NO LIMITS

Murty urges Gers to aim for the top

GRAEME MURTY has targeted Celtic at the top of the table as he told his Rangers players there are no limits to what they can achieve. The Hoops remain runaway favourites for the league on the back of six titles in a row and a five-point gap over Gers and Aberdeen with a game in hand. But three draws in their last six league games has given their rivals a glimmer of hope

the championship race won’t be another canter.

Rangers have just won three games in a row for the first time in 12 months. And if they defeat Hibs tonight they will stay on the heels of the champions who host Hamilton hoping to make it 69 domestic games without defeat.

Murty said: “We are still hanging in. We’ve been criticised, the board have been criticised, the club has been criticised, the fans have been criticised and we are in second place.

“If we can take all that on board and ride it out then we can move forward and still be capable of getting positive results. If the players believe that’s half the battle.

“Where could that take us? I don’t know, let’s see. Why put a limit on it? I’m not one for setting ceilings on players. You should always aspire to be at the very top and see where it takes you.”

Rangers have five games to play before the winter break starting at Easter Road and ending at Parkhead on December 30.

However, at this stage Murty is refusing to even contemplate a return to Celtic Park – where he secured one of the finest results of his Gers reign – out of respect to Hibs, St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Motherwell.

Asked if his team could continue their unbeaten run until the end of the month Murty added: “This is Rangers, we should be looking at that anyway.

“We must take care of one marker at a time. If we get carried away and start looking at Celtic Park there are opponents before then looking to trip us up.

“Hibs will be looking to win the game and we have to deal with their intensity and level of play because they have some good performers.

“If we get closer to Celtic, great. But let’s focus on our process and our game first. Let’s not worry about Celtic.

“They’re on top and we are chasing. We have to be more consistent – that’s the theme throughout the season.

“We have had a couple of good results but then possibly had a stumble and we have to hit a level of consistency and performance if we are to get back towards the top of the table.”

Meanwhile, Murty has confessed director of football Mark Allen will have the final say on January transfer targets.

While Murty has seen his run in charge of the first team extended until the end of December at least, Allen retains overall command of player recruitment.

The interim manager is part of the discussion group weighing up areas of weakness in the squad and potential signings.

Murty added: “Our recruitment department and Mark are looking at targets. They are looking at players with the characteristics required to play for this club.

“I’m not involved in identifying targets, I’m involved in identifying characteristics and areas of the squad we need to strengthen. We’re in daily discussions but as it comes closer to that time and to individual players, Mark is in charge of that side of it.”