Murray sees value in Rangers cup bid

Rangers defender Ian Murray insists the club are not competing for a worthless prize as they prepare to take on Osasuna in the Uefa Cup last 16.

Old Firm rivals Celtic have a glamorous Champions League tie against Milan tonight, and have already faced Benfica and Manchester United this season. But Murray, 25, believes the Uefa Cup holds its own appeal, and claims the quality of teams lining up against Rangers in this year's competition is particularly high.

"It has been berated a little bit, the competition, due to the Champions League successes," said Murray. "But if you look at the squads that are in the cup still... Obviously there are some great teams still in it - you've still got Espanyol, Sevilla, Werder Bremen - so it's a good competition still. It's not taken lightly."

Rangers reached this stage after overcoming Hapoel Tel Aviv 5-2 on aggregate in a tie that was high on drama and controversy, notably Allan McGregor's red card in the second leg at Ibrox, which will force the goalkeeper to miss tomorrow's match.

In his place will come Stefan Klos, the 35-year-old German goalkeeper who is due to retire this summer.

"It was disappointing but we've got good back-up," Murray told Rangers World. "Stefan can come in if he has to. I think he's still an exceptional shot-stopper so there's no qualms about Stefan playing. His pedigree speaks for itself."

Murray, like most at Ibrox, did not witness the incident in which McGregor clashed with Hapoel's Argentine player Luciano de Bruno, which came within seconds of Barry Ferguson scoring the third goal in a 4-0 home win, and while most players and supporters were celebrating.

The goalkeeper has been banned for two Uefa matches, but Rangers have appealed in the hope it will be reduced to one game. "Maybe he deserved it, maybe he didn't - I really don't know," said Murray.

The former Rangers goalkeeper Andy Goram does not believe manager Walter Smith will be able to recreate the team spirit he enjoyed at Ibrox during the time the club won nine Scottish titles in a row. However, Goram insists if there is one manager who can get close to it then it is Smith himself.

Goram admits Smith was pivotal in creating a unique atmosphere at Ibrox during his first spell as manager. "What we had in the 1990s was something special, I don't think you can recreate that," Goram said.

"Everyone knows about the drinking and the carry-ons we used to have but everyone also knows we would still go out on to the pitch and shed blood for one another.

"That was because we loved each other, we were really close that way. If we went out there would be 12 or 13 of us, there were never little cliques. We all respected each other and loved each other, including the manager and his assistant Archie Knox.

"Walter is just the kind of guy you want to play for. He showed that with Scotland by turning it around there. Now he's doing it with Rangers and it's no coincidence."

Rangers have signed St Mirren defender Kirk Broadfoot to a pre-contract agreement. The 22-year-old will move to Ibrox in the summer.