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Alistair....." We slit our own throats "


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Errors at the sharp end serve as a pointed reminder to McCoist

Published on 13 April 2014

Stewart Fisher

ALLY McCOIST accused his team of committing the football equivalent of harakiri after they were dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Dundee United.

The Rangers boss was far too disappointed, not to mention politically shrewd, to claim this as a welcome improvement but it is a sign of how bad things have become at Ibrox recently that there should positives to talk about following a 3-1 semi-final defeat on their own turf.

As bereft as the Ibrox supporters who sullenly departed Govan yesterday undoubtedly felt, they did at least have the dubious consolation of a performance far removed from the shambolic outing in last week's Ramsdens Cup final, and one which could well have harvested a trip across the city for May's final had it not been for some panicky finishing and the glaring mishaps which led directly to at least two of the three goals.

Where all this left the Rangers manager, if indeed he is fighting to save his job in this uncertain era, was difficult to ascertain. He was left dancing on a pinhead, defending arguably his side's best post-liquidation performance - one which illustrated his team had "top-flight ability" - yet nonetheless insisting it also displayed how much his side still needs to develop.

"I am bitterly disappointed," said McCoist. "I thought we were the better team for the majority of the game, and it was just poor decisions that cost us. We slit our own throats. The goals we lost and our level of finishing wasn't what it should be."

He sidestepped the issue of whether this or last week's Ramsdens Cup capitulation to Raith Rovers was the more wounding. "Both of them," he said. "All defeats are very, very difficult to take and this is a really, really sore one.

"Individual errors and decision- making at vital times cost us, but the level of performance - although it sounds like I am contradicting myself - I would have to say I was pleased with," he added. "It has just confirmed what we have always thought.

"I reckon this side has top-flight ability, and that has possibly been shown to be the case today. But it has also confirmed that we have a long, long way to go. The last two defeats have just confirmed to us what we need to do, what we need to add to the squad, shorter term and longer term." Whether McCoist gets the chance to do that or not remains anyone's guess.

While there was mitigation for Rangers even in defeat, Dundee United were left chastising themselves ever so slightly for the standard of their general play, even in the throes of what was a triumphant occasion for them. Jackie McNamara spoke of his delight at guiding the club to their first Scottish Cup final since 2010, this time at his old stomping ground of Celtic Park, against the winner of today's encounter between St Johnstone and Aberdeen.

"We can play a lot better than we did today, particularly second half, but we are just delighted to be there," said McNamara, who also felt his side were probably due a first-half penalty when Steve Simonsen collided with Nadir Ciftci. "I was a bit frustrated with our decision-making and our passing at times. But it is a great feeling, and it gives us something to look forward to at the end of the season. We've not had great results against either [st Johnstone or Aberdeen] this season, so that is something we would like to put right."

No-one was more delighted yesterday than the Turk on the field. After strikes in the first half hour from Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven had been countered just before half time by a Stevie Smith free-kick, a catalogue of errors - most notably from goalkeeper Steve Simonsen - allowed Nadir Ciftci to round the prone goalkeeper and milk the moment to the full before rolling the ball over the line.

"I was celebrating already before I kicked the ball in, so much that I nearly missed it," said Ciftci, who went off into the night preparing to pass on the good news to his agent, former Celtic striker Pierre van Hooijdonk. "I just saw my phone and I have two missed calls. So I have to phone him after this.

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I think we have a decent squad of players, comfortable top 6 spl.

So we just need a few additions and a new manager !

I disagree. With the way we play we would be fighting relegation just now. Not good enough. Remember yesterday we were at home and utd arent even a top 3 side this season.

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They didnt look 2 divisions above us. There is nothing to fear from the so called top division.

They certainly did not look two divisions above, which goes a long way to showing how poor Scottish football is and how poor they are and were, but still ground out a result against us.

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I disagree. With the way we play we would be fighting relegation just now. Not good enough. Remember yesterday we were at home and utd arent even a top 3 side this season.

The way we play under the current Manager I agree, however I said we have the players to be top 6, just need a new manager !

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Errors at the sharp end serve as a pointed reminder to McCoist

Published on 13 April 2014

Stewart Fisher

ALLY McCOIST accused his team of committing the football equivalent of harakiri after they were dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Dundee United.

The Rangers boss was far too disappointed, not to mention politically shrewd, to claim this as a welcome improvement but it is a sign of how bad things have become at Ibrox recently that there should positives to talk about following a 3-1 semi-final defeat on their own turf.

