MARK WARBURTON, the Rangers manager, has claimed his Rangers side will be ready to play in Europe this summer if they win the William Hill Scottish Cup.
The Ibrox club have not been represented on the continent since the 2011/12 season, when their campaign was cut short by NK Maribor in the Europa League play-offs following a Malmo defeat at the Champions League third qualifying round.
While travelling through the lower reaches of Scottish football, the Glasgow club have not been close to a return to that stage. However, as Warburton’s team stand at the start of their William Hill Scottish Cup campaign, which kicks-off at Ibrox today against Cowdenbeath, he insists that if his team do make it to the final and triumph on May 21, the Englishman is confident that his group of players will be well equipped to do themselves justice if needed.
"We would be ready for it,” said the Rangers manager. “We have to recruit well in the summer, we are working hard now on January but at the moment, already the summer work, targets we would like to get now but can't get until May, June, July are being highlighted and pursued.
“The work carries on and it will place demands on our recruitment and everyone at the club but we would relish that.”
Warburton added: "It's a fantastic competition and we want to win it. Every team that goes into it, says that. That's not saying that we will win the cup, that's just saying we are good team, we are in good form and whoever we draw we think we will give them a very good game. That's how we see it. We want to go as far as we possibly can.”
In a week that Rangers signed four players, it is inevitable that some may be going in the opposite direction, even if on a temporary basis. With the arrival of Polish goalkeeper Maciej Gostomski on Tuesday, back up Liam Kelly has been farmed out to League 2 East Fife already.
It raises the question as to what will happen with former first choice Cammy Bell who is getting closer to a return from injury. Warburton admits some players will be loaned out, but he insists the former Kilmarnock goalkeeper is not being forced out by Gostomski’s arrival.
"It's Rangers...At Brentford, we would have three keepers coming in,” he said. “It's about testing and the level of competition for players. Wes [Foderingham] is our No.1 and fully deserved, he's been outstanding for us this season but you need competition all over.
“Young Liam Kelly goes out but you need to make sure you have keepers pushing hard in all positions, so that work we do in January will be to make sure we have cover in place where currently we may be slightly light but Cammy is a pro, a Rangers player, he's got to get his head down and be the best you can be. The best guys get the shirt.”
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