Danny Wilson cemented Rangers’ revival with a half-time dressing down of his teammates in their 2-1 win against Hibernian on Wednesday night.
Interim Rangers manager Graeme Murty has revealed the defender, 25, told his team-mates in no uncertain terms that they were “lucky” to be leading 2-1 at half-time at Easter Road.
The Gers fell behind to Lewis Stevenson’s ninth-minute goal before scoring twice through Josh Windass and Alfredo Morelos in the final few minutes of the first-half to turn the game on its head.
Neil Lennon’s side put the Gers under huge amounts of pressure as they looked for a way back into the tie but were denied by goalkeeping heroics from Gers shot-stopper Wes Foderingham.
Murty revealed he agreed with Rangers star Wilson’s comments in the dressing room during the break at Easter Road and admitted that he thought the Gers “rode their luck” against the capital side.
“Danny Wilson actually came in, not ranting and raving, but firmly said that ‘we’re lucky because we haven’t started yet,” Murty told the club’s official YouTube channel. “And I would agree with that, I didn’t think we started in the first-half.
“I didn’t think we moved the ball well enough.
“Obviously Kenny [Miller] going off disrupted us slightly but, we were far too reactive to what Hibs were doing.
“We didn’t actually manage to impose a style upon the game, and as I said, I thought that all over the pitch we were a little bit loose but you have to come to places like this, you have to endure pressure. Sometimes you have to ride your luck.”
OPINION
Three became four as the Rangers winning run was extended in rather fortuitous fashion at Easter Road. As the dust settles, no-one will care too much how the triumph at Hibs was secured. What matters is that the team are growing in confidence and keeping Celtic on their toes. The Hoops have a 69-match unbeaten domestic run and a five-point lead but they can’t get too cocky. The task for Rangers is too keep the pressure on Celtic until the Europa League knockout stages, when a packed schedule could have an effect on the team’s domestic form. Supporters will be delighted that Wilson was not afraid to call out his teammates at half-time and deliver some home truths. That kind of leadership is much needed at Ibrox following recent humiliations.