Jack expecting nerveless progress as Gers step it up

Ryan Jack insists there will be no nerves on Tuesday as Rangers look to wrap up stage one of their Europa League quest.

Gers made a shaky start to their first continental campaign in six years as they scraped a 1-0 firstleg win over opening qualifying opponents Progres Niederkorn.

Kenny Miller fired the only goal at Ibrox but Pedro Caixinha is confident his side – who only returned to pre-season training three weeks ago – will be sharper by the time the return leg against the Luxembourg part-timers comes around.

With such a slender lead, that will have to be the case if they are to avoid a mortifying slip-up.

But Jack is assured his team will progress at the Stade Josy Barthel.

Asked if his side will have to battle nerves next week, he said: “Not at all. I think we set out to win the first leg and we did that.

“Obviously we would have liked to win by three or four, but it wasn’t to be.

“We still won the match and we will be looking to step it up a level next week.

“That was the first 90 minutes for most of the boys and we are still getting up to speed.

“Next week we are confident we can go and win the match over there.”

The Ibrox clash was Jack’s first taste of action at Ibrox since leaving Aberdeen earlier this summer. But Gers, who also had fellow new signings Fabio Cardoso and Dalcio in their starting lineup, lacked a killer touch in the final third despite bossing the possession stats.

The former Dons skipper, however, reckons the Light Blues will click once Caixinha’s eight summer signings bed themselves into the existing Ibrox squad.

“We knew Progres would come, sit in and make it difficult for us,” he said. “We knew that was how the game would go.

“There are a lot of things we want to improve on although it is still the early stages of pre-season. We are still trying to get everyone to gel properly so I think there is a lot more to come.

“We will look to step it up again next week.”

SIGNINGS