Manager Ally McCoist launches his defence of Rangers' expensive pre-match prepa

[Bothwellbear 1,392]

Manager Ally McCoist launches his defence of Rangers' expensive pre-match preparations: You do what you think is right

21 Jan 2014 07:30

SPEAKING in the wake of of Rangers' League 1 win in Forfar McCoist vowed that his players will continue to be treated like royalty for as long as the club can afford it.

Ally McCoist with Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace at Station Park last night

Craig Williamson/SNS Group

ALLY McCOIST last night launched a staunch defence of Rangers’ plush pre-match preparations for Forfar.

And the Gers boss, below, vowed his squad will continue to be treated like royalty for as long as the club can afford it.

The Ibrox side came under fire for stopping off at the four-star Carnoustie Hotel, as exclusively revealed in yesterday’s Record Sport, on their way to Station Park for last night’s game.

The move came just days after players rejected chief executive Graham Wallace’s proposal to take a 15 per cent pay cut.

McCoist is bracing himself for budget cuts but

he was standing firm on the pre-game plans as his troops went on to beat Forfar 2-0 last night thanks to second-half goals from Bilel Mohsni and David Templeton.

He said: “I can understand people questioning it but it’s my job as the Rangers manager to give our players the best opportunity we can to perform.

“We are still Rangers Football Club and have always attempted to be as professional as we can.

“That will never change as long as I’m manager.

“To give the players the opportunity to play as well as they can you have to prepare as well as you can.

“We’ll continue to do that until I’m told otherwise.

“If we do get told we can’t prepare in the manner we’re accustomed to then we’ll alter it.

“It would be disrespectful just to turn up. The Forfar players were away for a pre-match meal as well.

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In pictures: Forfar Athletic 0 Rangers 2, Scottish League 1View gallery

“I know the gig but you have to appreciate our situation. You do what you think is right – and that is eating and resting and being totally professional.

“That will continue. If there are cuts in certain areas then we’ll adjust but we’ll continue to be as professional as we can if cuts are made.”

McCoist admitted he will hold further meetings with Wallace to discover what the chief executive’s exact plans are in terms of cuts.

The request to reduce wages was bounced into touch but the Ibrox boss admits there could be other ways to wield the knife.

He said: “I have meetings with Graham Wallace, we’ll have a brief chat tonight.

“We have one pencilled in for Friday but I think we’ll be meeting tomorrow or Wednesday as well.

“I don’t know what to expect, it’s not my gig.

“We’ll react to the decisions that are made and then get on with it as best we can.

“I’m not closing my eyes to the situation like some people seem to think.

“I’m very aware of the situation and we’ll react accordingly.”

McCoist has off-the-field woes but he was satisfied with his men’s work on the Loons’ plastic pitch.

The Gers struggled to break down Forfar for long spells but their opener came with 15 minutes left and the Ibrox outfit eventually opened up a 20-point gap at the top of League One despite another difficult week behind the scenes.

McCoist added: “I don’t think there was any hangover, what was evident is we have a solid, good squad of boys who want to do well and will work hard to achieve it.

“That is fantastic and it’s all you can ask for.

“It’s a shame off-field stuff has taken the focus off some of the results this season.

“We’re 20 points clear and they’re doing a great job.

“We were solid in the first half without playing well and I was disappointed at our play going forward.

“In the second half we were miles better and scored two wonderful goals.

“Steve Simonsen made a great save from the deflected header – it was one of the best I’ve seen this season.

“I felt for a while I would have to throw a double six to get a penalty.

“I thought we might have had one of the three shouts but the referee was closer than me.”

Forfar manager Dick Campbell said: “Rangers were on top in the second half but our keeper hardly had a save to make.

“The two goals they did score were world class.

“Barcelona couldn’t have defended those two goals.

“I couldn’t have been any prouder of the players as they gave Rangers another really difficult game here.”

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

“I can understand people questioning it but it’s my job as the Rangers manager to give our players the best opportunity we can to perform."

If that's the performance when you put them up in a hotel I dread to think how we would have played if we had driven straight up there

[nachothelegend 1,932]

A nice wee Day by the Seaside.

Ach well things can't Be as bad as the Mhedia says.

