ian1964 10,498 Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 ALTHOUGH Rangers will tonight continue on their quest for an improbable treble, Ally McCoist has admitted that even he can't bear to think about Rangers' long-term prospects at times. While the immediate future is something to relish there is an uncertainty which must strike at the heart all of involved with the Ibrox club at present. Even the reliably upbeat McCoist yesterday admitted he falls prey to moments when thoughts stray ADVERTISEMENT beyond the end of the season, and what the future holds for the club he has adored since when he was a boy. He insisted that his own ambitions to succeed Walter Smith as manager must be considered a side-issue when compared to the needs of the club. The assistant manager also applauded those players who have put to one side their own contractual concerns as they bid to complete what would form a historic and unlikely treble. Skipper David Weir, top goal-scorer Kris Boyd and Nacho Novo are among those whose deals with the club expire at the end of the current campaign. In an effort to prevent distraction from his duties on the pitch Novo yesterday said he had instructed his agent not to involve him in on-going talks with the club. "Some of the boys have got contract issues and they never mention it," said McCoist. "They just get their work done. They have to have concerns about it too ââ?¬â?? of course they have. But they are handling it really well, and they are appreciative of the fact that the club is the most important thing." Rangers remain up for sale and heavily burdened by debt and have been hampered in their efforts to hang on to such prize assets as Boyd. Some fear that the ingredients are there to deliver the club back to the grim days prior to the arrival of Graeme Souness in 1986, when Rangers were not considered to be among those challenging for the league championship. McCoist does not want to even contemplate this down-scaling of ambition. It is a particularly relevant fear for the former striker, since he could well be asked to steer the club through whatever stormy waters lie ahead. "I couldn't see it," he said, when asked whether the bleak days of the early Eighties at Ibrox ââ?¬â?? which he experienced as a player ââ?¬â?? could be revisited. "But to be brutally honest, maybe it is because I don't want to look at that big picture. It's not through ignorance. I am obviously a half-full person rather than a half-empty one. "I just think we will be OK. In Graeme's first game as manager we had to beat Motherwell just to qualify for Europe. I remember those days. But I would be certainly hopeful it would not return to that kind of situation. "It's only a worry for me because it's my football club ââ?¬â?? and has been since I was a wee boy," he added. "It's thousands and thousands of other people's club as well. It's the same concern for them. I will survive. But the most important thing is the club. Hopefully we can sort it out in the near rather than distant future. The stripping of this club's assets is something no supporter would want to see." The immediate future is a much more palatable thought for Rangers supporters. The Ibrox side entertain St Mirren this evening in a fifth-round Active Native Scottish Cup replay and then on Saturday lunch-time will aim to go 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a victory in Perth against St Johnstone. The chances that these outings will end with positive outcomes for Rangers have increased due to an easing in the injury situation at the club. Three weeks ago both McCoist and Smith feared that their ambitions on all three fronts this season ââ?¬â?? Rangers also have a Co-operative Insurance Cup final appearance against tonight's opponents to look forward to next month ââ?¬â?? would be de-railed by a crippling injury list. This was on top of the dire financial circumstances which have caused Rangers to be inactive in the transfer market for over 18 months. But the return of in-form strikers Boyd and Kenny Miller has heartened Rangers ahead of a critical period, with nearest challengers Celtic due to be faced at Ibrox a week this Sunday. There was further good news for Rangers yesterday when DaMarcus Beasley came through a half of a bounce game against Kilmarnock at Murray Park as he bids to improve his match fitness. McCoist is someone who cannot help but accentuate the positives and he welcomed this return to what is a full-strength squad. Rangers will contemplate resting either Miller or Boyd tonight, with the option of leaving one on the bench until the later stages of the game. "We are in a lot better shape than we were maybe three weeks ago," said McCoist. "Back then we were all concerned about having players injured. For us to be successful we have to have a reasonably clean bill of health. I don't want to tempt fate, but we have that now. We (McCoist and Smith] feel that is the most important thing for us, it really is." http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Finance-fears-stop-Ally-McCoist.6078352.jp 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmck 117 Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Suprised more people haven't been talking about this. Seems a bit like another of WS' semi-coded messages. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim White 0 Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Ally McCoist fears for Rangers' long-term future as their financial problems show few signs of abating. More... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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