GREG DOCHERTY reckons every member of the Rangers squad has a role to play in keeping standards as high as possible this season.
The midfielder has made five appearances for Steven Gerrard’s side since returning from a productive loan spell at Shrewsbury this summer.
Gerrard has added Steven Davis, Joe Aribo and Andy King to his central ranks this term, while Ryan Jack and Glen Kamra have also started the campaign in fine form for the Light Blues.
But Docherty is confident he can make his own impression.
He said: “I’ve achieved one of my goals and getting back amongst the squad and that was my aim all of last year.
“Now it is about knuckling down, working hard and being patient and trying to take every opportunity when it comes.
“I think now it is about pushing and pushing the players that have got the jerseys.
“To be fair, they are performing well at the moment and if the guys that aren’t in the team can keep pushing the guys that are in the team and keep on getting results, then it is a team game.
“The gaffer has touched on it quite a lot already this season that it is about the team and as long as the team does well then it is good for us going forward.
“The standard of player is obviously increasing and the demands of training every single day. You have got to be on it and if you don’t then it can really stick with you going away from training knowing that you have not performed to your best.
“The demands are there in training, it is high. There is a points system amongst us as player to who can get the most points in training so there is healthy competition.
“Everyone is pushing everyone and if it can benefit the club going forward then that is great.”
Docherty signed a four-and-a-half year deal at Ibrox when he completed his move from Hamilton Accies last January.
But his first months were tough to take as Graeme Murty’s side suffered successive 4-0 and 5-0 Old Firm humiliations.
Docherty told RangersTV: “Of course, for everybody, that was a difficult spell and there were a few games that you don’t really want to look back on.
“But they have helped me grow as a player and develop and mature. If you can use that negative experience and turn it into a positive going forward, you can look back on that when things aren’t going great and to where you are now. There is a real change, a real difference. The standard has gone up a lot and we are all pushing each other.”
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