Hateley convinced Gers have the legs for final

FORMER Rangers striker Mark Hateley does not feel tiredness will scupper the club's UEFA Cup challenge.

Rangers take on Zenit St Petersburg tomorrow after playing their third league game in seven days on Saturday. In contrast, the Russian side had all their domestic games cancelled following their semi-final triumph over Bayern Munich on May 1.

But Hateley insisted Walter Smith's men finished the stronger side in those Clydesdale Bank Premier League games against Hibs, Motherwell and Dundee United, who they beat 3-1 at the weekend.

"A lot of things have been said about tiredness but I can't see it," Hateley said. "I thought the players played with a lot of enthusiasm and energy at the end of the game on Saturday. I think in the last three games, the last 20 minutes they have looked the stronger of the two teams, which goes down to great preparation by Adam (Owen), the sports scientist.

"It's a great credit to the department for turning out a team that can play 70 games a season.

"I don't think tiredness comes into it, especially for the UEFA Cup final."

Hateley, now a fans ambassador for the club, believes the importance of the occasion will further stamp out any signs of fatigue. The former England striker helped push Marseille all the way to the first Champions League final and knows how momentous an achievement the Gers' run to the final is.

The last of the club's three European finals came in 1972, when they beat Dynamo Moscow to clinch the European Cup Winners' Cup. The closest they came in the intervening years was with a team built up by Smith and former boss Graeme Souness.

So Hateley also appreciates how well Smith has done to take them all the way in his first full season back in charge.

"It's been 36 years since Rangers have been in a (European) final," he said. "We were one step away in 92/93.

"It's a great achievement for this group in their first season. No-one in their wildest dreams would have thought about a UEFA Cup final in Walter's short return.

"It's something to be embraced by everybody and enjoyed by everybody. It is there to be won, it is a one-off game. It's very exciting.

We had a great win at the weekend, there was lots of energy. Walter has got options with Lee McCulloch, DaMarcus Beasley coming back along with Charlie Adam, guys who started the campaign."