Rangers have gotten the Europa League backing of Motherwell boss Graham Alexander as the Premiership rival urges the rest of Scottish football to get behind the Bears.
The Gers are 180 minutes from a legendary Europa League Final in Seville but face a stiff test against megabucks Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig in order to get there.
It’s the culmination of four years of immense hard work from Rangers which has seen Scotland’s coefficient transformed and the club and country win back their pride on the continental stage
Yet there will be more than a few from a range of clubs around Scotland who’ll be (not so) quietly urging the blue half of Glasgow out of the competition over the next week or so.
Motherwell have already helped the Gers out by moving the weekend fixture forward 24 hours whilst chief executive Alan Burrows was clear Scottish sides should be helped out in Europe.
Now, Motherwell manager Graham Alexander has followed suit and has urged the rest of Scottish football to get behind Rangers.
“I understand the tribal side of it, but for the bigger picture of Scottish football – which is what Alan Burrows and I discussed last week – for us as a club, because we’re part of it, for the co-efficient in the league, it’s a better scenario,” said Graham Alexander [Daily Record].
“The only issue I had was that it took so long to make the decision from the initial conversations but when we discussed the reasons why it was hard to have a counter-argument. It was all common sense.
“For five Scottish clubs to be playing in Europe next season is brilliant.
Motherwell boss Graham Alexander gives Rangers Europa League backing
“It certainly adds to the competition within the SPFL. The prizes are right there. It would be a real feel good factor.
“You have to win some games and you’re not just making up the numbers but it puts the spotlight on Scottish football and helps attract better players, from Rangers and Celtic to the next tier and next tier. It’s massive.
“That was part of our thinking when we spoke to Alan on Friday morning when this request came through and it was all about the coefficient and being better for Scottish football as a whole.
“Obviously we’re part of that and I believe all of us as clubs have a responsibility to make Scottish football be better, look better, produce better.
“You get respect on an international or European stage by success on the pitch and it reflects on the teams, the country and the league that you are in. It’s only natural.
“It’s really big for our clubs to go and handle themselves really well, try and achieve success and shine a light on how good the Scottish game is, without a doubt.”
The comments come after 10-man Rangers dismantled the Graham Alexander-led Motherwell side 3-1 over the weekend.
Rangers travel to RB Leipzig to play the first leg on Thursday the 28th of April before they play the return back in Glasgow and Ibrox on May 5th.
Meanwhile, the Bundesliga club have been affording the Ibrox side plenty of respect heading into the clash.
