Rangers manager Mark Warburton feels his players should be able to relish the pressure of facing Celtic in the Old Firm derby this weekend and if they do not then it indicates the recruitment at the club is wrong.
The Gers are back in the top tier of Scottish football after an absence of four years, and with them returns their rivalry with fellow Glasgow giants Celtic on the league stage.
While Rangers pulled off an upset over Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final last season, Brendan Rodgers’ men are the big dogs of Scotland, and they have been dominating the domestic scene over the last few years.
However, the Old Firm derby brings with it the heated animosity between both sets of fans and Warburton feels his players should look forward to playing in such an atmosphere rather than dreading it.
He believes that Rangers' recruitment will come under the scanner if his players shrink under the pressure at Parkhead, and wants his squad to relish the challenge this Saturday.
relatedNewsStory
Warburton told Rangers TV: “We have to enjoy it, and if you don’t enjoy these games, then our recruitment is wrong in terms of having the wrong type of players coming to the club, and they shouldn’t be playing football.
“If can look back in years to come and say you were involved in this sort of game, especially one where there hasn’t been a league Old Firm game for a few years now, that’s great, and the interest is obvious throughout the UK and globally too.
“Players have to enjoy it and go into the game relishing the challenge – respecting it – but enjoying it and looking forward to it.”
Rangers suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of Celtic the last time they played the Scottish champions at Parkhead in the league in April 2012.
