BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
Former Rangers and Hibs boss Alex McLeish has urged Kenny Miller to help shoulder the goal-scoring burden for the Gers after Martyn Waghorn was ruled out for two months.
The fraught Championship title race took another twist this week after it was confirmed that the Ibrox marksman, who has bagged 28 goals this term, suffered a knee injury during Tuesday night’s 2-1 Scottish Cup win against Kilmarnock.
Rangers lead the Hibees by eight points – albeit the capital club have a game in hand – and travel to face Queen of the South on Sunday hoping to prove they can cope without the services of the powerful Englishman.
And McLeish has underlined the importance of veteran Miller following the Waghorn ‘blow’.
He said “Going down to Queen of the South is potentially a tough game because they have struggled to get the goals that matter on their travels recently.
“Without Martyn Waghorn, they will need to look to people like Kenny Miller – the experienced guys – to try and steer them over the line.
“It’s a blow to lose someone that has scored the goals that Waghorn has scored, the assists he has given and that dynamism that he has brought to the team.
“There is no doubt that will be a loss. Rangers need to avoid sticky results now.”
Professional
Despite the loss of Waghorn, McLeish firmly believes Rangers will return to the top-flight next term and reckons manager Mark Warburton is already planning for Premiership football – even if he will not admit it.
The former Scotland boss told SSNHQ: “I think Mark [Warburton] and David Weir will be very professional. They will be saying that the job is not done and don’t look as far ahead as the Premiership.
“Privately, he will be looking at how he can reinforce ahead of the challenge in the Premiership and I believe they will get there. “
