I am not going to say that Rangers are definitely going to win the Premiership title this season. But I will say that I am more optimistic heading into the new campaign.

You shouldn’t hear the players coming out and saying they are going to do this or that. They need to do their talking on the pitch and that was always the Rangers way.

These days, in the world of social media, players sometimes feel they can appease the fans by saying certain things. They set themselves up and let themselves down.

I am sure Steven Gerrard will remind his players to keep it all in house but they must know themselves they have a good opportunity and they will fancy their chances of some silverware.

If they are going to do that, they need to be far more consistent than they were last term and it is crucial they get off to a good start this weekend at Kilmarnock.

Think back 12 months. Rangers should have won at Pittodrie and they should have won at Fir Park, but before they knew it they had thrown away four points needlessly.

If Rangers are to do anything this season, they have to be more consistent and they have to prove that they can win games when they are not at their best. That is how you win titles and win cups.

Rangers can play some great stuff but there are times, like against Thursday, when they dropped a level. It didn’t cost them and they got through against Progres.

The saying about winning ugly is an old one but it is so true when it comes to challenging for titles and winning leagues. No matter how badly you play, you still need the three points. If Rangers can do that this season, then they will give themselves a chance of winning the Premiership but, going into the first weekend, it is no surprise that Celtic are still the favourites.

The first few weeks of the season are really important for Steven and the players and it is a real test for them going down to Rugby Park on Sunday afternoon.

I have heard people saying Kilmarnock should be an easier opposition because of the pressure Angelo Alessio is under after the European defeat. But, when Rangers come calling, they will be right at it, don’t you worry about that.

It is always a hard place to go for Rangers so this is a massive start for them and it would be great if they can go down there, play well and win the game.

I always use the great Jock Wallace saying about Rangers players having to win the battle. If you win the battle, Rangers should win the war.

Teams always fight against us and if you are not prepared to stand up to that they you won’t be in a position to challenge for silverware come the end of the campaign. If you aren’t up for that, you shouldn’t be at the club.

I am sure Kilmarnock would be pleased to get their season off and running with a goalless draw on but that is no use for us and we can’t afford to be dropping points early.

The attitude is so important this weekend and it will need to be spot on throughout the season if we are going to achieve anything. The players that were there last term know what it is all about now and the new signings have to get up to speed as quickly as possible.

All that matters is that Rangers go out and win the game. Nobody is looking for them to be world beaters at this stage of the season, just to win matches and start building some momentum in the Premiership and then we will see where it takes us.