FORMER Rangers boss Alex McLeish insists the Ibrox outfit should not be worried by the threat facing them from Aberdeen.
Gers kicked off the campaign hoping to push Celtic close for the Ladbrokes Premiership title.
But Brendan Rodgers’ rampant Hoops have marched off into the distance after opening up a 19-point lead over their old rivals.
Now Mark Warburton’s Light Blues find themselves being chased down by the Dons, with Derek McInnes’ side just two points behind with a game in hand.
But ex-Gers manager McLeish – who made his name as a classy centre-back while playing for Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-conquering Pittodrie side of the 1980s – reckons Warburton’s side should relish the fight.
He told Press Association Sport: “That’s the challenge for Rangers. They have to cope with the fact that Aberdeen want to take second place from them.
“It’s been Derek’s side who have been in second place for the last couple of years and they will want to stay there. It’s up to Rangers to prove they are good enough to meet that challenge.
“But Rangers shouldn’t be worrying about it. They should be all-out confident about proving they are the second best side in the country.
“Mark is trying to bolster his side with a couple of signings and that should give them an extra bit of quality and extra legs. Now he’s done that he will feel a little more certain that they are better equipped to fend off the threat of Aberdeen.”
Gers have opened their January business with the loan captures of Bournemouth midfielder Emerson Hyndman and Arsenal playmaker Jon Toral.
But those short-term additions will not ease the concerns of supporters casting a fearful eye at Parkhead, where Rodgers has already started his planning for next season by signing £2.8million midfield anchorman Kouassi Eboue.
Walter Smith this week suggested Light Blues chairman Dave King needed to risk putting the club further into debt in order to breach the Old Firm spending gap.
But McLeish says the current Gers regime are right to be cautious with their finances.
“Mark will hope these new lads can improve the speed of the team,” he said. “I haven’t seen too much of either player but on paper – looking at the potential they have – Scotland could be a good platform for them.
“This is the market they have having to shop in though. I don’t think Rangers can go big in the transfer market right now.
“They are being very cautious and trying to bring in the right players for this moment.
“Recruitment is absolutely vital over these next few years, but right now they can’t go absolutely crazy in the transfer market. The resources just aren’t there and they have to live by their means.”
Warburton will hope his Premier League loanees will be good enough to ensure his team see off Aberdeen.
McLeish was the last Gers boss to miss out on a top-two finish in the top flight back in 2006 – ultimately paying the price with his job.
The 57-year-old still shudders whenever he thinks back to the early part of that campaign when cost-cutting measures, combined with a raft of injuries to star men like Dado Prso, left him relying on a group of untested youngsters.
But he admits a repeat of a third-place finish would be just as difficult to stomach today as it was back then.
“It doesn’t matter who is playing for Rangers, with the mentality at the club the expectation is that they should always finish first. Third is not where they want to be.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here