Ally McCoist plays down talk of impending crisis and defends his level of passion

JUST two games into his tenure as Rangers manager, Ally McCoist is understandably dismissive of any suggestion he is already on the brink of his first crisis in the job.

Nonetheless, he will be exceptionally keen to avoid creating a small piece of unwanted history in Perth this afternoon.

For if Rangers should fail to overcome St Johnstone in the lunchtime SPL showdown at McDiarmid Park, McCoist would become the first of Rangers' 13 managers not to win any of his first three matches in charge of the club.

As it stands, prior to McCoist overseeing last Saturday's 1-1 draw against Hearts in the SPL opener and Tuesday night's 1-0 loss to Malmo in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying tie, Jock Wallace had been the only other Rangers manager to emerge from his first two games without a win.

That occurred during Wallace's second spell in the role back in 1983 with the sequence ironically brought to a halt in his third match with a 1-0 win over St Johnstone at Muirton Park.

McCoist, who played in that fixture, will hope history repeats itself today at the home of the club where he began his senior career.

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Not that he is feeling under any additional strain to deliver a victory as he continues to express confidence in Rangers' ability to emerge successfully from an opening to the campaign which has left their supporters distinctly underwhelmed.

"I'm not sure it adds to the pressure," said McCoist. "People say you're only ever three games away from a crisis at the Old Firm. But there is always pressure at this club.

"The pressure to win games is enormous, whether it's league games or European games. I can understand people saying that the longer you don't win games, you can see the pressure intensifying. But I'm certainly not feeling the pressure any greater now, because the pressure is great in the first place. We'll handle it fine.

"I have reflected on the last week, of course I have. In many ways the two games against Hearts and Malmo were very similar. We didn't play well in the first half but we played a lot better in the second.

"On a positive note, we should and could have scored a lot more goals in both games. The worrying aspect is we gave away two goals which, from our point of view, were poor. There is plenty of room for improvement which we will do."

Speaking at his pre-match press briefing at Murray Park yesterday, McCoist betrayed no signs that the early criticism coming his way as manager is having an adverse effect.While perhaps a little less expansive than normal with his answers, he was characteristically forthright as he was quizzed on the bones of contention Rangers supporters have raised over the past few days.

Some feel McCoist's transition from track-suited assistant manager to suited and booted main man has somehow diluted his passion and diminished the influence he has on the players under his command. It is an observation he clearly finds risible.

"I would argue it's the opposite and that I'm even more animated," said McCoist. "Coaches and managers ranting and raving on the sidelines don't necessarily win you football matches.

"There is a lot more to it than that. Of course, I have a collar and tie on now, I don't have my tracksuit. But I don't think my attire has changed me as a person one bit. I'm still the same character.

"To be fair, I spent most of the match on the touchline on Tuesday night, while I sat in the stand for the game against Hearts last Saturday. I'll be in the technical area at McDiarmid Park and there will be games when I'll float between the two. But I really don't see it as an issue."

McCoist will have been keen to ensure his players were early to bed last night ahead of an equally early rise for today's noon kick-off. The sluggishness which has marked the way they started the games against Hearts and Malmo cannot be countenanced if his team are to prevail in what McCoist anticipates will be another testing assignment.

"We have had a chat about it and we need to come out the traps quicker," he added.

"I'm looking forward to seeing (St Johnstone manager) Derek McInnes. He is a good mate of mine. He won't be looking to do us any favours, that's for sure, and it will be a tough game.

"They don't lose many goals. They were strong defensively and a clean sheet up at Aberdeen last week would suggest they are hopeful of going the same way this year.

"But I hope that we can go there and win the game. A victory over a good St Johnstone team would be a good place for us to start winning games this season."