Lafferty: We've let boss down

22 August 2011 07:49
Kyle Lafferty admits every single Rangers player has let down new boss Ally McCoist this season.[LNB] But the striker hopes Sunday's 3-0 SPL win at Motherwell has gone some way to making amends for poor early season form.[LNB]McCoist had recorded just two wins from six competitive outings ahead of the visit to Fir Park but Lafferty believes the players should be held responsible rather than the boss.[LNB]He said: "I don't think he's under pressure. I think every single player in the team has let him down with results where we haven't played well for him.[LNB]"Everyone knows what the gaffer is about. He has worked under Walter Smith for most of his management career. He has learned a lot and he is going to do very well with Rangers."[LNB]Rangers slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Maribor in the first leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday, prompting striker Nikica Jelavic to confess that the team was unrecognisable from the one which won the SPL title last term.[LNB]Lafferty agreed, adding: "I think Jelavic got it spot-on. No-one wanted to work for the ball and that's not a Rangers side.[LNB]"The Rangers side everyone knows is one that will fight for every ball and keep it and then score goals and keep clean sheets. We didn't do that the other night.[LNB]"But the gaffer had a word with us and what he said was spot-on as well. Everybody went out today wanting to give the gaffer a performance he deserved and we did that."[LNB]Goals from Steven Naismith, Lafferty and Gregg Wylde sealed the win at Motherwell, with the Northern Irishman crediting McCoist's team-talk for the dramatic improvement.[LNB]He said: "A lot of people knocked us and thought that Motherwell would get a result against us.[LNB]"But the gaffer said the right things in the dressing room and got everyone up for the game and we got a performance.[LNB]"I'm not going to say what he said but what he said got everyone fired up for the game and we went out there and wanted to give him the performance that he deserved and I think we did that."[LNB]Lafferty made his first start of the season yesterday, having replaced Naismith at half-time in Maribor, following his recovery from a hernia operation.[LNB]He said: "After such a long time out, I was delighted to get my name on the team-sheet and I was over the moon to get the goal. I was pleased we got the three points."[LNB]Motherwell boss Stuart McCall said: "We were up against a good side. I tell you what went wrong, when you're up against the Old Firm, you've got to score first to have any chance of winning the game.[LNB]"It's easier said than done and we didn't do that."

Source: Team_Talk