Duo will fire up Gers says Niz.

FORMER Rangers hero Scott Nisbet feels two men could prevent the Gers ending with a barren season.

Manager Walter Smith and his captain Richard Gough will be the men to send the Light Blues charging towards Tennets Scottish Cup success today according to Nizzie.

Nisbet - forced to quit through injury in 1993 - revealed Smith's pre-match talk will set the tone for a victorious day for the Rangers.

And the inspirational Gough will be there for the man-to-man motivation.

Nisbet, providing an insight into how Rangers will have prepared for today's crunch, couldn't help but still refer to Smith as gaffer.

Now 30 and involved in sports retailing, he said: "Walter's team talks are superb.

"He's so calm and puts his points across with little room for doubt.

"Then Goughie tends to step in and he goes through the team on a one-to-one basis.

"Believe me, we're then talking about one highly motivated team.

"This is such a massive game for Walter and the players such as Coisty, McCall and Goughie who leave in the summer.

Pranks

"No one at Ibrox wants to see Walter leave as manager on a downer.

"I spoke to the gaffer a couple of days ago at Ibrox.

I had to.

I wanted to wish him well because he's been so good to me.

"I'll be at Parkhead tomorrow - and I'm convinced my Hearts mates will be crying."

Rangers have been preparing in luxury at Dunkeld for their date with destiny - the game which could see them finish a season without a trophy for the first time since 1986.

And Nisbet reckons World Cup snubbed Ally McCoist and Ian Durrant will have been working overtime on the laughs front.

He said: "We're talking mega pranks at times like this.

I've seen it all before.

"Mind you, Walter will be hoping there's nothing like the one a few years ago involving David Hagan on the afternoon of a big European game.

"David, bored in his 14th floor room, started playing with matches - and set off the smoke alarm in his room and the hotel alarm!

"All hell broke loose as Walter and the lads evacuated their rooms.

"Firemen arrived but, of course, couldn't use the lifts - so they climbed up 14 floors.

"When they got there they kicked in David's door - and found him standing on his bed with a blanket trying to smother the smoke alarm!

Damaged

"No player can afford to keep his back turned when the likes of Coisty and Durrant are around.

"There will be the usual card schools, a bit of pitch 'n' putt or snooker.

"Walter will have given the players some serious training on day one at the hotel, then followed this with two days of light work."

Nisbet reckons Scotland boss Craig Brown has severely damaged Hearts' chances of winning - by ignoring McCoist and Stuart McCall for France.

He said: "That Tosh McKinlay and Darren Jackson are in ahead of Coisty and McCall is unbelievable.

"Having spoken to one or two of the lads, I know that hasn't gone down too well at Ibrox.

"It was such a big ambition of Coisty to finish off as a Ranger by appearing at the World Cup.

"That will fire Rangers up even more.

"And there are a lot of people who feel they are there for the taking - but that suits them perfectly.

"Rangers are never more dangerous in that situation.

"So many owe so much to the gaffer - and they won't let him down."