Smith plays down Novo comments

03 May 2010 16:45
Rangers manager Walter Smith has played down comments made by Nacho Novo, insisting his remarks should have no bearing on the Old Firm derby.[LNB] The Ibrox striker appeared to stoke up the tension ahead of tomorrow's clash when he hit out at rivals Celtic and their former boss Tony Mowbray for his criticism of Smith.[LNB]Interim manager Neil Lennon has hinted that the outburst has fired up his players ahead of the final meeting of the season between the Glasgow giants.[LNB]But Smith believes neither side should need any extra motivation for the famous fixture.[LNB]"Nacho has a habit of doing that kind of thing," said the Rangers boss.[LNB]"Both sides of the Old Firm, when the lads get interviewed, they say things.[LNB]"Especially immediately after you've won a championship and the adrenalin is high. Georgios Samaras suffered from that previously.[LNB]"Personally, I don't pay any attention to these things. The motivation for any team comes from within a team to win.[LNB]"Any external motivation, to me, is an unnecessary thing.[LNB]"I say that to all the players, their motivation to win a game comes from their own team.[LNB]"It shouldn't matter what anyone else says about you in any newspaper or media outlet."[LNB]Rangers have already been crowned champions but Smith insists there is no such thing as a meaningless Old Firm derby.[LNB]He knows Celtic will be determined to finish a disappointing season on a high but says his own players will also be playing for pride.[LNB]He said: "We have only lost two games this season which I think is a terrific achievement for any club to go through a league campaign and only lose two matches.[LNB]"We want to try to keep that intact and I think we also showed that in Saturday's game against Dundee United when we had an extremely good attitude towards the game and I think that will carry on to the game tomorrow night.[LNB]"Celtic have a home game and they will want to finish the season well at home and we are aware of that factor.[LNB]"There is not the same pressure as you would expect at this stage of the season than there would be if you were going for a championship.[LNB]"There is still a pressure on the players to do well and there is the pride aspect as well.[LNB]"They have taken a great deal of pride from winning the championship this season in the manner in which they have done and I think that will keep them going. I certainly hope so anyway."[LNB]With the title already safely secured at Ibrox, there is as little as there can be at stake in an Old Firm derby.[LNB]Smith added: "I've encountered this a couple of times before, when the championship has already been won.[LNB]"When I came back, Celtic had won the championship and we beat them 1-0 at Celtic Park.[LNB]"A few seasons earlier when Celtic were playing at Hampden and Rangers had already won the championship, we lost 3-0 going on five or six.[LNB]"The edge does come off and it's only human nature for that to happen but I would hope that we would retain a decent competitive edge. If we do that, then we'll be happy.[LNB]"They'll be keen to win the game at home simply because of the fact that Rangers have been crowned champions.[LNB]"They don't like that and I wouldn't expect them to like it. It's something Rangers don't like if Celtic win it.[LNB]"You are looking at a game between the two best teams in the country and the games this season have been close and I don't see this one being that different."

Source: Team_Talk