WAGHORN SEES TITLE FIGHT NEXT YEAR

MARTYN WAGHORN claims Rangers can be title challengers to Celtic next season. Pedro Caixinha’s side face their bitter rivals at Ibrox this lunchtime, while gunning for their first Old Firm win in six attempts. Outplayed in last weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final, Rangers legend Willie Henderson fears his old club would need to spend £50million to catch the Parkhead club. Convinced the gap is closer than anyone thinks, however, striker Waghorn insists the Ibrox side could be back challenging in just six months. ‘At times, we have played very well against them,’ he said. ‘At the start of the season, don’t get me wrong, we were miles off it. ‘We have shown over the course of the season that we have grown and got better and learned from it. So I wouldn’t say we are years off them, no. ‘Hopefully, with the new manager, and changes in the summer, it will be another six months or so down the line. We should be challenging. ‘Listen, we are Rangers. You can’t have years when you aren’t in the top flight. I hope we will be in Europe and we need to be competing on all fronts. Hopefully, we are not years behind, definitely not. ‘It’s important we build on the (1-1 draw) at Parkhead, the chances we had. It’s important in these big games when you only get one or two chances and that could be the difference going forward.’ Waghorn, meanwhile, claimed he is fine with the prospect of a mere ten days off this summer. With a Europa League qualifier on June 29, Caixinha wants his players back in training before Scotland host England in a World Cup qualifier on June 10. Responding to claims of player unrest over the issue, Waghorn said: ‘There has been a lot made of that but it is dictated when you are back for European qualification. ‘It is short. It is a quick turnaround but you just need to get your feet up and rest and get your head around it. ‘It will be tough but you are here to play football and the chance to play in Europe, for me, is very exciting. ‘If we can get in then something has to give and, if that is a holiday, then fair enough. I want to come back here and get into Europe. That is my challenge.’