JORG ALBERTZ has blasted back at those who claim Rangers should be stripped of the titles they won during the EBT years.
The SPL this week confirmed that, after an investigation by their lawyers, the crisis-torn Ibrox club have a case to answer into alleged 'out-of- contract payments' to players dating back to 1999.
But Albertz believes that those on the park won the silverware fairly and squarely – and has claimed that players who were in the controversial EBT scheme would not have believed they may have been breaching any SPL registration regulations.
"I don't even know what an EBT is," said the man who won titles in 1999 and 2000 under Dick Advocaat.
"I had two contracts in my time at Rangers – one in German and the same one in English!"
The German has claimed that the bulk of players leave financial affairs to their agents and has insisted that many will have been in the dark as to the technicalities of such tax schemes.
And Albertz has insisted the men who pulled on the Rangers jersey gave everything for the cause – and deserve to keep their medals.
"As players we never really spoke of such things as salaries and finances. It isn't the way it is done," he said.
"But all I know is that those players who were successful with Rangers sweated blood and tears for that silverware. They did that because, like all sportsmen, they want to prove they are the best. Whatever anyone says, they did that.
"If Rangers are found guilty of misleading the SPL then there will be a penalty. But the blame lies at the door of the club and those who were running things – not the players.
"Most players take nothing to do with how their contracts are handled. It is agents who look after financial affairs while they concentrate on things on the park.
"Stripping Rangers of titles is meaningless. They proved they were the better team and I don't think anything could take away from that fact."