Rangers' Madjid Bougherra happy to remain at Ibrox

Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra has reiterated his desire to remain at the club after starring for Algeria in this summer's World Cup finals.

• “I’m happy. Everybody asks me but I’ve two years left on my contract and am going to enjoy them. I hope I can win the title again,” he told BBC Scotland.
• “At the moment I don’t have this (the thought of leaving) in my head. When I signed for Rangers my life changed.
• “It’s fantastic here for me and I hope to do it again next season.”
• Bougherra joined Rangers from Charlton in 2008 on a four-year deal and has enjoyed a successful partnership with David Weir at the heart of the team’s defence.
• In recent years, Ibrox defenders Jean-Alain Boumsong and Carlos Cuellar have made quick departures to the English Premier League after impressing in Scotland’s top flight, and there has been speculation that the Algerian would follow the path south.
• But speaking on Chick Young’s World of Football on BBC Radio Scotland, the 27-year-old centre-half dismissed the notion.

• Asked if he had a message for Rangers supporters, he said: “Thank you for everything, but I don’t say this because I am leaving!
• “The fans have been very good to me and have pushed me to do more.
• “On the pitch when you feel the fans behind you, you give more. For footballers, when the fans love you, it’s fantastic.”
• Bougherra’s career has taken off since arriving at the Govan club.
• He said: “I have won trophies, with Algeria we qualified for the World Cup and got to the African Cup of Nations semi-final, and there’s the Champions League.”
• The player hopes to be fit to face Dundee United in the Scottish Cup on Sunday, after struggling to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in the recent Old Firm derby.
• At stake is a place in the semi-finals and the chance for Rangers to continue their quest for a domestic treble.
• With a 13-point advantage over Celtic in the league, Bougherra acknowledged that the Scottish Premier League title is within reach.
• “Our destiny is in our hands,” he said. “I think we need five or six wins so we must do our best in these games and we’ll be champions.”
• At the end of the season he will join his Algerian team-mates as they prepare to take on England, the USA and Slovenia in Group C.
• Bougherra will be tasked with keeping Wayne Rooney at bay, but this will not be their first contest – he was pitched against the striker in his first game for Charlton, but lost the match 2-0.
• “At the moment he is the best. He is the top scorer in England and in the Champions League he showed that he can score with headers – he has everything,” said Bougherra of the England star.
• And the Rangers defender believes Fabio Capello’s team are one of the favourites to lift the World Cup.
• “It’s a great chance for me and the players to see if we have the level to play against these big players,” said the Algerian.
• “Everybody is ready to show Algerian players to the world.”