Dark Blues captain backed to handle flak at Ibrox

Kane Hemmings insists that if skipper Gary Harkins is the target of stick when Dundee travel to face Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final, it will simply be a case of business as usual for the playmaker, writes Neil Robertson.

Harkins sparked controversy last weekend with his comments about the Glasgow outfit, branding Rangers a new club and insisting he was relishing the chance of facing them for the first time.

That view did not go down well in Govan and the 32-year-old is certain to receive a hot reception when the Dark Blues run out at Ibrox on March 5.

Hemmings, who began his career with the Light Blues, said: “There was nothing serious in it. It was a tongue-in-cheek comment and that’s just Gary.

“You always get stick, I think he gets it most places he goes.

“He got it down at Kilmarnock last weekend, so he’ll get on with it.

“Will it bother him? I don’t know, it might or it might not. But you always get stick and just have to get on with it.”

Hemmings netted for the 19th time this season as Dundee cruised through to that mouth-watering quarter- final by thrashing Dumbarton 5-0 in their fifth-round replay at Dens on Tuesday night.

The striker would not be drawn on whether his side or Mark Warburton’s would start as favourites but what he was certain of was that Dundee would be going all out to win.

He added: “We’re delighted to be through and it sets up a good tie at Ibrox now.

“If people want to make us favourites, then make us favourites, if they want us to be underdogs then make us underdogs.

“It makes no difference to us, it will be two teams wanting to win the game. So we will just have to see how it pans out.

“We are confident in any game – we believe we’re capable of going anywhere, scoring goals and winning. But Rangers will be confident too. They’re a good side and they’ll be up for it.

“We are good going forward, we can score goals but in the last five or six games we’ve shown we’re capable of defending as well.

“So we’ll go to Ibrox, look to take the game to Rangers and see what happens.

“But before that, we have a big game against Inverness and it’s important to get the three points.”

Considering his goal-scoring exploits so far this season, it is no surprise that Hemmings is being linked with clubs elsewhere, including Chinese side Beijing Renhe.

However, the striker insists that is something he knows nothing about.

He said: “I am on a good run and that’s down to being in the right place at the right time.

“I always back myself in that position to put the ball away.

“I’ll miss chances but you have to put yourself into the positions – being selfish is part of being a striker.

“I don’t know anything about China, I’ve not heard anything about it.”

Kane Hemmings: netted his 19th goal of the season.