‘He knows the game’ Ally McCoist backing Dundee manager John Brown

Rangers boss Ally McCoist a former team-mate of John Brown’s at Ibrox claims there is more to the new Dundee boss than fiery rhetoric.

He also believes that Brown has never received the credit he deserves for the part he played in Rangers reaching the final of the UEFA Cup in 2008.

“I had a brief chat with Bomber on Saturday night and, to be fair, he’s taking management to a new level where he’s actually getting criticised before he’s taken a training session that’s a new one for me,” he said.

“He’s taken an opportunity to go there, obviously not in ideal circumstances. The game is tough when you look at somebody like Barry Smith, who has been nothing but fantastic for Dundee, losing his job.”

Dundee fans too young to have seen him play for the Dark Blues may have been put off the new man by his rambling rant against Rangers chief executive Charles Green on the steps of Ibrox last year.

However, McCoist insists that it would be mistake to underestimate the depth of his knowledge of the game.

“He’s an intelligent person, especially when it comes to football. He knows the game and is a very good coach.”