SAYS KENNY MILLER
GORDON PARKS
KENNY MILLER is long enough in the tooth to know two wins on the trot isn’t grounds for boasts of being title contending material.
In terms of expectations at Rangers it’s barely enough to lay claim to having turned a corner.
But back-to-back wins over Aberdeen have helped distance the memory of their previous two defeats at the hands of Dundee and Hamilton.
The 37-year-old made a touchline dash to embrace caretaker boss Graeme Murty as Josh Windass slammed in a decisive second goal at Pittodrie and there was a feeling the Light Blues are at least at the start of something.
Miller preferred to talk about moving into second place in the Premiership as an encouraging sign of better times ahead and emerging from a nightmare but emphasised the need to keep themselves grounded.
He said: “We are not going to get too carried away. It is two wins. I have said before if you are going to have any success over the course of the season you need to put lot longer runs together than two or three days.
“It was a real opportunity for us to gain ground this week and we have done that and come through it with flying colours.
“There has been a lot levelled at this team on the back of the Dundee game – that there was no fight, not fit to wear the jerseys, that kind of stuff.
The lads have stood up to two really tough games in the last five days and come out with six points. It is important we don’t get complacent, don’t take our foot off the gas and go into our next game against Ross County and put in the same level of performance.
“We’ve talked a lot over the last couple of years about styles, the way we want to play and this kind of stuff. In the last two games we have shown quality, there is no doubt about that, but the battling side has been extra pleasing.”
The 2-1 win over Dons was played out in a backdrop which has the bookies all but paying out on the Aberdeen gaffer being appointed Rangers boss this week. An approach by the Ibrox board is expected soon to try to make their former midfielder their manager.
Miller wouldn’t shed any light or insight on the matter but did concede if McInnes is to be the man he’s leaving his current club with a great sense of achievement.
The striker also heaped praise on Murty’s efforts as stand-in before sidestepping the biggest question.
He said: “That is not for me to comment. There is absolutely no doubt Graeme’s done a fantastic job at this club.
“If that is what happens, that g.parks@dailyrecord.co.uk happens. Listen, you would rather have a manager in place. It is up to the lads to recognise that is football and you have a job to do when you cross that white line to win matches for this club.
“Whatever happens next week, if there is a new manager in, great. If not Graeme has come in and done a great job again, steadied the ship.
“He made a big call on Wednesday to play the way we did but it worked and we got two fantastic performances and big results. Everybody in that dressing room would like to thank him for his efforts if it is his last game. If it’s not then we move on to Ross County and it’s an opportunity again for us to get another win.
“But who knows what happens this week. I’m sure Graeme will be coming in on Tuesday and if he is still in the job he’ll be preparing for Ross County.”
The game’s other big talking point was a second-half red card dished out to former Dons skipper Ryan Jack for clattering Stevie May. But Miller leapt to his defence and put his money on Jack winning a third appeal against dismissals this season if he takes that course of action. He said: “You would back Ryan to get the appeal wouldn’t you? But we’ll have to look at it. It is not going to detract from the performance. “He’s won the ball. There’s no doubt about it. Again, it’s the follow through. I don’t know, I’d have to look at it again.”