Rangers remain depleted for PSV tie, says manager Smith

Rangers manager Walter Smith does not expect too many of his injured players to return in time for Thursday’s Europa League meeting with PSV Eindhoven.

The Ibrox side this week travel to the Netherlands for the first leg of the last-16 tie.

Speaking after the Ibrox side’s 1-0 away win over St Mirren, Smith said: “I don’t think we’ll have many (back).

“Vladimir Weiss is maybe the only one of the eight or nine we’ve got out that could be back.”

Smith named only six substitutes for the match in Paisley, which Rangers won through Kyle Bartley’s first-half headed goal.

“We were pleased to win,” said Smith. “We’ve always had a bit of difficulty here. St Mirren are always well set out, they’re always compact. You always have to come and work very hard.

“Even with a full team when we came here earlier in the season, we had to work extremely hard for our win and we had to do that again today.

“Once we got ourselves in front I felt we could have maybe composed ourselves a little bit better and play but the lack of fluency comes from the fact we’re just playing boys and pushing them in together.

“We’ve got players out, unfortunately for us quite a number at the same time. We’re having to get over that. That was what was pleasing as much as anything else about today’s win.

“The period that we’re going to have between now and the international break will be a period that we would hope to start to see some of the injured players coming back.

“It would maybe alleviate a problem a little bit.”

Bartley’s goal was his first since joining on loan from Rangers from Arsenal and the defender’s first in senior football.

There’s been a lot of headlines about not too much, in my opinion, but we’ve responded in the right way

Rangers captain David Weir

The 19-year-old played on the left-hand side of a three-man central defence and ventured forward to meet Madjid Bougherra’s cross and head Rangers ahead on 24 minutes.

“He played well,” added Smith. “It’s the awkward side of the pitch for him that he has to play, we’re asking a little bit of him but he handled it well and we’re pleased with him, he’s doing really well.”

Rangers captain David Weir echoed Smith’s praise, saying: “I think he’ll benefit from the games.

“He’s got another game under his belt, he looks like he’s enjoying himself. He’s got a great pedigree and obviously a good future in the game.

“We were a lot of players down today, we had a lot of excuses if we wanted them, but the lads did what they usually do, came out and responded in the right way.”

Meanwhile, Weir was keen to draw a line under the fall-out from Wednesday’s controversial Old Firm game, which featured red cards for Bougherra, El Hadji Diouf and Steven Whittaker and an angry touchline exchange between Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist and Celtic boss Neil Lennon.

“There’s been a lot of headlines about not too much, in my opinion, but we’ve responded in the right way,” added Weir.

“At the end of the day, what’s happened? Nobody’s died and nobody’s been hurt or anything like that so I think we’ll move on.

“I think we build things up a wee bit too much up here.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland before the game against St Mirren, McCoist said: “I’ve had quieter weeks.

“Neil (Lennon) and I were fine after the game. We had a bottle of beer and a glass of wine and that was fine. That would be my last comment on it.

“Neil and myself will have to explain our performance at the SFA meeting but up until then, I’ve got absolutely nothing to say.”