THE hard work has been done but the job is only just beginning for Rangers. The focus has switched from Orlando to the Highlands, from the Florida Cup to the Scottish Cup.

Graeme Murty’s side rounded off their time in the United States with victory over Corinthians on Saturday and will discover in the coming days if that result, plus the win against Atletico Mineiro on Thursday, will be enough to land them the silverware.

It is the quest for a winner’s medal at Hampden that is at the forefront of their minds once again, however, as attentions turn to the fourth round tie with Fraserburgh this weekend.

After spending time training at the IMG Academy, Rangers took to the field at the Orlando City Stadium and Spectrum Stadium and passed their two Brazilian tests.

But defender David Bates believes the time off the park and away from the training pitch has been just as important for the Light Blues squad in recent days.

He said: “The whole thing has been really good. The facilities we had were brilliant so let’s hope it sets us up for a good season ahead.

“The first few days in training, the gaffer gave us an idea of how he wants us to play. You can see that in the games.

“He wants us to keep the ball and play out from the back. He has put a real good stamp on it.

“We did a few bonding activities like going to the ice hockey. You might not think it, but it makes us a lot closer together so that, when we go out on the pitch, we are more resilient.

“Getting 45 minutes was really good. It wasn’t too hot [on Saturday], but the other night it was hot. Not very good for gingers, but good for the team.

“It was a really good work-out for us. In the first half, they had a lot of key players. They brought on a few younger boys in the second half, but you could see that with us as well.”

The Florida Cup action was Rangers’ first game time since they ended the first half of the Premiership campaign with a goalless draw at Parkhead last month.

It was the latest in a string of impressive big match performances from Murty’s side but their efforts against the top teams in the league have continually been undermined by a series of slack performances and costly results elsewhere.

And Bates knows the Gers must hit the heights on a more regular basis if they are to take steps in the right direction in the coming months.

He said: “It (the Celtic game) was good for the team. I think we should have won it.

“I think the break maybe came at the wrong time, but you can see in the games that the confidence is still going right through the team. So hopefully we can kick on.

“Everyone in the team knows it, the staff know it, the fans know we can do it as well. We just need to be more consistent in doing stuff like that.

“We have gone to Aberdeen, played Aberdeen at home, gone to Hibs, gone to Celtic, and they have all been good results. We need to kick on now.”

A season that started on the worst possible footing for Rangers, and Bates, has picked up at times as points have been earned against their main Premiership rivals.

The stopper was at the heart of the Gers defence for both legs of their Europa League exit at the hands of Progres Niederkorn and then spent several weeks out of action through injury.

But the appointment of Murty as manager has given him a second chance this season. After playing his part against Aberdeen, Hibernian and Celtic, it is one he is determined to continue making the most of.

Bates said: “It was just good to get back in the team. I was out for about 10 weeks at the start of the season so it was hard for me to get back in and around the team.

“The gaffer has come in and brought a new lease of life to the squad, especially me.

“Getting back in and playing, I am just trying to do my best and make it hard for him to drop me.

“He tells me that he trusts me to go in and do a good job. It gives me a lot of confidence if he says that to me.”

With Bruno Alves still receiving treatment on the calf injury he sustained in the Old Firm stalemate and Fabio Cardoso now seemingly behind him in the pecking order, there is a chance for Bates to establish himself at Ibrox in the second half of the campaign.

The 21-year-old partnered Danny Wilson at the back when he replaced Alves early on against Celtic and produced arguably the finest performance of his career.

That pairing could well be kept together when Rangers return to competitive action against Fraserburgh this weekend and Bates is keen for the relationship to go from strength to strength.

He said: “I know Danny well. I get on with him really, really well. He talks me through a lot of things and he’s a good guy to speak to.

“You think he is a lot older than he is. He is only 26 but he has been around the game for a long time. He’s good experienced head to have in the team.

“He’s been there when he was younger. He can help me through it. He knows all the aspects of the club so it’s good.”