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Sunday 20th September 2020: Kilmarnock v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: Rugby Park
Att: 13,440
Managerial Record v Kilmarnock: P 4 W 2 D 1 L 1 F 7 A 4
Were we a freight train? Were we a juggernaut? Of course not, we were a football team. Just one that found itself in a very sweet spot in terms of form. Since the showing in the League Cup at Alloa we’d put in three first class performances, generally good defensively but irrepressible going forward and, by and large, with the feeling that there was much more still in the locker to come.
Borna Barisic dropping out and being replaced by Reza Durmisi was the one change to the starting line-up, my rampaging Croatian left-back having tweaked his groin in training and not being deemed worth the risk. Instead I’d let my on-loan Danish left-back scoot up and down the left touchline in support of Ryan Kent and see where that got us.
We started well, in the 7th minute a spell of crisp and precise passing saw the ball worked to Ryan Jack on the edge of the penalty area and after digging the ball out from under his feet, he fired a shot that beat the goalkeeper but crashed down off the crossbar, Stuart Findlay then just beat James Tavernier to the rebound and thumped it away from the danger zone.
Nine minutes later, Jack found himself played in down the inside left channel, the angle was against him as he tried to use his right-foot, though, and only found the side netting. He had three players to his right who were waiting for anything played across the face of goal, but he elected to go it alone and rather fluffed his lines.
In the 21st minute, Durmisi, who had assumed dead-ball duties in Barisic’s absence, swung in a free-kick from the right-hand side. Antonio Santurro came to either collect or punch clear, completely misjudged the flight of the ball and got nowhere near it leaving Connor Goldson with the simplest of tasks to head the ball home from close range and open the scoring. Not a goal the Killie keeper would have wanted to look back on.
Three minutes later another Durmisi delivery from a dead ball, this time a left-wing corner to the far post was met by the head of Joe Aribo who, rather than going for goal, simply nodded the ball down for the arriving Ryan Jack to, at the third time of asking, hit the target and send the ball into the bottom corner of the net, leaving Santurro absolutely helpless this time. It was the former Aberdeen man’s first goal of the campaign.
Another four minutes later and a swift attack from our own goal-kick from back to front saw Tavernier come over halfway and allowed to cut infield before sending a sweet ball into the path of Ryan Kent. The winger’s first touch was beaten only by his second for sweetness, cushioning the ball on his instep before, as he’d already done a couple of times before during the season, steering the ball with the outside of his right-foot past the exposed Santurro and into the bottom corner of the net.
Three goals inside 7 minutes and one felt that the game was over as a contest. Kent joined three others on half a dozen goals for the season and yet the Ibrox faithful were baying for more goals.
On 31 minutes, another Durmisi free-kick delivery found the Kilmarnock defence at sixes and sevens and Santurro unsure whether he was coming or going. He did neither, Brewster rose highest yet somehow headed over the top from no more than 3-yards out when he should have the net ripple.
The hosts then began to recover from the hammer blow of conceding three, and nearly four, in such a short space of time. Dom Thomas found himself played in behind Durmisi by Bruno Pereirinha and got to the by-line, his cut-back found Leonardo Candellone inside the 6-yard box, however the winger fired his effort against the body of McCrorie. It fell for Thomas who this time cut the ball back for Abukar Mohamed and although the Finnish midfielder scored, the flag had already gone up against Thomas and the goal was disallowed.
HALF-TIME: Kilmarnock 0-3 Glasgow Rangers
Once again, the half-time message was extremely simple. The only thing that was going to see us come undone was our own sloppiness and complacency, if we could avoid that, we’d win the game. That was our biggest enemy, ourselves. So far the boys had been excellent on the whole attitude wise, I didn’t know how easy it would be to maintain that so I used the threat of losing their place in the side as the stick to keep them grounded and focused.
Ten minutes after the restart, another Durmisi free kick caused plenty of consternation in the Kilmarnock penalty area, Joe Aribo rose highest at the far post but headed disappointingly wide of the target.
Three minutes later, a patient move from the back saw the ball shifted from right to left and back again before Tavernier injected some pace into things down the right-hand side. He exchanged passes twice with Scott Arfield before the Canadian midfielder sent a cross towards the far post. It should have been dealt with by Pereirinha, but the Portuguese full-back got underneath the ball. Waiting, preying on the error was Ryan Kent who unleashed a searing left-footed strike from the corner of the 6-yard box across the helpless Santurro and into the corner of the net.
The hour mark came, the hour mark went, however it was not long left behind when George Edmundson, making his first league appearance of the season as a substitute for Filip Helander, sent a long ball forward for Kent to get in behind Pereirinha. The winger once again showed his pace getting into the penalty area before this time opening his body to caress the ball past Santurro and into the back of the net. The goalkeeper should have done an awful lot better than he did but Kent didn’t care in the slightest, running off to celebrate his first career hat-trick with his team-mates and us on the bench, and making it 8 goals in 10 matches for him so far.
