Lee Johnson has fired a warning to Michael Beale over the title race with Celtic as he declared: "Rangers are just not as good".
The Hibs boss takes his side to Ibrox on Thursday night as the Premiership takes centre stage once again following the winter shutdown for the World Cup finals. The clash with the Light Blues - a competitive bow for new boss Beale - marks the return of the top flight.
Easter Road gaffer Johnson was not expecting a new face in the dugout for the showdown with Giovanni van Bronckhorst axed last month. In his spell of just over a year in charge he guided Rangers to a stunning Europa League run that ended in a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss in the final, a Scottish Cup triumph and a spot in the Champions League group stage this term. But a decision was made to call time on his Ibrox reign and Johnson has wished Beale luck with his new adventure after leaving QPR for a return north of the border. But he's fired a warning over his quest to chase down Ange Postecoglou's champions.
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He said: "Celtic are a top side and, obviously, Rangers are chasing those guys. Looking at it from the outside, Rangers are just not as good - simple as that.
"I'm not there to judge. All I see is a good man who's worked his socks off and lost his job.
"But good luck to Bealo - after we've played them. I don't know him well. We've bumped into each other at courses and stuff like that.
"He has done well. He markets himself well and worked well with Steven Gerrard. He went to QPR where he's had a good start.
"But I'm always one who says: 'Show me a manager after 200 games. When he has been through everything.'
"The jury is out on anybody until 150-200 games and he's been through the ups and downs that come during that time."
He continued: "I'm always an advocate of keeping managers in situ. Managers are often blamed for the results but normally there's a bigger picture.
"I understand the pressure falls on the manager. But if I was an owner and it was my money, and if I believed I had the right man in place, I would give him an adequate number of windows to change it around.
"I feel at Rangers, maybe the expectation was so high and sometimes you can be a victim of your own success.
"I suppose we'll only know in a year or 18 months, depending on how the new regime does. Gio could walk away with his head held high and know he's done everything he could.
"The Champions League adventure didn't go as well as a club that size would've expected. But it doesn't mean it's a bad job."
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