Fringe players at Ibrox will be given their chance to shine in Hamburg friendly

RANGERS will give some of their fringe players a chance to claim a place in the first-team squad when they visit Hamburg for tonight’s friendly. The champions are looking for a reaction to their 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock on Sunday, and hope that increased competition for a place in the side can help compensate for the absence of Steven Naismith.

“It’s a good opportunity to give some guys a game, and great experience for the younger ones,” assistant manager Kenny McDowall said yesterday. “We don’t have Europe, so it’ll be a good experience. It’s good to get a game so quickly because [the loss at Rugby Park] was disappointing.”

McDowall insisted that Rangers were not about to push the panic button just because they had lost in the league for the first time this season, but he added that the oppprtunity was there for someone to help fill the void caused by the cruciate injury which has ruled Naismith out until the summer of 2012.

“Any team would miss Steven Naismith with the form he was in. Any manager. Of course we’ve got to fill that void, but we’ve got good players in the squad and it’s an opportunity for someone.

“It’s difficult to get in the team when we’re winning and you’ve got to be ready to take your chance. That’s what happens: you get injuries all the time and it’s an opportunity for someone to step in.

“Steven is injured and we’ve just got to get on with it. He’s a big loss to us, obviously, but someone else has to do the job.

“You’re certainly looking for the fringe players to come in and stake a claim that they want to stay in. That goes without saying and Sunday wasn’t a great performance from us,” McDowall went on.

“Sunday was a chance and the team didn’t play well enough. There will be a few who have a chance against Hamburg. We’d like to give some of the younger guys play time – experience more than anything. It’s that type of game where we can do that.” Rangers, who are flying out and back today for the match against the Bundesliga side, will leave behind several injured players. Kyle Lafferty, Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandrio Bedoya are among those who seem certain to be rested, though all three should be fit for Saturday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League match against Dunfermline at Ibrox.

The two Indians who are currently on trial at Murray Park, Sunil Chhettri and Jeje Lalpekhlua, will not travel to Germany, having been unable to get visas organised for the trip. Jamie Ness remains on the injured list.