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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Andy Walker tears into Rangers 'strongest squad' hype as he decodes Gio van Bronckhorst message to the board

Bullish Andy Walker has ripped apart claims that this is the strongest Rangers squad in years - as he backed Hearts to derail their title bid on Saturday.

Gio van Bronckhorst will look to lead his side to the top of the Scottish Premiership with victory at Tynecastle ahead of Celtic's clash with Motherwell later in the day. The Dutchman will hope a vital three points kickstarts an upturn in form after some lacklustre showings so far this term, but Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has told his players he expects them to leapfrog the visitors with a win in Gorgie.

Walker has backed the Jambos to pull off a shock in the capital and deal a major blow to the title hopes of the ibrox side. He reckons that Rangers have a number of "frailties" and shut down claims from Van Bronckhorst that the squad was better than last term, with vice-chairman John Bennett also claiming this was the strongest squad in his time at the club.

The former Celtic star turned pundit picked apart the claim and reckons the likes of Leon King and Charlie McCann starting against Dundee United shows Van Bronckhorst isn't happy with his side. Walker told The Go Radio Football Show: "I am going to be bold. I think Hearts will beat Rangers.

"I think they have got the players. I was at Ibrox recently and I saw Rangers win against Dundee United, but there were frailties there.

"You wonder about the make up of the starting eleven. I am all for giving young lads a chance, like Charlie McCann and Leon King, (but) it's not Rangers at their strongest.

"It was interesting listening to Giovanni van Bronckhorst and others saying it's the strongest squad that he has had there. I think they have had a stronger squad, certainly in Steven Gerrard 's time.

"I think they have had players playing at a higher level, like Ryan Kent and (Alfredo) Morelos. Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey were huge players for Rangers.

"It will be interesting to see how they get on at such a difficult venue. They don't have a natural starting XI.

"You do wonder if (James) Sands will play at the back. Will King play, will Ben Davies or (Ridvan) Yilmaz? How long does it take for them to get fit and practice time at the training ground?

"These guys have come in for a lot of money and yet he goes to Leon King and Charlie McCann. He puts them in front of people who have cost a lot of money.

"He sees them in training every day as he keeps saying, so you just wonder if he is trying to send a message that these younger players have got a better attitude, and might cope better than these players who have cost a lot of money."

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