El-Hadji Diouf is fair game, says Ally McCoist
Rangers are set to pitch the Senegalese striker into Sunday's potentially explosive Scottish Cup fifth-round showdown with Celtic.
In the thick of it: Diouf was targeted by Hearts on Wednesday Diouf appeared to be targeted by Hearts on his debut on Wednesday night, with no fewer than three visiting players booked by referee Brian Winter for tackles on the former Liverpool forward, including a crude challenge from Ian Black.
Walter Smith's right-hand man, however, accepts that any kind of 'sledging' is a legitimate tactic and will warn Diouf the only way to defeat his detractors is by keeping his temper on the pitch.
'I would imagine the opposition will target him,' said McCoist yesterday. 'Certainly, opposition fans will and, dare I say it, there might be one or two of the teams, as well. They will try to wind him up.
'He is going to have to handle that and so are Rangers. I don't have a problem with it. 'Targeting someone has been in football since it started.
Here to stay: Diouf is on loan with Rangers until the end of the season 'You could probably call it football's equivalent of sledging. I think the fact El-Hadji came out and said he quite enjoyed it would show that it does not bother him all that much. It adds to the atmosphere, so long as it is not poisonous. Hopefully, he will be OK.'
McCoist sees no reason why Diouf - who infamously drew the wrath of the Celtic support when he spat at a young fan during a UEFA Cup clash while playing for Liverpool in 2003 - can't feature in Sunday's Scottish Cup collision, the first of three derbies at Ibrox, Parkhead and Hampden in three competitions over the ! next six weeks. 'You have to get on with it if people try to wind you up,' he added. 'If you lose it, then the opposition is winning. You have to maintain concentration and discipline. Probably more so in an Old Firm game, because people get excitable in them. 'We hazarded a guess before the Hearts game that it might happen, that there might be one or two tackles coming in. It turned out to be a good guess.
'He is aware of the fact that his reputation has preceded him to Scotland. He just has to cope with that. Like the rest of our forwards, he will get kicked or fouled at stages of the game. He just has to get a free-kick or get on with the game.'
Meanwhile, Rangers should find out today the extent of Lee McCulloch's knee injury.
The midfielder will miss Sunday's game with Celtic and then serve a three-match SPL ban - but is due for a scan on a potential problem that is also liable rule him out of Scotland's trip to Dublin next week. Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic, however, is expected to be fit for the weekend.
More...
- Diouf did well to keep his temper, says Ibrox chief Smith after Hearts win
- Rangers 1 Hearts 0: Lafferty on target as bad boy Diouf makes Ibrox bow
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