Baptism of fire for new manager Ally

Published Date: 24 July 2011
By Andrew Smith
at Ibrox
IT MIGHT be tempting to see the outcome at Ibrox yesterday in terms of the people who weren't in attendance.
A Rangers manager who wasn't Walter Smith and chairman/owner not David Murray and - unlike their successors Ally McCoist and Craig Whyte - flag days for that pair over the past two decades meant, at the very least, an eked-out victory.

That the three points remained out of reach for the home team on an afternoon when, for 45 minutes, Hearts' performance was declared by Jim Jefferies the equal of any given in Govan by the Gorgie team under his charge, might suggest new-era teething troubles.

In reality, though, Rangers were pretty much as they have been for many a game in their three-in-a-row title run. Initially unconvincing and prone to looking creatively challenged as they drifted for spells, these deficiencies are as well-kent as the main players in the Rangers line-up. All that differed yesterday was that, though they pulled themselves round with a vibrant post-interval display, the winner just wouldn't come.

Not that it would have been a deserved climax to a decent-ish encounter. The 16th-minute lead earned by Hearts from a free header angled in by David Obua from a Danny Grainger corner might have been doubled, and even trebled. It wasn't because Allan McGregor blocked brilliantly at the feet of the elusive David Templeton and Obua thundered a shot into the side netting when the little winger had put him through. The Rangers keeper caused further frustration for the Ugandan with a blur of a block from the forward's ferocious, sweetly-struck volley late on. Indeed, never did the Rangers backline, shorn of suspended captain David Weir, exhibit any real assurance beyond McGregor, whose efforts were ample evidence for McCoist as to why he is well worth his recently signed £26,000-a-week five-year contract.

No wonder the pursuit of Dorian Goian and Carlos Cuellar continues at pace. And that McCoist, who positioned himself in the stand for the majority of the encounter, said afterwards he wouldn't rule out any number of signings. McCoist certainly needs a greater injection of freshness than provided by the unimpressive winger Juan Manuel Ortiz, ably contained by Ryan McGowan. Beyond the centre of the Rangers defence, a playmaker and a partner for Nikica Jelavic are musts.

A left-back, who arrived in the form of Thursday's £1.5m buy Lee Wallace, was not, and he remained on the bench yesterday. Jefferies might have been pleased at that. And though he had a moan over hellishly premature questions about the tied scoreline possibly hinting a more substantial challenge to the Glasgow clubs from the east - had the person posing it forgotten the small matter of the 29 points Hearts finished behind second-placed Celtic last year - his disposition otherwise was understandably jaunty.

Far less stern than his Ibrox counterpart, in a reversal in what would be the expected norm. Hearts held their own in the most unforgiving of arenas even in the face of personnel difficulties. Andy Webster lasted only eight minutes before leaving the field to ironic cheers from a home faithful who despaired at the seeming permanence of his injury problems across four years at their club. Jefferies rejigged effectively, with Eggert Jonsson dropping back from midfield, but the visitors lost much of their forward zip when Templeton pulled up after 50 minutes.

It was a setback for the Tynecastle side that arrived just as Rangers were setting themselves up in a far more enterprising configuration. McCoist acknowledged afterwards that his team were much better served once he had switched Steven Davis into a central midfield role from wide on the right and moved Steven Naismith out there, the Scotland internationalist previously sitting off Jelavic. The changes allowed Rangers to seize the initiative and three times they came mighty close to breaching Mario Kello's goal before Naismith struck with a simple header when he found himself in splendid isolation after Sasa Papac slung over an angled cross.

The Bosnian had a beezer of an opportunity to give McCoist a winning start to competitive management a minute from normal time after a one-two with Naismith put him through on Kello, only for him to deliver a shot that seemed more like a passback.

Hearts will recall the first game of the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League season fondly, having held on when so many sides before them have succumbed in the closing seconds. As a result they will travel to Hungary for their Europa League third-round qualifier against Paksi without any of the neuroses that might just be creeping in at Ibrox before Malmo's visit for the Champions League third round qualifier. And while there might be discomfiture among the Rangers faithful over the paucity of new faces, the owner is hardly cutting a relaxed figure.

The day's events began with the unfurling of the champions' standard, Whyte looking far from comfortable leading out the party to perform this ceremonial duty. He was warmly applauded on to the pitch as he did so. He bolted like a man who had just remembered he had left the chip pan on back home after, with some difficulty, he had the tugged at the rope to set the flag free.

At that point, the paper mosaic created by the supporters in the Govan stand colourfully spelled out the fact it was title No.54 for the club. Whyte won't want to think how he could be made to feel by his Ibrox public if he doesn't deliver them 55 this season.

Rangers:

McGregor, Whittaker, Bougherra, Broadfoot, Papac, Davis, Edu, McCulloch,
Ortiz (76), Naismith, Jelavic. Subs used: Wylde (76)

Hearts:

Kello, McGowan, Zaliukas, Webster (8), Grainger, Jonsson, Black (81), Taouil, Obua, Templeton (51), Sutton. Subs used: Mrowiec (8), Elliot (51), Stevenson (81)

Man of the match: A toss-up between Rangers' Steven Davis and Hearts' full-back Ryan McGowan.

Talking point: Whether both teams are ready for the European challenges ahead.

Referee: C Murray

Attendance: 49,083

Taken from the Scotsman