Moore is the key to keeping door locked

Moore, often pilloried by the Ibrox support in his first spell with the club, has now emerged as a key figure in the Advocaat revolution.

Yesterday he confessed: ''I did not anticipate that I would be playing against Hibs after being in Australia for the two games against Brazil. But the gaffer

said he wanted me to play if I felt OK and I tried to get as much

rest as I possibly could before the game.

''I did not train on Friday, just had a bath and a massge and went home and tried to stay up as long as I could to get back into the proper sleep pattern. I didn't last long after seven o'clock at night and then I wakened at three or four in the morning and was wide awake so it was not the best preparations for that game.

''But I felt OK and we won and afterwards I had another couple of days off and rested completely. I feel fine now and ready for the Borussia game.

''I know people are talking about the problems we may have because so many defenders are out, but I don't think there will be too many worries.

''We all know what to do, and if Tony Vidmar is playing beside me then that's where he was for Australia against Brazil in the first of the two games. Playing there would not throw him at all.''

As for the introduction of the new on-loan goalkeeper, Thomas Myhre, Moore added: ''He has been training with us for the last two days and everything is fine. There won't be any communication problems and we have been able to pick up on little things such as the side he prefers to have the ball played back to him when a clearance has to be made.

''While he has been working with the defence for two days now we have not been doing any special work with him. Our training has not been any different, really, from what it has been during the rest of this season.''

On his own change of fortune, Moore commented: ''I always said that what I wanted was the opportunity to play for a long spell in my best position - as a central defender - and then I would let people judge me. Things have gone well since I came back from Crystal Palace, but I try not to get carried away.''

The so-condident Myhre seemed not in the slighest fazed at the prospect of lining up against a Borussia strike force which will surely contain veteran Andy Moller as well as the lethal veteran Fredi Bobic.

The Germans arrived in Glasgow yesterday underlining their determination to score at Ibrox, but Myhre was unmoved by any threats.

He said: ''Everything will be in safe hands. I know what is expected from me and I feel relaxed and confident about this game. It is not as if I am unused to playing at this level.

''Before I joined Everton I played in seven or eight Champions League games for my Norwegian team, Viking Stavangar, and I have played in half-a-dozen European Championship qualifying games for my country.

''It is difficult to grasp the change that has taken place - after all, I would have been playing in a reserve game at Widnes last night if I was still at Everton - but this is a chance for me.

''I can help Rangers, and if I play well in the big-game atmosphere at Ibrox then I shall help my own case with my country. Since breaking my leg I have not been able to play for the Everton first team.

''Actually, I was hoping no one would ask about the injury because all over Norway people have been laughing at me after what happened in the summer.

''I was preparing with the national team for a friendly match against Jamaica when I broke my ankle in a training session. Then when I was recovering from that and was actually going to hospital to have a lighter plaster put on the ankle, I fell coming out of the bath and broke a bone in my foot!

''That injury is OK, and has been for some time, but the ankle was still giving me some pain until recently.

Now I feel nothing at all, no discomfort or pain, and I have had a couple of games and I know I am ready for this one.''

Borussia will test him from the beginning. Their coach, Michael Skibbe, reckons his team's best hope of progressing is by scoring in this first leg, and the 26-year-old Myhre will soon be made aware of their intentions.

Moller and his fellow front men will search for these goals and the Norwegian's form will be crucial to Rangers' hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

Dortmund coach Skibbe has admitted he is still unhappy that Myhre will keep goal for Rangers tonight - but does not blame the Scottish club for his frustration.

UEFA granted Rangers dispensation to play the Everton keeper since they are without No.1 Stefan Klos (injured hand) and reserve Lionel Charbonnier (thigh problem), and could have been forced to field 18-year-old Mark Brown, a prospect Advocaat found unpalatable.

But Skibbe feels a club of Rangers' stature should have adequate resources to cover the problem and that UEFA should not have bent the rules in their favour.

''We are unhappy because Rangers have a good youth division and could have played another keeper,'' said Skibbe, at 33 the youngest coach in the Bundesliga.

