Ally McCoist insists Rangers need fear no team in the Europa League after landing Royal Antwerp in the last 32.
But he insisted the Ibrox board has to keep all their big hitters when the transfer window reopens next month to give Steven Gerrard the best possible chance of success at home and abroad.
The former Gers striker and manager said: “I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. They can go in against anybody with confidence, the form they’re in.
“By winning the group, they’ve earned the right not to fear anybody. And I don’t think they will.
“I don’t have any doubt, either, that other clubs in the tournament will now be looking at Rangers and saying: “I’m not sure we fancy going there …”
“Look at the results against Benfica, look at the way they’ve qualified. Steven has given everyone great hope and enjoyment in the campaign.”
As for the upcoming transfer window, McCoist is adamant that even if Gerrard doesn’t add to his squad, he must be allowed to keep the likes of James Tavernier, Borna Barisic, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, whom he believes will come good again in front of goal.
He added: “They should lock them all up till the summer. It’s important to keep your good players.
“I’m not privy to the finances but if a ridiculous offer comes in for any player, it doesn’t matter what club you are, then you’d have to consider it but, stating the obvious, it would be in Rangers best interest in terms of an opportunity to win silverware, you’d want to keep all your players tight.
“In an ideal situation Steven would like to keep all his players. I don’t think there’s any doubt there’ll be a level of interest in some of his players because of the form they’re showing.”
And commenting on Morelos’ current lack of goals, McCoist added: “It might astound you to hear I’ve been there myself! It lasted two years at Sunderland. He’ll be suffering but he’ll come through it.
“I think Morelos is too good a goalscorer not to come back into that vein of form. He’s just going through a period that all strikers go through where he’s arriving too late, he’s arriving too early, he’s miscuing things.
“He’s not in the same form as he once was but I don’t have any doubt it will come back.”
