McCoist: Gaffer was so wrapped up in the drama he lost count of pens

May 4 2008 Mark Guidi

The Road To Manchester Uefa Cup Final May 14,2008

ALLY McCOIST stood shoulder to shoulder with Walter Smith in Florence as Nacho Novo prepared to take the penalty that could seal Rangers' place in the UEFA Cup Final.

The Ibrox boss was just seconds away from his finest achievement as a manager - the moment he had waited so long to savour.

So McCoist was more than a little surprised when Smith turned round and asked how his troops were faring in the tense shoot-out with Fiorentina.

Caught up in the drama and excitement, Smith had lost count of the score and had no idea Novo's kick could take Gers to Manchester.

But assistant boss McCoist soon filled him in and the gaffer knew his moment of glory had come when the Spaniard coolly converted from 12 yards.

Smith's wife Ethel couldn't bare the tension at the Artemio Franchi stadium and had her eyes closed during the penalties as son Steven kept her informed of the score. But Walter was none the wiser with his eyes wide open as the drama unfolded.

McCoist smiled: "The manager, brilliant as he is, struggles with arithmetic at penalties.

"He didn't know how many we had taken - I think he lost count. He actually asked me how we were sitting with the penalties and I said: 'I've got news for you - if this one goes in you will know soon enough how we're sitting!'

"Walter got lost in the excitement. He had a calm-looking exterior but I don't know how it was on the inside."

Rangers have faced three penalty shoot-outs so far this season and have emerged victorious each time.

There's every chance another may lie ahead as Gers will not change their defensive style of play for the Final against Zenit St Petersburg.

Smith's game plan has helped them see off Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina - a remarkable run of success.

And McCoist has now fallen in love with the UEFA Cup after wanting a divorce from it earlier in the season to allow Rangers to concentrate on winning the SPL.

He admitted: "When we were preparing for the Panathinaikos games in February we were being asked if the tournament was a hassle more than anything else.

"In terms of its importance at that time I'm not sure it was high on my agenda. I'm not sure I truly believed we could make it to the Final.

"If I thought we could go all the way I would have rated it right up there. So it's a criticism of my own belief then.

"But let's be honest. We really believed we could win the league and the two domestic cups and just hoped to do quite well in the UEFA.

"I probably expected Bayern Munich and Fiorentina to go all the way. But now we're in the finalit's fantastic and I can appreciate what the Celtic boys went through in 2003.

"We might not be the best ever Rangers team in terms of ability but we might be the best ever in terms of spirit. And we'll need all of that."

Novo was the penalty hero in Italy yet the striker came within minutes of being sold by Paul Le Guen to Coventry for £400,000.

McCoist said: "Nacho also scored a penalty in the Scottish Cup semi and that showed more balls for me.

"I know that might sound ridiculous but he could afford to miss against Fiorentina to a certain degree.

"He couldn't afford that against St Johnstone because we would have been out of the cup in a huge shock.

"But sometimes Nacho drives you potty. You scratch your head at some of the things he does and then the next minute he beats two players and scores.

"We're glad to have him and he just likes to be loved and feel wanted. Nacho would have been a sad loss."