Dailly expresses Rangers joy
Friday 11 April 2008
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Christian Dailly celebrates in Lisbon (©Getty Images)
Rangers FC have won more than 100 domestic trophies in Scotland but their sole continental honour is the 1971/72 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They beat Sporting Clube de Portugal on their way to that triumph and their 2-0 win in Lisbon against the same opposition on Thursday earned Rangers FC a UEFA Cup semi-final against ACF Fiorentina. The versatile Christian Dailly slotted into a defensive role at Sporting and the January signing from West Ham United FC told uefa.com that he sensed something special was on the cards as soon as he arrived at Ibrox.
uefa.com: You've got a big smile on your face, that must have been a great night?
Christian Dailly: It was good fun. The boys just played well from start to finish. We felt pretty comfortable for most of the game in general and I think playing on a surface like that actually suited us down to the ground. We like to get the ball down and pass when we can which is not always easy but that pitch was an absolute bowling green which suited us. At times we kept the ball really well and when we soaked up a bit of pressure we hit them on he break, so all in all it was a great night and a great achievement.
uefa.com: You were really under pressure before your opening goal...
Dailly: We were. They came out slightly different in the second half. They'd obviously been told to get the ball forward a bit quicker as we were keeping the ball well in the first half. I think for them, their manager was probably thinking we're too comfortable and they tried to up the pace but we held our own and started to hit them on the break and could have scored two or three goals. After we got the first we added another in injury time and that was just the icing on the cake.
uefa.com: Was it more difficult playing here or at Ibrox?
Dailly: Probably last week, as I think it's difficult playing at home in Europe. You don't want to concede against European teams. It's easy to say go for it, but we know if we don't concede we've got a chance of scoring here. We got a little bit of criticism for maybe not playing as well as we can.
uefa.com: Could you imagine nights like this when you joined Rangers?
Dailly: It's difficult, probably not really, but I came here knowing what a great place it is and well aware that we were still in Europe and this is what you hope to do, what you always want, to travel to places and win games every week. That's what I've always been like and as soon as I walked in the dressing room I could smell it, it was exactly like that. That's why I'm enjoying it so much because everyone's a winner, which always leaves you with a chance in every game you play.
uefa.com: Is there a growing belief among the squad that you can win everything this season?
Dailly: I've come into it and the belief was already there. We came here knowing we could win the game, no doubt about that. There's no point being intimidated at all in any game and we're well aware that we could lose as they're such a good side but we won it and deserved to win it and now have a semi-final which is just brilliant. It's great for all the fans and everyone associated with Rangers and we've earned it.
uefa.com: Do you think now just about Fiorentina or what it would be like to play in the final?
Dailly: When you get to the semi-final you want to go all the way. To be in the semi-final is a great achievement but we want to win it. They're going to be cracking games.
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