Miller returns with a vengeance
Dramatic comeback by Rangers striker proves Caixinha made a fatal error of judgement that contributed to his exit
Whether Derek Mcinnes is installed as the new Rangers manager or the board opt for one of the other candidates on the long list of interested contenders, the new man is unlikely to leave Kenny Miller out in the cold.
Managers have to live and die by the choices they make and, on the evidence of Saturday’s showing, it is clear that Pedro Caixinha’s decision to banish the experienced striker was one that ultimately cost him his job. Depending on boardroom discussions and negotiations with other contenders, the decision to bring him back was one that may yet play a part in caretaker boss Graeme Murty being asked to step into the role longterm. The player scores goals, he creates them and he plays for the badge he pointed to as he celebrated his contributions.
Returning from an unwelcome but enforced four-game absence, the 37-year-old once again showed himself to be timeless in the art of crafting a win. Two goals and an assist meant he was the difference between dropping points and finally picking up a victory at the end of a challenging week for the Ibrox club.
A big-game player, against a Hearts side who had their own problems to deal with, there was always the likelihood that the former Scotland international would pack a punch. If the first felt like a sucker punch, by the time he scored the second and set up the third knockout blow, Rangers were on top.
“We knew the manager situation and you always get a lift when there is a new manager,” said Hearts midfielder Ross Callachan. “I thought they would start the game well which I think they did. Once it settled down and we scored the goal I thought we were the better team up until about 60 minutes.
“We gave ourselves a really good chance. But going 2-1 down gets them back into the game. I think the change didn’t help us. When Jamie Walker went off we had to change our shape. The gaffer had to do it. He didn’t have a choice. But it didn’t really work. It is disappointing. We just need to stay positive. There are good things we can take from that game against a good Rangers side who were lifted by Kenny Miller coming back in.”
It could have been very different, though. The Glasgow side had travelled to the capital with something to prove, to themselves and the fans, and they started on the front foot. Their hosts, looking to bounce back from a midweek derby defeat, were edgier and left too much space in the middle of the park for Rangers to utilise and time for them to bed in.
But the Gorgie side, who have just one more game left to navigate before they finally return to the redeveloped Tynecastle and the advantage they hope that will garner them, soon began to have a say in proceedings. They began to press further up the field and close their opponents down and in the 23rd minute Rangers’ young centre-back Ross Mccrorie felt the need to wrestle Isma Goncalves to the ground and halt his advance.
That gave Hearts a free-kick about 30 yards from Wes Foderingham’s goal and they made the most of it. Against his former employers, Kyle Lafferty curled a peach of a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner of Rangers’ goal to give Hearts the lead and extra impetus.
They should have converted that into a more comfortable cushion minutes later, when Callachan, pictured, was through on goal. One on one with the Rangers keeper and with the 18000 home fans poised for another celebration, the midfielder hesitated and when he did shoot it was weak enough for the keeper to contend with.
It was a costly miss as Hearts had Rangers slightly rattled and another goal so soon after the first would have tested their mettle. As it was, the miss gave Rangers an easier target to chase as they homed in on overhauling the deficit.
“I will not have sleepless nights about it, but I am disappointed I never scored,” said the 24-year-old, below. “You are always disappointed when you have a chance and you don’t score. You need to make the goalie work and I made the goalie work.
“But if I score and we go 2-0 up it’s a different game isn’t it? I am disappointed I never scored. I just need to keep working on my left foot. I am confident that if that had been on my right foot it is probably a goal. I just need to to keep working hard and keep getting better personally.”
Hearts were marginally more potent for the remainder of that first half and while they got a lucky break when the officials missed the fact that Mclaughlin had handled the ball outside his box, their luck ran out two minutes before half-time when Mill-
er latched on to an Alfredo Morelos through ball and slammed the ball into the net, aided by a slight John Souttar deflection.
Michael Smith had a stab at restoring Hearts’ lead ahead of the interval, as did teenager Harry Cochrane, but neither could convert his effort.
It was all downhill for Hearts from then on, as Rangers emerged for the second half with the bit between their teeth. Their cause was aided by a hamstring injury to Jamie Walker that forced him off and added to Hearts’ ongoing injury woes, particularly in midfield, where Don Cowie and Arnaud Djoum have been missed. It also forced a tweak in tactics. But Rangers were on the ascendency and Miller eventually edged them ahead in the 65th minute, peeling off Souttar and heading past Mclaughlin. Then, in the 73rd minute, he played in Josh Windass who buried his effort to seal the points and give the away fans the chance to dream of better times ahead.