Robertson not on Scott radar

Posted Tuesday, October 27, 2009 by PA

Dundee manager Jocky Scott has moved to avert a rift with his side's city neighbours by claiming he has not lined up a bid for Dundee United midfielder Scott Robertson.

Dens Park director Calum Melville, whose money has allowed Scott to sign the likes of Leigh Griffiths and Maros Klimpl, claimed Robertson was their "number one target".

But Scott, whose team face Rangers in the Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, claims he has no plans to bring the 24-year-old back to the club.

"I can assure Dundee United we are not interested in Scott Robertson," Scott told Press Association Sport.

"We'll not be making a bid in the near future. I haven't even thought about bringing any players into the picture because January is a long way away."

United hit out at Melville's comments, with boss Craig Levein accusing him of trying to "noise up" the SPL club.

Levein has topped short of making a formal complaint but Scott insists Melville was only guilty of naivety.

The Dundee boss said: "What's happened is that Calum has just innocently spoken to someone and, through lack of experience in the football side of talking to media people, they have picked on what he has said and used it."

The row threatened to overshadow Dundee's preparations for the visit of Rangers as they look to repeat their 3-2 victory against Aberdeen in the previous round.

Rangers are struggling on and off the park with their embarrassing 4-1 home defeat by Unirea Urziceni followed by a weekend when they lost the SPL lead and saw their financial problems dominate the headlines.

But Scott does not anticipate Rangers being adversely effected.

The 61-year-old said: "Put it this way, there's never a good time to play or Rangers or Celtic, regardless of the problem they have.

"Walter [Smith] will put out a strong side. He'll be coming here and having his players prepared and ready to go out and win the game.

"It's going to be very, very difficult for us. They have got international players and many of our boys have not played in the Premier League.

"We are the underdogs but if we can go out and produce the same performance we did against Aberdeen then I'll be happy."

David Cowan remains on the sidelines with a groin injury while Colin Cameron and Craig McKeown are just short of a comeback from the same problem.

Midfielder Gary Harkins is pushing for a starting place after a fitness concern restricted him to a late substitute appearance in Saturday's 2-1 win over Raith.

Smith insists the turmoil which is currently enveloping Rangers is not the most troublesome period he has endured at the club.

Speculation about the future of Rangers has reached fever pitch following Smith's claim the Light Blues' spending was now being controlled by Lloyds Banking Group.

Speaking after Saturday's 1-1 Clydesdale Bank Premier League home draw with Hibernian, which ultimately saw them lose top spot in the table to Old Firm rivals Celtic, Smith also revealed he believed "the players at the club have been up for sale since January".

Rangers issued a statement confirming there had been tentative enquiries to buy the club which is reported to be #25million in debt.

They also insisted the bank was being supportive and, as a consequence, "there is no need for the club to sell assets during the January transfer window".

Smith's contract runs out in January and consequently his own future is uncertain.

Asked if he was finding it the hardest period he has had as Rangers manager, Smith replied: "No, there have been other [harder] periods when I was manager before.

"The hardest thing is the disappointing results, never mind anything else. That's the thing that we, on the footballing side, have to relate to as much as anything else."

Smith was happier to discuss the trip to Tayside to face the First Division leaders.

"We will go to Dundee where we will get an extremely tough game," he said. "They went to the top of the league at the weekend and they will look forward to SPL opposition.

"They beat Aberdeen in the last round so we have to go there in the proper manner. We have not lost a League Cup tie since we came back, apart from a League Cup final against Celtic, so we need to keep it going.

"Games are coming thick and fast but the concentration will be on the game and it will be an opportunity for one or two of our youngsters, like Danny Wilson, to get a start in the team."

Wilson, 17, will make his competitive debut for Rangers with Lee McCulloch (thigh) and Pedro Mendes, Kevin Thomson and Madjid Bougherra (all knee) still out.