Andy Goram thinks Rangers will struggle to challenge Celtic if promoted

Former Rangers goalkeeper Andy Goram thinks his old team will struggle to put together a team capable of challenging Celtic if they win promotion this year.

Rangers just managed to overcome Queen of the South in their quarter final play-off and they will now battle it out with Hibernian in their next two-legged encounter for the right to face Motherwell for a place in the Premiership.

And while Goram would love to see his old side gain promotion this year, he thinks if Rangers fail to achieve that then another year in the Championship could allow them to re-focus for a stronger push after a traumatic year off the pitch.

He said: “I think if we go up now with this team we’re going to have a rush to get a squad together for next season that will challenge.

“I would love us to go up but at the same time if we don’t it will give us the season to get a team together, more money in the club and a real good team and get promoted next season and then you can put a real challenge into Celtic.

I think if we go up now with this team we’re going to have a rush to get a squad together that will challenge next season.

“But whether it is too soon this season or not, I don’t know.”

Goram says current boss and his former team-mate Stuart McCall has brought the same enthusiasm to the Ibrox dugout as he did to the pitch during his seven years as a player at Rangers.

“He brings energy; he’s brought energy to the team and he was like that as a player,” the former Scotland keeper said' "His enthusiasm and his desire, you can see that now.

“But I think that the major problem is conceding goals, we are conceding one every week which is not a disaster if you’re going to be scoring a few but at the same time it puts pressure on the frontmen. But, certainly, there is a lot of energy there now and passion.”

Hibs were on course to complete a clean sweep of victories over Rangers in the Championship until going down 2-0 at Easter Road to the Gers in March.

And Goram reckons that result will have given Rangers a bit more confidence before they go back to the capital for the second leg of the play-off tie on Saturday.

He said: “It has swung again. Hibs had the momentum a couple of months ago, they were flying and then it has changed for them. They’ve had some bad results lately.

“A packed Ibrox again is always a great place to play. Easter Road will be a great atmosphere but at least Hibs will let you play football. It will be an open game, I think.

“Hibs have got decent players and they are a good side so I would imagine it would be an open game of football which will probably suit Rangers.”