Rangers boss eager to get season off to flying start in bid to reclaim title

Giovanni van Bronckhorst stressed the importance of winning back the cinch Premiership title and wants Rangers to get off to a flying start against Livingston.

The Ibrox side reached the Europa League final last season and won the Scottish Cup but had the title wrenched back to Parkhead by Old Firm rivals Celtic.

The Light Blues have the chance to go into the Champions League this season and face the first leg of their third qualifying round clash with Union Saint Gilloise on Tuesday but the Gers boss is looking for a good start in the title race in West Lothian on Saturday lunchtime.

He said: “That is the most important competition we are in.

“Next year we want to be champions of Scotland again.

“We didn’t last year so we start all over again and we have to make sure we have a good start and that starts tomorrow against Livingston.

“We have prepared well, we are ready for the challenge we will face and it is very important we get a good start and get the first three points of the season tomorrow.”

After getting to the Europa League final last season where they were beaten on penalties by Eintracht Frankfurt, and with an encouraging European record in previous years, the Dutchman accepts there will be expectations of similar success.

He said: “The expectation is always high, when you are doing really well in the last four years, always involved in Europe after the break.

“Obviously reaching the final last year is a huge achievement so that will bring expectations as well but it is a new campaign, every game in Europe is quite hard, we just have to make sure we are ready for every game we play.

“The month of August is very important because we have the possibility to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League so