The Ramsdens Cup has become a priority for Rangers.
Other competitions will always carry greater prestige, and the Ibrox club are focused on the challenge of returning to the top flight, when they will no longer be involved in the competition, but for now it is a pressing ambition. Ally McCoist wants his squad to develop the winning habit, and the players to become hardened to the demands of the supporters to be triumphant in every domestic tournament.
On Tuesday night, Rangers travel to Stenhousemuir for the Ramsdens Cup semi-final, and McCoist intends to pick his strongest side. He also recently took the opportunity to watch Raith Rovers, who have already qualified for the final, but he is not taking Stenhousemuir lightly, even if the Ibrox side beat them 8-0 in the league earlier in the season.
"I want to win it," said McCoist of the Ramsdens Cup. "But I'm concerned about the semi-final for a couple of reasons. For a start, I don't think the surface there is ideal. Secondly, having beaten Stenhousemuir comfortably in the league it's an automatic thing for everyone to think it's a foregone conclusion - which it won't be. I remember the words of their manager immediately after the league game when he was very honest enough to say you won't fancy coming to our place to play.It will be as tough an away game as we will get this season. We just can't allow complacency. If we go about it in the right manner then I feel we can get to the final.
"I will be picking my strongest team.Our fans have been starved of cup finals recently. So if we can get the chance to go and play Raith Rovers in the final of the Ramsdens Cup then that is very high on our agenda."
If Rangers do reach the final on Sunday, April 7, the venue chosen will have to take into account the likely demand from supporters to attend the game. With Hampden ruled out due to preparations for the Commonwealth Games, the two obvious choices are Ibrox or Celtic Park, at least for stadiums that could accommodate the Rangers fans.
Raith Rovers, though, may prefer a smaller venue, so their opponents do not have an advantage, although there would be a financial benefit in playing at a larger venue.
"I'd play the final anywhere," McCoist said. "I can understand Raith Rovers not wanting it played at Ibrox - the same way our fans wouldn't want the game played at Kirkcaldy. Parkhead would be able to accommodate more of a crowd than anywhere else and we've played cup finals there before. It's in the best interests of both clubs and the sponsors that it is played at a venue where it can accommodate as many supporters that want to go. That's for further down the road, I just want to get there first.
"You've got to install that winning mentality. We have one or two players who have been at the club a long time and know the mentality of the club. But we've signed 90% of players from clubs who don't have to win every week. You need to attempt to build up a winning mentality where they expect to win - not in an arrogant way - but that doesn't happen overnight."
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