Up For The Cup

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By Andrew Dickson

 

KENNY McDOWALL is relishing the chance to get one over his former employers Celtic this afternoon when Rangers meet them in the League Cup final.

 

Although he was raised as a staunch Light Blues supporter when he was a child, the Ibrox first-team coach spent a decade working with the youths and reserves at Parkhead.

 

Barry Ferguson and Kenny McDowallMcDowall moved directly across Glasgow to Gers in January 2007 when he was appointed as part of Walter Smith's backroom staff.

 

Doing so allowed him to fulfil a boyhood dream and now he can't wait for today's Old Firm decider at Hampden after some uncomfortable moments across the divide.

 

McDowall joked: "It was fairly difficult for me when I was at Celtic. My family wanted Rangers to beat them but I was looking for bonus money!

 

"I've said before on record that I had a good time at Parkhead doing the job I was in. I enjoyed it and it set me up to do the job I'm in here.

 

"But I'm at Rangers now and I'm loving it - it goes without saying I'm really looking to get a result against Celtic this weekend.

 

"This is the first trophy of the season and when you're playing your enemy, it's obviously a game you want to win.

 

"The supporters will be right up for this one and there can be no excuses when the match gets underway - we've got to get on with it and do a job."

 

Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowallMcDowall hopes the relaxed atmosphere in Smith's squad plays a part in a good performance by Rangers today.

 

While a lot of work has been done on the training field over the last few days, there has been plenty of bonding done off it too.

 

McDowall added: "The fact we've had a whole week to get ready has been good - we've had knocks we've wanted to clear up and I suppose Celtic will have been the same.

 

"We've tried to keep things quite relaxed. It has been a big week and there's always a lot of tension ahead of a cup final.

 

"There's no escaping the hype but it has been our job to keep the players as calm as possible and hopefully we've done that."