[bawsburst 1,381]

Cop out, especially after GW said Alistair had a grasp of the situation in his hootsmon interview.

“We’ll continue to do that until I’m told otherwise".

[SeparateEntityMyArse 54,297]

When is the 120 review due???

[SoldierBlue1 499]

Ally you need to get out more and get a grip on reality. WATP

[RFC55 110,230]

“I can understand people questioning it but it’s my job as the Rangers manager to give our players the best opportunity we can to perform."

If that's the performance when you put them up in a hotel I dread to think how we would have played if we had driven straight up there

The thing is mate our players could go up there around 12 ish get there for 2 half 2 go get a good meal and a stretch of the legs then go to the ground. It's madness.

It's not like England where Newcastle could travel to Pompey and it's 6/7 hours down the road. Then you'd say fair enough but to do this going a couple of hours up the road against PT clubs given cuts have to be made then it's like throwing money in the fire

[cushynumber 25,178]

let them eat cake, Ally.

[trublusince1982 768]

When is the 120 review due???

in 3 months ,90 days still to go

[falwheel 222]

Well done Ally..Keep up the standards that playing for Rangers deserves, no need to change just because of the level we are playing at or the opposition we are playing. WATP

[Straight-Edge-Loyal 6,696]

Well done Ally..Keep up the standards that playing for Rangers deserves, no need to change just because of the level we are playing at or the opposition we are playing. WATP

Until we are getting the playing standards our club deserve i would stop all luxuries.

[Guardian 4,281]

Another day, another Ally story in the DR.

Stop falling for this shite guys.

It's a trivial cost and do you want the DR printing more stories with pics of hard up Rangers slumming it ?

[Figo 91]

Until we are getting the playing standards our club deserve i would stop all luxuries.

We are no diddy team. If we stop acting like rangers it doesnt mean that the other teams will stop playing us like we are rangers.

Cup Final Syndrome wont stop just because we try to blend in to League one with buying the lads a Drive through Big Mac on the way to a game.

[Figo 91]

Forfar train 2 nights a week. That probably equates to more on the training field than Rangers these days.

Of course it does...

[RockwellGers 14,806]

in 3 months ,90 days still to go

Yup only a quarter into it

[don logan 8,127]

It's not a trivial cost, it's a non-essential cost and should be one of the first things pruned. I understand that we are a huge fish in a little pond and, where possible, our standards should reflect our potential. But this largesse is un-necessary and a waste of money.

[WadeWilson 4,670]

Well, the Record running with this as the top sports story certainly caught me by surprise...

[CraigG 56]

We are no diddy team. If we stop acting like rangers it doesnt mean that the other teams will stop playing us like we are rangers.

Cup Final Syndrome wont stop just because we try to blend in to League one with buying the lads a Drive through Big Mac on the way to a game.

Surely that would be a good thing as they would no longer treat it as their 'cup final' which is what Ally apologists usually give as an excuse.

[Straight-Edge-Loyal 6,696]

We are no diddy team. If we stop acting like rangers it doesnt mean that the other teams will stop playing us like we are rangers.

Cup Final Syndrome wont stop just because we try to blend in to League one with buying the lads a Drive through Big Mac on the way to a game.

Never said to that extreme but maybe a 3 star hotel at least as a start to cutting costs

[sassaaaa 11,406]

Some of the stuff he has been feeding the papers in the last few days tells me he should be gone now ......

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

Spunking money when it's not really needed, its the Rangers way right enough Ally.

[Brian Fantana 28,894]

was the pre match meal at nandos?

[quinty 1,445]

I'm convinced that some tits on here wont be happy until we're playing in sackcloth, after having walked to the game and spent a few hours on the hills catching rabbits to eat for a pre-match meal. Then spending a few hours post-match sweeping streets before hitching lifts back to Glasgow.

I understand it's your right to moan, but FFS, gie us peace.

[Kopter 310]

Ally loves the word 'gig'

The press are having a field day with this. All things considered it's a minor cost so I wouldn't change our routine just because people like Jackson say so.

[Getstiffed 8,863]

It would be disrespectful to just turn up?

Aye dont disrespect the opposition.

Disrespect the fans with mental training schedules and fucking spa days.

He's done In my eyes.