DON’T LET SECONDS RUN OUT
GRAEME MURTY last night warned Rangers stars Andy Halliday and Michael O’Halloran not to blow their second chance.
Former boss Pedro Caixinha shipped the pair out on loan last summer to Gabala and St Johnstone respectively with their futures at the Ibrox club in doubt.
But new gaffer Murty has brought them back into the fold for the second half of the season.
Halliday and O’Halloran have been reunited with their Gers team-mates on the club’s winter break trip and will feature in the Florida Cup tournament.
Murty is delighted to have them back on board but insists they must grab the opportunity.
He said: “I’m pleased to have Andy back because he’s an aggressive midfielder and we’ve been light in that department.
“He has been here, he knows the club and is desperate to play for Rangers.
“It’s an easy sell to him. I’ve said, ‘Look, Andy, you’ve got a second chance here, which not many people get at Rangers’. Michael is the same.
“They’re getting another chance to impress, another chance to play for this great club. It’s up to them to grab it.
“Everyone knows about Andy’s love for the club and what Rangers means to him.
“I know he can perform but it’s now up to him to go and do it. They both have to prove to me they can add to the collective. Prove to me you can make us better.”
O’Halloran had a pop at Caixinha when he was jettisoned by the Portuguese coach then excelled on his return to McDiarmid Park with five goals in his first six matches.
And having recalled him Murty is excited about what the winger can offer Rangers during the rest of the campaign.
He said: “It’s difficult to play for this club but everyone will get a chance to impress.
“We know what Michael can do, we’ve seen it in spells for Rangers and St Johnstone.
“He’s an established performer at this level and we need to find a way of getting the best out of him.
“We want people in the building who can make us better and we feel Michael has what it takes to do that. If he can everyone will benefit.
“I’m now excited when I look at what we’re trying to do in forward areas and as a manager you’d rather have plenty of attacking options than too few.
“If all our guys are fit and playing well we can hurt teams in different ways.
“We need to broaden our options so if one approach doesn’t work another one might.”