Soccer: I won't quit Rangers - Advocaat

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has insisted that a trophyless season will not hasten his departure from Ibrox.

The Dutchman gave every indication that he intended to remain with the champions, who look doomed to hand that title to Celtic in the coming weeks.

Yesterday's Scottish Cup defeat by Dundee United, courtesy of David Hannah's second half goal, meant barring an unprecedented Celtic collapse there will be no silverware coming to Govan this year.

But Advocaat made it clear he still wanted to carry on with his rebuilding plans, and expected to be allowed to do so.

Asked whether the cup knockout would make him reconsider his future he replied: "Not at all."

He added: "We know exactly what we are doing. We have to go on.

"The only thing we can do is again get into the Champions League."

More players are expected to arrive in the coming weeks, although the exact number depends on how many of his current under-achievers he is able to discard.

He said: "Maybe one or two players will come. It has to do with how many players will go. Some players will come and others will go."

Rangers failed to muster a single shot on target all night and needed goalkeeper Stefan Klos to make super-saves to keep the score down.

Advocaat said: "I think that it was a very difficult game. Realistically, even with a full squad we still had problems here and with 12 players out it makes it more difficult.

"Chances-wise, Dundee United had more than Rangers and from that point of view they deserved to win.

"Until the goal they scored I think we controlled the game reasonably well but not in terms of creating chances. They had more opportunities and won the game."

Midfielder Bert Konterman was sent off for two bookable offences but Advocaat was not too critical of his fellow countryman.

He said: "It was, in my opinion, very, very cheap."

Dundee United boss Alex Smith now sees his team 90 minutes away from a European place, which was unthinkable just a few months ago when they were rock bottom and unable to muster more than the odd draw.

"I'm delighted," said Smith, whose side have been paired with Celtic in the semi-finals.

"I am very pleased with the win and I was equally pleased with the performance.

"I thought that from the first minute of the game every single Dundee United player played his part.

"Every single Dundee United player won his individual war and collectively I felt we controlled most of the game.

"Stefan Klos was magnificent and maybe made three or four world-class saves.

"It was a big night for Dundee United and a big night for the boys who have worked so hard to get through the difficult spell they have been in.

"I'm pleased for the supporters who have stuck by us through the difficult times. We lost very few and I'm delighted for them."

Smith admitted he had been delighted to see the names of many of Rangers' well-known players off the team-sheet.

He said: "I was very pleased to see Reyna, Albertz, van Bronckhorst and Tugay were not playing. That's a midfield that would be welcome in most clubs.

"But we also had injuries to key players. We had five out and they will be back shortly. That will strengthen what we have got at the moment."