Rangers Vs Dundee Utd - Official Matchday Thread

David Healy is relishing his position as the club's senior striker after the loss of Nikica Jelavic left the Ulsterman as the main man up front.

With his international colleague Kyle Lafferty, and youngster Kane Hemmings both sidelinedby injury, Ally McCoist has supported Healy with wide men in recent outings.

But the 32-year-old is looking forward to shouldering the responsibility for goals in the coming weeks.

He said: "I've waited a long time to get my chance. It's going to be difficult, but I'm confident in my ability, if I hadn't been I probably wouldn't have signed here in the summer.

"I could have taken an easier option and gone somewhere else but I wanted to be part of this club. I enjoyed being here last year and hopefully that can continue.



"The challenge has always been there for me. I think I've started the last four or five games and responded with three goals and I've waited for this for a long time.

"With Jela leaving I'm sure the club would have liked to have added to the squad but we didn't and that's life.

"No one player leaving this football club is going to change anything. Big players have left before and big players have come in and the football club will always be here.

"I wouldn't say I'm the only striker. There are guys here like Sone Aluko and Mervan who has just come in that can play up front.

"Kyle Lafferty is obviously still on the treatment table but hopefully in the next few weeks he'll be back."

Healy also insists that the loss of Jelavic won't affect the players that remain in Ally McCoist's squad and says the boss shares his optimism for the months ahead.

He added: "People talk about the off field problems but it didn't affect us last year when we went on to win two trophies. It just means we have to do what we did last year.

"We had a meeting with the manager after the deadline had passed and we know what we have and what we'll go with.

"He believes, and the lads in the dressing room believe, we have enough to challenge Celtic for the trophies.

"They are on fire now and have won a lot of games and set challenges that hopefully we will stand up to."