Half of Europe probably fell asleep in front of their television sets during the first half last night. Rangers are one of the most negative teams I have seen. They are built to frustrate and, unlike most teams, scoring a goal is not their first objective.

Scottish football is often unfairly criticised, but Rangers had the perfect opportunity to put it on the map. Unfortunately, they played as they have always played in Europe this season: they defended in numbers, they scrapped for every ball, they rolled up their sleeves and waited for that one chance that would justify the way they play.

Rangers are not the first team to put perspiration before inspiration — George Graham’s Arsenal, the Ireland team I played in under Jack Charlton, Steaua Bucharest in 1986 — but Walter Smith’s team take pragmatism to a new level. Arsenal had Ian Wright scoring for fun, Ireland used to get bodies forward, but Rangers? They were relying on Jean-Claude Darcheville. He put in a shift last night, but he is a Championship-level striker.

Rangers’ top scorer in the domestic league this season is Kris Boyd and he has been on the bench for most of their Uefa Cup ties, which tells you all you need to know about Smith’s tactics in Europe. The Rangers manager has done a phenomenal job this season — he has got the best out of his players — but their best was not good enough against technically superior opponents. Rangers have scored only five goals in Europe this season; Zenit St Petersburg put that many past Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. The Russians were good, but let’s not get carried away. They are not in the same league as Manchester United and Chelsea.

Most neutrals watching the game in Europe would probably have been backing the Russians because they were the only team who tried to score in the first half. Rangers had a great run, but, at this level, sitting back and hoping that one of your team-mates will score was never going to be good enough.

I still keep in touch with Ally McCoist and I know that if he was playing for Rangers today he would be knocking on the manager’s door, asking for a move. It must be a nightmare being an attacker in a team who play like that. If Rangers were not still in the hunt for so many trophies, I don’t think their supporters would put up with it. Having played for Celtic, I still get stick off Rangers supporters when I bump into them, but I wanted them to win last night.

It was a missed opportunity for Rangers and it was a missed opportunity for British football, but we shouldn’t lose sight of what a great achievement it was to get to the final in the first place.