O'Donnell: Bring on the Rangers

Nov 3 2009 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

COMEBACK star Stephen ODonnell insists his Buddies aim to put their woeful defeat against Hamilton Accies behind them this Saturday by turning on the style when they face SPL champions Rangers.

ODonnell was handed his first start of the season at the weekend but it turned out to be a miserable return to action for the former Dundee United midfielder as Saints slipped to a 2-0 defeat.

He said all of the Paisley players are hurting from that loss and added that professional pride will drive them on when they meet the Light Blues in Govan on Saturday.

ODonnell told Express Sports: We have a right good bunch of professionals in the dressing room and no-one needs to tell them that last Saturdays performance wasnt good enough. They know that themselves.

The guys are still hurting over the way we performed and, knowing them, theyll be saying to themselves thats not good enough.

Professional pride comes into it. They will be desperate to make up for it and, going to a place like Ibrox, they will want to give our supporters something to shout about.

Most pundits would agree that a trip to face the defending SPL champs is something of a daunting prospect for Saints after their poor show against Hamilton.

But ODonnell reckons that getting stuck into Rangers is the ideal way for the Buddies to rediscover their red hot form.

He said: Our manager always seems to get a reaction after a bad performance and, hopefully, we can go to Ibrox, keep things tight and then you never know what can happen.

Of course, you have to pay a team like Rangers respect but not too much.

Places like Parkhead and Ibrox are hard, hard places to go to but these are venues where we can express ourselves because we are not under any pressure to get anything.

ODonnell, 26, was delighted to grab a rare start at the weekend after fellow midfielder Allan Johnston succumbed to an injury he picked up during training.

And he is hoping that the 67 minutes he bagged against Hamilton will stand him in good stead when it comes to team selection for the trip to Ibrox.

ODonnell said: I hope to have done enough to keep my place. That was my first start but, unfortunately, we got beaten and didnt play anywhere near our best.

We have a few injuries at the moment and maybe thats why I was involved on Saturday.

Although the circumstances were not ideal as we lost the game 2-0, I was happy from a personal point of view to get a start.