Smith calls for focus
Rangers manager Walter Smith wants no repeat of the lack of concentration that cost his side against Stuttgart when they face six-time French champions Lyon in Wednesday's decisive Champions League tie here at Ibrox.
The Glasgow giants will qualify for the knockout phase of European football's premier club competition if they avoid defeat against French champions Lyon, their rivals for the runners-up spot in Group E.
Rangers have no excuse for being lethargic after they were allowed to postpone their Scottish Premier League fixture against Gretna on Sunday.
Last month, Rangers were beaten 3-2 away to Stuggart but Smith believes the make-or-break nature of Wednesday's match will help concentrate minds against a Lyon team his side beat 3-0 earlier in the Champions League.
He told the League Managers' Association website, www.leaguemanagers.com: "We have to make sure that the levels of concentration are as high as they possibly can be.
"Against Stuttgart they weren't and I don't know whether it was just because of the fact that we had a margin of error there or that it didn't matter if we won, lost or drew the game, as long as Lyon took a point against Barcelona we were always going to go to the last game anyway.
"So I don't know whether that was the case because over the European campaign the attitude and levels of concentration have been terrific.
"The one thing that the Stuttgart game did show was that if we do slip a little bit then teams will definitely take advantage of that."
Comments