No siege mentality for Smith
by Tom Adams, 08 May 2008
Walter Smith insists Rangers will not use their grievances against The SPL as extra motivation as they embark on a frantic end to the season.
Wednesday’s win over Motherwell kicked off a run of six games in eighteen days that will see The Gers compete in the Uefa Cup final and Scottish Cup final, as well as challenging rivals Celtic for the SPL title.
The League have neglected to ease the club’s crowded fixture list by refusing to extend the season and pleas to postpone Saturday’s game against Dundee United, which comes four days before the Uefa Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg, also failed.
Rangers have been angered by the inflexibility of the league’s calendar but Smith insists no extra motivation is needed as The Gers prepare for their meeting with Zenit in Manchester.
“Chelsea and Manchester United get ten days to prepare [for the Champions League final], we have to go after three and that’s the way it will have to go I’m afraid,” said Smith.
“No. Our motivation is we want to do as well as we can, I have said that since the start of the season. I don’t think special motivation will be needed. We just have the motivation of trying to do as well as we possibly can and that has taken us to the final and the motivation will be to try and win that final, we won’t need anything outside that.”
Rangers chairman Sir David Murray and former manager Dick Advocaat, now coach of Zenit, have both lambasted the league for failing to assist Rangers and now forward Lee McCulloch has admitted that his friends south of the border find the club’s situation laughable.
“When the league asks you to play four games in a week, I don’t think…well it is realistic because it is going to happen,” said McCulloch.
“Everyone I have spoken to in England is laughing at it and laughing at us really. It is something we are going to have to go and do.”
Meanwhile, McCulloch has announced his availability for the Uefa Cup final after returning to training following an injury.
"I've trained again today so I feel all right and I think I will be fit for it, but it's up to the manager who is going to play," he said on Thursday.
"Two weeks ago I thought my season was over, so it's good to have a bit of hope.
"To get a run-out on Saturday would be brilliant.
"I was told my foot was broken, then a couple of days later when the swelling went down I had a scan and found it was only bone bruising."