As bereft as the Ibrox supporters who sullenly departed Govan yesterday undoubtedly felt, they did at least have the dubious consolation of a performance far removed from the shambolic outing in last week's Ramsdens Cup final, and one which could well have harvested a trip across the city for May's final had it not been for some panicky finishing and the glaring mishaps which led directly to at least two of the three goals.

Where all this left the Rangers manager, if indeed he is fighting to save his job in this uncertain era, was difficult to ascertain. He was left dancing on a pinhead, defending arguably his side's best post-liquidation performance - one which illustrated his team had "top-flight ability" - yet nonetheless insisting it also displayed how much his side still needs to develop.

"I am bitterly disappointed," said McCoist. "I thought we were the better team for the majority of the game, and it was just poor decisions that cost us. We slit our own throats. The goals we lost and our level of finishing wasn't what it should be."

He sidestepped the issue of whether this or last week's Ramsdens Cup capitulation to Raith Rovers was the more wounding. "Both of them," he said. "All defeats are very, very difficult to take and this is a really, really sore one.

"Individual errors and decision- making at vital times cost us, but the level of performance - although it sounds like I am contradicting myself - I would have to say I was pleased with," he added. "It has just confirmed what we have always thought.

"I reckon this side has top-flight ability, and that has possibly been shown to be the case today. But it has also confirmed that we have a long, long way to go. The last two defeats have just confirmed to us what we need to do, what we need to add to the squad, shorter term and longer term." Whether McCoist gets the chance to do that or not remains anyone's guess.

While there was mitigation for Rangers even in defeat, Dundee United were left chastising themselves ever so slightly for the standard of their general play, even in the throes of what was a triumphant occasion for them. Jackie McNamara spoke of his delight at guiding the club to their first Scottish Cup final since 2010, this time at his old stomping ground of Celtic Park, against the winner of today's encounter between St Johnstone and Aberdeen.

"We can play a lot better than we did today, particularly second half, but we are just delighted to be there," said McNamara, who also felt his side were probably due a first-half penalty when Steve Simonsen collided with Nadir Ciftci. "I was a bit frustrated with our decision-making and our passing at times. But it is a great feeling, and it gives us something to look forward to at the end of the season. We've not had great results against either [st Johnstone or Aberdeen] this season, so that is something we would like to put right."

No-one was more delighted yesterday than the Turk on the field. After strikes in the first half hour from Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven had been countered just before half time by a Stevie Smith free-kick, a catalogue of errors - most notably from goalkeeper Steve Simonsen - allowed Nadir Ciftci to round the prone goalkeeper and milk the moment to the full before rolling the ball over the line.

"I was celebrating already before I kicked the ball in, so much that I nearly missed it," said Ciftci, who went off into the night preparing to pass on the good news to his agent, former Celtic striker Pierre van Hooijdonk. "I just saw my phone and I have two missed calls. So I have to phone him after this.

I just hate the bulshit that comes from his lips now.Its a sore one he says ? He is fucking making me dislike him so much nowadays .
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We don't have the 'blue chip' player(s) who hurt oppositions. Guys like Cooper, Walters, Laudrup, etc.

also, that ruthless striker, stein Johnstone - dare I say it McCoist

Ok, financially we well never see their likes again but maybe there another Aluko or Ally out there.

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We play against part-timers, week in, week out. If you play at a particular level all the time, it is incredibly difficult to suddenly play above that level and it doesn't matter what players or what manager you have. The most difficult thing is to keep your motivation and we seemed to have that in spades yesterday but the fact that we have been playing at a far lower level for 2 seasons showed where it mattered.

I don't envy McCoist one bit in the job that he is being asked to do.

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We are now setup to fail:

a) The amount of money we are wasting in off-field costs (such as coaching salaries, hotels and others) means that we are unable to invest on the pitch.

b) The fact we have been over-paying players that have come to us.

c) The "manager" who has hamstrung us with his poor tactics

We have not given ourselves a chance to move forward.

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Look,let`s take a reality check here.I`m as disappointed as the rest of you,but let`s remember we were without Wallace,Templeton,Bell, Lewis Macleod and Little. Any team would miss those players.I posted on another thread that three good signings,RB,CB,CF will make a huge difference next season and we will win the championship relatively easily.We will have to persist with Ally in the hope that he is gaining experience as no quality manager will join us while all these boardroom shenanigans are still going on.

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