better position now than I was then. I've used the disappointments to help me to where I am.

'That is all you can do. When you have disappointments in your career, there is no point sitting there and just feeling sorry for yourself. You have to react in the right way and, hopefully, I've done that.' His own contribution to the cup final win wasn't perfect. Taking the second kick of the sudden death shoot-out, Adam skied his effort so high that Arsenal fan and Twitter egotist Piers Morgan sparked a social networking spat which ran for days. With a shrug, Adam added: 'In 10 years' time, no one will say Charlie Adam missed that penalty in the shoot-out. 'Piers Morgan is a worldwide name. At the end of the day, I can take the stick because it was a bad penalty. I understand that. 'But Liverpool won the cup and that's what matters.'

CAPTION(S):

Not losing any sleep: Adam is concerned for his younger brother Grant (below right), but otherwise claims to be untroubled by the financial meltdown at Ibrox

CARE AT ALL.(Sport)

Byline: STEPHEN McGOWAN Chief Football Writer

CHARLIE ADAM blazed a penalty high over the Wembley bar in last Sunday's Carling Cup Final. When it comes to Rangers and Craig Whyte, however, the Scotland player doesn't miss his target. The former Ibrox employee emerged from the dressing room following Wednesday night's game in Slovenia to field questions on international football, life at Liverpool and Rangers. On the latter subject, he was scathing. The tale of how Adam recovered from Ibrox rejection to become a [pounds sterling]9million Liverpool signing remains an inexplicable blot on the Rangers landscape. Yet no one could damn the SPL champions more than the man himself. For, in an eyebrow-raising admission, the 26-year-old says he no longer cares what happens at Ibrox.

Asked how he feels about a raft of first-team, fringe players and friends being brutally dispensed with in the coming hours, Adam singled out his brother Grant, a reserve keeper at Murray Park. Beyond that, however, his views on the subject are blunt, forthright and unforgiving.

'I'm not interested,' he said. 'It's as plain and simple as that. For me, that's the way it is. That's football. Obviously, my brother is there and I feel for him because he might lose his job. But, for the rest of it, I'm not interested one bit. For me, it's all about Liverpool.' At a time when other professionals offer words of sympathy and platitudes for the plight of players and staff at Rangers, Adam refuses to sugarcoat his sentiments. Asked why he felt such indifference, he hinted at the still waters which continue to run deep following his departure for Blackpool. He added: 'Things happened at that club that I was disappointed with. That's the way it goes and we move on. I'm interested in my brother, but no one else.

'Sure, on a human level, I still have friends there like Allan McGregor, who I played with for Scotland this week. If guys like that lose their job, of course I'm disappointed. 'But the club is in a bad way and, for me, it's only down to one person -- everybody knows who it is -- the chairman who's gone there and taken the money out of the club. 'He's the one who has made it difficult for everybody else.' That Whyte is hugely culpable for the sorry mess into which Rangers have descended is beyond all reasonable dispute. With a shameless and callous line in misinformation, the Ibrox chairman has taken the SPL champions to the edge of the cliff. One from which supporters would gladly dispense him were he ever to show face at Ibrox again.

Long before the venture capitalist arrived on the scene bearing other peoples' money, however, there were those instrumental in leading the club to the precipice. Most notably, where supporters are concerned, Sir David Murray.

Defensive of Murray's record, Adam said: 'I know some people blame the previous chairman, but I don't think so. I think David Murray did an incredible job at Rangers.

'His success is shown.

He is a shrewd businessman. He didn't achieve what he has without putting money in himself. Did the other guy do that? I don't know. 'It's sad so many people could lose their jobs, people I worked with. But, on a club level, that's the way it goes. I've moved on from it and I'm not interested.' To some, Adam's comments will sound callous and inappropriate. When old colleagues are packing bin bags full of possessions and preparing to leave Murray Park on a one-way ticket, the timing of his comments is suspect. That Adam remains irked by many aspects of his time at Ibrox is apparent. The assumption that a former Rangers player is an old hand at the art of winning trophies is a natural one to make. In the case of Adam, however, it is mistaken. Last week's dramatic Wembley triumph over Cardiff City, in fact, helped to heal the open wounds created by a series of cup final snubs at Ibrox. 'I didn't win anything at Rangers,' he said. 'I always got dropped for the cup finals.

'I wasn't involved in the final of the CIS Cup because I'd got booked in the semi-final against Hearts and was suspended. 'There were other finals when I was fit and available, but didn't play. That was a disappointment. It's just the way it goes.

'That has gone now, though, and I'm in a far better position now than I was then. I've used the disappointments to help me to where I am.

'That is all you can do. When you have disappointments in your career, there is no point sitting there and just feeling sorry for yourself. You have to react in the right way and, hopefully, I've done that.' His own contribution to the cup final win wasn't perfect. Taking the second kick of the sudden death shoot-out, Adam skied his effort so high that Arsenal fan and Twitter egotist Piers Morgan sparked a social networking spat which ran for days. With a shrug, Adam added: 'In 10 years' time, no one will say Charlie Adam missed that penalty in the shoot-out. 'Piers Morgan is a worldwide name. At the end of the day, I can take the stick because it was a bad penalty. I understand that. 'But Liverpool won the cup and that's what matters.'

