Smith: No need for Beasley to leave

Walter Smith has told DaMarcus Beasley there is now no need for him to leave Rangers to realise his World Cup dream.

Beasley last week revealed he was considering quitting Ibrox next month because he feared his lack of match action would cost him his place in the United States squad. But Smith insists the midfielder will be guaranteed to start for Rangers if he maintains the kind of form which helped them reclaim top spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League at Dundee United on Tuesday night.

"DaMarcus is playing very well for us at the moment and scored a terrific goal at Tannadice," Smith told his club's official website, www.rangers.co.uk.

Beasley got the ball running on an emphatic 3-0 win with a stunning goal - his first since the 2008 Scottish Cup final - as well as laying on the visitors' third.

He has now started Rangers' last three matches and Smith believes the 27-year-old can be a mainstay of the side for the rest of the season.

Smith added: "After coming back from his serious knee problem, he has had things go wrong with his hamstring and his groin.

"In the last two or three months, he has settled down and looked sharper in training. He's obviously now playing well in games too.

"The lad's comments before were quite simple. He said he had to try to get games so that he could be included in the World Cup.

"That's an acceptable factor because he wasn't getting a regular game here but that wasn't always due to the fact he wasn't getting picked.

"Sometimes he wasn't available but he is now and there's no reason for him to move. I don't think so anyway as long as he is getting an opportunity. DaMarcus has enough experience and enough caps that if he does play, he'll be in with a very good chance of being selected for the USA's squad."