Hamilton boss and SPFL rival Brian Rice has assured the waiting press that Rangers remain a “fantastic team” despite their off-colour domestic form this season.
Pointing to the club’s immense performance against Braga last week, Rice claims that Rangers still have plenty about them even if they did drop out the Scottish Cup to Hearts.
The likeable Hamilton gaffer is set to take his team to Ibrox this Wednesday and is under no illusions as to the size of the challenge his side faces.
“It doesn’t matter when you go to Ibrox,” said Rice [BBC Scotland].
“We are Hamilton going to Ibrox. Every time we go there, it’s very, very difficult.
“It doesn’t matter Rangers’ result on Saturday. Rangers are at home, they are still chasing the league, they have got to win every game.
“Only five days ago, we were raving about Rangers’ performance against Braga.
“And rightly so, they were fantastic.
“So nothing has changed – Rangers are a fantastic team. Going to Ibrox is a massive, massive task for us, but we have got to go there and try and get something out of the game.”
Rice has regularly been glowing in his praise of Rangers and described Gerrard’s team as being “on a different planet” [Scottish Sun] after his side was subject to a 5-0 mauling at Ibrox earlier in the campaign.
The Hamilton boss also opened up on his feelings about the criticism levelled at Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard, who’s under pressure after his side’s domestic collapse this season.
“It must be great to be under pressure when you’re second in the league and in the Europa League last 16,” Rice said.
“It must be great pressure to be under. Pressure is where we are. That’s pressure.”
