Celtic envy is no bad thing

If there was ever a bigger incentive for getting your head down and finding the kind of form that will lift Rangers out of their current position, it was this week.

Barcelona's Jordi Alba, right, celebrates his late winner against Celtic with team-mates Marc Bartra, left, and David Villa

I have no doubt that Ally McCoist, the Rangers players and the Rangers fans would have been pig sick watching Celtic go and play Barcelona in the Nou Camp.

We all know what that feels like it and we have loved those kind of adventures only so very recently. It is a big loss and if anything really hammers home just where Rangers are at the minute, it is watching your biggest rivals go and enjoy themselves on the biggest stage of all.

I'm sure Rangers will come again, but all the players have to do is take a look at the Champions League and focus on getting the club out of the Third Division and back to where they belong.

It will take at least three or four years before Rangers can get back there – but they will get there. For the younger players, especially, it should be a massive carrot to know that if they work hard and learn their trade just now that they could be in that kind of arena with Rangers in a relatively short time.

There is nothing quite like the excitement that European football generates.

Everyone benefits from European football and I am sure that Ally will be determined to hit home the message that Rangers will be back in that kind of company soon.

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