We are all suffering

Defiant McCoist sets the record straight in Ibrox’s era of pain

TODAY will see the writing of a crucial passage in the story of Ally McCoist’s Ibrox tenure. Before turning to a fresh page, however, the Rangers manager last night issued an indignant defence of a chapter just closed.

Last Sunday’s dismal defeat to Raith Rovers in the final of the Ramsdens Cup has hiked up pressure on McCoist and his players to a new level. Angry supporters are anxious to see at least a credible performance from their side when Dundee United visit this lunchtime for a fascinating semi-final.

The fury felt by some fans was amplified when a photograph emerged of McCoist apparently taking the microphone to sing at a function for players and their families after the Raith reverse.

That led to inevitable allegations which the Ibrox boss rejected angrily yesterday, insisting there had been no lack of anguish at such a bruising setback.

‘I’ll tell you right now, if anyone in this room thinks for a minute that we weren’t hurting or in a lot of pain with that result, then I think we are all in the wrong game, I really do,’ said McCoist.

‘What happened on Sunday happened on Sunday. But the point that has to be made, just for the record, is that we were all suffering greatly and we didn’t do anything different than we have done in cup finals for the last 30 or 40 years. That’s all I would say on it, nothing more.’

The question now, of course, is whether Rangers will have a second final this season to try to expunge their Ramsdens misery.

Bookmakers have United as firm favourites. Nothing is ever clear at Ibrox, so it remains to be seen how a board under severe pressure from Dave King — following his latest explosive volley — might react if the Tannadice side recorded a hefty victory.

McCoist, though, remains positive about their chances. Asked if he felt his job could be on the line, he said: ‘It is not for me to say. I think your job is on the line every time you have got a game with Rangers, to be honest.

‘I certainly haven’t thought about that and I’m not thinking about that. I am just thinking about our boys turning up, putting in a good performance and, hopefully, reaching a Scottish Cup Final.’

“To get to the Final would be a great, great bonus for us”

A record of 29 wins and two draws in League One shows impressive consistency and professionalism this term, but the budget at McCoist’s disposal creates a demand for Cup results to cherish.

Given the circumstances, it was put to him that the meeting with United might be his biggest game since replacing Walter Smith in the summer of 2011.

‘I am not sure,’ he countered. ‘I have always said, and I stand by it, that if we don’t win the league, I will not be here. I can understand that.

‘We have signed players from the top flight, who were free transfers. Should they be winning the Scottish Cup? That argument is up for debate.

‘I still think it is relatively unknown. There is no benchmark. The priority has been, and always will be, to get out of the division as early as we can. ‘In that respect, you would have to say that it has been successful this season. If we can add a Scottish Cup to it, I think it will be a very successful season.’

Thanks to t he maelstrom that followed the financial melt down at I brox in 2012, McCoist has yet to have a transfer window where he can move with the freedom afforded to his predecessors in terms of selecting targets. He knows, however, that judgment on his capabilities i s unlikely to be deferred until he has the ability to properly create his own team.

‘I would rather that was the case, obviously,’ he said. ‘But you will get judged as a Rangers manager no matter what the circumstances are. I think people are finding it difficult because there is not a level playing field with the circumstances.

‘But it’s not about me. If we could get ourselves an opportunity to get to the Final, it would be fantastic for the club and for the fans.

‘I believe it would be a great, great bonus. I keep saying that Walter Smith said two years ago we are going to have three or four years of serious pain before we get back.

‘People seem to have forgotten that. I haven’t. I listen to him regularly and it is one of the things that will always stick in my mind.’

Victory over United would be like a shot of morphine directly into the bloodstream. But can Rangers raise their game against full-time opponents brimming with youthful promise?

Former Scotland international Christian Dailly, who played for both clubs, opined this week that any side used to facing part-time foes gets dragged down and will find it extremely difficult to step back up instantly.

‘ There’s an element of t he unknown because we haven’t played a team of United’s class in a competitive game this year,’ admitted McCoist.

‘When you look at it, Christian is actually paying our players a compliment by what they have achieved in the league this season. But I do understand his point that United are playing at a far better level every week, so will we be able to raise the bar? Time will tell.’

Rangers will be hampered by the absence of several key players. McCoist confirmed goalkeeper Cammy Bell had been ruled out by club doctors after suffering concussion in training. The Ibrox boss is confident, however, the experienced Steve Simonsen will provide a very able deputy.

‘Cammy got a sore one on the jaw on Tuesday,’ said McCoist. ‘The decision has actually been taken out of our hands because it is a medical one.

‘Cammy wants to get on with it, but I can totally understand the medical reasons. You only need to be wrong once — and that would be far too much.

‘Simmo is an experienced keeper. I have said all along that we need two experienced goalkeepers. We take a great degree of comfort from him being able to step in.

‘Overall, we are down a little bit in terms of the squad. Lee Wallace would need a minor miracle in the next 24 hours.

‘David Templeton, Andy Little and Lewis Macleod are all out. Plus there are two or three more still feeling bumps and bruises from the last couple of weeks.

‘It’s not ideal because we probably have five out who would play but we are where we are and we need to get on with it.’