RANGERS head into yet another must-win encounter on Saturday against Hearts but, on the evidence of their performances this season, one burning question has to be asked of this current Ibrox bunch.

And it is this: Do they have the mental strength to win the title - or are they bottlers?

My answer? Celtic can only throw their crown away now. And if they do, it will be to the poorest Rangers side I have seen since the early Eighties.

The reason Gers lost the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final against Gordon Strachan's Hoops at Hampden is quite simple - they just don't have it.

For me, the vast majority of that team doesn't know what it is like to win crucial games - and they have proved it time and again this season.

Only Barry Ferguson and Nacho Novo remain from the 2005 title win and most of the Ibrox faithful believe both are past their sell-by date.

I excuse Kenny Miller, because he has been a league winner - but he was wearing Hoops at the time.

Before the match we heard all the usual bluster about winning the treble. After it, you couldn't even hear a whisper about a double from the Rangers fans because they had all bolted from the National Stadium to drown their sorrows.

Less than 24 hours after the defeat to Celtic you could read countless interviews on the official website and beyond, stating: "We have the heart, we can recover and we'll bounce back."

You need class and quality to bounce back from such an inept display and this group does not have it.

The fact that I am struggling to think of an outstanding Rangers player for the end-of-season awards tells you all you need to know about this team.

Evidence that they lack the bottle to go on and win the title is dotted right across the fixture list ... The Champions League defeat to Kaunus was an early warning of what would follow in the SPL. A win against Celtic at Parkhead had headlines and punters claiming Walter Smith's side was the real deal; weeks later they lost to St Mirren. Dundee United's midfield bossed them in two draws this season ... and that's with the apparent genius of Pedro Mendes who, for me, has faded from half-decent to invisible. In their own backyard in December, they had the chance to bury Celtic, but dropped three points. After getting back on top for just 11 days, Inverness at Ibrox was an embarrassment. Terry Butcher showed more energy trackside than the entire Rangers team as they huffed and puffed against an outfit then at the bottom of the league.

"Rangers stars on £100,000 a man to win the treble" was the headline that appeared in these pages last Friday. Don't book Dubai in the summer lads, the bonus won't even be in the account for the double.

I have tried to defend some individuals in the team, but I haven't found anyone wearing blue who can accept a guilty charge.

David Weir's only crime, like Neil Lennon's was for Celtic, is of growing old. The captain has lost the fans and I fear his days are numbered at Ibrox.

The rest are all up for sale and the chairman, Sir David Murray, might wish he had someone like Peter Lawwell working for him.

With the Celtic chief executive's record in transfer sales, he could be capable of getting a few million for Kris Boyd and that's saying something, because the number nine's stock is dropping week by week, on the park and off it.

Ten games to go and Rangers lie three points behind Celtic. Would you put your mortgage on Walter's boys landing the big prize?

Hearts might be tough on Saturday, but the real test for me comes when they go to places like Easter Road and, after the split, Tannadice and, possibly, Fir Park.

There is a genuine fear among Rangers fans that Celtic are going to make it four-in-a-row. If they do, there is a nightmare to contemplate in the summer.

As well as the mass exodus of mediocre players for very little money, there will be no guaranteed Champions League kitty, huge debt and no sugar daddy on the horizon.

I wonder how many fans thought they could witness two nine-in-a-rows and a possible 10-in-a-row ... Celts are a team of winners

IN contrast to Rangers, Celtic seem to have a defiant attitude that drives them to make critics eat their words at the end of every season.

There's a steely reserve in the team to win when all around suggest crisis.

That is the mark of true champions, and their resolve is reflected in guys like Scott Brown, Aiden McGeady and Gary Caldwell. Brown's first year at Celtic was forgettable, but his second has had moments of guts and desire, and he could win a player-of-the-year award.

McGeady looked to be heading for the exit but, after much soul-searching, he seems to have toed the line.

He could be a better player than he thinks and that's saying something.

The last of the musketeers, Caldwell, is not, I am assured, arrogant. I beg to differ, but whatever his make-up, he is helping this Celtic side to yet another championship.

Celtic will get four-in-a-row because they have more winners in their team. Heads up or tailspin

I TIPPED Inverness to go down at the start of the season and I will stand by that - but you could toss a coin for any one of five at the foot of the table.

I fear coins could be all they have left in the kitty in May if Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston's revelations are anything to go by.

The Rugby Park outfit is £9million in debt and relegation could put them out of existence. It's the doomsday scenario and I still believe there are more clubs following the banking world's lead by not fully revealing how close they are to folding.

This battle could come down to which team reacts better to their manager's strong character. John Hughes, Terry Butcher, Gus MacPherson, Jim Jefferies and Billy Reid will have to use every trick in the book to disguise fear and fate.

In my mind, this one is going right down to the last day with tears of despair and relief encapsulated at the end of 90 nail-biting minutes in May.

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