Pars boss praises McCoist

DUNFERMLINE MANAGER Jim Jefferies maintains criticism levelled at Rangers manager Ally McCoist is unfair, insisting yesterday his Ibrox counterpart deserves immense credit for clinching the League One title.

Jefferies reckons Rangers have handled the pressure placed on them this season well and revealed he texted his opposite number on Wednesday night to congratulate him and his team on wrapping up the championship.

“I texted Coisty to say they thoroughly deserved it because no matter what people think of them they can only beat what’s in front of them and at the end of the day they’ve gone through the league with only two draws,” he told The Courier.

“Ally made a very valid point during the week when he said he was told many times by experienced people, particularly Walter Smith, that you have to be thick-skinned when you go to clubs like the Old Firm.

“Anybody who has experienced it will know what Ally is talking about, with the pressure and the expectation levels there every week.

“They’ve got a good squad compared to other teams, they’ve got resources better than anyone else, and they get compared with the teams of the past — the Gascoignes, the Laudrups and many more players that were top notch there.

“They have maybe not got that kind of quality now but they’ve had enough to win the league comfortably with eight games to spare, so the criticism is over the top. “What would have it been like if they were playing great football?

“That’s been their biggest bone of contention, but they are winning football matches.

“I’m sure if it had been the other way around, if they were not winning football matches but playing well, then he’d be getting the same stick.”

The Pars have had a vested interest in what has happened this week as they face a trip to Ibrox tomorrow, and it remains to be seen how the title win and Scottish Cup replay on Monday will affect the home side.

“We have to prepare for a strong Rangers team.”

Jim Jefferies

Whatever the Rangers line-up though, Jefferies believes his side’s preparations should not alter.

“They’ll probably want to stay the season unbeaten and there are wee things in there to keep them going, but at the end of the day we’ll just be planning to play a very strong Rangers team,” he continued.

“If he brings in fresh faces, they will be buzzing and looking to impress, so we’re not going into the game thinking Rangers are going to take their foot off the pedal and relax.

“We can’t prepare for that — we have to prepare for a strong Rangers team.”

Midfielder Josh Falkingham will be assessed tomorrow as he recovers from an ankle injury, although Jordan Moore is out and Ryan Wallace will not be risked as he tries to recover from a groin injury.