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Page last updated at 10:26 GMT, Monday, 15 March 2010

Rangers boss Walter Smith warns over treble dreams

Rangers manager Walter Smith
Smith has warned his players not to falter at a crucial stage of the season

Manager Walter Smith has warned his Rangers players not to allow complacency to dash their hopes of completing a domestic treble.

Rangers let a two-goal lead slip in Sunday's 3-3 Active Nation Scottish Cup quarter-final draw with Dundee United.

"Everyone is saying we're on for a treble and that is premature," said the Ibrox boss.

"It's the first time I've seen my team relax in that manner and allow the opposition to come back."

Rangers hold a commanding 13-point lead over Celtic in the Scottish Premier League title race and face St Mirren next Sunday in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final.

But Smith stressed that his side have yet to secure silverware this season.

McCoist unhappy to let lead slip

"I think a bit of complacency could come in because the expectation is that, with this points gap in the championship, people say you've won the league," he said.

"So this sends out a message to everybody that we won't achieve unless we remain fully focused on what we have to do.

"We have a cup final to play on Sunday. But we have a whole load of cup finals to play if we are going to succeed this season."

Two penalties from Kris Boyd and a Nacho Novo strike put Rangers in command against United at Ibrox on Sunday after Andis Shala had put United in front.

But Steven Whittaker's own goal and a header from Mihael Kovacevic set up a replay at Tanandice on 24 March.

Smith said his side must not drop their level of performance at a crucial stage of the season.

"I'm making a realistic appraisal of what we have to do between now and the end of the season if we are going to succeed," he added.

"We now find ourselves in a really tough replay at Tannadice and we might still have to go there twice in the championship."



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see also
Gers must heed warning - McCoist
14 Mar 10 |  Rangers
Rangers 3-3 Dundee United
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Rangers v Dundee Utd as it happened
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Scottish football photo gallery
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Gers' Bougherra to miss cup final
14 Mar 10 |  Rangers


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