CAPTION(S):

Not losing any sleep: Adam is concerned for his younger brother Grant (below right), but otherwise claims to be untroubled by the financial meltdown at Ibrox

CARE AT ALL.(Sport)

Byline: STEPHEN McGOWAN Chief Football Writer

CHARLIE ADAM blazed a penalty high over the Wembley bar in last Sunday's Carling Cup Final. When it comes to Rangers and Craig Whyte, however, the Scotland player doesn't miss his target. The former Ibrox employee emerged from the dressing room following Wednesday night's game in Slovenia to field questions on international football, life at Liverpool and Rangers. On the latter subject, he was scathing. The tale of how Adam recovered from Ibrox rejection to become a [pounds sterling]9million Liverpool signing remains an inexplicable blot on the Rangers landscape. Yet no one could damn the SPL champions more than the man himself. For, in an eyebrow-raising admission, the 26-year-old says he no longer cares what happens at Ibrox.

Asked how he feels about a raft of first-team, fringe players and friends being brutally dispensed with in the coming hours, Adam singled out his brother Grant, a reserve keeper at Murray Park. Beyond that, however, his views on the subject are blunt, forthright and unforgiving.

'I'm not interested,' he said. 'It's as plain and simple as that. For me, that's the way it is. That's football. Obviously, my brother is there and I feel for him because he might lose his job. But, for the rest of it, I'm not interested one bit. For me, it's all about Liverpool.' At a time when other professionals offer words of sympathy and platitudes for the plight of players and staff at Rangers, Adam refuses to sugarcoat his sentiments. Asked why he felt such indifference, he hinted at the still waters which continue to run deep following his departure for Blackpool. He added: 'Things happened at that club that I was disappointed with. That's the way it goes and we move on. I'm interested in my brother, but no one else.

'Sure, on a human level, I still have friends there like Allan McGregor, who I played with for Scotland this week. If guys like that lose their job, of course I'm disappointed. 'But the club is in a bad way and, for me, it's only down to one person -- everybody knows who it is -- the chairman who's gone there and taken the money out of the club. 'He's the one who has made it difficult for everybody else.' That Whyte is hugely culpable for the sorry mess into which Rangers have descended is beyond all reasonable dispute. With a shameless and callous line in misinformation, the Ibrox chairman has taken the SPL champions to the edge of the cliff. One from which supporters would gladly dispense him were he ever to show face at Ibrox again.

Long before the venture capitalist arrived on the scene bearing other peoples' money, however, there were those instrumental in leading the club to the precipice. Most notably, where supporters are concerned, Sir David Murray.

Defensive of Murray's record, Adam said: 'I know some people blame the previous chairman, but I don't think so. I think David Murray did an incredible job at Rangers.

'His success is shown.

He is a shrewd businessman. He didn't achieve what he has without putting money in himself. Did the other guy do that? I don't know. 'It's sad so many people could lose their jobs, people I worked with. But, on a club level, that's the way it goes. I've moved on from it and I'm not interested.' To some, Adam's comments will sound callous and inappropriate. When old colleagues are packing bin bags full of possessions and preparing to leave Murray Park on a one-way ticket, the timing of his comments is suspect. That Adam remains irked by many aspects of his time at Ibrox is apparent. The assumption that a former Rangers player is an old hand at the art of winning trophies is a natural one to make. In the case of Adam, however, it is mistaken. Last week's dramatic Wembley triumph over Cardiff City, in fact, helped to heal the open wounds created by a series of cup final snubs at Ibrox. 'I didn't win anything at Rangers,' he said. 'I always got dropped for the cup finals.

'I wasn't involved in the final of the CIS Cup because I'd got booked in the semi-final against Hearts and was suspended. 'There were other finals when I was fit and available, but didn't play. That was a disappointment. It's just the way it goes.

'That has gone now, though, and I'm in a far better position now than I was then. I've used the disappointments to help me to where I am.

'That is all you can do. When you have disappointments in your career, there is no point sitting there and just feeling sorry for yourself. You have to react in the right way and, hopefully, I've done that.' His own contribution to the cup final win wasn't perfect. Taking the second kick of the sudden death shoot-out, Adam skied his effort so high that Arsenal fan and Twitter egotist Piers Morgan sparked a social networking spat which ran for days. With a shrug, Adam added: 'In 10 years' time, no one will say Charlie Adam missed that penalty in the shoot-out. 'Piers Morgan is a worldwide name. At the end of the day, I can take the stick because it was a bad penalty. I understand that. 'But Liverpool won the cup and that's what matters.'

CAPTION(S):

Not losing any sleep: Adam is concerned for his younger brother Grant (below right), but otherwise claims to be untroubled by the financial meltdown at Ibrox