Ally McCoist happy with Rangers players despite Europa League exit

Rangers manager Ally McCoist insists he is happy with the players at his disposal despite being dumped out of the Europa League last night by Maribor.

McCoist has missed out on a number of targets over the summer, including former Dundee United striker David Goodwillie, who sealed a move to Blackburn instead.

But the Light Blues boss refused to put their European exit down to personnel after being held to a 1-1 draw by the Slovenians at Ibrox and losing the play-off 3-2 on aggregate.

Asked if he is happy with the backing he has received from owner Craig Whyte in terms of new signings, McCoist said: "Absolutely. Totally. We have brought in several new players and they have been doing well.

"You obviously have disappointments and you don't get every target that you want.

"David Goodwillie is an obvious one. He was a player we wanted and he chose not to come and went elsewhere. That is life.

"You have to have targets and lists of players you want and you have to accept that you won't get anything like a high percentage of the players you want."

New recruit Carlos Bocanegra netted his first goal for the club to cancel out a Dalibor Volas strike but Rangers could not find another goal on the night to at least force the tie to extra-time, having squandered a number of chances in front of goal.

McCoist added: "Sometimes you get games where you don't take your chances. I don't think it's down to personnel.

"It was just one of those nights in front of goal. We had chances that normally people would put away. It wasn't to be.

"The players, the coaches, the fans - we all want European football.

"For us to go out at this stage and not qualify for the Europa League is bitterly disappointing."

Rangers host Aberdeen in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Sunday and McCoist has no fears about the European disappointment impacting on their domestic campaign.

He said: "Looking at the players' attitude and the way they went about things, we will be all right.

"We are really disappointed but, as disappointed as we are, with that attitude, we will be fine."

Maribor coach Darko Milanic praised his side for withstanding the pressure in Glasgow and booking their place in the group stages.

He said: "This was an exceptional success for the team, for the club and for Slovenian football.

"It was a difficult match and the opponents forced a lot of pressure on our boys but we reacted well.

"We are very, very satisfied. In football, sometimes it is not always the big clubs who win, sometimes the small club wins."