Hero keeper Neil ready for Rangers bench blow

Jul 20 2008 By Gavin Berry In Germany

NEIL ALEXANDER lived the dream last season in his stint as a super stand-in - now he's bracing himself for the nightmare scenario of playing second fiddle again.

From the high of starring in huge European nights for Rangers and lifting the Scottish Cup, the low of sitting on the subs' bench will soon be around the corner.

And the ex-Cardiff and Ipswich man insists he won't know how hard taking the comedown will be until the first competitive game in which he watches Allan McGregor in action from the dugout.

But nothing will take away the experience of last season for Alexander and despite interest from West Ham he will continue to battle for the No.1 jersey at Ibrox.

The 30-year-old, who only signed in January, couldn't have asked for a better six weeks to be thrust into action than the thrilling climax to last season as he stepped in for McGregor.

He was a penalty shoot-out hero in the Scottish Cup and UEFA Cup semi-finals but despite the role he played in the run-in it's unlikely to be enough to earn him the top billing with McGregor fit again.

Alexander said: "It will be tough but I don't think it'll sink in until I'm actually sitting on the bench watching Allan play.

"There will certainly be no hard feelings because I know he's the first-choice keeper.

"I was brought here to push him and create competition for the jersey so that is all I can do.

"I'll get up every morning and work hard in training to try and impress the manager then see what comes of it.

"I've just got to have faith in my own ability and believe I'm good enough to play.

"It's up to me to show what I can do and give the manager a headache and it's up to Allan to produce good performances

"It's frustrating when you're out of the team week after week and watching your first-team keeper put in great displays knowing that 'Ach, next week I've got no chance'.

"It was like Roy Carroll last season. He's a fantastic keeper and just wanted to play first-team football. When you get to a certain age that's all you want and it gets more and more frustrating and he left.

"But in my situation I'm just happy to be at Rangers. It's something I never thought I'd get to do in my career so I'm happy to be part of the squad.

"It was a big gamble to sign for Rangers. I'd played first-team football for the last seven years. To come here knowing I'd be number two was a huge risk.

"But I'm happy here. I'd like to stay as long as I can. Roy left and look what he missed out on. That's a twist of fate.

"Since coming here things have just fallen into my path that I'm grateful for. It's amazing.

"I believe in fate and that I was supposed to go to Rangers and I came in and did well in the biggest games of my career."

While Alexander realises he has a battle on his hands trying to replace McGregor at Ibrox he knows his chances of being handed the Scotland jersey again are even slimmer.

For while he feels Sunderland's Craig Gordon may lose his No.1 status this season he is tipping Gers team-mate McGregor to be the man to take over.

He said: "Craig is a fantastic keeper I've had the pleasure to work with but he's going to find it hard to keep his Scotland place this year.

"He'll have to be ultra-consistent because Allan's chasing him so close."