Award-winner Danny Wilson grateful for guidance from Weir

DANNY Wilson paid tribute to veteran Rangers captain David Weir after being voted Co-operative Insurance Cup Young Player of the Round for his performance in last month's semi-final against St Johnstone.

Wilson, 18, is currently preparing for his first senior cup final, with Sunday's Hampden showpiece against St Mirren closing fast. The youngster will once again start alongside Weir, who is 21 years Wilson's senior.

"Playing with Davie Weir has been fantastic for me," he said. "He has been at the top for so many years now and is a quality player. When you see what he has achieved in the game and the way he carries himself on and off the pitch, he is definitely someone I look up to a lot. In training, he always tries to help me and talk me through different situations and I know I am lucky to be learning from someone like him."

Wilson's first-team debut came in the League Cup fourth-round win at Dundee, and he has gone on to play in the Champions League, SPL and Scottish Cup.

"It is fantastic to be part of the first-team squad," he added. "I am training and playing with top players every day and my game will only benefit as a result. David Weir and Madjid Bougherra are great defenders and I am fortunate to be learning from them. It has been a good season for me and I have played in the Champions League and in an Old Firm derby so I am really happy with that."

Meanwhile, Sasa Papac insists Rangers have no fears over the hectic run of games that could make or break their treble dream. Sunday's Co-operative Insurance Cup final is the first of what will be at least eight fixtures in the next 29 days for Walter Smith's men, who will have to play every weekend and midweek up until April 18 if they are to continue to compete on three fronts.

Next Wednesday's Scottish Cup quarter-final replay will determine whether Rangers have a ninth game to play in that period. With a small squad from which to choose, the next month could stretch the Ibrox club's resources to the absolute limit. But rather than fret over such a schedule, left-back Papac has shrugged it off.

"We've had a lot of games this season, really, and we don't have a big squad," the 30-year-old said. "But we are ready for this and it doesn't matter when the games are – in two or three days, or seven days." Rangers have not helped themselves on that front by being taken to replays in every round of the Scottish Cup so far.

The latest was arguably the most frustrating of all, with Papac and his team-mates throwing away a 3-1 lead against United. The collapse prompted a severe dressing-room dressing down from irate manager Walter Smith, something Bosnian star Papac actually welcomed.

"Especially at Ibrox, three goals against us is too much," he said. "If you are 3-1 up after 60 minutes, you must win this game. I think we have been a little bit lazy this season in the cup."

Indeed, Papac claims Rangers' attitude towards the competition has been poor compared to how they have approached the SPL, which they lead by 13 points.

"Maybe we play better if we have more pressure, like in the SPL," he said. "Maybe in the cup, we don't play 100 per cent sometimes and this is a problem, I think."