The legendary captain and former caretaker manager wants to show the world the club is serious about this game.

Don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you that the next 90 minutes of the Rangers’ season don’t matter.

Sure, they may have had some bad weather in this season’s Europa League campaign, and certainly Danny Rohr and his team will have bigger fish to fry when Dundee visit Ibrox on Sunday, when the title race could gain even more momentum.

So it’s completely understandable why some would think that Thursday night’s group game against Ludogorets is just a waste of time, an unwanted distraction from the main event unfolding in front of them.

However, I would like to politely disagree with each of them.

Forget all about resting players at the weekend or giving game time to players who have been left on the fringes of the first team since the new manager took charge and began overseeing a dramatic turnaround in domestic results.

We will do our best to send out the strongest starting lineup.

In an ideal world, the manager would be sure to give the home crowd a taste of what to expect from recent signings Andreas Skov-Olsen and Tochi Chukwani, and give the new players a chance to acclimate to their surroundings.

However, UEFA’s registration regulations appear to make that impossible.

But most of all, he will want to use this game as an opportunity to build on all the good he accomplished over the holidays and set the stage for what he hopes to achieve later in the season.

And it sends a very clear message: “The Rangers are back – and we’re coming for you.”

So don’t make the mistake of thinking Thursday night is just a waste of everyone’s time. This meeting with Ludgretz could be the starting point for future developments.

This is also an opportunity to right the wrongs of the beginning of this season, when my old club finished 33rd out of 36 teams on the European stage, with just 1 point out of 18 and without a single win.

And despite having no hope of overturning and making the finals this late in the day, these players cannot allow themselves to think this campaign is anywhere near acceptable.

So get back out there, get 3 more points on the board for the first time, and play with the kind of professional pride your badge demands.

The last thing these players want is to end up in last place in the group stage, and that remains a possibility for the time being.

Next week we play away to Porto, a tough game at the best of times.

We understand that the focus is on the home fixtures, but Celtic will play Tynecastle on Sunday, adding fresh spice to the fixture list as at least one of the teams will go into the weekend having dropped more points.

But that will only help Rangers if they continue to win their own games, and a win against the Bulgarians can only help further the good mood and momentum heading into the visit of a Dundee team who have been on a roll in recent weeks.

That’s another reason to settle Skov Olsen and Chukwani into the team at the earliest opportunity.

Fans will be particularly excited to see Skov Olsen for the first time. To be honest, I’m excited about this myself.

As we’ve written about here before, the deal to take him on loan from Wolfsburg is reminiscent of the deal between the two clubs that brought Vaclav Cerny to Ibrox 18 months ago – the one that got away.

If Skov Olsen could have a similar impact, the supporters would love him and that’s before you think about the contribution that Peter Löbenkrans and of course Brian Laudrup have made to this club.

I listened to Skov Olsen’s press conference on Friday and he seems like a guy who really wants to be here. He told everything he wanted to hear from the new arrival, and of course also talked about what he himself had discussed with Laudrup before accepting the offer.

Bryan clearly gave a glowing reference to the Rangers, and if there were other options on the table, that might have helped tip the balance.

The idea of ​​another highly-rated and experienced Danish international playing as a winger in a Rangers shirt has always captured the imagination of the club’s supporters.

I believe there could be more to come before the window closes, with perhaps one or two additional players added to perhaps strengthen the manager’s starting options.

With the addition of Tour Romans, Rangers have already strengthened in areas that need strength and there is still plenty of time to develop the market and bring in any quality reinforcements that may be available.

Conor Barron’s injury was a huge blow as it will be a huge loss for the coming months. Every time I watched him play, he grew in confidence and stature.

So it’s another part of the pitch where the manager may need additional cover and there’s even talk of selecting another option up front, depending on what happens in terms of play in the coming weeks.

So now feels like the ideal time to make a real push on and off the pitch, continue their recent form and results, and make the most of what’s left in the transfer window.

The keyword from now on is “persistence.” And it starts with kickoff time against Ludogrec under the lights.

Well, the ship may have sailed for Rangers in terms of European competition this season. But the journey towards the domestic finish line begins now. And believe me, every match counts.