KENNY MILLER believes Rangers won't know how good they really are until the team are playing Premiership football.

The striker, who signed a new deal until 2017 this week, insisted his team could only truly describe themselves as being of a top tier standard when the are challenged on a weekly basis by the likes of Celtic, Aberdeen and Hearts and not before.

The job of Rangers manager Mark Warburton and that of his board is to ensure that when the club does win promotion out of the Championship, the squad is strong enough to cope with the step-up.

The general consensus is that the current side would be good enough to challenge most Premiership teams, but Miller was adamant that nothing can be said for certain while they play outside the top league.

Miller said: "When you’re not playing at that level week-in, week-out then you’ll never know what standard you are really at.

“The lads are enjoying their football and the league we’re in. Then we came up against St Johnstone in the League Cup and a lot of the same things still applied.

“We still had chances and we still had a lot of the ball but we were punished. People said it was a benchmark but I don’t agree.

“It was a disappointing result but it could have gone either way.

“Once we get back to the top flight that’s when we’ll know how far away we are.

“In my opinion this team could challenge, but only if we’re at that standard week-in, week-out. I definitely feel this team is moving in the right direction.

Miller was delighted to agree a new deal that would keep him at Rangers until he is 37. He will also assist Ian Durrant with coaching the development squad.

The striker is comfortably at the veteran stage and yet he has no immediate plans to stop playing.

Miller said: "It was always my plan to end my career here, so it was nice to sit down.

“It was a few months ago when we actually had the talk but there was nothing really to discuss. It just takes time to get sorted and I’m delighted it’s done.

“I wasn’t expecting it to happen so soon so I’m very grateful and appreciative.

“They’ve seen enough and they obviously feel I’m able to play my part moving forward.

“Whether you’re 35, or 25, or whether you’re just coming in as a youngster, you are always going to pick up niggles.

“But I feel great. I feel strong and I feel fit. You look at the boards when the results have been put up after training and they haven’t diminished at all.

“You take it year by year, and I’m sure a lot of the guys who played on were just like David Weir.

“I’ll be looking to take it year by year and if that means I can play on until I’m 40 then I’ll do that.”

Miller relishes his role as father of the dressing room, a job Warburton sees as vital given how young the Rangers squad is.

The former Scotland man said: " I thrive on the added responsibility and when you’re at my age you take it on even if you’re not actually given it.

“We are a young team, it’s a new team the manager is building here. I need to pass on the experiences I’ve had. And that’s not me saying, ‘when I played here.’

“It’s about making the younger lads realise just how big a club this is and what it means to so many people right across the world.

“If I can pass on these experiences then that’s great.”

And he had warm words for his boss and the way he is guiding the club to what they hope are better times.

Miller said: "The management team have been great, there has been no negativity at all.

“The manager and David have changed a lot, you can see the style of football he wants to play.

“Being behind-the-scenes I can tell you there is some real work going on in terms of moving the whole club forward.

“The same message the manager delivers to us each week also is played out through the youths and the whole backroom staff.

“He’s had a huge, positive impact on the club in such a short space of time. For the players the turnaround has been incredible, it’s been really impressive.

“We’ve got a real togetherness which is important.”