Rangers midfielder worried injuries will cost club League title
Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch says he is worried that the Scottish Premier League champions' mounting injury problems will come back to haunt them and lead to them failing in the defence of their title.
Manager Walter Smith has been forced to contend with a spate of injuries which have robbed him of the likes of Nikica Jelavic, Maurice Edu, Sasa Papac and Kyle Lafferty. As a result, he was only able to name six of a possible seven substitutes for the UEFA
Champions League defeat at Ibrox to Manchester United on Wednesday 24 November.
Rangers are heavily in debt and are unlikely to be able to shell out for any new players when the transfer window reopens for business in January, much to Smith's dismay as he prepares his side to enter the UEFA Europa League.
However, McCulloch thinks the lack of strength in depth may prove to be a crucial factor in the domestic arena, and claims that Rangers will struggle to retain the SPL title with their current squad as he feels the youngsters are not yet ready to play every
week.
He told reporters: "I have to agree with the gaffer when he says he needs new players in the January transfer window. For a squad as small as ours to go through so many games in a season is a big ask for all the young boys. Kyle Hutton came in against Manchester
United and was fantastic but to put five or six young boys in at a time could be difficult, even for a club such as Rangers. Going into the Europa League will add to the number of games we have to play.
“I look after myself off the pitch and everyone will have to do that. You might be tired but you have to deal with it. That has to be our mentality, just go out and give your all while trying to win every game. Some of the boys felt a bit leggy going into
the game against Manchester United but we used the atmosphere to give us energy. The supporters play their part in getting us through."
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