Traynors' view.I can't stand the cretin,but this is a good read.
THEY are still so far away from reach but at least now the glint of the three trophies Rangers seek can be seen by the naked eye.
All they have to do is keep following the light.
Walter Smith is constantly told his players are running on empty but all he can see is a group of believers still striving to reach beyond human limits.
If what fuels some of these players could be siphoned off, the Grangemouth refinery's workers and management could close the place, argue the toss from now until the end of time and our motors would still be running.
But this Rangers squad don't even need to keep their legs pumping like pistons for ever. They have only to make sure their limbs function through just a handful of matches, starting tomorrow with the final Old Firm encounter of the season.
Celtic won the last one - Gordon Strachan's first Old Firm victory over Walter Smith - which ensured the championship remained a live issue, but the Parkhead side must come out on top in this final meeting also if the pressure is to be piled on their rivals.
Anything less than three points would make it virtually impossible for Celtic to hold on to the SPL title even though Rangers have a punishing run-in.
If Rangers win, or draw, they would be boosted by a powerful mix of adrenalin and confidence and the effects of a spineless SPL's refusal to sanction a meaningful extension to the league campaign wouldn't be too destructive.
Rangers would be almost certain to collect the remaining points necessary without operating at full tilt, but to ensure that luxury they have to be prepared to summon up one more massive effort at Parkhead.
Strachan's side are in better shape and the manager has probably been struggling to hold them back in training but just after midday tomorrow he'll let them off the leash.
They are likely to attack Rangers at pace and try to dominate the midfield areas just as they did 10 days ago and Smith's side will be willing to soak up pressure, believing they'll also pierce Celtic's defence at times.
However, this time Rangers will have to match up, especially in the middle, if they're to take what would be the most important step towards winning the title.
The bulk of the evidence, though, suggests Celtic are fairly firm favourites to even the score, at least in terms of matches won against their traditional rivals.
Strachan and his players know that if they can win again they will force Rangers to doubt themselves, perhaps for the first time this season.
Barry Ferguson and the others won't be able to prevent their minds from wandering up ahead and looking at their packed schedule which is enough to frighten even the most seasoned pros like DavidWeir and Christian Dailly.
Celtic, Fiorentina in Florence, Hibs, Motherwell twice, Dundee United, St Mirren and Aberdeen all between now and May 18.
That's eight matches in 22 days and don't forget Rangers, who also have a Scottish Cup Final on May 24, could yet have a UEFA Cup Final to play.
That's not a match schedule, it's hard labour as a result of criminal negligence on the part of the SPL.
Let's make it absolutely clear just one more time that this group of preening lame brains have done nothing to help a Scottish side reach a European final and have failed also to protect the integrity of their own competition.
Should Rangers overcome Fiorentina and reach the final in the City of Manchester Stadium, it will be in spite of the people who are supposed to be working for the benefit of the Scottish game.
If Rangers claim European glory, Lex Gold and the rest shouldn't dare try to bask in the success.
No doubt he'd be tempted but it would be disgraceful if he were to hold up his league structure as the reason for this success.
In fact, in finding it impossible to assist Rangers properly in their quest to reach the heights, the SPL might inadvertently have boosted their determination to get the jobs done.
Rangers now feel victimised. They believe it's them against an establishment they suspect were afraid to upset Celtic and if this anger is channelled properly it could give the Ibrox club added momentum at the most critical time of the season.
Rangers are equipped to go to Parkhead and do just enough to end Celtic's interest in the title pursuit and then do the same to Fiorentina next Thursday. If they are in the final and cruising towards the championship, they would go to Easter Road next Sunday on an incredible high.
Fatigue wouldn't come into it and Smith would then find himself trying to subdue his players just as Strachan has been doing in the build-up to tomorrow's match.
Although they allowed Celtic to win the psychological and physical battles last time, Rangers know they can kill off their rivals tomorrow but it will take a tremendous effort, remarkable calmness and buckets of belief.
They have to put everything out of their minds except this one challenge, simply because the outcome will have such a significant bearing on how many trophies they win.
Three points tomorrow would give them vital breathing space in a hectic few weeks and you can be absolutely sure Smith has been using the SPL, as well as Aiden McGeady's comments, to fire up his men.
He'll have been telling them to prove they don't need the SPL's help and to show McGeady, who said Rangers shouldn't be allowed an extension to the season, that the balance of power really has switched from one end of Glasgow to the other.
McGeady, of course, will be one of the key players along with Shunsuke Nakamura and Barry Robson, but Rangers believe they have been pushed into a corner. They are wounded and there is only one thing they can do now.
They'll come out fighting and despite their aches and pains they'll keep going until they drop. They'll be battling for Smith, themselves, and the fans.
There are a lot of angry men in Smith's squad and if they really do believe this is their season, all their effort and sacrifices now come down to this one match, they could clamp both hands around the championship.
Win tomorrow and they'll be on such a high they wouldn't need an aircraft to get to Florence but lose and they could crash and burn.
There is just too much to lose in this one match and the very fear of seeing everything slip away in the wake of defeat could galvanise Rangers just enough to do what is necessary.
