Eck showing no fear

Under-fire Rangers boss Alex McLeish does not fear the challenge facing him in the coming weeks.

The former Hibernian manager's future has been the subject of speculation following a poor start to the season.

Gers chairman David Murray has decided to review McLeish's position at the start of next month after giving his manager more time to turn things around.

The Scottish Premier League champions are 12 points behind leaders and Old Firm rivals Celtic, with the Ibrox club still reeling from their CIS Insurance Cup exit to The Bhoys last week.

McLeish's men head back to Parkhead to face Celtic in the SPL on Saturday before travelling to Porto for a crucial UEFA Champions League clash on the following Wednesday.

The situation has prompted reports linking Charlton Athletic's Alan Curbishley and Everton's David Moyes with becoming possible successors to McLeish, though both Premiership clubs insist their respective managers are going nowhere.

Despite just two wins in their last 11 matches, McLeish says he is up for the challenge of turning the Ibrox club's season around.

"It's a real challenge, but I don't fear it," McLeish told Rangers' official website.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to try to turn things around and only time will tell if we come through it, but it won't be for a lack of trying.

"I was a little bit uneasy and a little bit in limbo because it was a case of you must win this one or that one and we were drawing all of the games up until last week when we lost in the CIS Cup.

"I think the players are capable of doing it but they must have self-motivation, as the coaches and I must have too.

"When you are a Ranger, you have to have that inner belief."

McLeish, meanwhile, has injury problems ahead of their trip to Celtic Park, with the French defensive pair of Olivier Bernard and Julien Rodriguez ruled out for the foreseeable future.

Bernard suffering knee cartilage damage in the CIS Cup defeat to Celtic last week, while Rodriguez sustained injured ankle ligaments in last week's cup defeat.

On the brighter side, midfielder Brahim Hemdani has returned to full training after recovering from a thigh strain.