By Kenny MacDonald
GLASGOW, Oct 18 - Rangers manager Alex McLeish
says he has sought advice from his Old Firm rival, Celtic boss
Gordon Strachan, about Wednesday's Champions League opponents
Artmedia Bratislava.
Strachan has first-hand experience of the Slovakian side
after they ousted Celtic in humiliating fashion from the
Champions League early stages.
"We have already spoken about it in the passing weeks,"
McLeish, a former team mate of Strachan at Aberdeen in the
1980s, told a news conference on Tuesday.
"And I now have plenty of information on Artmedia and I know
as much as probably Gordon does, maybe even a little bit more
with the fact they have had all this experience in the Champions
League and in these games they have grown in stature."
Artmedia trounced Celtic 5-0 in the first leg of the
second-round qualifier before the Scottish team came back with a
4-0 victory in the return leg in Glasgow.
Rangers are equal second in Group H with Artmedia, with
three points each from two games. Inter Milan top the group with
six points.
The Scottish champions have made a poor start domestically,
while racking up some solid results from their European games,
and McLeish recognises that his side is under pressure.
Rangers are fourth in the Scottish standings with 17 points
from 10 games, including a goalless draw at Dundee United on
Sunday, and trail leaders Hearts by nine points.
NO GUARANTEES
McLeish said: "Of course there is (extra scrutiny and
pressure), but that comes with the territory at a club like this
where we have been expected to win games in the league.
"We should be winning, people say, because of the financial
input into this club as opposed to some of the other clubs.
"At Dundee United, for instance at the weekend, we drew but
how can you account for results like West Brom beating Arsenal
for instance? So there are no guarantees in football," he added.
Lowly West Bromwich Albion beat former English champions
Arsenal 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.
Rangers have not qualified beyond the Champions League group
stages in seven seasons, but are confident after a 3-2 home win
over former champions Porto before a 1-0 loss at Inter Milan.
Croatian striker Dado Prso said the SPL was the priority,
however.
"For me it is a priority to win the SPL now, the bonus is
the Champions League. If we want to play next year in Champions
League then we must have a good run now in SPL, simple as that."