Halliday: Slam on breaks
Andy Halliday believes Scottish football should ditch the winter break – but refuses to believe it’s an excuse for Rangers’ title hopes cratering.
The Ibrox full-back made his first league start since September as Gers crashed to Kilmarnock in midweek to fall 10 points behind leaders Celtic.
And while Halliday, 28, admits he’s baffled by his side’s loss of form, he reckons the break was a momentum killer.
He sighed: “It’s really, really, hard to put your finger on.
“Rangers fans aren’t too happy right now and if you are walking down the street everyone is asking what’s changed – I just don’t think we have played well.
“Our form has dipped but whether that has been fatigue? Personally, I don’t think that’s an excuse as plenty of other teams have played as many times as us.
“Either way though, with the winter break, I’d far rather crack on through it.
“The last game before the break we obviously get a very positive result at Parkhead and the momentum is with you.
“Sometimes that twoweek break – and clearly it has happened this year – sets you back.
“But if you want to put yourself in position to win trophies, you have to deal with the schedule. Celtic are doing exactly the same and their form is extremely different to ours just now.”
Halliday, whose contract is up in the summer after five seasons with his boyhood heroes, would love to face Braga in the Europa League on Thursday.
But he has no complaints at being forced to play second fiddle to in-form Borna Barisic for most of the season.
He added: “It’s hard being out the team but Borna’s playing really well.”