McCoist: New boys won't be fazed

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has backed his Old Firm debutants to handle Sunday's Scottish Premier League clash with Celtic.

The Scottish champions recruited several new players over the summer and a number of them could be handed their first taste of the famous fixture this weekend.

But, with some of his new recruits - such as United States captain Carlos Bocanegra and Romania international Dorin Goian - boasting plenty of experience, McCoist does not expect them to be fazed by the occasion.

He said: "The game is big enough that they know about it.

"I will have a wee chat with them but I'm not daft enough to think that Carlos Bocanegra has played 90-odd times for the USA and hasn't played in big games.

"Indeed, Dorin Goian's last international was against France. These boys play in big games and they can handle big games.

"The one thing that might be a little bit different for them is the atmosphere that the crowd creates and, possibly, the tempo of the game in the first 15 or 20 minutes.

"But that's why we've got these guys. We want them to play in these games and we feel they can handle it. So we will have a chat but nothing out of the ordinary."

McCoist himself has plenty of experience of Old Firm derbies as both a player and assistant boss to Walter Smith but will be facing Celtic for the first time as Rangers manager.

He said: "I've really been looking forward to it since the Dundee United game last week, which was a great result for us [1-0 away win]. I've just been planning ahead and I'm very, very excited.

"I was certainly very lucky as a player against Celtic and hopefully I've kept some of that luck.

"I don't care how good anybody is. You need a bit of luck to go along with it and it's always welcome.

"I can't see it being a lot different [as manager] to be honest with you.

"As a player, you have different pressures. The pressure as assistant manager was very intense.

"I realise the responsibilities are certainly greater but in terms of how I'll feel, I'm not sure I'll be any different.

"The desire to win and do well will be massive as it always has been and always will be."

McCoist has promised fans a positive approach to the game.

He said: "I don't want to give too much away and divulge too much but we will be picking a team that will be attack-minded.

"I feel that we've got too many attack-minded players in our team not to go and win games.

"You look at Nikica Jelavic and Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith and Steven Davis - even Steven Whittaker gets forward, and Gregg Wylde.

"They are all forward-thinking players and want to get into the opponents' half and create and cause damage.

"It would be wrong of us not to let them go and express themselves and do that.

"There are different ways to win games of football, of course there are, and there are times when circumstances dictate your tactics.

"But it's safe to say that we will be putting out an attacking team to go and win the game."