''Brown played against Hibs on Saturday and, if this had been in Germany, he would have been expected to play tomorrow as well.

''Rangers are doing what is best for them, and I don't have a problem with that, but I do have a problem with UEFA, who made the rules.''

Skibbe has injury problems of his own with three of his star men ruled out of action.

Like Ibrox captain Lorenzo Amoruso, Dortmund skipper Stefan Reuter is ineligible after collecting three yellow cards in his club's Champions League run, while midfield duo Christian Nerlinger and Dede are both injured.

Skibbe will resist the temptation to tinker with the 3-4-3 formation which has taken his side to second spot in the German league table.

''We will not change,'' he said. ''I will speak to my players tomorrow afternoon and tell them my team, but we will stick to the same formula.''

Skibbe has already seen Bayern Munich grab a win and a draw against Rangers this season, although the Ibrox side did dump Bayer Leverkusen out of the UEFA Cup last term.

He admits his side are still in a rebuilding phase following their surprise Champions League triumph in 997, although, with the likes of experienced internationalists Moller and Jurgen Kohler, they are hardly short on top quality.

''A few years ago we had a strong and successful side. We won two German titles, the Champions League and the World Club Championship,'' said Skibbe.

''But we had a few older players then and others whohave gone on to other clubs - including Celtic's Paul Lambert - so we have had to make a lot of changes.

''Hopefully we can recreate what we had before, but it will take time and we have to be patient.''

Like Rangers, Dortmund find themselves in the UEFA Cup after finishing third in their Champions League group.

But Skibbe would not follow the line of Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer, who have declared this tournament is the ''losers cup''. With 500 fans making the trip to Scotland, he can hardly afford to agree with them.

RANGERS have never lost to Borussia Dortmund in six previous meetings.

Here is a look back at those encounters between the clubs:

Rangers 2, Borussia 1

1967: European Cup-winner's Cup, second round, first leg - The Ibrox club were given little chance against the holders, who had beaten Liverpool at Hampden the previous season.

Kai Johansen fired the Ibrox club into the lead, but a controversial equaliser drew Dortmund level, with Rangers claiming play should have been stopped.

However, Alex Smith scored to give Rangers a vital first-leg advantage.

Borussia 0, Rangers 0

1967: European Cup-winner's Cup, second round, second leg - The Ibrox men had to endure 90 minutes of hell to claim the scalp of Dortmund.

Midfielder Bobby Watson was stretchered off after a bad challenge by Lothar Emmerich.

But Rangers refused to buckle under the constant intimidation, with keeper Norrie Martin outstanding, despite a hail of bottles from the German fans.

Borussia 0, Rangers 0

1982: UEFA Cup, first round, first leg - After being comprehensively beaten by Dukla Prague the previous season, not many fancied Rangers to overcome Dortmund.

But, just as they had done 15 years earlier, they shut up shop to keep the Germans at bay.

This time, however, there was none of the violence that had marred their last visit and, Rangers returned to Scotland with confidence restored.

Rangers 2, Borussia 0

1982: UEFA Cup, first round, second leg - The first leg stalemate in the Westfalenstadion set up an Ibrox thriller, and Rangers didn't disappoint.

Davie Cooper tormented the German defence and made the breakthrough with the opening goal. Derek Johnstone completed the triumph to leave Dortmund sad and sore once more.

Rangers 2, Borussia 2

1995: Champions League Group A - Rangers badly needed a win after losing to Steaua Bucharest in their opening group match. But, in front of 33,000 fans, they looked hesistant as Dortmund's counter-attacks pinned them back.

Richard Gough and Ian Ferguson both netted, but goals from Heiko Herrlich and Lars Ricken denied them a vital victory.

Borussia 2, Rangers 2

1995: Champions League Group A - The Ibrox men were already down and out, but managed to salvage some pride with a stirring draw in Dortmund.

Brian Laudrup raced clear to secure an early lead, but goals either side of half-time put Dortmund back in command.

Paul Gascoigne was then ordered off, but Gordon Durie netted in the closing stages to

rescue the 10 men.