By Chris Burton Last updated: 12th May 2008
Walter Smith has no problem with Rangers being written off ahead of their Uefa Cup final date.
The Gers are set to go head-to-head with Russian side Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium on 14th May.
Smith accepts that they will once again be seen as the underdogs heading into the contest, but believes that is a tag they have revelled in this year.
They picked up positive results in UEFA Champions League ties with Barcelona, Stuttgart and Lyon, before carrying that form into the Uefa Cup and seeing off Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina on route to the final.
Smith admits that his squad are playing with no fear at present and feels that they deserve to be shown more respect for their achievements this year.
"It doesn't offend in any way, shape or form," he said.
"That is the way it has been throughout this European campaign, so we just have to accept that and get on with it.
"So far, we've had a lot of negative comments about us. Hopefully, that will continue through to Thursday or Friday.
"We've had a lot of situations where people say that Rangers play anti-football, rubbish football or whatever.
"But for a first-year team, we've settled in well and, for those teams that have lost to us, if they are that good, why have they not beaten us?
"Players make these comments and they've got to take a look at themselves."
Rangers are still chasing an historic quadruple this season, but their
continued success has seen them build up a considerable backlog of fixtures.
The SPL remain reluctant to grant the club any leeway in connection with the completion of these games, but Smith is refusing to use that as a motivational tool to lift his players.
"I always say that is a poor motivation," he said.
"It may well be a motivation but it's not the greatest one. The greatest motivation is to go and win. Other things are poor motivational tools.
"As I say, I feel we are being erred against in this situation, but that is not the driving force.
"Our driving force is to try to win in all of the tournaments we're still involved in. That is what keeps us going more than anything else."
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt will take charge of Wednesday's Uefa Cup final.
Frojdfeldt has been chosen to officiate at this summer's European Championship, and took charge of Liverpool's 4-2 Champions League victory over Arsenal at Anfield on 8th April.
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 9th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 12:30 | Falkirk vs Rangers |
| 15:00 | Aberdeen vs Inverness CT |
| 15:00 | Hearts vs Motherwell |
| 15:00 | Kilmarnock vs Hibernian |
| Sunday 10th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 12:30 | Celtic vs St Mirren |
| Monday 11th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hamilton vs Dundee Utd |
| Saturday 16th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Hibernian vs Falkirk |
| 15:00 | Inverness CT vs Hamilton |
| 15:00 | Motherwell vs Aberdeen |
| 15:00 | Rangers vs Hearts |
| 15:00 | St Mirren vs Kilmarnock |
| Sunday 17th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 14:00 | Dundee Utd vs Celtic |
| Saturday 23rd August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 12:30 | Aberdeen vs Rangers |
| 15:00 | Celtic vs Falkirk |
| 15:00 | Hearts vs St Mirren |
| 15:00 | Inverness CT vs Hibernian |
| 15:00 | Kilmarnock vs Hamilton |
| 15:00 | Motherwell vs Dundee Utd |
| Saturday 30th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Dundee Utd vs Kilmarnock |
| 15:00 | Falkirk vs Inverness CT |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Thursday 22nd May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Aberdeen 2 - 0 Rangers | |
| Dundee Utd 0 - 1 Celtic | |
| Hibernian 0 - 2 Motherwell | |
| Monday 19th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| St Mirren 0 - 3 Rangers | |
| Saturday 17th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Motherwell 1 - 1 Rangers | |
| Inverness CT 0 - 0 St Mirren | |
| Kilmarnock 2 - 1 Falkirk | |
| Tuesday 13th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Gretna 1 - 0 Hearts | |
| Sunday 11th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Celtic 2 - 0 Hibernian | |
| Saturday 10th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Rangers 3 - 1 Dundee Utd | |
| Falkirk 2 - 1 Inverness CT | |
| Hearts 0 - 2 Kilmarnock | |
| Motherwell 2 - 1 Aberdeen | |
| St Mirren 0 - 0 Gretna | |
| Wednesday 7th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Rangers 1 - 0 Motherwell | |
| Monday 5th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Falkirk 2 - 1 Hearts | |
| Sunday 4th May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Hibernian 0 - 0 Rangers | |
| Saturday 3rd May | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Motherwell 1 - 2 Celtic | |
| Inverness CT 6 - 1 Gretna | |
| St Mirren 1 - 0 Kilmarnock | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aberdeen | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Celtic | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Dundee United | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Falkirk | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Hamilton Academical | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Hearts | 0 | 0 |
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