I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t give new Gers stars time – but you sink or swim at Rangers and Celtic, says Ally mcCoist

ALLY McCOIST is Rangers’ all-time leading scorer.

In his trophy-laden Gers career, he netted 355 times in 581 games.

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It’s almost impossible to imagine a time when the two-time Golden Boot winner was a symbol of Ibrox disdain.

But February 16, 1985 is a day the light blues legend will never forget.

When Gers suffered a Scottish Cup defeat home McCoist was seen as a scapegoat for Dundee.

“Ally, Ally get tae ****” chants rained down from the Copland Road grandstand striker Who couldn’t buy a goal?

That’s why he’s quite willing to give Michael Beale’s new frontmen some leniency.

McCoist said: “The hypocrisy that I didn’t give them time would not have escaped the notice of many older Rangers fans.

“It’s hard to come in here and settle in straight away.

“Myself, the great Mark Hateley, there were one or two who ended up doing well but just didn’t really get going Fire immediately.

“You have to give them time. Still, they’re at one of only two clubs where you don’t have time – Rangers and Celtic.

“You have to hit the ground running and they have to start getting results.”

in one Summer Amid the Ibrox upheaval, Beale has spent more than £13million on a new look attack.

Cyriel Dessers, Abdallah Sima, Sam Lammers and Danilo have all checked in – the jury is still out.

But having weathered his own early troubles, McCoist will not jump to judgment.

The Rangers icon was watched by Beale Men got off to a disastrous start to the league at Kilmarnock and again midweek when they failed to defeat Servette in a crucial Champions League qualifier.

He insisted, “You just have to swim.” Either you sink or you swim.
“You have to be made of the right stuff and we’re about to find out if these guys are too.”

“I have no doubts about it.

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“There is no alternative. You just have to do it work hard, you just have to score Goals.

“I wouldn’t say I doubled my efforts in that time, but I knew what the options were and I knew which option I wanted.

“It was in my makeup and it was my club.

“A big advantage I had was that I knew the club, I knew the fans and I knew what was important.

“And that’s where James Tavernier and Connor Goldson play a big part.

“They have to be captains and in fairness to say they are both leaders.

“They need to step up and engage with the new guys and I’m sure they will.”

Alfredo Morelos was one of several prominent departures over the summer.

During a five-year stint in Glasgow, the Colombian lifted McCoist’s crown as the club’s all-time European top scorer.

And while McCoist understands the timing of Morelos’ departure, he anticipates there’s still a huge void waiting to be filled.

McCoist said: “These guys have tremendous achievements Shoes to fill. You have to replace the gates.

“If Harry Kane goes to Bayern Munich, that will be great for Harry Kane.

“But Spurs have about 30 league goals to replace. And you have to replace them.

“I’ve seen most of them the games – Newcastle, Hoffenheim, Olympiacos. There is obviously still a lot to do.

“When you lose someone like Morelos, who by the way wasn’t there last season, you have to replace the goals.

“You have to give them a period of time, and they should.”

Gers boss Beale signed nine signings this summer to help Celtic regain the title.

They are already three points behind their rivals after Saturday’s defeat at Kilmarnock. Still, McCoist insists Beale must be given time.

The popular pundit admitted: “It was a bad start to the league last Saturday. It wasn’t good, it didn’t look good at all.

“The first half on Wednesday wasn’t too bad, I thought they looked pretty good.

“But this team did what they did in the last round. They reduced themselves to ten men and dug up a find.

“They have shown real resilience at Ibrox. They handled it really well.

“The tie is far from over and it could have been.

“The manager was supported. The money always gets stuck with every manager.

“If you’re lucky enough to get this Work, all you can ask is to have a board of directors backing you. after that you live and die by your own choices.

“That seems to be the case as Michael has brought his own players and that’s all he can ask for. But you have to give it time.

“We know that Nature of the animal. For an Old Firm manager to be successful, he must beat his Old Firm opponent.

“It’s relatively easy. I am confident that these guys are doing well. I’m more half full than half empty, I always am.

“But you have to give them time. It was an average start, but let’s see what comes next next.”

Rangers host Livingston today before traveling to Geneva to defend their 2-1 first-leg lead.

And while McCoist would Love To see his team’s return to the Champions League group stage, he believes the Europa League is where the old company can make an impact.

The Gers legend said: “Seville wouldn’t have happened if Rangers hadn’t been knocked out of the Champions League.

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“It’s a catch and the irony won’t be lost.

“Personally, I don’t think that teams that are eliminated from the Champions League should be relegated to the Europa League.

“Once you’re out, you’re out. But I get it, really.

“Without a doubt, the Europa League is the level that Rangers and Celtic are at.

“If either of them competed at Champions League level, I would be amazed, that’s almost impossible.

“Maybe you can do it in one game.

“But look at last season, with all that injuries Rangers had it, they had James Sands and Leon King play at the back against Napoli.”

• Ally McCoist joined rugby pal Kenny Logan to recreate the world’s first pedal bike.
  While the eyes of the cycling world were fixed on Glasgow for the UCI World Championships, Scottish cycling clothing brand Endura took the Rangers legend back to 1839.
• The historic bike started from Thornhill, the birthplace of its inventor Kirkpartick MacMillan, and made the 60-mile round trip to Glasgow’s Riverside Museum.
• The rider line-up was led by Endura athlete and professional rider Mikayla Parton, with McCoist and Scottish rugby legend Kenny Logan also in the saddle.
  By design and Research It took our two experienced bike builders over 200 hours of work to build the bike to completion.

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