WINNING cannot just be an ambition at Rangers. It must be a way of life for a manager and a player in the same way that it is for each supporter.
Alex McLeish knows that as well as anyone and no true Ranger has failed to grasp the requirement for success and silverware at the end of every season.
When the times are good, there is no better place to be. When they are bad, it can be a lonely and difficult existence at Ibrox.
The days after the Europa League final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt would have tested Giovanni van Bronckhorst mentality and asked questions of his players physically.
At Hampden on Saturday, the respective questions were answered. As the Scottish Cup was lifted - courtesy of victory over Hearts - Rangers ended the season with a triumph that was non-negotiable.
Cup glory had evaded Rangers for 13 years. Just like winning title 55 or reaching a European final, their crowning moment offered optimism of what may lie ahead.
“At Rangers it’s so important that you win trophies," McLeish, who claimed seven major honours during his tenure at Ibrox, said in the aftermath of the 2-0 win. “I was speaking to people last Saturday morning over breakfast and we were saying ‘what if Rangers don’t win anything this season?’
“I was positive going into the game and I thought Rangers thoroughly deserved to win.
“People can’t criticise Hearts though because they have had a great season themselves under Robbie Neilson.
“He has proved what an astute manager he is by getting them to third, into Europe and reaching the Cup final.
“I remember in 1982 at Aberdeen we came to Hampden and beat Rangers 4-1 after extra-time.
“It felt that the game got us over a hurdle of being able to come to Glasgow and win against the Old Firm.
“That one game and winning something changed the mentality and it helped.
“It’s the same with Rangers, they hadn’t won the Scottish Cup in a long time and now that’s gone after Saturday. They will be bursting to get that winning feeling again.
“You get the adulation from the fans and everyone loves you and you want more of that. That’s the things that keeps you going as players.”
Goals from Ryan Jack and Scott Wright won it in extra-time for Rangers but the medals should have been hanging around their necks by the time those quickfire strikes hit the Hearts net.
A series of chances were spurned by Van Bronckhorst's side but they refused to let the occasion or the circumstances get to them at Hampden.
It would have been easy for a European hangover to drown them in despair. Instead, Rangers showed their character and their quality to emerge stronger from the trials and tribulations once again.
McLeish said: “Hearts made it difficult in the first half but the best team won in the end.
“Rangers had to show such resilience to lift themselves after the Europa League final and going again just a few days later in another final.
“Losing the penalty shootout in Seville was horrendous for them and everyone wondered would they have the stamina to go again.
“But they certainly did that on Saturday. It’s not the first time they have done it though.
“It was the same in the week of the Scottish Cup semi-final when they won in extra-time against Celtic just days after playing 120 minutes against Braga in the Europa League quarter-final.
“They have shown a fantastic mentality and character to do what they have.
“There were some superb performances at the weekend and some cracking goals to win it again."
If Seville was a case of what might have been, Hampden was one of Rangers getting the rewards that they were due for their efforts.
Failure to overcome Robbie Neilson's side and land the silverware would have put a very different slant on the season and asked pertinent questions about Van Bronckhorst and his squad heading into the summer.
Some wheeling and dealing in the transfer market will alter the make-up of the group in terms of players and personalities. The spirit of the side cannot be lost if Rangers are to build on their cup success.
“To go out at Hampden days after a final defeat is a hard thing to do," McLeish said.
“I remember being at Aberdeen in 1986 and we played Hearts in the Scottish Cup final.
“It was a week after they had lost to Dundee at Dens Park which meant they lost the league to Celtic on the final day of the season.
“People wondered how they would respond and I remember standing in the tunnel and I looked across at some of their players and a few heads seemed down.
“We went onto the park and we won 3-0 that day and it was tough for Hearts.
“It could have been the same for Rangers after Seville but they came back from a tremendously tough night in Europe but they lifted themselves to triumph.
“You have to congratulate the players and Gio and his staff.”
