McCoist geared up for return to driving seat after spinning out
ALLY McCOIST plonked himself down at a table of journalists wearing racing gear complete with crash helmet. He probably could have done with such protection during his final few years at Ibrox.
“I haven’t been out yet but when I’m back I’ll be down to 17 stone,” said a man who for too long had forgotten how to crack a joke before taking a few laps of the Knockhill track.
By the end of his time as the manager of Rangers, McCoist looked a lot older than the 53 years he is now. The job had got to him more than he admitted to himself at the time. Worried family and friends told him that none of it was worth it. They were right. He looks like his old self again these days.
There are still some things McCoist won’t talk about for legal reasons, and also because he sees it as his moral duty. What he thinks of Mark Warburton, how Rangers will do next season, his thoughts on those Rangers fans who turned on him like it was 1983 when during a game with Dundee there wasn’t a coo’s erse he could hit with a banjo, and whether he is jealous of the club’s recent success.
These are all questions he did not want to answer. At least for the moment.
Super Ally talking about Rangers generates front-page headlines he could do without. He also feels it would be unfair on the current manager who, with the best will in the world, does not command the same level of interest as the club’s record goalscorer.
Such is McCoist’s determination not to been seen to say or do anything that takes away from the present regime, he has not watched a single Rangers game at Ibrox since he left 18 months ago.
“I will go back. Absolutely. But when the time’s right. I have been back, I just haven’t been back for a game,” said McCoist. “I’ve got friends there and people I worked with. I wouldn’t say I’ve banned myself from Ibrox. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is just about respecting people. I’ve got four season tickets, my boys go to the games. There’s absolutely no problem there.”
The only thing he would say about the club right now was: “The majority of people running the club have the club’s best interests at heart. It clearly wasn’t the case before. It’s great and can only be good for the supporters and Rangers.”
McCoist would be welcomed back. Of course he would. Any Rangers supporter who would choose to overlook all the man has done for that club needs help.
“I wouldn’t talk about what’s been, I’d rather talk about what’s going to happen,” he says. “There are still lots of things going on that would stop me talking.”
It’s not as if McCoist has not been busy. “I have five boys, three of them play on a Saturday, there is tennis as well, so I have not been starving myself of football. It’s been good.”
But there is a determination within him now, which perhaps was not there a year ago, to have at least one more crack at management. Preferably with a club that wasn’t a basket case.
“They’re few and far between,” said McCoist. “The one thing you’d say is the situation the club was going through at that time wasn’t unique – but certainly unique to Rangers.
“But in terms of the next club, you would think you’d have to be damned unlucky to take a job that would have the same goings-on as at that particular time at Rangers.
“I could work at another Scottish club. I’ve done it before – St Johnstone and Kilmarnock – so you’d never say never. A great number of managers and coaches have all played with Rangers or have affiliation with them – Ian McCall, Derek McInnes and so on.”
And McCoist hinted that his old sparring partner and now close friend Neil Lennon would do well at Hibernian if indeed he moves to Leith.
“Of course he could work there,” said McCoist. “I spoke to him Wednesday before last when we were on Five Live. He was saying he’s keen to get back in. We were comparing notes on Bolton-Rangers type scenarios. I clearly came out on top!
“We were on good form. He was thinking about moving back up here. He could certainly manage and coach another team here.”
McCoist is obviously happy that his old club are back in the Premiership,for Scottish football as a whole.
“We are not a good enough or big enough country not to have our best teams in the league,” he said. “The sooner we get Hibs back in the better. We need Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs. They are our five biggest teams. We have got to get them back in.”
McCoist being back in Scottish football would help with that.
I will go back. Absolutely. But when the time’s right. I have been back, I just haven’t been back for a game . . . I wouldn’t say I’ve banned myself from Ibrox