WALTER SMITH has a wonderful knack of installing a never-say-die attitude in his teams and that ability might just hold the key to a possible championship success this season.

Skipper Barry Ferguson is the sole survivor of the Rangers team Smith led to nine-in-a-row but, as a group, the current team seems to have the same mentality to keep going until the final whistle.

It was the same at Celtic under Martin O'Neill. His teams were famous for popping up with a late winner and that is now the case at Rangers. Crocked Kev a vital cog in the wheel KEVIN THOMSON will be a big miss to Rangers over the next four of five weeks after being ruled out of action with a groin injury.

You only have to look at the last couple of matches, against Gretna and Caley to realise how important he has become.

He has improved a great deal since he arrived this time last year and you'd now consider him to be one of Rangers' most important players.

In the holding role behind Barry Ferguson, he is great at breaking up attacks and has the pace and aggression to make challenges.

He is much maligned by some supporters, but he is one of those players whose contribution isn't recognised until he is no longer there.

With him missing it maybe puts more pressure on the manager to go out and get someone who can play in that role. It made sense to move for Christian Dailly, as he can play a variety of roles, including the one as a holding midfielder.

Certainly, you would agree it would make sense to try and land someone who has enough experience behind them to come in and do a job if called upon, as further injury problems could leave Rangers short in central midfield.

The back-to-back victories over Gretna and Caley Thistle were poor performances. Had it been last season, you can be sure points would have been dropped.

This season, there is a very different mentality around the place and the players just keep going and going.

It gets to the stage where you actually believe, even when there is just a minute or two still to play, that you'll get the winner.

As I watched the Caley Thistle game, it looked like Rangers were going to drop a couple of points. They were poor in the first-half, didn't really threaten the Caley goal and just didn't get going at all.

I've no doubts whatsoever backsides were kicked at the interval. That's the one thing you can take as read with Walter in charge - if any players are not pulling their weight, then they'll be told in no uncertain terms.

Things got slightly better after the break. Jean-Claude Darcheville was brought on at half-time in place of Steven Naismith and the Frenchman's enthusiasm rubbed off on the rest of the team.

Rangers were also able to introduce the likes of Nacho Novo, another guy you know will give you everything that he has and more, and towards the end Caley were having to do a fair bit of defending.

There was an element of luck about Darcheville's winner, but Rangers should have been ahead by that stage, anyway, after Charlie Adam had a perfectly good goal ruled offside when Daniel Cousin was clearly onside.

I've heard a lot of people saying Rangers always get the decisions from the men in black, but that call - and the decision not to award them a blatant penalty last week at Fir Park against Gretna - proves that isn't the case.

What Rangers must do now is try to keep things going. I'm sure supporters would be hoping to witness more convincing displays in the coming weeks, but if you have to win ugly that's the way it's got to be.

For the first time in years Rangers seem to be up for the fight and ready to push Celtic all the way for the championship.

When a team refuses to give up and is capable of scoring last-minute winners, then they won't be far away. Thumbs-up for Souness

I'D look no farther than Graeme Souness for Scotland manager if it's a post he is willing to accept.

There is no doubt he'd be using it as a stepping stone back into top-level management, but it would be great to have such a high-profile man in charge.

He would have the respect of the players, who will be fully aware of his reputation as a player and also as a manager.

If not Souness, I feel Tommy Burns would be ideal as well. He's another who knows the job inside out, having worked beside Berti Vogts and Walter Smith.

No disrespect to Mark McGhee, but he wouldn't have been on the radar but for his five months in charge of Motherwell, and George Burley is in a similar position.

The SFA should have decided on their No1 and offered him the job, and only moved on had he knocked them back. But they seem determined to talk with everyone. EAST STIRLING'S visit to Ibrox tomorrow is a perfect tie for Walter Smith to run the rule over his fringe players.

Many big names will be given a much-needed rest, and the likes of Alan Gow will be given a chance to show what he can do. There could also be a competitive debut for young John Fleck.

And why not give these guys an opportunity? There is only so much you can learn about a player when watching them in the reserves.