Halliday ready as battle for Rangers shirt gets tougher
“The Leipzig game was a tough one to come into but they’ve looked good in training. We’ll know each other a lot better after another week’s work before the Motherwell game. They’ll also learn more about how we want to play.
“I welcome the competition in there. You can’t be at a football club like Rangers and not expect people to try and take your jersey. There was competition who arrived at the start of the season and it forced me to raise my game.
“I think I did that when I had to at the beginning of the campaign. It benefitted my game and I’m sure it will do so again. All the boys will feel the same. When there’s someone breathing down your neck trying to take your place – you know you have to play well to stay in the team.”
The 8,000-strong travelling support that followed Rangers to the Red Bull Arena were the first fans to see their latest recruits on the park and now the midfield pair will hope to shine on the Ibrox stage. There were few positives to take for Warburton on Sunday as his side returned to action for the first time since their Old Firm defeat on Hogmanay.
The fact the Bundesliga title challengers ran out comfortable winners was no surprise, but there was still frustration at the performance.
“It’s important to see where we’re at,” Halliday said. “We knew the Leipzig game would be a huge challenge because they’re flying in the Bundesliga. They’re a strong team and we knew the threat they’d pose.
“Fundamentally, though, we need to learn to keep better possession of the football. We can’t give it away slackly in danger areas.
“Of the four goals we lost on Sunday, three of them were from us losing the ball. Three or four passes later, it was a goal. That’s what good teams do to you.”
With his two top January targets secured, Warburton must now hope that Toral and Hyndman can hit the ground running and make an immediate impact at Ibrox. The battle to be best of the rest behind Celtic is Rangers’ top priority in the coming months but silverware is also being sought this season.
The final defeat to Hibernian last term was the ultimate downer upon which to end a campaign. A repeat run to Hampden is the target but Rangers are determined to go one better this term.
“I don’t want to dwell too much on the Hibs final last May,” Halliday said. “But that’s why we’re even more determined to go and win it this year.
“It’ll be tough for us on Saturday. But all the boys know how important it is for Rangers to go far in this competition and try to win it.”