Green machine

By David McDaid

Brewster was in Athens to study the Greeks' set-up

On Wednesday Rangers will not simply take on a football team in the Uefa Cup at Ibrox - but a complete sports club.

There is hardly a sport that is not included under the umbrella of Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos, to give them their full name.

For short, fans of the club call them Pana or 'Trifilli', Greek for 'shamrock', the club's emblem since its formation 100 years ago.

Inverness CT boss Craig Brewster played five seasons in Greece for Ionikos.

He can rightly claim to know Panathinaikos as well as anyone, and not just because he played against them.

Brewster is close friends with the club's assistant manager Pedro Caixinha.

He has also just returned from Athens where he studied their coaching set-up as part of his Fifa Pro License qualification.

And he was impressed with what he saw.

"They've got really top quality facilities over there," he said.

"Their training complex has a few pitches and an accommodation block with 26 bedrooms for the players to rest up between sessions.

"And they've had it in place for over 20 years so it shows you they're ahead of their time."

Caixinha came over to scout on Aberdeen before they dumped the Dons 3-0 in Athens in the group stage.

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So is Caixinha talking up his side's chances at Ibrox on Wednesday?

"They're confident they can do well in Glasgow and come away with something," said Brewster.

"If they can keep the Ibrox crowd quiet then they've got a chance - that's what all teams try to do when they go there."

If this time around is anything near as profitable as their last visit to Ibrox, then they will go home very happy indeed.

In 2003 Rangers took the lead in their Champions League match through Michael Mols, before the Greeks stormed back to win 3-1.

This time around Pana have a different squad, of course, but the Caley boss says they have key players that Rangers must keep an eye on.

"Giorgos Karagounis is one to watch. He's been around a while and won the European Championship with Greece in 2004.

"They've been using him out wide in midfield lately, and he's a really clever player.

Giorgos Salpingidis is a real danger man for Pana

"Also, up front Dimitris Salpingidis has been scoring basically all the goals. It was him that scored the third against Aberdeen.

"And they've been keeping plenty of clean sheets too - 19 so far this season - so it'll be tight at the back as well.

"It's that kind of combination that's taken them to the top of the Greek Super League."

Aberdeen fans might propose another 'most dangerous' player in Andreas Ivanschitz.

The Austrian midfielder had a hand in all three goals as Aberdeen capitulated in Athens, and he can deliver the ball with clinical precision from set-plays.

He also warmed up for Wednesday by netting a free-kick in Saturday's league win.

Coach Jose Peseiro has added Portuguese striker Helder Postiga in January.

But thankfully for Rangers fans, Peseiro's most notable signing since the group stage will be unavailable.

Manchester United's Manucho was loaned out to the Greek side for work permit reasons.

After watching the Angolan score four goals in the Africa Cup of Nations - including arguably the goal of the tournament - David Weir and co. will be glad they can forget about him.

But according to Caley Thistle boss Brewster, there is plenty more in the Greek armoury to think about.