WALTER SMITH, the former Rangers manager, believes Mark Warburton’s side will make a statement of their Premiership intentions if they can clinch the Scottish Cup with victory over Hibernian at Hampden this weekend.
Having already lifted the Championship title and Petrofac Training Cup this season, Rangers now have their sights set on a third medal of the campaign as they prepare to face Alan Stubbs’ side.
Warburton has admitted himself that Scottish Cup success would be a ‘bonus’ for Rangers this term, with the second tier title always their main aspiration following his appointment last summer. The Englishman is now just 90 minutes away from turning a good season into a great one, however, and ensuring his side will play Europa League football later this year.
Rangers have not won the Scottish Cup since Smith guided his side to victory over Falkirk in 2009 and the 68-year-old is pleased to see his former club taking positive strides forward under Warburton after a tumultuous period on and off the park.
“I am really looking forward to the game,” he told rangers.co.uk “It’s always really interesting to come back and see how the club have been doing.
“When I left, the staff that I had took over and everyone knows the circumstances the team have been in. So Mark has been charged with the responsibility of taking the team out of a period of time where the club didn’t have their best spell for a massive number of reasons.
“That gets put aside now, and Mark has taken on the responsibility, as have those others who are now in charge of the club. We have had a great season getting out of the Championship and into the Premiership again, but the Cup Final throws up something different.
“Given the period we have been through, you could never have imagined coming out of this season with a chance of getting into Europe. It would be a tremendous achievement by everyone at the club. Everyone still thinks we have a fair bit to go, and Mark Warburton himself will know that, but it would be a great achievement by everyone to get ourselves back into a European environment if we can win the Cup.
“Strangely enough, Hibs will feel that as well. It’s the first time in history two Championship teams have got to the final, and it’s congratulations to both clubs for getting there, but from my own point of view, I am desperate for Rangers to get that win.
“It will let everyone see that the club is not only going back into the Premiership and not only going back into Europe, but hopefully will, if Mark gets a bit of help from everyone, back to challenging Celtic again for their Championship.”
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