IT is the final countdown. The game that has been the subject of so much talk in the last few weeks is finally the next one on the agenda.
There has been little at stake during Rangers’ recent outings as they have rounded off the Championship campaign and their time in the lower leagues of Scottish football. It has hardly been a finish with a flourish but a handful of sluggish performances and a fistful of dropped points will be forgotten if Mark Warburton’s side lift the Scottish Cup on May 21.
Rangers will head to Hampden on the back of a poor run of form, the defeats to Hibernian and Livingston and draws against Alloa and St Mirren hardly ideal preparation for a game of such significance. Now, Warburton has time on his side to ensure Rangers are in the right shape mentally and physically for their biggest 90 minutes of the campaign.
Having already clinched the Championship crown and lifted the Petrofac Training Cup, only a prolonged break and Hibernian stand in Rangers’ way of a unique and unexpected Treble this term.
"We were well aware of it from the outset,” Danny Wilson, the Rangers defender said. “Plans have been put in place for the next couple of weeks as to how we'll prepare for it. We just need to do the best we can. Ideally you'd like to be playing games but we wanted to be winners of the Championship and be in the cup final so with that we knew there'd be this break. The break might actually help us. We've had a succession of games and maybe a wee break might let us mentally focus on the final.
"It could be viewed that way. But we wanted to be playing at this stage and we can't use them as excuses, being physically and mentally tried. We've a cup final to win and we're not going to be looking for excuses before we get there. We just want to make sure our preparation's right and that we turn up and do the best we can.
Read more: Celtic's Scott Brown targets 10-In-A-Row as Rangers prepare for Premiership return
"It's a situation I've never been in so it's a situation where I'm not sure what to expect. We want to be in the final, we've done our work to get there. Motivation and our physical state shouldn't come into it - we've two trophies and this is our chance to get another one. We were talking about our aims at the start of the season and this is exactly where we wanted to be.”
While Rangers only have the Scottish Cup silverware in their sights this month, the road to Hampden is significantly more congested for Hibernian as they face a series of hugely important fixtures in a short space of time. Alan Stubbs’ side meet Raith Rovers in the Premiership play-offs this week as they look to set up a double-header with Falkirk and take another step towards the top flight.
Neither squad has the ideal build-up for the showpiece finale to the season but Wilson insists the Gers won’t glance towards Hibs’ promotion ambitions or consider hopes of lifting the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902.
"There is a hoodoo, but they also have the chance to get rid of it if they win the cup,” he said. “It could turn out to be a good season for them if they win the cup and win promotion through the play-offs. We don't focus too much on Hibs - we have a chance to win our third trophy of the season."
If Warburton and his players are to add another medal to their collections this month, they may rely on a man who has already been a Hampden hero this season to help them on their way. Barrie McKay picked up the PFA Goal of the Season award for his stunning strike in the semi-final victory over Celtic in what was his finest performance of an excellent campaign.
The 21-year-old has been rejuvenated on Warburton’s watch this term and he is now the inspiration for the next batch of Murray Park kids.
“If you look at the way Barrie's career has panned out, when he came back last summer, it was going to go one of two ways for him and, to his credit, he's been one of our best players this season,” Wilson, speaking at an event to promote a membership scheme for the Rangers Youth Development Company, said. Rightly, he's been acknowledged by his fellow professionals by being one of the best young players. He's been terrific.
“Boys coming though should look at Barrie's example because you shouldn't give up. Sometimes when you are young and things don't quite go for you, it's too easy just to throw the toys out of the pram and say 'oh well this manager doesn't fancy me'. But every manager has got a different opinion and fortunately for Barrie, our manager saw something in him ad he's been one of our key players all season."
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