Thursday 28 May 2015 12:53, UK
Alex McLeish is tipping Rangers to come through their Premiership play-off with Motherwell and reclaim their place at the top table of Scottish football.
McLeish has experience of managing both clubs and the former Scotland international defender told Sky Sports News HQ he believes the momentum lies with Rangers – and Stuart McCall - ahead of the first leg at Ibrox on Thursday night.
He said: "It was expected that Rangers would win back-to-back promotions because the players are wearing that Rangers badge. Ally McCoist lost a number of players of quality when they were demoted to the bottom division but he deserves a lot of credit for doing as well as he did, getting them up a couple of divisions.
"Stuart McCall has come in and steadied the ship, they have had a great run-in and I think the momentum is with them ahead of these two games.
"I have never worked with Stuart but from the outside he looks a calm presence; he's experienced, he's calmed the players' nerves and they have responded well. They have come back strongly and go into this final with great confidence."
McLeish guided Rangers to two championships and five cup wins during his five years in Govan in the noughties and he welcomes the prospect of a revitalised force in Scottish football.
He said: "The Rangers identity alone sometimes puts the fear of death into the opposition but at this moment Rangers are not a strong as they were a couple of seasons ago.
"Motherwell will be conscious of that as well. They may be going in on a little bit of downer in terms of their confidence after their recent games, while Rangers will be on a little bit of a high after their play-off win over Hibernian.
"Now there seems to be a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel at Ibrox with the new boardroom members going in and I think for them to get back to the top division is something that Scottish football really needs.
"To lose Hibs, Hearts and Rangers in one season was a disaster but to get Rangers back is a step in the right direction again."
