Skip to content

Healy ready to make mark

Image: David Healy: Confident that he can help Rangers overhaul Celtic in the title race

David Healy is relishing the challenge of firing Rangers to some silverware this season following Nikica Jelavic's departure.

Rangers striker looking to go from strength to strength

David Healy is relishing the challenge of firing Rangers to some silverware this season following Nikica Jelavic's departure. The Northern Irishman is Rangers' only fit and available striker ahead of Sunday's Scottish Cup tie against Dundee United after Jelavic's move to Everton on transfer deadline day. Healy has recently forced his way into Ally McCoist's plans after biding his time on the fringes and believes he has plenty more to offer. He said: "The challenge has always been there for me. I've started the last four or five games and responded with three goals. "I've waited for my chance for a long time. I'm confident in myself, I've always been confident in my own ability. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have signed here. I could have taken an easier option and went somewhere else but I wanted to be part of this club."

New start

Jelavic quit Rangers in a reported £5.5million move after netting 17 goals this season, but Healy is confident of success without their star striker. He added: "I'm sure the club was hoping we could have added to the squad but we didn't and that's life. "No one player leaving this football club is going to change anything. "Big players have left before and the football club will always be here. "People were saying he was going to go and, to be fair, Everton is a big club for him. It's a big challenge and a new start. "He scored a lot of goals up here and helped win two trophies so I'm sure the club and everyone else wishes him well down there. "It just means we have to do what we did last year. We went on to win two trophies." Celtic are a point ahead of the Scottish champions at the top of the SPL, but Healy insists Rangers still believe they can retain their crown. He said: "We had a meeting with the manager after the deadline the other day and he believes - and I'm sure the rest of the lads believe - there is more than enough here to challenge Celtic for the trophies. "Celtic are in the driving seat but we are still fighting."