Ross County will be up against it this weekend – but John Hughes knows that his side can cause Rangers problems if they are on top of their game.
The Staggies head to Rangers riding high after sweeping Aberdeen aside in Dingwall last weekend with a 4-1 scoreline. But against a team Hughes likes the look of, it’ll be a tough ask to find another result.
But with a ‘bulls and matadors’ comparison, Hughes outlines the challenge awaiting County: “Rangers play football the way it should be played. They keep the ball, you don’t get a touch of it.
“I have been to Ibrox many a time when you are right up against it. There is no getting away from it, they have better players than us. I use a great phrase; bulls and matadors. There is many a time I have been the bull and it is not nice getting a chasing. It might be like that on Saturday.
“Many a time I have coached a team when they have been matadors and it is a great feeling when you are looking after the ball and taking your time, taking the sting out of the opposition, moving to from side to side, looking for that opening.
“That’s what Rangers do, you can see they have been well-coached and they implement it. So we will be right up against it but it is one we are looking forward to. As a player it cannot faze you, it has to inspire you. You get to test yourself against the best and I hope the boys can do that, that their mind-set is that we can give them a game.”
But Hughes is still backing his men to shine in Govan, currently outside the relegation zone: “We enjoyed Saturday and Sunday but we are where we are for a reason. We don’t get too far in front of us as there’s still hard work in front of us.
“Consistency in performance will bring results and that’s what we are looking for. Playing Rangers at Ibrox, you need to understand that the park will be in real good nick. A good surface is massive.
“Rangers at Ibrox is a totally different proposition. We have to go there with a believe that we can at times take the game to them, not see the ball very often and when we do get the ball, we can keep it and cause Rangers problems. We’ll respect them, but not too much, as you have to have belief.”