RICKI HAS FLYING LESSONS
Sky’s the limit for Lamie now
Ricki Lamie has come a long way in his career.
So he isn’t going to moan about stepping off a six-hour flight and back in the thick of a Premiership scrap.
The Motherwell ace has taken the scenic route to the top level after spells with Airdrie, Queen’s Park, Morton and Livingston.
The versatile defender has spent so long on team buses he was never going to gripe about the journey back from Israel the other night af ter the Steelmen’s battling Europa League defeat to Beer Sheva.
Well put up a brave fight before going down 3- 0 with 10 men for the final 20 minutes. And Lamie feels it was another vital learning experience in a career built on taking on board every lesson going.
L ami e said: “A s a professional, the best way to improve is by playing at the highest level possible.
“I’ve always wanted to develop and hopefully get a chance to test myself against international quality players.
“You get the four games against the Old Firm but to go and get that at European level as well has been great.”
The gruelling 90 minutes in the Middle East might not sound like perfect preparation to take on Rangers today – but that’s how Lamie sees it. The Steelmen stayed an extra night in Tel Aviv and the defender reckons they’ll be fighting fit at Fir Park today and well drilled to take on another tough opponent.
Lamie said: “The Israel trip hasn’t really disrupted the preparations.
“It’s travelling and you spend three hours or more travelling back from Aberdeen last week or going up to Ross County.
“It’s part and parcel of things. We were well looked after. The club looked after us well and it flew in – pardon the pun!
“It was good we stayed overnight and f lew back on Friday morning after our
Ricki after Euro loss breakfast. It was just like a normal working day.
“We got back at a good time and rested up.
“We got rest after the game, got food in us and back on Friday afternoon.
“It was lovely during the day, maybe not what you’d want to play football in, but at night it was better. The heat had dipped when we played so the boys’ legs are fine.
“There was plenty of effort put in but we’re used to that and have played plenty of games up until now.
“Everyone’s glad to say they’ve been involved in the competition.
“Other teams have travelled far afield but we got a home tie then just over to Ireland.
“The games have been thick and fast but the boys have held up really well.” Lamie knows what it takes to give the Old Firm a bloody nose from his time at Livi – where the Lions have managed to maul Rangers and Celtic a few times over the years.
He said: “You need to stick to the gameplan.
“It’s also about being brave against the Old Firm.
“Sometimes you can get caught up in the occasion.
“We’ll miss the fans as they play a big part but we still need to stay disciplined and try to take the game to them.”
Lamie has been impressed by the way Rangers have kicked off t he s e a son w i t h Steven Gerrard’s men top of the Premiership and into the Europa League play-offs.
He said: “They’ve had a great start, especially their defence, and will be always be looking to compete at the top end of the table.
“I think, barring Celtic, everyone is an underdog facing Rangers.
“But in any league you get surprise results – and we’ll be looking to pull one off.”