Lee Wallace’s comments on Kenny Miller’s future speak volumes about Rangers

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The 37-year-old striker is out of contract at the end of the season but looks certain to remain with Rangers.

Rangers captain Lee Wallace has told the Daily Record that Kenny Miller can lead Rangers back into the Champions League by example – but what does that say about the rest of Mark Warburton’s squad?

The veteran striker saved the club from a Scottish Cup exit with a classic double against Motherwell on Saturday and, despite winding down his career at the age of 37, remains an integral part of Warburton’s first-team plans.

In fact, there is an argument to be made that Miller has been the most impressive player in Rangers’ royal blue this season, outperforming a number of marquee summer signings and his youthful yet often under-performing teammates.

And Wallace believes Rangers need to ensure that Miller, who is out of contract at the end of the season, remains at Ibrox if they are to reach Europe’s premiere club competition for the first time since 2010/11.

“We need to feed off his ambition and desire day in, day out to be the best we can, to get successes back to this club and get the fans coming back here on Tuesday nights and listening to the Champions League music,” the full-back told the Daily Record.

“It is hugely important we keep him. It would be easy to say it’s the old pals’ act and trying to get the message out there we need to keep him – but those are my strong feelings. We’re going to do better as a club if Kenny Miller stays here.”

While such comments are an indicator of Miller’s evergreen talents, they also highlight the alarming deficiencies within the current squad.

The fact that an ageing striker who made his debut for the club all the way back in the year 2000 remains an almost indispensable member of the first-team merely hints at sub-par recruitment and an inability to plan ahead.

Since Warburton took over in 2015, Joe Garner, Joe Dodoo and Martyn Waghorn all arrived at Ibrox yet none of the aforementioned trio can match Miller for consistency or goal-scoring ability.