Rangers stand in manager, Kenny McDowall is ignoring what is happening off the pitch and is focused on tomorrow's game against league leaders Hearts who will arrive at Ibrox 13 points ahead of their hosts, and still undefeated in the Championship this season. McDowall does not believe the team’s chances of automatic promotion hinge on picking up all three points. He insists his squad are not intimidated by the visit of the Edinburgh side, who have beaten Rangers in their two previous fixtures in the current campaign. McDowall said: "It’s an important game obviously, and the attention that comes with it makes it different, but at the end of the day it’s still three points and it will be a tough game. We know that."
While Rangers won successive promotions by cruising past part-time opponents in the past two seasons, the Ibrox team have found the Championship a much tougher proposition. In four games against Hibs and Hearts, both relegated from the Scottish Premiership last season, Rangers have yet to pick up a point. McDowall concedes Rangers have been unpredictable, and he hopes the team will rise to the challenge on Friday. McDowall went on: "A wee bit of inconsistency there and it’s cost us dearly. That’s why Hearts have got the gap they’ve got, but there’s still a long way to go. If we can get a result on Friday that will certainly help. At the end of the day we’ve got a good squad of players in there. Hearts and Hibs and Alloa, the teams in the league, they’ve all got good players and they are tough matches, every game you go and play, it’s a tough match. This season we’ve just shown a wee bit of inconsistency."
But McDowall remains confident his charges can overturn the advantage Hearts hold at the top of the table, and avoid the playoffs. He said: "Absolutely. That’s what we do here. We know you’ve got to win games, and we’ve been disappointed the way the season’s went, but there’s still time. Friday night obviously getting the three points there would help. But we’ve got to keep believing that we can win the title, and that’s what we do."