Rangers handed huge boost for seismic Hearts clash as fans dine with players and starlet's decision hailed

Left-back Rommens and striker Naderi, who joined during the winter transfer window, have enhanced Rangers during the second half of the season as they push for the championship crown. However, both are nursing muscle injuries and missed out on the club’s last match, a 6-3 win over Falkirk.

And while the game against Motherwell comes too early for the pair this weekend, head coach Danny Rohl has revealed that they could make the trip to Tynecastle to face Hearts on May 4.

“For the weekend they are not available,” Rohl said, “but I must really say it looks very positive for the next four games after. Tuur looks great, this is now day-by-day, just about the timing now when he can start to train with the team, but he is in a good process.

“I am more surprised with Ryan, that he looks really well at the minute and it gives me also a positive feeling. I don't know now exactly when he is back, but it looks like at the minute that he is sooner back than we expected.”

Asked if Naderi could play again this season after fears his campaign could be over, Rohl replied: “It's the hope, but you never know with this injury, but the hope is bigger than ten days ago.”

How Rangers got on at summer training camp

Rangers have not played in a fortnight and spend part of the break on a warm-weather training camp in Spain. Rohl believes going away was of huge benefit to his squad - and revealed that they even spent some time having dinner with supporters.

“It was a good mix between hard-working on the pitch, good togetherness off the pitch as well,” explained Rohl. “I think there was a strong and good atmosphere in this last couple of days, I think everyone felt it. It was nice to have some fans around us in the camp, we invited them for dinner, I think it was fantastic to get all of them. All in all, it was nice to be there for five days.

“But we are back now here, we worked the last three days really hard, now we have two more days for preparing the game. I think everyone wants to play in our games, we want to play, we come from the international break, again a break, again a break. Now we want to go forward, we want to win games, we want to perform. On Sunday, it starts.”

Rohl was also pleased to see academy defender Ashton Scally commit his long-term future to Rangers despite interest from English Premier League sides. The 16-year-old agreed his professional contract earlier in the week and Rohl wants to find a pathway for youngsters into the first team.

“We worked really hard to keep him here,” said Rohl. “I think he had a lot of interest from a lot of big clubs. For me it was important to see him when I arrived very early in October. He played a friendly game with us and then I saw his potential and he was, in February, I think a little bit injured, but since then he is involved.

“I think last week was good for him, we have a schedule with the young players, they are always involved in two or three sessions during the week with the first team, I think this is crucial. We want to have this, we want to bring academy players to the first team, I think this is also part of my job, to develop young players.

“We want to develop them, we want to give them opportunities. He showed in the last couple of weeks that he is ready, even though he is now 16, this is a good thing. I think we spoke earlier this year about giving him the opportunity to play in the cup, it was not possible, but he is in a good way.

“I think the next three weeks, also for him, it is important to get more and more experience with the first team group. And then for the pre-season, I think we have also been clear with the high-potential young players to involve them in the pre-season and give them more minutes, this is helpful.”

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