Source: Team_Talk
Rangers ready for run-in - Jardine
The Light Blues' Scottish Premier League title challenge - they are one point behind champions Celtic with fives games remaining - will be put on hold for the weekend to accommodate the Homecoming Scottish Cup semi-finals.[LNB]The cup holders take on St Mirren at Hampden on Saturday before Falkirk face Dunfermline at the national stadium the next day.[LNB]Last season, Walter Smith's side were infamously embroiled in a fixture pile-up as they headed towards a UEFA Cup final and a Scottish Cup final, while battling to take the SPL title back from Celtic.[LNB]But an early European exit to FBK Kaunas in the Champions League qualifiers has left Rangers to concentrate on the domestic scene this season.[LNB]Consequently Jardine, who played for the Ibrox club from the 1960s through to the early 1980s, is confident of battling on both fronts.[LNB]He said:[LNB]"Compared to last season, this is easy.[LNB]"Look at the fixtures we came through last year, it was incredible.[LNB]"The only reason we lost the league was the amount of games we had to play.[LNB]"I think we played 68 games which was the highest amount of games for any Scottish club.[LNB]"We also played a record-equalling 19 games in Europe last season.[LNB]"We won the Scottish Cup, lost the league on the last day and lost the UEFA Cup final.[LNB]"So the players were magnificent and compared to the amount of games we played last season, this season is nothing."[LNB]Ominously for the Bairns, the Ibrox club have not lost a Scottish Cup semi-final since 1972 when they were defeated by Hibernian after a replay.[LNB]Jardine believes a winning mentality fostered at both Old Firm clubs contributes to that type of success.[LNB]He said: "Generally, when Rangers and Celtic get to semi-finals they do very well.[LNB]"They are used to playing in Hampden, it's like a second home.[LNB]"We played Celtic there in the League Cup final a few weeks ago but this will be St Mirren's first appearance there for a while.[LNB]"There is a bigger expectation at Rangers, which can put pressure on you but if you are a Rangers player then you should be used to that pressure."[LNB][LNB]
