Hibs must win to keep title bid alive

AS A former Hearts hero, Lee Wallace is accustomed to having his efforts belittled at Easter Road. You might imagine the reaction to be one of shock, then, when on his most recent visit to Leith it was the dissatisfied manager of Rangers passing a damning verdict in the wake of a thumping 6-2 victory.

While the ecstatic away support streamed away from Edinburgh in thrall to their new regime’s first public outing in Petrofac Training Cup action, Mark Warburton trashed the first-half performance of his team and offered a ‘four-out-of-10’ assessment in his post-match media briefing.

Wallace recalls the overall mark for the match to be an unimpressive six.

He was not taken aback or miffed by the grudging grade. He had been made unequivocally aware of what standards Warburton and David Weir demanded of Rangers players from the manager’s precisely measured opening address to his squad at Murray Park on June 27 and all the way through their pre-season training camp.

However, that was most certainly the moment — on the first competitive day of a new era — that confirmed to the Ibrox skipper what level of performances his players were expected to produce as a result of preparation work he describes as ‘ relentless’ under Warburton and Weir.

Ahead of the Championship showdown with Hibernian that sees Rangers seeking to go 11 points clear, Wallace explained: ‘ We knew the manager’s demands and the standards from the first time he spoke to us in that meeting room and throughout training and the games.

‘But with that particular game we won 6-2, we went to Easter Road, scored six goals and advanced in the Cup.

‘The manager actually giving us a six out of 10 in terms of the performance. So it was really pleasing, after the game to see that was the mindset of the manager and the demands he has on us as players.

‘That stuck with us ever since then. So it’s great for us there can’t ever be a moment where we dip our professionalism or performance — whether it’s i n a warm-up i n training, a pattern of play, a smallsided game, doing our rehab or up in the kitchens.

‘That is set by the manager and his standards. We know if we have that mindset, then we will be hard to stop.

‘They never have a go at us. It’s a proper calmness. They will coach us through the issues that arose in, for example, that first half at Hibs.

‘We were lucky to go in 2-1 up at half-time. It was more a realisation that we probably hadn’t done what we should do best. But we got the early second-half goal and went on to win. I don’t think we felt that game was too comfortable. I think the score was a bit false in the sense the gap between the teams wasn’t as wide as that.

‘It wasn’t too dominant a display but if we can do that this time around, then great. But we’ll be approaching it like we always do, preparing to the best of our ability, turning up looking a million dollars.

‘And trying to win the game to get another three points.’

Stacking up those three-point hauls has been less spectacular in recent weeks than earlier in the campaign when swashbuckling displays dominated the drive to the runaway title lead in the Championship.

Four of their last six victories in all competitions have been by a onegoal margin. Class, professionalism and — vitally — problem-solving have helped Rangers maintain the winning streak while their opponents have set out to stifle their style, according to Wallace.

He and fellow full-back flyer James Tavernier haven’t quite enjoyed the freedom of the flanks as much lately but Rangers have found a way and Wallace credits the tone set at the top by his coaching staff for helping players overcome the traps set out to trip them up.

The 28-year-old explained: ‘We’ve not been winning by four or five in the last few games, the margins have been narrow.

‘We’ve faced different opponent shapes. But we’re well guarded against counter-attacks, we know that’s a potential game plan for other teams — the deep block defensively, two banks of four, looking to counter.

‘We’ve found ourselves having to come from behind for the first time recently, which was new, but we can respond to that the only way we know how.

‘I feel we are as well prepared for anything as we’ve ever been. Training is very specific, very relevant to how we play and, speaking for every player, we know our jobs inside out. The manager and Davie have been first class.

‘They’re relentless — first in at five in the morning, ready to set out training, ready with the analysis, ready with the kitchen staff so that the breakfast is on time. And they are probably the last out the door.’

Wallace anticipates those qualities to be required today when he expects to be confronted by a baying Easter Road audience with no love of that combination of former Hearts favourite and Rangers captain.

Hibernian enthusiast Leigh Griffiths lapped up all the fun of the frenzied atmosphere of Wallace’s former Tynecastle home when scoring against his detractors in midweek for Celtic.

Wallace, however, will go across the city without giving thought to the hoopla connected to the event.

‘I know as an ex-Hearts player it can be a fiery atmosphere,’ he said. ‘A Rangers visit is up there with the old Edinburgh derby atmospheres.

‘We always bring a tremendous support to fill that stand, so it’s up to us to send them home happy talking about a performance and a win.’