McCoist: Patched-up Rangers can be heroes if they copy spirit of '91 side

Apr 20 2008 By Gordon Waddell

Rangers V Fiorentina Uefa Cup Semi-Final, 1st Leg Thursday, Kick-Off 7.45pm, Live Stv

ALLY McCOIST last night called on Rangers to summon up the Spirit of '91 to see them through to the death in the quadruple quest.

The Ibrox squad is starting to creak at the seams as the rigours of 56 games on four fronts take their toll.

As crunch time approaches, injuries, niggles and bans are starting to seep through their system like poison just when they need to be at their peak.

But assistant boss Coisty insists Rangers are no strangers to this kind of adversity - and having come through it all before he reckons they have the strength of character to survive it again.

They're bracing themselves for a UEFA Cup semi-final with Fiorentina that will see their midfield at its bare bones with Barry Ferguson and Kevin Thomson suspended, and Charlie Adam and Lee McCulloch crocked.

Throw in the fact that Davie Weir and Carlos Cuellar both face a ban in the next two domestic games and the fact they'll be without on-fire keeper Allan McGregor and Rangers are running on fumes.

But McCoist said: "I'll give you the perfect example of when we've come through this kind of thing before - Aberdeen in 1991. The last game of the season when we had to win to lift the title.

"I still don't know how we won that match. I was going in for a double hernia on the Monday and was a sub.

"Ian Durrant was a sub and was going in for an operation on his knee that week and ended up finishing the game at right back.

"John Brown got an injection in his achilles so he could play, but knew that it would go sometime during the 90 minutes.

"And when Bomber DID go down in the box, his achilles snapped in half, Mark Walters comes over to the physio and asks 'Are you sure he has to go off? I'm feeling my hamstring a bit tight!'

"I thought Bomber was going to break his nose! Add to that Tam Cowan breaking his leg during the game and wee Maurice Johnston played in midfield.

"Plus remember we'd just lost Graeme Souness as our manager and Walter had taken over and we'd lost 3-0 at Motherwell the previous week.

"So yes, we've faced adversity before and come through it. Compared to that we're on an ocean liner at the moment!"

McCoist is realistic though - he knows even the best cruise ships have to make it through choppy waters sometimes.

And despite the fact he knows their home clash with the Italians won't be plain sailing he's confident Gers' back-up crew can see them through the storm.

He said: "We're already without Charlie and he has been a big player for us in these European games. That's a blow. And for now, we don't know exactly how long Lee will be out.

"But we do know that with two of our main midfielders out in Barry and Kevin it gives us a big problem.

"It's all about how we adapt to things - and I've no worries at all when I look around that dressing-room that whoever comes in will do well, because this is a monster game.

"I was really pleased with the lads who came in against Partick Thistle, although obviously it's on a different scale.

"They saw it as a great chance to prove something and they did.

"It's something you need - the guys who haven't been playing to come in and be able to perform straight away, and hopefully one or two will get a run against St Johnstone and be available for Europe.

"It's a headache we could have done without but we don't have a magic wand to wave to get them fit and it was always going to happen with this many games on the card.

"Then again, we didn't have a fixture backlog 16 months ago and were moaning about being out of everything so we can't complain now."

Gers have constantly stressed the fact that this season more than ever, it's become a squad game more than a team game.

And their No.2 believes it's time the unsung heroes of the January transfer window took some well deserved praise.

Christian Dailly and Steve Davis both arrived on loan from West Ham and Fulham to a greeting that was a long way short of trumpets and fanfares.

But they're now being heralded and McCoist said: "The irony's not lost on us. A lot of people raised eyebrows when those signings were made - let's be honest, they weren't glamorous names.

"But arguably they've been two of our most effective players and in the games coming up, they're going to be huge for us in the middle of the park.

"Although maybe Christian is required at the back, we'll have to wait and see.

"There's going to be some chopping and changing over the next few games with Carlos and Davie out at different times - although they'll be available for Europe.

"It's better to have a partnership in there who have a relationship with the goalkeeper.

"But we brought Christian in with Carlos against Sporting Lisbon and they were brilliant so that lessens the worry for me.

"I've got no problems with Neil Alexander coming in. On Wednesday he went into a tough situation and looked comfortable.

"We could do without McGregor being injured but we're replacing him with a Scottish international keeper."

Irrespective of who plays, how they play on Thursday night won't change.

And despite the criticism of Walter Smith's stoic tactics, McCoist reckons if it ain't broke, they won't be fixing it.

Twice they've spun out goalless draws at Ibrox, against Panathinaikos and Sporting, and twice they've progressed.

He said: "We got stick for the 0-0 draws at home but we've managed to go through in the away leg.

"That approach gives us a chance over two games so we'll stick with it."