Walter Smith Tells Rangers Fans To Stop Moaning

Mar 9 2008 By Gordon Waddell

WALTER SMITH went on the attack last night to defend the tactics that have kept Rangers on course for a quadruple.

The baffled boss has heard constant criticism of the one-up-front system he uses in Europe and occasionally the SPL.

Even last Thursday night as soon as Walter named his team to face Werder Bremen the accusations he was being negative came flying through the phone-ins.

With Brahim Hemdani and Christian Dailly both expected to sit and shackle the deadly Diego another desperate drive for a 0-0 flashed before their eyes.

But as Smith savoured the impressive 2-0 win before reshaping his side again for today's Scottish Cup replay with Hibs he said: "Most teams in Europe play with one striker. Yet if Rangers or Celtic do it people say: 'What are they doing?' The argument is beyond me.

"In my first spell as manager here we were never negative - and lost a lot of games in Europe.

"I had two strikers in Mark Hateley and Ally McCoist who were extremely good and it was hard to leave either out.

"Yet we were facing teams who only played one striker - and they were beating us. You get fed up with that.

"So I thought I'd try it. If people are tellingme it's the wrong thing to do, fine.

"You play two and lose, they tell you your tactics are rubbish. So you play one and win and they say you're negative.

"I have no qualms about saying it can be negative but it can also give you three forwards rather than one.

"The formation doesn't matter, it's how you play within it." Smith has constantly adjusted his tactics and personnel between Europe and the SPL all season with Gers now 19 games unbeaten.

Ask him if they can keep it up however and he shrugged: "That's the thing about our squad. It's uncharted territory.

"We've had great consistency but can we keep it going in the SPL, UEFA Cup, League Cup Final, Scottish Cup? I don't know and neither does anyone else because this team has no pedigree."

Smith will continue to rotate his strikers to keep them fresh for the run-in. He said: "Credit to them all that they've handled the changes.

"They know it's not possible to perform at peak level with our schedule of Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Thursday.

"That goes for the whole team as well. The one consistent aspect all season has been the work ethic."

Rangerswill need that graft today and Smith said: "We must be at our best - Hibs are the only Scottish team to havewonat Ibrox this term."