Walter Smith expects Lee McCulloch to return for Rangers' all-important showdown with Unirea Urziceni.
Rangers boss expects midfielder to be fit for Wednesday
Walter Smith expects Lee McCulloch to return the Rangers side for their all-important UEFA Champions League showdown with Unirea Urziceni after a wash-out at Tannadice.
The Scottish champions have endured a torrid time on and off the field with some poor results and their finances being called into question.
With league and European form leaving a lot to be desired and the club declaring this week they were looking for new investment to manage the £30million debt at Ibrox, Sunday's clash at Dundee United was meant to be the beginning of better fortunes.
And it looked as if the Gers would turn a corner when Steven Davis gave the visitors a first-half lead largely against the run of play on the Scottish East Coast.
But Mother Nature thought otherwise as torrential rain saw the fixture abandoned at half-time to the disappointment, but acceptance, of both managers.
And Smith admitted the decision could be a blessing in disguise with Wednesday's crunch Champions League clash in Romania next up.
Silver lining
When asked if the abandonment affects his midweek preparations, the Gers boss told
Sky Sports: "Not really, it takes away the fact we've had half of a game and we thought we'd have to play for an hour and a half and avoid injury.
"Under the circumstances and the referee taking that into account that might have been a factor."
Madjid Bougherra McCulloch were both absent from Sunday's abandoned SPL clash and Smith had mixed news on the pair's fitness.
Of the likelihood of his Algerian defender being fit for the midweek game, he added: "Bougherra no, Lee McCulloch yes, I think he'll be available.
"He was touch and go for today's game but with the thigh strain he has, I thought if we took a chance on playing him today we might lose him for Wednesday."
