Russell needs to outfox Koubek

Plzen boss Miro had the smarts to dump Hearts last term .. but Gers have a great chance says McAvoy

- BY FRASER WILSON

Viktoria boss Miroslav Koubek and his side were too cunning for Hearts and Steven Naismith over two Europa League qualifying legs last season.

Now the 73-year-old is preparing for another battle with a manager almost half his age in this week's Champions League qualifier against Rangers.

But former Jambos assistant Frankie McAvoy is confident this time Russell Martin and Rangers can leave the veteran Czech and his players feeding off Euro scraps.

McAvoy knows Hearts missed an opportunity 12 months ago when they lost 1-0 to a 96th-minute Daniel Oyegoke own goal in Plzen before failing to perform as they went down 1-0 in the second leg at Tynecastle.

The main players from that Viktoria side again came to the fore as they fought back from two goals behind to dump Servette on Wednesday night and set up the two-leg Euro showdown with Rangers.

Ahead of Tuesday's clash at Ibrox, McAvoy dug out his notebook from last August to give MailSport an insight into the men who make the Czechs tick, including midfielder Pavel Sulc who could yet seal a £8.7million move to Lyon before facing Gers.

But according to the former Preston North End boss, the man occupying the dugout was as important as any of his stars on the park.

Koubek was a powerful force and tried to get in the Jambos' heads after accusing them of time-wasting tactics in the first leg, something Naismith vehemently denied.

He appeared ready to go to war with his own association on Thursday before his side's league fixture with Mlada Boleslav scheduled for yesterday was postponed to allow them to prepare for Ibrox.