Elvis enters the building?

An interesting week is in prospect for Rangers fans, with two big games coming up.

Admittedly, the importance of one is tempered considerably for obvious reasons, but the other is paramount.

However, before anticipating upcoming matches, it is worth focusing on some off-pitch events of recent days, and namely transfer speculation linking two former Hearts players with Ibrox; the recently-departed skipper Steven “Elvis” Pressley, and the current Wigan defender Andy Webster.

When Elvis ‘left the building’ on Saturday by mutual consent with the Hearts board, naturally a clutch of clubs immediately became interested in securing his services. Two notable English sides were strongly linked, Derby County and more recently, Southampton, but it is more prevalent to note that the Old Firm have also been mentioned in the same breath, with Celtic reported as making a firm approach with Gordon Strachan allegedly meeting the defender in Glasgow. Furthermore, and more relevant to Rangers was David Murray’s refusal to comment when also questioned on possible interest in the player.

Pressley is a born leader, although many fans question his footballing ability at times, and it is hard to blame them. Surely though, if a club is looking for a figurehead player to drive their side forward with sheer heart, Pressley is a prime candidate.

As mentioned, Webster has also been linked with Ibrox, but Murray flat-out denied any interest in the Scotland international. Which may come as something of a relief to many fans who are convinced his competence at Hearts was thanks to Pressley carrying him.

However, moving onto the matches, on Thursday a slightly less relevant Uefa Cup match will be played at Ibrox against the Serbian side Partizan Belgrade. Having already qualified, Le Guen’s side’s only target is winning the group which looks a distinct possibility. Obviously a good performance will be required, but the match doesn’t quite possess the critical importance it could have done.

That said, a match of real importance will follow on Sunday, with the visit of bitter rivals Celtic to Ibrox. An astonishing sixteen point gap exists between the two sides, with the Parkhead team the club miles out in front. The league championship isn’t even a pipe dream now for Rangers, but a clawing back of points is more than possible, and if second place can be achieved with something akin to a ‘catch up’ on the leaders taking place, then the humiliation of the current gap can be averted. This is the only real target.

Furthermore is the arbitrary tribalistic joy of overcoming your deadly rivals – even at tiddlywinks both sides would be gunning for each other, bragging rights for the winner.

Are this Rangers side capable of overcoming Celtic? If the side who crushed Livorno, Hearts and Hibs shows up, and then some, then yes, more than capable. The schizophrenic nature of this season however shows that any side might appear.

It’s a lottery.