McCulloch retains midfield hopes

McCulloch and Barry Ferguson played against St Mirren Reserves

Lee McCulloch is determined to win his place back in Rangers' midfield despite having enjoyed a trial period playing in central defence for the reserves.

Manager Walter Smith had persuaded McCulloch to give the position a try.

"I will play wherever the gaffer wants me to if it means I am playing on a Saturday and wearing a Rangers jersey," McCulloch told the club website.

"Being in defence is new to me and something I am enjoying, but I still see myself as an attacking player."

McCulloch started his career as a striker with Motherwell, was utilised more in midfield for Wigan Athletic and has played in both positions with Rangers and Scotland.

He has not played for the first team at Ibrox since suffering injury on 16 August and recently announced his international retirement.

Now he admits that he must up his own game if he is to break back into the Rangers midfield.

If I do get back in the team in midfield or attack, I need to hit the net more and this is something I know I can do Lee McCulloch

"When I first arrived at Rangers, I started the majority of games on the left side of midfield and I thought I did pretty well there initially," said the 30-year-old, who returned to fitness at the end of September.

"But, since then, my goals have dried up a little bit and that's something I am aware of.

"If I do get back in the team in midfield or attack, I need to hit the net more and this is something I know I can do."

McCulloch scored against St Mirren's second string on Tuesday despite starting again at the back.

"The manager said to me one day at training that he felt I had all the attributes to play at the back and asked me if I had ever played there before," he recalled.

"My answer was 'no', but I told him that I would love to give it a crack, although I knew it would be a bit of a learning curve.

"But playing there has been great and I feel I have done pretty well."