Walter Needs to Learn From Past Experiences Defeats in Smith's First Tenure Means That the Heat Is On in Europe

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IT'S not exactly a romp through Europe but in beating Livorno (currently the 13th best team in Italy), Maccabi Haifa (seventh in the Israeli league), Partizan Belgrade (fourth in Serbia), and by drawing with Auxerre (14th out of 20 clubs in France's top division), Rangers have made the last 32 of the Uefa Cup. This week, Walter Smith's team resume action in Israel against Hapoel Tel Aviv, a team that required just one win from four games in the group stage to progress to this point. Cutting edge, it is not. Or, at least, not yet. There are some outstanding teams left in Europe's second- string competition but it's fair to say that the wheat and the chaff have still to be separated.

"From the club's point of view it's good to have these European games," said Walter Smith on Friday. "It's great that Celtic and Rangers have reached these stages. Everyone enjoys these nights. I want to see us doing well in the Uefa Cup. It hasn't done Rangers any harm this season. I don't think Europe is an extra pressure. I think it's pleasing that Rangers are in the last 32 of the competition."

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Walter Needs to Learn From Past Experiences Defeats in Smith's First Tenure Means That the Heat Is On in Europe

Pleasing? For Paul Le Guen it was the only thing that threatened to bring a smile to his face during his wretched time at Ibrox. He doesn't have much of a legacy at Rangers but at least he guided them through the Uefa Cup, through the two qualifiers and the four pool games, all negotiated without the mishaps that pockmarked his domestic performance. It's not a...

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