Jelavic keen for Miller time to be extended at Rangers

Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic hopes in-form team-mate Kenny Miller commits his long-term future to the club.

Miller, who has ten goals for the season after bagging a double in the Light Blues' 3-2 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win at Aberdeen yesterday, is in the final year of his contract with the Scottish champions.

And Jelavic, who scored the winner against the Dons, is keen for a deal to be reached to keep his strike partner at Ibrox.

The Croatian said: "It's nice to play with Kenny as he is scoring in every match at the moment. I hope that he stays at the club as do all of the other players here.

"It is important for a striker to have confidence and the belief that you will not miss a chance when one comes your way. Kenny has that confidence at the moment and he is an important player for us when he is in this form."

Jelavic is confident the team will cope without him in the Champions League against Bursaspor on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old, ineligible for Europe's elite club competition because former side Rapid Vienna qualified for the Europa League group stage, admits it will be hard to watch from the sidelines in midweek but has confidence in his team-mates.

He said: "It is obviously disappointing that I won't be involved against Bursaspor but I know that the team can win without me on Wednesday."

"It will be difficult but all I can do is support them. It doesn't matter if we are missing one or two players because we have others who are ready to step in."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen midfielder Derek Young accepts his team must eradicate the costly individual errors that contributed to them throwing away a two-goal lead over the Gers.

Young said: "It is frustrating as we put a lot into that game. We started really well and after going two ahead we should have kept it tight. I don't know how many times we have said it but silly mistakes have cost us yet again. We aren't making teams work for their goals at all. We went from being 2-0 up to completely blowing it."

The Dons have now gone four SPL games without a win but Young is refusing to panic.

He added: "We have a tough game up at Inverness next week against another of our rivals. We need to go up there and get the three points. We just need to take this result on the chin."