PAULO Sousa faces a potentially bizarre fixture headache in the coming weeks as a combination of freak weather and cup replays cause havoc with the Hoops schedule. In the same week that the boss was nominated for January s manager of the month award...

PAULO Sousa faces a potentially bizarre fixture headache in the coming weeks as a combination of freak weather and cup replays cause havoc with the Hoops' schedule.

In the same week that the boss was nominated for January's manager of the month award, the snow that buried the Loftus pitch forced the postponement of Rangers' home clash with Swansea City on Tuesday night.

It also caused the FA Cup replay between Arsenal and Cardiff City at the Emirates to be called off, with the two sides destined to finally meet again on Sunday February 15.

That's just 24 hours before Cardiff are due to face the Rs in a crunch Championship game that could be key to both sides' play-off hopes.

The clash with the Bluebirds will now surely have to be rescheduled, as will the Swansea game, leaving Sousa's team with an increasingly busy second half to the season.

And with Rangers also playing promotion hopefuls Sheffield United and struggling Barnsley in the same period, it could hardly be worse timing for the boss, who has seen his side creep up to seventh in the table and will be determined to keep a steady ship.

Meanwhile, the Hoops said goodbye this week to two of their young players, as Matt O'Brien and Josh Ford departed Loftus Road.

O'Brien joined Rangers when he was 14, making 15 starts and nine substitute appearences for the reserves, while defender Ford leaves having been at the club since 2006, featuring 12 times for the Rs.