McCoist has faith in Boyd March 19 2008
Ally McCoist watched Kris Boyd steal the show in the CIS Insurance Cup final and then backed the striker to finally make his mark at Rangers.
The 24-year-old has proved to be something of an enigma since his arrival from Kilmarnock in January 2006.
Despite being the club's top goalscorer this season, Boyd has been criticised for his lack of workrate and has struggled to nail down a regular place in manager Walter Smith's plans.
He was again left kicking his heels on the sidelines on Sunday before coming off the bench to twice haul the Gers back into the game before claiming the decisive strike in a tense penalty shootout.
If anyone can empathise with Boyd's situation, it is McCoist. Once famously earning the unwanted nickname 'The Judge' for the amount of time he spent on the bench, McCoist shrugged off his own disappointment to become one of the club's all-time greatest strikers.
And Smith's number two sees no reason why Boyd cannot do the same.
"I'm thrilled for him because he's never said anything other than he wants to stay here and score goals," said McCoist.
"He's done that and effectively done his bit to help the lads win the cup. I can see where he is coming from being out of the team and I have the greatest sympathy with him because he is the best goalscorer at the club and arguably the best in the country.
"But I know better than anybody that scoring goals doesn't guarantee you a game. I'd like to think Boydy will handle it with the same desire to get back into the team as I did. And I'm sure he will. I don't have any doubt about that.
"You only have two options - and the second one is not really an option. You don't let anybody beat you.
"You just keep scoring goals and make it very difficult to be left out of the team. He certainly started by doing that on Sunday."
Asked if Boyd can become a first-team regular, McCoist replied: "Of course he can. There's no reason why he can't score goals and make himself a permanent fixture in the team.
"He has to show the manager his qualities and produce them when asked to. During my situation there were only three or four of us vying for places when I couldn't get in the team.
"We have Cousin, Darcheville, Novo, Naismith, McCulloch and Boyd so from that aspect it might be a bit more difficult. He is the most natural finisher I've seen in a long time but there are other aspects of his game he needs to work on.
"We have chatted a good few times about things and being out the team. It is difficult when you think you should be involved.
"But there is only one man capable of sorting it and that's Boydy."