Whisper it, we might end up with a title race

IN THE midst of a perfect storm, Rangers peered through yesterday’s heavy snow and spied hope in the distance.

The postponement of last night’s Celtic’s home game with Dundee means Graeme Murty’s rejuvenated Ibrox team could now enter a Glasgow derby a week on Saturday with the chance to narrow the gap to just three points. Scotland may yet be confronted by something as rare as a red alert weather warning. A Premiership title race.

Last night Celtic, Dundee and the SPFL were working on a date for the rearranged fixture, with an announcement likely today. Playing a league game three or four days before a trip to Ibrox, risking fresh injury, is far from ideal for the champions.

Yet the opportunity to expunge Mikael Lustig’s suspension and remove some of the wind from Rangers sails by restoring a nine-point lead with nine games left to play might be considered the lesser of two evils.

Whichever scenario plays out, former Rangers interim manager Stuart McCall is convinced that decent January recruitment allows the Ibrox side to enter a derby clash nursing some old, vaguely familiar emotions. Optimism and expectation.

‘There’s no question Rangers go into the game in the strongest position they’ve been,’ said McCall. ‘They have a chance.

‘I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but they’ve put themselves in a position where they will be going into an Old Firm game for the first time in a long time with a bit of belief and a bit of confidence.

‘The recruitment in January was spot on and really gave Rangers a chance to improve.

‘The next challenge was to get them in shape and get the best out of them and by the look of it that’s what Graeme seems to be doing.

‘So you can judge him on what he has done and the new signings have improved the squad.

‘You look at the bench at Perth on Tuesday night and they had Kenny Miller, Bruno Alves, Jason Holt and Jason Cummings — and they’ve got Lee Wallace, Graham Dorrans, Ross McCrorie and Ryan Jack to come back.

‘That’s as strong as Rangers have been for a long, long time.’

A veteran of the nine-in-a-row years, McCall has witnessed the current situation at first hand. He well remembers Celtic teams, battened down and defeated over a number of years, sensing this might be their year.

Before receiving a sharp poke from reality.

‘You look over at the other side of the city and the characters and experience Celtic have in their side like Scott Brown and so on and they will relish it,’ added the former Scotland midfielder.

‘We were always expected to win in our day, same as Celtic are expected to win now.

‘But it would be good for everyone if Rangers were to win that game and just make things a little bit more exciting for the league up here in general.

‘Big Terry Butcher said on TV the other night there is no title race. But if Rangers were to beat Celtic on March 11 — and it’s a big if — then it would be down to three points. ‘It’s there. It’s good for everyone in Scottish football to have a title race. ‘We’d all like to talk about some kind of challenge.’ Beaten just twice in domestic competition under Brendan Rodgers, Celtic can respond to a potential challenge one of two ways. They can wilt and wither. Or use the threat to brush aside signs of recent malaise and complacency.

‘Celtic did what they tend to do in Aberdeen,’ added McCall. ‘They come through the tough games when they need to.

‘But it will be interesting. They might not have been in this position before.

‘And then there is all the stuff with the split and where they are going to play?

‘Hibs, on their day, can beat anyone — Rangers or Celtic.

‘Kilmarnock have beaten Rangers and Celtic. Hearts have proved they can do the same.

‘So when it goes to the split and it’s three points it’s very interesting. But I think we have to see what happens in the next Old Firm game.

‘If Rangers win that and narrow the gap to three it’s game on. If they don’t? It’s back to nine and the excitement goes a bit.’

Even if a Rangers challenge proves a mirage, McCall sees grounds for optimism at Ibrox.

Solid evidence, since Murty and director of football Mark Allen made significant changes in January, that the team are heading in the right direction. With a six-point lead over Aberdeen, a second place Premiership finish is now looking more likely. To provide conclusive proof they can take the ultimate step, however, McCall believes his old club have to show they can beat Celtic.

‘It probably needs that breakthrough win against Celtic to really make people sit up and take notice.

‘There has to be realism. From where Rangers have come from, second is a big deal.

‘You have to be building and getting a decent second spot would be proof of that — and they’ve still got the Scottish Cup to aim for.’

A home tie with Falkirk on Sunday seems unlikely to derail the Rangers momentum.

Appointed on an interim basis, Under-20s coach Murty is making a solid fist of staking a claim for the manager’s job on a permanent basis.

Placed in the same position in 2015, McCall knows how difficult that can be, admitting: ‘The way he is going Graeme is making his case stronger and stronger with every passing week.

‘What will it take for him to get the job? The Double!

‘I don’t know. Just to keep the same progression.

‘Football can be so fickle, Graeme beat Aberdeen back-to-back when they were still talking about Derek McInnes going to Ibrox.

‘Then he lost to Hamilton at home and Dundee away.

‘But in recent times confidence is building because they are on a good run. In past years a game at St Johnstone would be seen as a sticky one — but they won it comfortably.

‘Listen, if they got to the cup final and however they played put in a good performance then … I just think they have to keep showing the same progression. They are scoring a lot of goals at the moment and that brings expectations.’