Rangers fury at double standards
Manager seeks explanation over Hearts and Dunfermline sanctions
Scottish Communities League Cup
First round At Station Park, today, 3pm next month, when he will have all his current squad available for the first time following the end of the signing restrictions imposed on Rangers. In some games so far he has been able to field two new players as trialists – Jon Daly and Nicky Law were thus designated in Sunday’s 4-0 Ramsdens Challenge Cup win over Albion Rovers – but in today’s League Cup match at Forfar he is not allowed any.
That means no place in the team for Nicky Clark, Cammy Bell or any of the other summer signings, and although it hardly leaves McCoist bereft of talent, he expects it will mean Rangers will face a severe challenge. “This is going to be the most testing game for us without doubt,” he said. “This is going to be a proper game because of where we are. It’s far from ideal, but we know what we’ve got to do. We know what we’ve got to pick from. The team will be nothing like the team that played at Dundee or at Albion Rovers. We’ve had them watched a couple of times and it’ll be tough. They’ve a new 3G surface – I always thought the surface was good, but they’ve changed it and apparently it’s all right.
“We must look at it as a chance for the guys who come in. They must make an impact and prove they can stay in the team. If they’re doing a job and they’re in the team they’ll stay in the team – that’s only fair. The guys who are coming in will know what’s required. If they come in and do well, they’ll stay there. It’s a real chance for them.”
Scott Gallacher will remain in goal today, but ideally McCoist would like to make a new signing in that position and send the 24-year-old out on loan. “We’re probably still of an opinion that in an ideal world we’d get him out on loan and get another goalkeeper in,” said McCoist. “Like most managers, I’d still like to get a forward and a defender in, if I could.
“We’ve had two [trialists] in just now – [Mamady] Sidibe and [Hameur] Bouazza. They’ve been great. I’ll see how they are with everything, but there’s no immediate rush with that since we can’t sign or play them anyway.”
Boris Pandza is closer to signing, according to McCoist, who added that at present only two players – Kal Naismith and Anestis Argyriou – have been told they can leave.