FORMER Rangers striker John MacDonald insists the Ibrox players cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves after Tuesday night's shock Champions League exit at the hands of FBK Kaunas.
Despite an unconvincing start to the second leg of their second-round qualifier in Lithuania, midfielder Kevin Thomson scored the opener to put the Light Blues into what seemed like a comfortable enough 1-0 aggregate position.
However, Nerijus Rad
zius levelled for the hosts just before the interval and as Walter Smith's side collapsed during a nervy second half, Linas Pilibaitis snatched the winner for the unfancied home side with only three minutes to go.
Rangers begin their Clydesdale Bank Premier League campaign against Falkirk on Saturday and MacDonald, who played for the Govan club in the 1980s, believes the players have to quickly shrug off the calamity in Kaunas if they are to prevent Celtic motoring to their fourth title in succession.
"At the end of last season I would have said Rangers would have won the league this season, but last night's result was a disaster," MacDonald said.
"You want to be optimistic but we have to see how we go now.
"It's not an easy start in the league with three games away from home out of the first four.
"Rangers go to Aberdeen, where they lost the league on the last day of last season and there is Celtic at Parkhead while Hearts at home will also be difficult.
But most importantly of all, it's Falkirk on Saturday.
"You don't want Celtic to get into a run early on and pull away.
"So the players need to pick themselves up, get themselves sorted out and get off to a winning start.
"There is a long season ahead and they will realise how much they miss European football as the season unfolds.
"But unless they can do well in the league then that result against Kaunas won't be forgotten."
MacDonald believes the players may still be paying for last season's efforts.
The CIS Insurance Cup and Scottish Cup are in the Ibrox trophy room but the season ended in overall disappointment with a UEFA Cup final defeat to Zenit St Petersburg and the loss of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title to Celtic.
MacDonald said: "Some of the players might be mentally tired as much as physically tired because they didn't get much of a pre-season break but they have to get over it.
"The fans don't see it like that, they want to win every game."
Match report: Kaunas 2-1 RangersThe full article contains 438 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
