Miller still hurting after final disappointment

Veteran striker is eager to make amends for failing to win the trophy despite having beaten their biggest rivals in the last four. Stewart Fisher reports

Scoring for Rangers against Celtic is up there with the best feelings you’ll have in your career

IT isn’t just Celtic who will be spurred on by memories of last year’s tournament when they meet Rangers in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-finals this afternoon. While the Parkhead side will hope to exorcise the trauma of their defeat in a penalty shoot-out 12 months ago, Rangers are still kicking themselves for producing such a defining performance, yet failing to follow it through with their first major trophy since 2011 and first Scottish Cup since 2009.

While it didn’t feel like it at the time, Kenny Miller is honest enough to admit with hindsight that the club’s performance against Hibernian on cup final day suggested they took their eye off the ball in the wake of that historic victory over Celtic. “It does hurt,” Miller said. “I think anybody involved in that game would say the same thing. We got past that semi-final and it had been built up so much. We had been written off, and you could see not the relief but how much it meant to the lads after that penalty [Tom Rogic’s] went over the bar. It was a big day for us and unfortunately we didn’t follow it up.

“It was an opportunity to put another medal in the cabinet and we didn’t take it. What’s happened to the club in the last few years has been well documented. But to get that first major honour would have been huge for us a year ago.

“Did we think we had already won it? That’s not for me. Because I knew that there was a lot to still do. But what it meant, beating them ... although it went to penalties I still think we were the better team and I don’t think many people would argue with that. It was a really significant result for this group of players. I wouldn’t have said we took our eye off the ball at all ... but our results and performance would suggest otherwise. It’s still right there in the memory so it’s important we put that right.”

There is a knack to scoring goals in Old Firm matches which some players just don’t have. Miller, on the other hand, thrives in that environment and his powers show little sign of diminishing. Since returning to Rangers, he has scored nine goals in 18 appearances in this fixture. With his contractual future still to be tied up, these next two matches in six days could yet prove to be his last in the derby, but then the player could have said the same six years ago. Including the opening goal in this fixture 12 months back, he has scored two in his last five, and that could really have been three had Joe Garner not made sure that his goalbound header would cross the line in the 5-1 game at Celtic Park in September. There have been other chances besides, not least a glorious late opportunity to grab an equaliser at Ibrox this season.

“Scoring for Rangers against Celtic is up there with the best feelings you’ll have in your career,” Miller said. “It’s because of what it means. Some people define your career by these goals, so it’s been nice to play a part in the fixture. It’ll be the same for goalkeepers like Andy Goram and Allan McGregor making crucial saves in these games. You live for these moments.

“Six years ago, I was in a similar situation, running out of contract and thinking I had played my last Old Firm match. I’ve been fortunate to come back again and have a few over the last few seasons. It’s Hampden again which I really enjoy. But I’ve done enough talking about my own situation and it’s about getting on with the game and going about my business as normal, working hard for the team and playing a part in another good team performance and result.

“What I would say is that as I have got a bit older, I’ve definitely become more composed in front of goal. When you’re younger you are maybe a bit more rash. So that’s definitely something that has improved with age.”

Perhaps it was written in the stars that Miller would have such a fruitful relationship with this fixture. His first appearance in the game was a 5-1 win at Ibrox in 2000, although he jokes that he was fortunate to have missed the game which preceded that, the 6-2 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead, with an injury. Now it is untested young defenders Myles Beerman and David Bates who could be thrown in at the deep end, but Miller is not planning to single them out for any special advice. He said: “If the lads want any advice or if I feel they need an arm round them or a pep talk, then I’ll give them it. It’s a different game and a huge occasion, but they have coped well so far. We’ve had three clean sheets in a row and they’ve played a big part in it. It’s about playing the game and not the occasion. If they do that, they’ll be fine. Today is about us. It’s not about us stopping Celtic – it’s about Rangers getting to a final. We want to win a cup. The bonus would be preventing Celtic doing the treble.”