Advocaat blasts his 'big-heads'

Dick Advocaat, the Rangers manager, was furious with his players for losing at St Johnstone yesterday, a result that leaves the champions 12 points behind Celtic and in fourth place behind Kilmarnock.

Dick Advocaat, the Rangers manager, was furious with his players for losing at St Johnstone yesterday, a result that leaves the champions 12 points behind Celtic and in fourth place behind Kilmarnock.

A 30-yard strike by the St Johnstone full-back Momo Sylla gave his side a rare win against Rangers, who suffered their third defeat of the season. Advocaat's side have now lost more games this season than in the whole of the last campaign. Celtic, who beat Dundee United 2-1 on Saturday, top the table with 34 points.

Advocaat was livid: "I've got a team of big-heads," the Dutchman said. "It was a hopeless performance. I've got Scottish internationals and Dutch internationals and they were very poor.

"My players have no idea about football. They want to look good in their red and white [away shirts]. I'm sick of it."

He threatened a clear-out if Rangers fail again in Wednesday's upcoming Champions' League match at Sturm Graz. "If they don't give the performance I want on Wednesday, then it is over and out for some players."

He continued: "Too many players are spending too much time during the week playing golf and working on the internet." Five of Rangers' six Dutch internationals - Arthur Numan, Ronald de Boer, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Fernando Ricksen and Bert Konterman - are involved with an internet venture from which they receive profits.

St Johnstone went ahead with a Keigan Parker penalty after 18 minutes after he had been pulled down by Sergio Porrini. Rangers' new signing Kenny Miller struck a long-range equaliser 10 minutes after the break but Sylla matched that with an excellent winner in the 67th minute.

Advocaat could offer a lengthy injury list as an excuse - although the home side had 19 players unavailable themselves while Rangers fielded eight full internationals, the same total St Johnstone have had in their entire history.

The Kilmarnock midfielder Ian Durrant shrugged off an upset stomach and a whack on the knee to help his side climb above Rangers into third place, extending their unbeaten run to 10 matches with their victory over St Mirren at Rugby Park.

The home side bounced back after Mark Yardley's opener with goals from Andy McLaren and Alan Mahood.