• The 'noise' of Scott Brown returning to Ibrox
  • Conversations with Philippe Clement over his Rangers role
  • Rising to the challenge after Ross McCausland's emerged

Scott Wright has spoken to the media ahead of the Scottish Cup tie with Ayr United. Here is everything he had to say.

Are you looking forward to this cup tie?

Yeah, positive. We have got a bit of momentum now within the club and every game we are looking forward to.

How determined are you to win this trophy as well?

When we speak at the start of the season we want to try and win every competition that we are involved in. We still have the chance to do that. It is no different for us, we go into the game looking to win and get into the next round.

You must have happy memories of this competition?

Yeah, absolutely. It is in the past now so it is a case of looking forward and trying to create new memories for myself and the team. Hopefully we can do that at the weekend.

Ayr are now managed by Scott Brown…

Yeah, the outside noise is that that is going to add something to the game. For us, all we can do is focus on ourselves and go into the game with a positive mindset and try and do what we want to do.

Could that add to the atmosphere?

As you say, sometimes that can add to it. I think the boss has touched on the synergy between the team and the fans just now, it is in a really good place. You saw that from the game in midweek. Our fans will be right up for the game as well, they know how important it is for us to have them behind us to kick on.

How are you viewing the season for you given that you almost left the club?

That is football, it is so up and down, as I am sure all of you will know. All I can do is stay focused and give 100 per cent wherever I am. There was talk of me leaving but that is well in the past now. I love it here, it is a great bunch of boys and I am really enjoying working under the new manager.

Has the manager spoken to you about your progression?

Yes and no when he came in. The transfer window has just shut and there was no part on either of our sides of me looking to go. As I said, I love it here. It is a great bunch of boys to be playing with and a great club to be at.

Does it add extra pressure to perform facing a lower league side?

Yeah, there is always pressure when you play at this club. Every game you need to win. The game at the weekend will be no different. All we can do is go with a positive mindset and make sure that we do our part.

The confidence is there going into the game?

We just want to keep taking the right steps, which you can see that we are doing just now. The building blocks are in place and it is a case of trying to move one step at a time now.

What has changed since struggling under the former manager?

A few little bits tactically. The manager has come in and it was tough to start with, as he said, because he couldn’t do much with us on the training pitch because there was a game every two or three days. The break in La Manga has been great for us, he has been able to implement more of his ideas and a bit of his style and you can see that on the pitch the things he wanted to change. It is a case of us trying to put the building blocks in place that he has put in and take it step by step in the right direction.

Was that training camp important for preparations?

It was absolutely critical for us, to be honest. As I touched on there, it was so difficult for him to get his ideas across to us in the two or three days that he had with us on the training pitch. That camp was good for us because we could work on those things and had time to try and implement them.

Are you clear about how you can tackle given the decisions we have seen across the board?

Yeah. It is frustrating for us to lose a player of Dujon’s quality. It gives an opportunity for someone else to come in and try and get a place in the team and take that opportunity. VAR can highlight some of the good and bad that can be in our game. It is frustrating for us to lose a player of Dujon’s quality.

Do you require a bit more clarity on what is acceptable going into a challenge?

That is on the referee’s decision. We can’t think too much about it. All we can do is get on with the result that he has made. If that goes to VAR and he decides to overturn it or not then all we can do is be reactive to what the referee is going to give.

What have you made of Ross McCausland’s contribution?

I think Ross has been absolutely fantastic. You can see that is what the manager has been trying to build within every position in the team, if someone gets injured or someone has a drop in form and a player comes in, he wants them to try and hit the ground running. Ross has done that and has made the position his own. He has been brilliant and he has got a few goals and assists as well, which is great for him. He is going from confidence to confidence.

What is that like when a player comes from the academy and is chasing your shirt?

It is great, it is no different if it is an academy player coming through or if it is somebody that we have signed. At a club like this, there is always going to be competition and Ross is a fantastic player, as you can see with the performances that he has been putting in. Competition is welcomed wherever, whether that is a signing or an academy player. It is so important at a club like this that there is competition, if someone gets injured. The best performance from us is when everyone is playing well and that will be the best result for Rangers.

Does that make you more determined when players come in?

You can make of it what you want. If you see someone coming in and doing well and you throw your toys out the pram, or you work harder in training to get that spot back or dovetail between the two. The best performances for us will be if everyone is performing at their highest level and that is the best for Rangers.