Play-offs are great games but I’ve had my fair share of heartache
“We want to finish second so we face two less matches”
FOR Stuart McCall, his previous play-off experiences have been bittersweet.
A huge fan of the format since it was first introduced down south in 1987, McCall was part of the Bradford City side that 12 months later saw their brave quest for promotion to the old English First Division crushed by Middlesbrough.
Then, 15 years later, McCall sampled the thrilling highs and crushing lows of reaching the 2003 Premiership play-off final with Sheffield United where the Blades were soundly beaten 3-0 by Wolves in front of 70,000 supporters in the ‘£20million match’ at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
While McCall believes the play-offs inject excitement throughout the Scottish game, the Rangers manager wants his side to give their all in their remaining Championship matches to finish second and minimise their involvement in the end- of- season scrap.
‘The play-offs make for great games,’ said McCall, whose side could face four or six nerve- shredding games dependant on their league position.
‘I was involved in the second English one back in 1988 but it was bittersweet f or me because we had beaten Middlesbrough home and away during the league campaign that season. They were a right good side back then, too, with players like Tony Mowbray, Gary Pallister and Bernie Slaven.
‘I scored in the first leg of the playoff when we beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at Valley Parade. But Slaven scored as they beat us 2-0 in the return to go through to f ace Chelsea in the Final.
‘At Sheffield United, we actually got through to the play- off final but we lost it 3-0 to Wolves. I came on at half-time and inspired our recovery... well, we won a penalty and missed it. But Wolves were briefly rattled.
‘Despite my disappointment, play-offs are good for the game and they are good for the crowds. It creates a bit of excitement at the end of the season.
‘In the end, it might come down to nerve. It might come down to luck. But when I first came here, there were one or two questioning whether Rangers would even make the play-offs.
‘So we have ticked that box (in terms of bottle).
‘We, along with Queen of the South and Hibs, now want to finish second to have two less games in the play-offs. If we don’t finish second, we would need to get through six games to get out of the league.
‘But if that happens, so be it. It is all to play for and I don’t think anyone could predict right now who will come down or go up.’
While McCall insists that playing two extra games would not faze his side, he feels the team that has to face six games would be left in enhanced danger of losing players to suspension. It is his only gripe with the play-off format north of the border that was introduced last season.
‘I think the biggest effect of playing six games is suspensions kicking in, which is a shame,’ said McCall, whose side travel to bottom-placed Livingston tonight.
‘Six bookings isn’t a great deal over 36 leagues games and then six play-off games. You could end up missing the final play-off game — your 42nd game — because you’ve got six bookings, which is not a lot.
‘It used to be in my day, down in England, that around early March your bookings stopped counting towards suspension. It’s something they could maybe look at.’
McCall is also hoping that a revitalised Nicky Law can help fire Rangers up to the Premiership.
As Sports mail revealed yesterday, the Ibrox top scorer has emerged as a £500,000 target for 10 English clubs.
McCall coached Law at Sheffield United and Bradford City before signing him for Motherwell in 2011.
And despite his upturn in form of late, the Rangers boss believes the best is yet to come from the 27-year-old.
‘I saw that story in the paper and I smiled,’ he said.
‘I’m probably Nicky’s biggest fan but also his biggest critic. He’s doing OK but I still think he can do better. He’s got his spark back but I still think he can do more in games. He can certainly finish — as can Haris Vuckic and Dean Shiels — from the middle of the park.
‘He just needs to be a bit more consistent. He’s quite a quiet lad and confidence is a big thing for most people, even the brashest players.
‘It’s maybe affected him this season at certain times but I know what his capabilities are in terms of scoring and creating goals.’
McCall is also hoping that having 12 players out of contract this summer will ensure a hunger to succeed in the play-offs.
Captain Lee McCulloch, plus Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller, Jon Daly, Bilel Mohsni, Darren McGregor, Richard Foster, Steven Smith, Sebastien Faure, Ian Black, Kyle Hutton and Steve Simonsen all see their deals run out on June 1.
‘A lot will depend on what league Rangers are in, regarding offering deals to people,’ said McCall.
‘But that’s a good position for us because the 12 lads who are out of contract are trying to earn a contract either here or somewhere else.
‘It’s not a bad position to be in. It keeps everybody on their toes.
‘Our immediate aim is to try to get second. But having seen Livingston last week, they are on the best run of results they’ve had this season.
‘They are playing with confidence ahead of our visit there but we’re certainly better than we were when we drew with them in my first game in charge back in March.
‘We scored four against Raith Rovers at the weekend and kept a clean sheet but there’s more to come. We could have been more clinical and we were sloppy and casual at times.
‘I’ve warned the players we will have to be better if we want to go as far as we all want to go this season.’