Source: Team_Talk
Goram: Gers can make Europa final
Rangers legend Andy Goram believes the Ibrox club can go all the way to the Europa League final this season.[LNB] After crashing out of their Champions League qualifier to Swedish side Malmo, Ally McCoist's men face Maribor in the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie in Slovenia on Thursday night.[LNB]The former Scotland goalkeeper, who was a mainstay of the Light Blues' squad which captured nine-in-a-row during the late 1980s and 1990s, claims the Scottish champions have now found their level and could replicate their run to the UEFA Cup final in 2008 where they were beaten in the Manchester final by Zenit St Petersburg.[LNB]Speaking in Glasgow where he was publicising the upcoming Homeless World Cup in Paris where Scotland will be represented by both men's and women's teams, Goram said: "It was disappointing going out of the Champions League but we were never going to win the Champions League.[LNB]"We have dropped down to the Europa League and we dropped down a few years ago and got to the UEFA Cup final in Manchester.[LNB]"And if we play like we can do there is nothing to stop us doing it again.[LNB]"We have found our level and we are decent at that level.[LNB]"We got to Manchester with a team that was supposedly not very good and we also won the (cup) double.[LNB]"At this stage that season, people were saying 'could we?' And we got to the final. So, believe."[LNB]Goram acknowledged Celtic's reported interest in Sunderland and Scotland keeper Craig Gordon but believes his former foes are looking in the wrong place in their bid to bring the Scottish Premier League title back from Ibrox for the first time in four years.[LNB]"It would be good for Celtic to sign him as long as he stays fit," said the former Hibernian and Motherwell keeper.[LNB]"That's the problem. He has had a lot of problems with injuries and once you get a bad injury then other ones start coming along after, which has happened.[LNB]"I would have been more worried had Shay Given signed. That would have been a fantastic signing for Celtic.[LNB]"In a way, though, everyone looks at Celtic's goalkeeper and defence.[LNB]"But Celtic had the best defensive record in Europe last season and didn't win the league.[LNB]"So that's not the problem, the problem lies somewhere else.[LNB]"So bringing another goalkeeper won't make that much of a difference because they already have a fantastic defensive record."[LNB]Meanwhile, McCoist will give his injured defenders as long as possible to prove their fitness ahead of Thursday.[LNB]David Weir has a chance after recovering from a hamstring problem and is expected to fly out of Glasgow with the squad on Wednesday morning.[LNB]Kyle Bartley is another who could make the trip as he has not been ruled out completely yet despite coming off in the 2-0 SPL win at Inverness on Saturday with a groin strain.[LNB]Lee McCulloch, another option at centre half, has also returned to training and he could yet be passed fit.[LNB]Sasa Papac and Steven Whittaker are both suspended after their red cards in the Champions League qualifying draw with Malmo earlier this month.[LNB]McCoist, though, remains optimistic that his other players can compete for a place at the back alongside Romanian stopper Dorin Goian.[LNB]He told the club's official website: "We've got injury doubts and we'll give them right up to the last minute before deciding whether they can play or not.[LNB]"Kyle obviously came off in the first half against Inverness because he was feeling his groin and that was a blow for us.[LNB]"Davie has been doing some light training and Lee McCulloch is the same so we'll see where they are later in the week.[LNB]"With Sasa Papac and Steven Whittaker both banned and sidelined in any case, we don't have our problems to seek.[LNB]"But we'll get through that and we'll see where we are with various people ahead of kick-off on Thursday."[LNB]McCoist is still looking to bring more players into his squad, including in defence following the departure of Madjid Bougherra.[LNB]He said: "We are continuing our search and our pursuit of new players but no more so than we were already and there is no panic.[LNB]"In an ideal world, it would be great to get somebody into the squad before the signing deadline for the Maribor game, of course it would.[LNB]"But I'm not going to sit here and say there's a great chance of that happening or otherwise. We will just keep working on the deals we are trying to push through."
