New Rangers boss Stuart McCall stands by his players

The Light Blues’ promotion prospects have come under serious threat in recent weeks, and many critics have pointed to a lack of sharpness as one of the reasons for their slump.

New manager McCall concedes certain players might lack an edge due to a lack of regular first-team football.

But with Alloa visiting Ibrox tonight, he is adamant his men are fit enough to get Rangers into the Premiership play-offs at the end of the season.

The Ibrox side have won just three times in 2015 and are without a victory in four games after draws with Falkirk, Cowdenbeath, Queen of the South and Livingston. McCall, who replaced Kenny McDowall last week, said: “I’m not one of these managers who goes into a club and says they’re not fit enough and we need to improve their fitness.

“There are certain things we might lack in the squad, as in loads of legs or loads of pace, but I’m not going to start saying I’ve inherited an unfit squad because that’s not the case.

“Fitness comes with a lot of things. It can be confidence. If you’re playing with a spring in your step you get to the ball quicker. If you’re on top of things you look a bit brighter.

“Winning games and playing well will restore it, but that is easier said than done and we’ve got a few short-term goals.

“We’ve got to get a win on the board. We’ve got to try to go out and be as positive as we can against Alloa. We need to get into the play-off positions – which we’re in at the moment – and stay there. 

“We’ve got to go into them with momentum, with some wins and confidence behind us.

“If you get into the play-offs you’re then playing cup football and anything can happen there.”

The Light Blues will be without Haris Vuckic against Alloa after he was hurt at the weekend, and he joins Sebastien Faure on the sidelines, although goalkeeper Cammy Bell returns.

McCall is disappointed Vuckic, misses out, but the other four Newcastle players who arrived on loan appear no closer to competitive action.

“Kevin Mbabu has now played a couple of under-20 games, but talking match fitness and how much football he’s had in the last couple of years is different,” said McCall.

“I’ve met Remie Streete for the first time. He’s had an ear infection. He played in the first game for Rangers, did his groin and then he pulled his thigh in training.

“Again, there’s a common theme of little muscle injury tears, so what I was told was don’t put your bottom dollar on him being available.

“At the minute he’s two to three weeks away from being fit to return. If they’re fit and they get to a standard then great, but you’ve got to be careful.

“You’ve got to listen to your physios and the medical team. At the moment I would say they’re well away from being available.”