Miller slips comfortably back into life at Rangers

Published on Wednesday 2 July 2008 23:26

RANGERS striker Kenny Miller claims it has been "so easy" to return to Ibrox for the second time in his career.

The Scotland international played under Dick Advocaat during the 2000/01 season before moving to Wolves. A spell at Celtic followed before Walter Smith snapped the 28-year-old up from Derby County at the end of the season in a controversial move which has found favour with few Rangers supporters.

After joining up with his Ibrox team-mates at the club's Murray Park training complex earlier in the week, Miller insists his second spell as a Rangers player has begun smoothly.

"It's been so easy to come back," he told Rangers World. "I've not had any nerves at all.

"Obviously when you move to a new club and you don't know anybody then it's a different ball game. There is a settling-in period but it's not been like that here.

"I know the majority of the lads, from playing against them and playing with them with the national team. And there are still some people here from my first time around.

"I know all the coaches and the management, so it's been easy to come straight in."

Coincidentally, Miller could make his Rangers debut against Kaunas for the second time if the Lithuanian club get past Andorra's Santa Coloma in their first Champions League qualifier.

Rangers play the winners of that tie in the second round of qualifying, the first leg at Ibrox at the end of July being their first competitive game of the season.

Miller came on as substitute against Kaunas in a Champions League qualifier in 2000, a 4-1 home win helping ease them into the next round.

The former Celtic striker's memory of his Rangers debut is sketchy but he is keen to sample more Champions League football. "I know we got through comfortably in the end against Kaunas so I hope it will be the same result again," he said.

"I was fortunate enough to sample a few Champions League nights when I was here the first time around and they were special nights and obviously I got a goal in the Monaco game.

"But it's going to be tough, it always is tough because of what is at stake but we are confident that we can make it."

Meanwhile, Rangers manager Smith expects his two veteran defenders David Weir and Christian Dailly to sign new deals when they return for pre-season training.

Weir, 38, and Dailly, 34, were allowed an extended summer break after an arduous season.

Smith expects both to complete talks on new contracts when they return to Murray Park to join the rest of the squad for pre-season training.

"We haven't had a chance to sit down and do things properly yet so Davie Weir and Christian Dailly will get that chance next week when they return to training," said Smith.

The manager also revealed that talks are ongoing with Fulham as he tries to secure the signing of Northern Ireland midfielder Steven Davis, who was on loan at Ibrox last term.