Ruud van Nistelrooy 'risk' as Rangers hero points to PSV legend sacking ahead of Ibrox Champions League test

Scottish Football is still licking its wounds from it latest merciless European mugging. But former Rangers ace Pieter Huistra insists our game still has plenty of credit in the bank with the Dutch public despite the brutal way AZ Alkmaar snatched Dundee United’s group stage dream from the Tangerines’ grasp.

And four days on from a result that heaped shame on the nation, the Dutchman insists his old side have no need to worry about restoring tartan pride when Gio van Bronckhorst’s team take on PSV. In the birthplace of Total Football, United suffered total humiliation last week as hopes of building on their shock 1-0 first-leg win were wiped out by a savage 7-0 shellacking.

It was the latest in a long line of embarrassing results for Scottish clubs on the continent, every bit as bleak as the mortifying memories of Artmedia Bratislava, Progres Niederkorn and Connah’s Quay Nomads. Yet Huistra reckons there will be no shortage of respect shown by his fellow countrymen to his old side this week after Rangers’ impressive achievements on the road to Seville turbo-charged Scotland’s coefficient cause last season.

“It was a tough night for United,” said the nine-in-a-row legend. “I’ve seen a few of the goals on TV. It was a complete turnaround from the first leg. I know the AZ players were very angry with themselves after the game at Tannadice. They played bad and should never have lost. But boy did they make up for it big time!

“However, I don’t think the football public of Holland will now view Scottish football in a negative way. We always have respect for the way the Scots do football and the Scottish people’s attitude to the game. Rangers last year did so well going all the way to Seville, so that was a good advert for