Europe is first for Rangers star Whittaker

Steven Whittaker has shelved all thoughts of a personal CIS Cup landmark in order to focus on European matters with Rangers.

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The Ibrox full-back won the League Cup with Hibs last season and will mark up a unique honour if he does so again with the Ibrox club against Dundee United on Sunday.

"It would be pretty special to win back-to-back League Cup medals," said Whittaker. "I have been told I would be the first player to do that with two different clubs.

"Winning medals is what you get into football for and, after winning this competition with Hibs last year, it would be great to do it with Rangers this time around. I have many great memories of last year. The build-up was great and I think the teams were fairly matched, so to win the Final 5-1 against Kilmarnock was amazing.

"We got the open-top bus tour in Edinburgh afterwards and it was a special night."

As Rangers fly to Germany this morning for their UEFA Cup second-leg last-16 clash with Werder Bremen, however, such thoughts have been consigned to the backburner. There is work to be done first.

"It's one big game after another right now, but that's the reason I joined Rangers. The matches are all massive. All we can do is look forward to the challenge. I know some of the fans might be looking towards Sunday's Cup Final but we have an important game against Bremen before that. I don't think any of the players are allowing themselves to think of anything other than the game in Germany.

"We did so well in the first leg to get our noses in front and we'll go there to try to protect our lead. But it will be difficult. Bremen are two goals down, they have nothing to lose and they need to score. They will come at us from the first minute but, hopefully, we'll be ready for them.

"It would be a great result if we were to go through but, after that, we'd be looking no further than the quarter-finals."