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Alistair's view on semi-final draw.


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Rangers boss Ally McCoist admits he'd rather face anyone but Celtic in League Cup semi-final

GOAL hero Lewis Macleod is drooling at the prospect of an Old Firm showdown but McCoist reckons a clash with Celtic is the last thing he needs.

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ALLY McCoist last night admitted he’d rather face anyone but Celtic in the League Cup semis.

Match-winner Lewis Macleod is drooling at the prospect of an Old Firm showdown but his gaffer reckons a clash with the favourites is the last thing he needs.

MacLeod rose to nod a late winner in front of just 13,023 fans at Ibrox.

Mike Ashley’s right hand man Derek Llambias, the club’s new chief executive in waiting, and trusted lieutenant Barry Leach looked on from the directors’ box as Saints became the second Premiership club put to the sword by McCoist’s men in the competition this season.

The cull of highly paid consultants continues as spin doctor Paul Tyrrell last night followed financial expert Philip Nash out the door.

But it was business as usual for McCoist on the pitch and as arch-rivals Celtic prepare to face Partick Thistle tonight, he conceded he doesn’t want to be paired with them when the last-four draw is made on Saturday night.

He said: “When you get to the semis, you can’t pick and choose. We all know who would be favourites to for the domestic trophies before the season starts.

“I don’t think that would change, so I’d probably take anyone other than Celtic.

“I don’t think it’s rocket science to work out it would maybe give you a better chance of reaching the final, although it wouldn’t guarantee it.

“It would be a tough game against Celtic. We would be the underdogs but underdogs can sometimes win.”

But MacLeod, 20, said: “We’ve already put out two teams from the top league so there’s no reason why we can’t go on and win it.

“I don’t have any preferences who we play, although I’d fancy Celtic.

“I’m a Rangers fan so everybody would be happy to meet them, whether it’s in the semis or the final.

“We can beat anybody. I don’t know how it would feel to play against Celtic. It would be a massive occasion after everything that has happened.”

MacLeod’s goal was his seventh of the season and he’s netting an average of once every two games, to the delight of his boss.

McCoist said: “The first half was pretty tough and stubborn. In the second, we were the better team and deserved to win.

“It was a goal worthy of winning any game, a great delivery from Fraser Aird and a top header from wee Lewis. I’ve not seen that often from him, it was Jon Dalyeseque.

“Lewis is a top player. It was an important goal but the delivery was from another young lad who

has been doing well. It was positive the two lads linked to get us into the semi-final.

“We asked Lewis at the start of the season to contribute more in assists and finishing and he’s certainly doing that.”

McCoist again refused to condemn the stay away fans as around 100 supporters held a silent demo outside the ground before kick-off under the Sons of Struth banner.

He also admits he’s in the dark as Llambias prepares to take control of the day to day running of the club, possibly even relegating the Easdale brothers to the fringes of the decision making at Rangers.

McCoist said: “The size of the crowd is not the norm, I accept that, but whether there’s 500 or 50,000 the job is the same. You have to be professional.

“I haven’t been told anything about events behind the scenes and I haven’t met anyone yet. I don’t doubt that time will come. I’ll have discussions with anyone - board members or shareholders. Anyone who wants to talk.”

Rangers will this morning monitor keeper Steve Simonsen who was taken to hospital after cracking his head against the post.

Saints midfielder Murray Davidson was also sent to A&E with a face injury after he was accidentally caught by Nicky Law’s boot. He was later discharged but will sit out Friday night’s game against Motherwell.

Saints are without a win in six league games and boss Tommy Wright reckons they are too timid.

He said: “We aren’t brave enough in front of goal. It was a good performance but we fell just short.

“Our players should take more responsibility in the final third.”

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I know we love a McCoist bashing these days, but I agree completely with him. If we avoid them here, we've got more of a chance of avoiding them completely.

We're just not good enough just now and I'd be worried about what could happen in a game like that. They are no great shakes, but they've got more quality than us and would step it up. I don't much fancy the prospect of playing the likes of Commons, Stokes and McGregor at this stage. We'd struggle.

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No way should he come out with a statement like that.[hope we dont get celtic].FFS. Man up and say we dont care who we get as i beleive wee have the team that can beat anybody that's left in the draw.Talk about breeding confidence in your players.FFS.

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I think calling someone a coward for talking in a pragmatic fashion is a little bit strong, we're not ready as of yet for a game against the great unwashed, we will be soon! and if Ashley invests anything near what he has with Newcastle, then we will smash them to bits on a regular basis in the very near future. I wish we would stop all this small minded negative bullshit and focus on supporting our team instead of toxic my dicks bigger than your dick factions destroying the very fabric of the club. WATP

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I cant stand him being manager any more, really, my tits have been burst so much my chest is an open wound.

He makes us sound like pussys after pretty much every post match interview. Why not come out and say, it doesn't matter who we get, we will be up for the challenge?

What happens if we get C34230948tic now? They'll be pissing themselves laughing at us bricking it.

I'm sick of it.

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I would really like to know the essence of this statement from Ally and what exactly was he asked that made him make this comment?

If we have to meet the filth then I would much prefer we do it in the semi-finals, for a few reasons.

If we meet them and beat them then we are in the final and have a good chance of winning it. If we get humped then I would prefer it was next game and not in the final.

I'm sure there are a few older Bears on this forum who like me stood on the Hampden terraces way back in October 1957 and watched us get absolutely annihilated 7-1 by the mhanks in the League Cup Final.

That day will live with me until I die and I never want to see it happen again because I still have nightmares about what happened, so if we are going to get beaten by them, let it be now as it's not as bad getting knocked out in a semi final.

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