STUART McCALL insists there is no reason to be kept awake at night by the pressure of the play-offs when he has a side packed with players capable of serving up goals in their sleep.

McCall's opposite number Alan Stubbs has received so much positive publicity this term for building a Hibs team committed to passing football and steering them to second place in the Championship by winning their last five league games of the campaign.

However, McCall believes his side have developed into an equally exciting proposition over the course of his two months in charge and insists he is entering tonight's semi-final first leg bristling with confidence in his troops despite the fact they had to battle hard to get past Queen of the South at the weekend.

"I know people have talked about how Hibs are a good football side, but I'm excited by the players I've got in my side," said McCall. "I really am.

"I can set the team up now and I'm excited. Richard Foster created a goal at Hearts, a cut-back for Kenny Miller, crossed for Dean Shiels at Queens and then, on Sunday, set up Kenny only for the keeper to make a great save.

"Lee Wallace also scored, so we have attacking full-backs. We have creativity in the middle of the park and strikers with good movement. As a manager, I know we need to be strong when we defend.

"At Motherwell, when we were a good team a few years ago, I always felt confident we'd score goals.

"We had (Chris) Humphrey, (Henrik) Ojamaa, (Jamie) Murphy, (Nicky) Law and (Michael) Higdon. Those were guys who'd score goals and I feel we have that here.

"We have enough in the team to be confident of creating chances. That makes me happy. It doesn't make me tense.

"As a manager, when you feel confident in your players, it helps. I can sleep at night."

With Hibs having been relegated after squandering a 2-0 lead over Hamilton Accies in last term's play-off final and losing to Falkirk in the last four of this season's Scottish Cup, there have been questions raised about their ability to cope with the big occasion.

McCall refuses to listen to suggestions, though, that there is some kind of mental weakness in the Easter Road outfit.

"Hibs were unlucky in their semi-final against Falkirk," he said. "With a bit of luck, they could easily have gone through.

"They're on a good run of form, they've won their last few league games. I don't think, for one minute, they are bottle merchants at all.

"People may look at what happened last season and Hibs losing the play-off with Hamilton on penalty-kicks,

"It could so easily have gone the other way, but they've got a different manager now with different players. I certainly don't think they've bottled anything this season.

"I think these will be two tense games, but two good games. I don't think anyone can call it."

Hibs, of course, have the benefit of playing the second leg at home, but McCall is unfazed by the challenges that brings.

He is happy to be kicking the tie off at Ibrox and casts his mind back to one of his most famous triumphs as a player - when Rangers knocked Leeds United out of the Champions League qualifiers thanks to winning the first leg 2-1 at home and following that up with another 2-1 win down south.

"I'd rather be at home first, if I'm honest, in these games," he said. "Ibrox can be a difficult place to play, with the expectation.

"Hibs will think if they can stop Rangers scoring and score first against us that the crowd will turn and it will get tense.

"There were periods the other night when it was tense. On Sunday at home, we knew the season could end.

"I think it will be the same for Hibs in the second game, though.

"I remember coming off at the end of our first leg against Leeds and the crowd was deflated - and we'd won 2-1.

"The feeling was: 'Well, you're not going to go down and win at Elland Road.

"The crowd weren't booing, but the atmosphere was flat because the feeling was we hadn't done enough.

"There was all to play for in the second leg, though, so regardless of what happens at Ibrox in this first leg, we'll still have the second leg to play.

"Obviously, we'd like to take a lead to Easter Road, but I don't think it's a case that we need to win.

"We're as capable of winning at Easter Road as we are at home and they'll think the same."

Rangers proved that in McCall's third match at the helm when, after drawing with the two bottom clubs, Livingston and Alloa, at home, they travelled to Leith and carved out a hugely comfortable 2-0 win.

"Before that game, Lee Wallace did the press conference and he said the team's morale was at an all-time low," recalled McCall. "I couldn't believe it. I thought: 'What the hell's he doing?'

"I wanted to get hold of him and give him a big cuddle.

"Winning that game, for us, was huge. It gave everyone real belief in each other and gave everyone a real lift."