Rangers manager Alex McLeish has learned a thing or two from Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.
Now he’s hoping his players can teach the English champion a few lessons in Wednesday’s Champions League game at Ibrox.
Dubbed the ”Battle of Britain”, the fixture has been anticipated for months. Adding to the intrigue is that Ferguson, a Scot and former Ranger, coached McLeish at Aberdeen in the early Eighties.
”I know what [Ferguson] is like,” McLeish said. ”He won’t want to leave Scotland having lost the game. But there are no guarantees for him, just the same as there are no guarantees for us.”
McLeish regularly speaks with Ferguson, though reports suggest the conversations temporarily ceased this week.
”His influence has rubbed off, and there are many things that are similar, and you have to store them and keep them in the bank for when you need them,” McLeish said.
”I’m my own man, but I think it’s crazy if there’s a good relationship there that I don’t take information from a man with his knowledge.
”There’s been the advice over the years that he’s given as a manager, and he’s gathered tremendous experience since he’s been at Manchester United.”
Ferguson hasn’t managed a competitive game in Glasgow in 17 years.
”Yes, for me it’s special because I’m Scottish and I played with Rangers,” Ferguson said. ”I’m just hoping the hype doesn’t overshadow what will be a good game.”
Rangers will be the underdogs against United — even more so after the Scottish side’s recent results. Rangers could only draw with Motherwell on Sunday, two weeks after losing to archrival Celtic. In their last Champions League game, Rangers drew 1-1 with 10-man Panathinaikos.
And defender Henning Berg, a former United player, has tipped the Red Devils to win the tournament.
”I don’t think the players fear this match,” McLeish said.
”It’s about believing in yourself — we saw a young Motherwell team at the weekend who believed in themselves, and we have to show that same belief against one of the top teams in Europe.
”If we play to our capabilities, I’m confident we can get a result at Ibrox against anyone.”
The good news for McLeish is that Rangers leads Group E by one point over United and Stuttgart. The blue side of Glasgow also hasn’t lost a European game at Ibrox in nearly four years.
”Maybe we will have a slight advantage because we have more Champions League experience than Rangers in recent seasons, but for me that’s not going to be decisive,” United winger Ryan Giggs said.
”Rangers are hardly European novices themselves, and they know exactly how to make the most of the fantastic support they get from their fans at home.”
Giggs missed United’s 1-0 win over Leeds on Saturday due to illness, but he is expected to play on Wednesday, as is Rio Ferdinand.
The England defender missed a drug test last month, and the Football Association is expected to announce his punishment this week.
United lost its last Champions League game to Stuttgart, and another defeat would make reaching the second round difficult.
”The game against Rangers is an even bigger game now after we lost to Stuttgart,” French defender Mikael Silvestre said. ”They have become the two key games, and the fact we play both in a short space of time makes them special.
”We need to take four points at least from the two matches, and perhaps after that our position in the group will be a lot safer.”
Rangers will be without midfielder Ronald de Boer, still not fit after knee surgery.
He’s hoping to be ready for the return leg at Old Trafford on November 4. — Sapa-AP