5-0, our first domestic five-fer and then we hit cruise-control for the final half an hour of the game. We kept the ball nicely, not taking the mickey, but certainly exerting control and dominance. After the game I was absolutely delighted with the boys and promised a number of them some resting time in midweek when we were to take on Ross County in our League Cup quarter-final tie.
For now, we could bask in the reflection of another league job well done.
FULL-TIME: Kilmarnock 0-5 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander (Edmundson), Durmisi, Jack (Docherty), Aribo, Arfield, Kent (Barker), Brewster, Morelos
0 -
Table as at Sunday 13th September 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
5
5
0
0
20
2
15
18
Glasgow Rangers
5
5
0
0
16
1
15
15
Motherwell
5
4
0
1
10
6
12
4
Heart of Midlothian
5
4
0
1
8
5
12
3
Kilmarnock
5
2
2
1
6
4
8
2
St Mirren
5
1
3
1
5
7
6
-2
Aberdeen
5
2
0
3
4
6
6
-2
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
5
1
1
3
6
9
4
-3
Livingston
5
1
1
3
5
9
4
-4
Dundee United
5
1
1
3
6
13
4
-7
Hibernian
5
0
0
5
1
12
0
-11
St Johnstone
5
0
0
5
2
14
0
-12
Friday 11th September
Aberdeen
2
0
St Johnstone
Saturday 12th September
Livingston
1
3
Kilmarnock
Motherwell
2
1
Inverness
Rangers
4
0
Dundee Utd
St Mirren
0
4
Celtic
Sunday 13th September
Hearts
1
0
Hibs
0 -
Saturday 12th September 2020: Glasgow Rangers v Dundee United (SPL)
Venue: Ibrox
Att: 49,797
We returned to action with the club having a taken a little heat from the supporters over the sale of Nikola Katic so I’d had to try and work to assuage their fears in the lead-up to the home game with newly promoted Dundee United. “We have a plan in place,” I said during the press conference. “Of course we hate to see a player of Nikki’s quality leave the club, but he’d expressed a desire to move onto a new challenge and the deal is good for all parties. We believe in the quality of the boys we have to reach our targets and are actively pursuing options to further strengthen the squad.”
All of which meant there was one change to the side that I had to make, Filip Helander making the step-up to partner Connor Goldson at the back whilst George Edmundson filled the vacancy on the bench and Rhian Brewster returned in place of Troy Parrott who dropped to the bench. Ross McCrorie was also named amongst the substitutes, Glen Kamara the man to miss out.
Summer appeared to be very much over as the heavens poured forth their precipitately scorn in the form of a torrential rainstorm, our visitors for the day bringing with them a record of four points from their opening four matches in their first campaign back in the SPL after an absence of four years. Lots of fours, would that provide us with an omen?
In only the second minute Tavernier intercepted a ball down the Dundee United left-flank and came forward before giving the ball away to Jamie Robson. The full-back then tried to swing it back to Benjamin Siegrist in goal, but the pass was horrifically misjudged and all he succeeded in doing was playing in Brewster, who had begun to advance to close the goalkeeper down. The ball reached him on the edge of the box, one touch with his left foot to control and then he used his right foot to thrash the ball low beyond the stranded Siegrist and into the bottom corner of the net.
It was the young striker’s first ever league goal in his 27th appearance and he sure left no-one in any doubt as to the level of delight he felt at finally breaking his duck. I felt pretty certain it wasn’t going to be his only league goal.
We settled into a nice rhythm, helped by that early goal, with Dundee United like St Johnstone had been before the international break, sitting back and looking to contain, even at a goal down. A couple of half chances came and went before the overlap provided down the left by Barisic once again paid handsome dividends in the 29th minute.
Some neat build-up down the right saw Scott Arfield turn on a six-pence before switching the ball left. Barisic’s run, which let’s face it, was hardly a state secret at this point now, wasn’t tracked and as he got into the penalty area he unleashed a superb strike at goal. Siegrist did well to even get a hand to the effort but the power simply took his breath away and beat him, the ball ended up in the back of the net and Barisic had his 6th of the season already from left-back as he doubled the lead.
Five minutes before the break, with us still in total control, the visitors did manage to fashion a decent effort at goal, Paul McMullan tucked in off his right-midfield position received the ball 30-yards from goal, made a couple of yards progress before fizzing an excellent low effort narrowly wide of McCrorie’s left-hand post. The goalkeeper probably had any effort on target covered, but he was right not to take and chances. Had it gone in, my interval team-talk would have taken on a different slant.
HALF-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 2-0 Dundee United
I was delighted at the break and had to try and find a way not to sound like a broken record. Simply to ask the boys to keep it going. End of.
