ian1964 10,377 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 DAVID Robertson witnessed Ally McCoist overcome adversity on more than one occasion in his playing days to become a Rangers legend. And he has backed his old team-mate to tough out the trials and tribulations of being manager at the Ibrox club and make a success of the latest chapter of his career. Robertson, who is now a coach at USL Pro League club Phoenix in the United States, still takes a keen interest in the fortunes of the Glasgow giants. The former left-back has been impressed with how McCoist has fared since succeeding Walter Smith as boss nearly three years ago. And the 45-year-old believes he has the mental strength needed to withstand the intense scrutiny and lead Rangers back to the forefront of the Scottish game. He said: "I still follow how Rangers are doing back home pretty closely online over here and it amazes me when I see the criticism Ally gets sometimes. "His team is unbeaten in the league this season and is still involved in two cup competitions. "It would be a tremendous feat for Rangers to reach the Scottish Cup final this season. It would be a huge achievement for the club. But Ally still gets criticised for performances and results! I don't know what more he can do. "Everybody expects them to win League One this season. I am sure the same will be true next season when they go up to the Championship. "So when they do these things Ally doesn't get any praise because it is simply what is expected of them. But it has always been that way. "When I was at Rangers if we won a league and cup double it was considered a disaster. Even if you won a treble people said: 'Well, you should be doing it anyway!' "Yes, Ally has a full-time squad in what is largely a part-time league and a large wage bill, but I still think that he has a tough job. "The club is still getting 40,000 to 50,000 people coming to their games every week. There is a lot of pressure on him for the team to perform. "I have managed at lower league clubs, at Elgin City and Montrose, without that number of fans and you still feel the pressure." Robertson added: "If you are second at Rangers it is not good enough. At some big clubs you might get away with third or fourth. Not at Rangers though. "I don't think there is any club out there where the pressure is so intense. But Ally has dealt with that pressure for all of his life. "When Graeme Souness was in charge at Rangers he tried to force him out. But Ally loved the club so much he stayed where he was and fought his way back in. "Then Ally broke his leg and everybody said he was finished. But he came back from that as well and was as good as he ever was. "It says a lot about his character that he can remain so upbeat with everything he has to deal with. "There is nobody I would rather have in charge of Rangers at the moment." Scotland international Robertson won six Scottish titles, three League Cups and three Scottish Cups in the seven years that he spent as a player at Rangers. During that time, the cultured defender also played alongside Light Blue legend Ian Durrant. And he reckons there is no better man to help McCoist get Rangers back to the top flight than the former midfielder. Robertson said: "Ian is a real character and real Rangers man as well. "I am sure it will hurt him to see the club in the situation they are currently in and he will be keen to get them out of it along with Ally. "Ally and Ian will be doing everything they can to take Rangers back to the Premiership. "Ally was full of records as a player. So who knows? Maybe he will be a record breaker as manager as well. "Maybe he will be the first Rangers manager to win every league in Scotland." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/robertson-ally-has-been-tried-and-tested-151917n.23419367 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,377 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Wallace right to stay at Ibrox for The Journey Lee Wallace's decision to stay at Ibrox - despite interest from England - has been backed by former Ranger David Robertson. Wallace was the subject of two bids of around £1million from Sky Bet Championship club Nottingham Forest during the January transfer window. Those offers were turned down by the Ibrox club - despite the well-publicised financial difficulties they are wrestling with. But the left-back has since revealed he was desperate to stay at the Glasgow giants and help them complete 'The Journey' back to the top flight. Robertson left Rangers in 1997, after seven trophy-laden years, and joined Leeds United - at that time an English Premier League club. The Elland Road team then had players like Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Harry Kewell and Rod Wallace on their books. But, after just a fortnight in Yorkshire, the Scot realised he had made a huge mistake parting company with Rangers. And he thinks Wallace is correct to pledge his future to the Light Blues. He said: "Once you leave Rangers nothing is ever the same. Players always think they will go on to bigger and better things. But that is never the case. "About two weeks after leaving Rangers for Leeds I would have walked back to Ibrox. "I think Lee has made the correct decision. I am also sure that Ally McCoist wanted to keep him, to help get Rangers back into the top division." Robertson added: "It is not often that you get a player from a lower league team getting into the Scotland squad. "But left-back is always a tough position to fill and that has helped Lee. He has done very well." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/wallace-right-to-stay-at-ibrox-for-the-journey-151871n.23415659 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Cooper 0 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 One of my heros, Robertson. Loved him, what a player. Came across as quite a strange guy right enough! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 One of my heros, Robertson. Loved him, what a player. Came across as quite a strange guy right enough! aye because he was a quiet family man in a team of characters. i was gutted when he left. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Went to same school as me but obviously not at the same time as he is 11 years my elder, but certainly one of my old favourites. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebear54 0 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 He was a cracking player. There was always a buzz when he got the ball and started running. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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