Raith Rovers caretaker manager Steve Kirk stood shell-shocked after his side's six-goal defeat from Rangers at Stark's Park last night and admitted: ''It could have been eight or nine or even more.''
Kirk added: ''I'm not taking anything away from my players, because at times they played well, but you're looking at a team full of international players against you.
''Then you look at their substitutes, Gascoigne and McCoist appear and you wonder if is it ever going to end?''
Rangers are now poised to clinch their nine-in-a-row title feat against Motherwell at Ibrox - but there is a gap of almost three weeks until that match is played. It will be televised live.
Manager Walter Smith admitted: ''It is disappointing we have to wait so long although, of course, there is always the possibility that Celtic could drop something against Aber-deen on Sunday, or in the other game they play before we meet Motherwell.
''I was delighted with the performance tonight at a venue which has been awkward for us in the past. We are not celebrating yet. There is still a point to be won.''
However, the irrepressible Ally McCoist said: ''We may not open the champagne but I think we'll make a dent in the Budweisers on the bus home.
''It was nice to win the game in style, and nice to come closer to the dream of winning this ninth title. The pressure this season has been unbelievable.
McCoist, 34, revealed he will think again about his Ibrox future in the summer after scoring 20 goals in an injury-hit season. ''I don't know if I will be here next season. I'll think long and hard about it over the next few weeks and talk to everybody involved,'' he said. ''I just want to play games. I've got to be happy with the goals to games ratio.''
q RANGERS have almost certainly won the battle with Perugia in their bid to secure the services of Rino Gattuso.
FIFA last night ack-nowledged they had received a complaint from he Italian FA about the conduct of the Ibrox club in the transfer of the 19-year-old star. But world football's governing body have revealed the complaint will take months to be heard, and it is almost certain to be thrown out.
A FIFA spokesman said: ''There are more than 100 cases pending and they will take several months to be heard. Until the complaint is heard, the player is free to play for Rangers. We also believe that the complaint by the Italian Federation will not be upheld, because their ruling cannot be recognised in world football terms.''
The Italian Federation intend taking the case as far as possible in a bid to persuade FIFA to introduce legislation to prevent such a case happening again.
Ironically, a similar case was prevented this week when Napoli teenage sensation Gennaro Scarlato returned from Chelsea after the London club attempted to buy the youngster, who was also not old enough to sign a contract.
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