Falkirk are one of only two teams to have played against both Raith Rovers and Rangers this season and ahead of the sides meeting in Sunday’s Ramsdens Cup Final, the Bairns’ Technical Director Alex Smith has given the SPFL Newsletter a run-down on where he thinks the game will be decided.
Smith of course has completed a hat-trick of cup wins in his career by helping Steven Pressley take Falkirk to Ramsdens Cup success two years ago to add to his successes in the Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup with Aberdeen a couple of decades ago.
Smith started by looking at the Fife side and he said: “We are due to play Raith Rovers in a couple of weeks and we know that we will be facing a really hard working team. I reckon that they are in a false position in the Championship by being in the bottom half.”
“They made a really good start but slipped back a bit after a bad run that they seem to be coming out of now. They are a side I thought would be challenging for promotion but perhaps they got side-tracked in the William Hill Scottish Cup where they got to the quarter-finals or this final of the Ramsdens Cup.”
“They had a couple of injuries as well and have only a small pool but when they have everyone fit and available they are very difficult opponents. They are a fit and strong team who have match-winners in their side.”
Smith picked out their danger men by saying: “Joe Cardle is a talented player and can be a match-winner. Grant Anderson on the other wing can be the same and I remember seeing him at Stenhousemuir and noticing how quick and how strong he is on the ball.”
“I am not sure who will play up front as there are three very good options to choose from in Greig Spence, Calum Elliot and John Baird. The three of them all have good movement and are good finishers so Raith are in good shape for the Final.”
“Spence has experience from playing in the Ramsdens Cup Final against Falkirk a couple of years ago and he also scored the goal really late on that knocked us out at the quarter-final stage. Elliot has good experience from a number of places and ironically Baird could be the man to score in his first Ramsdens Cup tie this season.”
The Stark’s Park club have other strengths with Smith adding: “They are supported by good full backs in Jason Thomson and Callum Booth and in Liam Fox and Kevin Moon they have strong midfielders.”
“I usually agree that the league position does not lie but it does in Raith Rovers’ case but of course their results also highlight the competitive nature of the Championship.”
Smith offered the Fifers the following advice saying: “It will be an interesting game and for Raith to do anything in it they have to get bedded in quickly. The longer they dig in the better their chances of doing well become.”
“Grant Murray is a good manager and he has a good team around him in Laurie Ellis and Paul Smith. Grant is a good lad who handles games well no matter the result. Raith are a good club for a manager to start at as they have a good reputation for sticking with managers.”
Handling the big occasion could be key for Raith Rovers with Smith saying: “It is a big day for their club and it is all about how they cope with it. They are playing Rangers in the Final and regardless of what league they are in, Raith are still playing Rangers. They might be in a league below Raith but it will not feel like that.”
“Look at how well Rangers have done in the Scottish Cup and they also have a squad full of Premiership players – it is a fallacy to think anything else.”
Smith, who helped guide the Bairns to Ramsdens Cup Final success two years, ago reckons that Rangers will enjoy the freedom that Raith Rovers will give them in Sunday’s final.
Smith reckons that Ally McCoist’s side will enjoy more freedom in this game than they do in a League 1 meeting as he explained: “Rangers are used to teams playing really tightly against them in League 1 and trying to ensure they do not lose a lot of goals. I reckon that they will enjoy a bit more open space in this Cup Final as Raith will look to win it. Rangers will find themselves with more time on the ball than they have had in games this season and they will enjoy that.”
“Their good players will revel in it and as they are very dangerous at set pieces Raith will have to be vigilant throughout. Rangers players are used to big occasions like Cup Finals and the people about the club are used to Cup Finals as well. They will have the majority of support on a massive occasion and it will be just like old times for them.”
“They have won the league already so they will be well up for a double before the Scottish Cup semi- final.”
Falkirk were one of the teams that Rangers defeated to reach the final four against Dundee United next weekend and Smith said: “We went to the last seconds of the tie in the Scottish Cup even though we had ten men for most of the second half. We had chances but I am sure our Chairman would have settled for the replay however they scored two late goals. It was a close game but the sending off of David McCracken changed things.”
“We felt it was a soft penalty decision and outside of the box at the time and even though the penalty was saved it did hurt us.”
“The main thing is that it felt like a game against a top flight side not a League One team and that should be a warning to Raith.”
As for the Rangers dangermen smith said: “If Jon Daly is fit he will be very dangerous as he can score and set up goals. They have good midfield players and Nicky Law can pitch in with a goal or two and they also have the option of Lee McCulloch or Bilil Mohsni at set pieces.”
“That is before you look at Dean Shiels and Nicky Clark. There is a lot of threat in that side.”
Despite Falkirk’s loss to Raith, Smith is a fan of the tournament as he explained: “It is great for the sponsor and the Cup to have the focus that Rangers have brought to it. They will be out to increase the attention by winning it.
“We loved winning it a couple of years ago in what was a great family occasion and for those going along to this game I am sure they will enjoy it.”
.png){kind=logo}
