Naismith Staying ?

Last updated : 21 June 2007 By Lisa Gray
Steven Naismith insists he would rather stay at Kilmarnock than spend next season warming the bench for the Old Firm.
The 20-year-old forward has been targeted by both Celtic and Rangers, sparking another transfer battle between the two rivals.
Rangers have already had a £450,000 bid rejected, while Celtic have also confirmed their interest in the SPFA Young Player of the Year.
Naismith is now waiting on the phonecall that tells him an offer has been accepted by Killie chiefs - but he has warned both sides of the Glasgow divide that he would only be willing to move if he was guaranteed first team football every week.



"I don't want to go to a team where I'm not going to play every week," he said.
"I've done well in the last two years to play the number of games that I have and it would be a step back if I was to go to a team where I would be sitting on the bench or not even involved.
"I believe in my ability and, no matter what the team, if I go there, I'm thinking that I'll be able to play every week.

"If I'm good enough in training, I would expect to be playing every week.
"I'm not going to sit here and say 'I want to move to Rangers' or 'I want to move to Celtic' because that's not the case.
"The move needs to be right for me and everybody around me."

Naismith is not naive enough to state which half of the Old Firm he favours at the moment but Rangers - still smarting after losing out on both Scott Brown and Scott McDonald to Celtic - are likely to win this transfer tussle.
Like Naismith, Derek Riordan was one of Scottish football's hottest properties before winning a dream move to Celtic last summer.
However, the dream quickly turned sour for Riordan who struggled on several occasions even to make the bench during his debut season at Parkhead.

His failure to establish himself as a first team fixture at Celtic has not gone unnoticed by Naismith, who could opt for Rangers instead as a result.
He said: "He has obviously given the Celtic manager a headache about playing him so I wouldn't say it was the wrong move.
"But his chances have been limited and that's something I would have to think about. It's something that could happen to me if I was to move to any club."
Speaking of the interest from the Old Firm, he admitted: "It's probably taken over my life for the last month.

"Since the end of the season, a lot of people have been asking me what's happening but I know as much as everybody else and that's the truth.
"I'm past worrying about it. I'm contracted to Kilmarnock for another three years so I've got that to look forward to if nothing happens.
"It's not bothering me at all now.
"I've got the right people around me to keep my feet on the ground and that's what I'll do. You don't spend your money before you've got it and you don't plan your move before it happens."

If Rangers or Celtic do swoop for the youngster, he hopes any transfer will be completed before he has to report back to Rugby Park for pre-season training.
He added: "It's probably best if any move was all done and dusted before going back.
"It would be better if that happened than me coming back and getting interrupted in the middle of pre-season and getting a move then.

"But I'm just thinking about going back to pre-season with Kilmarnock and the boys."
One option which he is not even considering is a switch south of the border.
Naismith spent a few days training with Arsenal last season, and has not ruled out playing in the Barclays Premiership one day, but he insists that day is still a long way off.

"I'm still only 20 years old and it would be a massive step moving away," he said.
"I'm quite a homely guy and, to be honest, I don't think the time is right.
"Maybe in a few years when I'm a bit older and I've got a bit more experience.

"I've only been playing professional football in the SPL for two seasons, it's hardly a lot of experience.
"England is one of the best leagues in the world and one of the hardest so I would definitely consider it in the future.
"I'm not silly enough to rule it out, I just think I'm a bit young just now."