Ally McCoist emphasizes the crucial need for Rangers to overcome their mental fragility in Old Firm derbies in order to secure victory in the Scottish Cup final against Celtic. McCoist, a revered figure from his playing days at Ibrox, points out the concerning trend of just one win in the last eleven encounters against their rivals, with the added setback of conceding the first goal in all but one of the last twelve meetings.

Looking ahead to the upcoming clash, where Philippe Clement aims for his maiden win over Celtic in his fourth attempt, McCoist stresses the importance of mental fortitude in such high-stakes fixtures. He asserts that a fundamental shift in mentality is essential for the Rangers squad to approach the game with confidence and belief in their ability to emerge victorious.

McCoist underscores the urgency for Rangers to start the game assertively and avoid falling behind early on, citing recent examples where Celtic capitalized on sluggish starts from the Gers. He highlights the significance of adopting a proactive and aggressive mindset, drawing a distinction between playing with intensity and recklessness on the field.

In McCoist’s perspective, Celtic’s recent dominance over Rangers can be attributed to their superior mental resolve and self-belief, traits that he feels the Rangers players need to embody to turn the tide in their favor. By staying disciplined, playing with controlled aggression, and maintaining a full complement of players on the pitch, Rangers have the potential to outmaneuver Celtic in a closely contested encounter, with McCoist predicting a 2-1 victory for his former club in the cup final at Hampden Park.