Walter Smith’s European helpline!

Walter Smith has taken time out from his club’s multiple problems to offer sympathy to Celtic and Hibs after midweek European defeats.

Despite failing to sign a player for 23 months, losing die-hard fans favourites Nacho Novo, Kris Boyd and Kevin Thompson, internal division amongst the club’s directors, having a USA-based chairman, crippling debt to Lloyds TSB and the shadow of a possible £50m tax demand from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs Smith decided to offer some words of wisdom about European football.

An insight into the European game from a man that has won five out of 30 Champions League ties must be greatly illuminating for Neil Lennon and John Hughes over their corn flakes and morning papers.

Despite enjoying the benefit of automatic qualification into the group stages of last season’s Champions League Rangers failed to win a single match whilst losing all three home ties running up an embarrassing goal difference of 2-10 in the process.

Smith has more experience than any other Scottish manager when it comes to losing in Europe and felt qualified to offer his advise and sympathy to Celtic and Hibs.

The elderly Ibrox boss said: “Playing in Europe at this stage of the season is a disadvantage in many ways.

“It’s tough to play such important games so early in the season, especially when you look at the co-efficient we’ve got.

“We are all trying to improve that. Quite a few of the other teams have had much shorter close seasons than we have had and when you have that going into European football, it must put you at a bit of an advantage.

“But it means there is a real element of tension when you play these European qualifiers. I know what it’s like.

“You are training, trying to work your way through pre-season, all the while knowing there are these vital matches – financially as much as anything else – just around the corner.

“That’s where we have a slight advantage this season. We can just go about the business of getting people match fit, without having to worry about qualifying for the group stages of a European competition or without worrying about getting knocked out and suffering the financial blow that comes with that.”

Two years ago Rangers faced Kaunas in a third round qualifier for the Champions League and lost out to a late goal away to the Lithuanian’s.

In the aftermath of that defeat Steve Davis, Maurice Edu and Perdo Mendes were signed at a cost of around £10m.

Subsequent events have suggested that Rangers didn’t have the finances for those deals with the Ibrox chequebook being put out of reach since that triple swoop into the transfer market.

Recalling the Kaunas defeat Smith added: “It’s not an easy thing to overcome, getting knocked out so early – it knocks a lot of confidence out of the team if you don’t get through those qualifying rounds.

“No one wants to be in a situation where they have no European football. You would always rather be in the competition, even if it puts a strain on your squad.”

Smith’s threadbare squad are currently in Australia preparing for the new season where they will meet old European foes AEK Athens.

Reports earlier in the week that Stoke’s £35,000/week striker James Beattie was on his way to Rangers have fallen quiet with no progress being made on the double deal to sign South African’s Bongani Khumalo and Katlego Mphela.

Earlier in the month Burnley’s Chris Eagles said no thanks to an offer to join Rangers with Celtic and Newcastle believed to be ready to move in on another Rangers target- St Etienne’sYohan Benalouane.

Discussing his own club’s needs Smith admitted: “We were after Chris Eagles because I thought he would bring something to the team, but I’m not just going to dive in and take people for the sake of taking them.

“The club, on a previous occasion when they were cutting back, did that. I’m not going to do it again. We know that we have to get players in, no one is denying that. We are not going to have the money for a huge spend but we will get two or three players signed before the start of the season hopefully.”

Rapid Vienna striker Nikica Jelavic is believed to be a signing target with Honduran striker Georgie Welcome expected to arrive at Murray Park on trial although gaining a work permit for Welcome could be difficult.

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