IF Rangers continue to perform as poorly as they did against Hibs on Monday night then the pressure on manager Ally McCoist will escalate.

If the Gers defend as badly as they did in the 3-1 defeat to their capital rivals at Ibrox then more losses will undoubtedly follow.

And the lead held by Hearts at the top of the SPFL Championship will increase and the chances of the Light Blues winning the title will decline.

McCoist has stated in the past that he will know when the time comes for him to stand down, that nobody will need to tell him when to go.

Well, that moment will arrive when Rangers are unable to secure the second tier title and promotion back into the top flight.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

Rangers, it is worth remembering, are just six points off top spot in the Championship at this point in the 2014/15 campaign.

Sure, it is a disappointing position for the Glasgow club to be in. Unacceptable even, given their vastly superior resources.

But with 29 league games still to come this term - including three against their Tynecastle rivals - it is far from being a hopeless scenario.

Watch this space. My bet is Rangers respond to their dire display this week in a positive manner. They will be there or thereabouts come next May.

Remember, it is a fortnight since everybody was gushing about their fine showing in a resounding 4-0 win over Raith Rovers at Stark's Park.

In the hysterical fallout from the Hibs defeat it has been overlooked that Nicky Clark, Lewis Macleod and Kenny Miller were all missing.

Those three have arguably been the League One champions' best performers in recent weeks.

McCoist has a strong enough squad to cope with injuries and suspensions. But on-field matters will improve as that trio returns to full fitness.

It is undeniable that the football Rangers have served up under McCoist since they dropped down to the bottom division two years ago has often not been sparkling.

The exact same accusation, though, was levelled at the teams that his predecessor Walter Smith managed so successfully. And he had a far larger budget.

SMITH understood that the top priority as Rangers manager was to win. In the league especially. It is something his successor has also grasped.

The demands on Rangers to perform well and succeed, in both the league and in the cup competitions, remain huge despite their ongoing off-field difficulties.

Yes, McCoist has far more money at his disposal than his rivals. We are constantly told he has "the second highest wage bill in the country".

But does he have a strong enough squad to meet those massive expectations? Sorry, but I just don't think he does.

He has cobbled together a team of ageing professionals, raw young hopefuls, free transfers and recruits from clubs like Kilmarnock, Motherwell and St Mirren.

It is hardly a line-up that would strike fear into the Nine-In-A-Row side.

McCoist has many strengths. Few others could have coped with the level of upheaval and scrutiny that he has had to since becoming manager three years ago.

The jury remains out on his ability as a coach. But it would not surprise me if he meets this latest challenge head on.

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here