Watch Rangers vs Aberdeen live on Sky Sports Football on Sunday from 2.30pm; Kick-off at 3pm
Friday 26 April 2019 21:31, UK
Ryan Jack says Rangers have everything "to kick on next season and have a real go" after falling short of mounting a sustained title challenge to thwart Celtic's Scottish Premiership dominance.
The 27-year-old has been a mainstay of Steven Gerrard this season and was the hero of Ibrox in December as his goal in a 1-0 victory against Celtic saw Rangers move level with their Glasgow rivals at the top of the table.
Everything is there to kick on next season and have a real go.
Rangers trail Celtic, who are chasing a third successive domestic treble, by nine points with four games left of the league campaign and host third-placed Aberdeen on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Football.
Asked where Rangers find themselves ahead of next season, Jack told Sky Sports News. "We have just got to aim to do better in every competition.
"Obviously in the Europa League we did excellent. Probably that aside, cup competitions and in the league we have just got to aim for better. We have got to strive for better.
"We have got a good manager, good coaching staff and a good core of players that I imagine will be here next season. Everything is there to kick on next season and have a real go."
Rangers come into the seventh meeting of the season against Aberdeen - a side that have beaten them on each visit to Glasgow - on a three-match winning run and Jack admits consistency has been a problem.
"It's been up and down. There is no doubt," he said.
"(But) There have been a lot of positives. Compared to last season we have had the Europa League. Obviously that was a great journey and a great experience.
"The cup competitions were disappointing. We lost to Aberdeen in Glasgow (at Ibrox) and at Hampden (in the Scottish League Cup semi-final) and the Scottish Cup was disappointing again.
"But in the league we have put together a good run together now and we have just got to finish strong. Give the fans and ourselves that belief coming back next season."
Jack concedes the Rangers players have to accept responsibility for failing to maintain pace with Celtic since the winter break.
"We are not going to go down fighting. We are just going to keep our heads and fight to the end," Jack added.
"The league is obviously too far away from us now but we can give ourselves hope going into next season."
Earlier on Friday, Gerrard claimed Aberdeen try harder against Rangers than other opponents, but former Dons player Jack disagreed with that assertion - despite suggesting Derek McInnes' side go out to frustrate.
"They set up to stop rather than setting up to win. They go man for man, try and stop us playing our game and we have fallen in that trap too many times," Jack said.
"This week we have worked hard on different ways of beating them. The manager and the staff have identified that and hopefully we can carry that out on Sunday.
"There's no doubt they are going to be up for it and they are going to come here wanting to prove a point. Derek McIness is going to want to prove a point. It is up to us to have the answers."
