Former Rangers star Lee McCulloch has shot down fears of the long campaign taking a toll on the Ibrox stars and insists it is a good sign if they do end up playing over 60 games this season.
The Gers could end up playing 62 times by the time the summer comes around, with a potential Scottish Cup final on the cards if they can beat both Aberdeen and Celtic to reach the last two of the competition.
Airing that there could be concerns over the pressures of such an arduous season, McCulloch insisted the Gers embrace the position they find themselves in.
He wrote in his Evening Times column: “If Rangers can go all the way to the Scottish Cup final this season, that game at Hampden will be their 62nd fixture of the campaign.
“That is a lot of football for any team to play, but I don’t think it will have too negative an impact on Steven Gerrard’s side as they try and win a bit of silverware this term. Steven Gerrard will be desperate to get his key players on the park as often as possible.
“You can play 62 games for other teams and find it pretty easy. But there is a mental side that has to be taken into account when you are doing it for Rangers and doing it under the pressure that you are when you wear that jersey. If Rangers do get to 62, that is a good sign because it means they will have a shot at the Scottish Cup and a bit of silverware this season.”
Opinion
The best sides in the world play game after game and the fact Rangers have so many games to play highlights that this season has been a success. Of course the Ibrox faithful have been watching their side in action since early on in the summer, courtesy of their Europa League qualification games, and the players would probably rather have a couple more weeks off before competitive action gets underway. This is a real test of Gerrard’s squad and if there are players who cannot hack it then he knows who to replace come the summer. The aim must be for every season to contain a host of games thanks to cup runs and European commitments and McCulloch is absolutely right in saying this run of fixtures should be celebrated rather than feared. It shows just how far the club have come in recent years and it must continue until the Light Blues get some silverware under their belts.