Dons re-sign Zeli on loan

Dons re-sign Zeli on loan

Published Jan. 5, 2013 6:15 a.m. ET

Falkirk have confirmed midfielder Liam Dick and defender Ryan McGeever have signed new contracts.

The pair - 17 and 18 respectively - have forced their ways into Steven Pressley's first team and signed three-and-a-half year deals to stay at Falkirk Stadium until 2016.

Pressley told the club's official website "I am absolutely delighted to have signed up two of our best prospects on long-term deals.

"It shows me an enthusiasm from the players to develop their careers at Falkirk and that they are happy here.

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"This is the first stage in a deliberate strategy from us to tie up our young talent on longer deals and our fans should look out for more extensions in the coming months.

"It all bodes well for the future."

The Light Blues are unable to buy new players until next January and have to wait until September 1 before they can register free agents.

With no option but to make the most of the squad he already has at his disposal, Perry believes the remainder of the season is the ideal opportunity to impress the manager.

The centre-half is fit again after a hernia operation and keen to make an impact.

Perry said: "The manager has to concentrate on the players he's got at the moment and we're just looking to do the best job we can.

"If that means playing as many games as possible, and really cementing your place in the team and the squad, that's great.

"I've got my operation out of the way now and, with games coming thick and fast, it's a little bit tiring.

"But, in terms of general fitness, it's the best I've felt."

Rangers sit 17 points clear at the top of the Third Division, having won their last 11 games.

Asked if they can go the rest of the season without dropping any more points, Perry said: "That's the aim and it was also the aim at the start of the season.

"We had a bad result at Stirling but that maybe kick-started our season.

"When you see Rangers in the Third Division, there is always going to be that expectancy for us to win the league.

"But we saw at the start of the season that no game is easy.

"Even now, teams will make it tough for us.

"We are a young side and a new side and I think we have done extremely well so far.

"We are just looking to continue that."

Scottish Premier League teams may now have two weekends off but Rangers remain in action and will play host to Elgin City on Saturday.

Perry added: "It will be another tough test.

"We are on a good run just now and hopefully we will be able to extend it further.

"They've had a couple of bad results but we will be concentrating on ourselves tomorrow and hopefully we can put on another good performance."

The Boro under-21 captain will remain at Huish Park for a month.

The 19-year-old is a central midfielder, who can play at left-back or on the wing if required.

The Glovers have a good relationship with Boro following loan deals for Jonathan Grounds and Jonathan Franks last season.

Meanwhile Glovers striker Curtis Haynes-Brown has joined Blue Square Bet Premier side Cambridge United on a permanent deal.

Wednesday night's shock home defeat at QPR saw interim Blues boss Benitez come under heavy fire for resting several of his key players.

But the Spaniard had no regrets about his decision to omit the likes of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Ashley Cole in the 1-0 Premier League loss, despite it leaving Chelsea 14 points adrift in the title race.

Benitez, who drew praise during his first month in charge for the way he had managed the workload of his squad, said: "You cannot be criticised and praised for the same thing.

"Rotating players because we were playing so many games was really good.

"We had more players, we could use the squad and, after one game, they were saying, 'Oh, you were changing players'.

"We know how the players are, we know the level of our players, and we trust our players.

"We can manage the squad and we have to manage the squad because we have one game every three days."

Benitez, who employed a similar policy while in charge of Liverpool, denied he had taken it too far on Wednesday. And the Spaniard insisted a similar degree of rotation would continue while he remained at Chelsea.

"Yeah, if it's necessary," he said.

"They couldn't keep playing games and games because the risk of injuries and tiredness is there.

"The other day, I think that two or three of the players, they were a little bit more tired than the others and maybe that is the reason why that we didn't play with the tempo that we want to play."

Benitez also denied his decision was motivated by a desire to place winning the FA Cup and Capital One Cup ahead of a Premier League title challenge.

The 52-year-old, who spoke about his eagerness to win trophies upon his interim appointment, said: "We will try to win every game.

"I cannot come here to every press conference and explain the situation of each player in detail."

He was also coy about how "strong" a side he would put out in tomorrow's FA Cup third-round tie at Southampton.

He said: "My strongest team? Maybe it depends for you on the names.

"For me, it depends on the moment of the players, how they feel every game.

"We will try win every competition until the end of the season."

The former England Under-17 international joined the Dons on loan in November and made six appearances before his deal expired on Wednesday.

But the 19-year-old has secured a returned to stadium:mk from Wolves, where he recently signed a two-and-a-half-year deal.

His stay will be extended if Karl Robinson's side are involved in the play-offs.

He could be involved against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup if they receive clearance from the FA.

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