Lean and hungry

THE CIS Cup, like its Carling equivalent in England, may not enjoy the same status as the national knock-out competition or the league title, but for Walter Smith and Rangers it has a special significance this year.

In fertile times for the Old Firm, the League Cup is important mainly because it is required to start compiling a domestic treble. But these last two years have been anything but abundant for Rangers, and now the priority is to start collecting trophies - any trophies - and fast.

Smith, who managed a plethora of winners' medals in his first stint at Ibrox is more aware than most of the need to deliver silverware. When he replaced Paul Le Guen as manager 12 months ago Rangers had already been eliminated from the CIS Cup by St Johnstone, were about to be dispatched from the Scottish Cup by Dunfermline, and were too far behind Celtic to have any chance of winning the league.
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Rangers, like the other three teams in the semi-finals, are now just a potential two games away from winning the CIS Cup and Smith, acknowledging the need to get off the mark quickly as far as trophies are concerned, said: "That's the responsibility you take on board here.

"You have to be winning trophies, never mind just getting to the final. That's always required - you're under the pressure of knowing that if it's not the case your stay in the job will be a short one rather than a longer one. But that's just part and parcel of being here - you have to get on with it.

"We're still in three cup competitions and challenging Celtic for their title. We know we have to turn that into something tangible as the season goes on. That's the pressure we're accepting.

"It's far more pleasurable than last year's. At this stage of the season we still had the Uefa Cup, but we were out of the domestic cup competitions and out of contention for the league championship. From my own position, and that of the players, we have this question mark over whether we can turn the early-season performances into ones that win trophies."

Smith is also aware that the frequent success he enjoyed at Ibrox the first time around has been followed by another period, most of it spent at Everton, when the well has been dry. Which is why Wednesday night's semi-final against Hearts at Hampden is being viewed with a whetted appetite.

"From my own perspective," he confirmed, "I'm coming back into a situation where I know we can get into another final. On a personal basis, there have been years of working away and there's been nothing in terms of winning trophies apart from a couple of months I had at Manchester United when we won the FA Cup. So I'm hoping we can get to the final and get the opportunity to win trophies again."

Rangers, fielding several fringe players, easily disposed of third division East Stirlingshire 6-0 at Ibrox on Wednesday night, with Kris Boyd scoring a hat-trick. But the exuberance of that performance was not matched by previous listless league matches against Gretna and Inverness Caley Thistle, when single goal victories kept Rangers top of the league. Much more effort, despite Hearts' own inconsistencies, will be required if Smith's side are to make the final - especially as the men from Tynecastle will be drawing inspiration from their 4-2 home victory over Rangers in October.

Although the Ibrox side are expected to have acquired the goalkeeping cover which will allow Roy Carroll to complete his proposed move to Derby County in the next few days - thought to be Dundee United's Grzegorz Szamotulski - Smith reiterated his belief that he won't be making any major signings in this transfer window.

"Unless I can find somebody who will improve the team, which has been a difficult task because people don't want to let players go at the present moment, then there won't be anybody coming in," he said. The manager, though, hinted at a midfield loan signing to provide cover for Kevin Thomson, who could be out for six weeks with a hernia problem.

One player who, like his manager, is relishing Wednesday night's game against Hearts, is Charlie Adam. The midfielder started Rangers' first three games of 2008 and he said: "The semi-final is a great opportunity for me to play at Hampden. It's something I've never done before, and have always wanted to experience. I've never even been on the pitch, unlike my wee brother who never fails to remind me he played in a seven-a-side game there.

"I've been to Hampden as a fan for Rangers and Scotland matches and the atmosphere has been terrific. It's a fabulous occasion and the players will be looking forward to it.

"Hearts are going to be a difficult team to play against. They had a great result in the Edinburgh derby and it's going to be tough. They've got good players and Andrius Velicka can score goals. But hopefully we can get the right result and get into the final.

"The most important thing for the players is that we've got the opportunity to play in a semi-final and win it. It's a great chance for us to get to the final, and there's a great desire in the dressing room to get there."

Adam's unfamiliarity with Hampden is curious given that he won two caps for Scotland last year, but both were away from home (in Austria and the Faroe Islands). Asked if he expected to add to this tally, and thus have more opportunities to play at Hampden in the future, he replied: "Obviously the new Scotland manager has come in and will have his own ideas, but I'm just looking to play regularly for Rangers at the moment. I'm as proud as anyone to play for my country, and if I play for my club that opportunity may come.

"Andy Webster has worked with George Burley and says he's a fabulous coach. The last two Scotland managers have done really well, and hopefully he can carry that on. There's a bright future for Scotland, and like every fan I'm hoping we can qualify for the World Cup."

Taken from the Sunday Herald