Walter Smith is desperate for Rangers to clinch a third successive Clydesdale Bank Premier League title on Sunday and see his players finally earn the credit he feels they have been denied so far.
The visit to Kilmarnock will be Smith's final game as Rangers manager but the 63-year-old is adamant the occasion will not be about him. He enjoyed an emotional lap of honour after his last match at Ibrox in midweek and is keen to see the team earn the plaudits this time if they produce the win that seals the SPL crown.
"On Tuesday night, I got the credit for what has gone previously. At times, the players' input to that level of success hasn't been fully appreciated and they can cement that by winning on Sunday," Smith said.
He added: "We have been playing well recently and, if we win the game, I would hope the focus of attention would be placed firmly on the team."
Financial worries before Craig Whyte's takeover was finally completed last week has meant a period of uncertainty for both management and playing staff in recent years. Smith said few players would have been willing to endure the difficult circumstances his squad have coped with.
He said: "What's kept them going is what has kept them going over the last two-and-a-half-years - there has been a spirit, there has been a determination and there has been a good level of football. I don't think we can forget that.
"I sometimes think a number of them don't get the praise they deserve for the level of performance they have turned in.
"Sunday's game is everything for them and there are not many teams who manage to win three championships in a row no matter where you're from."
Smith is aiming for his 10th title over two spells at Rangers and added: "It's always a challenge, regardless of where you are. That's where my situation at Everton helped me a great deal in terms of handling what was happening at Rangers over the period. I learned a lot there.
"But the main aspect, and the main reason we have been successful, is the way the players have accepted the situation that they've been placed in."
Source: PA
