Appeals for calm over 'frenzy' as old foes reunite

Guidetti irritated Rangers last week when he said that whoever Celtic faced in the last four would be "going down". Boyd was equally unimpressed when he learned that Celtic players had reportedly cheered in their Parkhead dressing room when they were paired with Rangers in the draw on Saturday evening.

However, McCoist sought to play down the hype surrounding a tie that is scheduled to be played at Hampden Park on either Saturday January 31 or Sunday February 1.

"It is only right that we make an early appeal for calm," he said. "Commonsense has to play its part in all of this. I believe there has been a frenzy for this fixture in some quarters. I understand that, I get it. From a sanity point of view we are talking about a game that is still three months away."

The date of the match has still to be decided and last night there was speculation it could even be moved to a midweek preceding the weekend of January 31 or the one after to accommodate the wishes of the BBC, which may seek to broadcast both semi-finals live.

Aberdeen play Dundee United in the other tie, which is highly likely to be played that weekend, at a venue to be decided, to accommodate the travelling support of both sides.

However, it is the collision between the Glasgow clubs - the first since April 2012 - that will dominate the agenda for the next three months.

"We must remember we have a responsibility to conduct ourselves in the proper manner," said McCoist who was involved in a touchline altercation with Neil Lennon, then the Celtic manager, in 2011. That match, in which three Rangers players were sent off, led to a summit meeting convened by the Scottish Parliament.

The hugely anticipated Old Firm game could, of course, come earlier if the teams are paired in the fourth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup on November 29, with the draw taking place this afternoon at Hampden.

The temperature ahead of the encounter was raised last week when Guidetti, the Swedish striker on loan from Manchester City, said any team meeting Celtic would be "going down".

Boyd batted away these comments and claimed that Rangers' squad has more players with Old Firm derby experience, which he said could be significant.

"I don't think it makes sense for anyone to stand and say they're going to steamroll teams or do this or that, or such-and-such is 'going down'.

"Until you've played in that Old Firm fixture you don't know what it takes and anyone can win those games. Good for John Guidetti but that's someone speaking who has never played in an Old Firm game and doesn't know what he's in for."

There were reports that Celtic players had greeted the draw on Saturday with roars of delight after their victory against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

McCoist said: "We were in the dressing room listening to the draw on the radio. And unlike the Celtic dressing room there was no hollering when it was made.

What there was was a quiet nod of the head from some. That will do for me."

Boyd, pictured, added: "Celtic will be confident but if anyone was jumping around their dressing room at news of the draw then I'd bet it was none of those who have played in it.

"It will be those who don't really know what it takes.

We've got five or six players who have played in Old Firm games before. I'm not sure about Celtic. It can be an advantage because you know exactly what you're going into.

"People will write us off but we're confident going into any game with the players we've got. It can be difficult at times, playing at the level we're at, because you're going to tricky grounds but that's where we are at this moment in time. But this gives us an opportunity. The semi-final is a long way away and we need to concentrate on our league challenge and the Scottish Cup now that we're in the next round."