Mcpake questions Gers’ reaction at Griffiths booking
James Mcpake was less than impressed with the way Rangers players reacted to a Leigh Griffiths’ challenge at Ibrox.
The former Scotland striker was booked after referee Alan Muir ruled he had fouled Joe Aribo.
That led to an angry reaction from the hosts, with Griffiths’ team-mates also getting involved.
The Dundee boss clearly felt there had been an attempt to get the player punished, and said: “You could see what they were trying to do, in my opinion.
“He got booked, and then there’s a riot about to happen all of a sudden because it’s Leigh, Rangers players coming from everywhere.
“Fair play to my players. That’s what I want to see from my team. All coming together to help their team-mate out.
“To me, there was nothing in it but I was miles away. If it was worthy of a booking, then Alan has got one right.
“I was booked because the fourth official thought that I made a comment to him, which I didn’t. I made it to someone else.”
The Dens Park manager wasn’t surprised that Griffiths was loudly barracked from the Ibrox stands, adding :“He gets a hostile reception everywhere he goes.
“It would never cross my mind to say I’m worried about putting him on. Leigh can take it.”
Despite losing, Mcpake is happy with the way his team is performing, with wins over Motherwell and St Johnstone in the last seven days a boost.
He went on: “Rangers are the champions, and it’s a tough place to come to.
“I don’t think, in terms of effort and work-rate, I could ask for any more.
“The goals we lost are avoidable. I felt they were very unlucky. Credit to Rangers, they had other chances, and Adam pulled off some big saves.
“Our own big chance came at 2- 0 with Paul Mcmullan, and Allan Mcgregor pulled off a great save.
“You have to put it into perspective. We have nine points out of 15 in this set of fixtures, and the two we have lost came against Celtic and Rangers.
“We have more points in the last five games than we did in the first 11.
“Next we have a massive game against Ross County. The last one still hurts, and we’ll use that.”
■ Rangers are optimistic they can persuade Leon King to sign a new deal, writes DANNY STEWART.
Reports in England have linked the highly rated 17-year-old with a move to Aston Villa in the summer.
They suggested he would run his contract down, allowing Steven Gerrard to use a crossborder loophole to land him for as little as £200,000.
However, the Ibrox club think King, a boyhood fan of the club, will be minded instead to accept the lucrative new terms being offered to stay put.