I still pick up the phone to Walter Smith every morning, I miss him every day says Rangers legend Ally McCoist
ALLY MCCOIST reveals he still subconsciously picks his phone up to call Walter Smith.
The Rangers icon admits he still misses his old coach, manager and best friend following his passing last October.
McCoist was building up the to the BT Sport coverage of tonight’s Europa League coverage in Seville.
He reminisced about the club’s 2008 Uefa Cup run and subsequent defeat in the final in Manchester.
McCoist spoke after Rangers' win over RB Leipzig in the semi-final and said he felt Walter’s presence inside the ground.
And in the build-up to the showdown tonight, McCoist admitted he can’t take his number out his phone as he goes looking for a chat each morning.
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He said: “I don’t doubt he was with them that night, I don’t have any doubt. And I believe he is here as well.
“He was just the most fantastic man. He was my coach then became my manager and then one of my best friends.
“He epitomises Rangers Football Club and was taken away from us far too early.
“I honestly, firmly believe he’s here tonight.
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“I can’t take his number off my phone and I subconsciously go to phone him in the morning because we used to have a blether in the morning.
“I still do it, go to dial his number in my phone and of course he’s clearly not here.
“He’s so well thought of. I don’t know anybody that has a bad word to say about Walter Smith.”
McCoist retold a story on Smith not aware of the score in the penalty shoot-out that helped Rangers secure their final spot 14 years ago.
He added: “This was the goal, Whittaker in Lisbon. What a goal, I was shouting at him to hit it earlier!
“The scenes that night were unbelievable.
“Then at the semi-final, he didn’t know the score in the penalty shoot-out.
“He turned to me and said ‘what’s the score’?
“And I said to him ‘gaffer, if this penalty goes in, you’ll know the score alright’ and wee Nacho stuck the penalty away.
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“I’ll be brutally honest, Zenit were the best side in Europe at that time. They scored four goals in Munich against Bayern and followed it up by beating Manchester United 3-0 after they won the Champions League.
“It was no disgrace losing to them.”
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