Start of the second half and a simple ball down the left flank very nearly did for us, Jamie Robson taking James Tavernier out of the equation and releasing Jonny Hayes. The winger, who has a turn of pace on him, outpaced our back four before shooting low across McCrorie, the goalkeeper making a fine save to his left before Barisic completed the clearance.
Normal service was resumed shortly afterwards when a Frimpong corner was headed clear by Filip Helander and Ryan Kent picked the loose ball up. He immediately set off over halfway, using his pace to get away from the Dundee United defence, skipping past one despairing tackle and getting into the penalty area. He could have gone himself but had Alfie Morelos up with him in support and so, with a cheeky Rabona found the Colombian unmarked and he slotted the ball home into the empty net to make it 3-0 and celebrated his 6th goal of the season.
That was the points sealed, the question was whether we were going to let up or keep going.
In the 59th minute a left-wing corner was headed clear and picked up by Connor Goldson. After some neat passing involving him, Scott Arfield and Ryan Jack, Goldson worked the ball back to Arfield and he unleashed a strike from just inside the D. It came through a ruck of bodies so Benjamin Siegrist did well to block, however the rebound fell and Brewster pounced first to drive the ball home past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
For the first time in the season, we’d broken the three-goal barrier, which was pleasing, and with more than half an hour to play, it felt like there could well be more on the cards.
That also took Brewster to half a dozen goals for the campaign, equal with Borna and Alfie, and with Ryan Kent just one behind on five, I was able to sit back on my seat in the dugout and quietly marvel at the amount of goalscoring potential I had in the side. It’d take a good side, I felt, to keep us quiet domestically this campaign.
After the fourth goal came the lull, understandably before our danger on the break was underlined again. Louis Appere was denied inside our penalty area by an excellent Goldson challenge, the ball then came out for Kent to bring the ball over half way and then play in Brandon Barker, who had literally just come on for Scott Arfield. The English winger went on the outside of Ian Harkes inside the penalty area and the Dundee United man lunged in. Barker stayed on his feet, didn’t go down, but the referee saw sufficient contact to point to the spot and award the penalty. Again, it felt like one of those decisions you get as a bigger club.
Barisic again deferred responsibility, this time allowing Brewster the opportunity to complete his hat-trick from the spot. The penalty was struck hard and true, destined for the bottom corner of the net but Siegrist guessed right and at full stretch produced a quite magnificent save at full stretch to turn the ball around the post. Brewster stood, hands in his head, gawping in amazement, it had been a magnificent save.
From the corner kick, Troy Parrott, who had replaced Morelos, got a good run on his marker and powerfully met the cross on the full, Siegrist was in the right place to hold onto the ball before trying to calm things down a little.
With three minutes of the 90 remaining, Hayes – who had been the visitors’ main threat, giving Tavernier a real test – drifted inside the full-back and got into the penalty area, but McCrorie got his angles correct and saved comfortably.
That was pretty well that, we held out and didn’t really force the issue any further. A comfortable and emphatic win kept us in-line with Celtic, who won 4-0 at St Mirren, with a 100% record and three goals behind them. There was only three weeks until the first Old Firm derby of the season at Ibrox, it felt like that was going to be the first time either side might be forced to blink. Still, there was plenty of football to be played between now and then.
FULL-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 4-0 Dundee United
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Jack, Aribo (Ross.McCrorie), Arfield (Barker), Kent, Brewster, Morelos (Parrott)
0 -
The international break, which left me with a much smaller squad to work with than it ever did at Hearts, began in a slightly sad but unsurprising manner. The day after the win over St Johnstone I was locked in negotiations alongside Ross Wilson and Dave King with our counterparts at Sevilla over finding a deal for Nikola Katic.
We were initially looking for somewhere in the region of £15million for the defender whilst the La Liga’s side opening gambit was a shade under £10million. This led to a number of offers and counter-offers going to-an-fro across the continent’s phone lines and cyber-waves as we sought common ground. Nikola, meanwhile, had been granted leave from the Bosnian squad to try and complete any deal if the two clubs came to any arrangement and was waiting at Prestwick airport for the green light to fly out to Andalusia.
It took a good four or five hours before we managed to land on a deal that would see us bank a cool £13million from the deal and as soon as that was agreed, Nikola was airborne and on his way to Spain.
This was exactly the right kind of deal that would suit every party. Sevilla would be getting an excellent centre-half, Kats would be making a step-up and testing himself at a higher level as well as getting regular European football in the Europa League – a competition they’d got to the last-8 in the previous season before losing 2-1 on aggregate to Arsenal – as well as competing for domestic silverware in Spain (they’d lost 3-1 to Barca in the Copa del Rey Final as well). That could only boost his prospects at international level.
Meanwhile for us, the £13million would see around half be made available to reinvest in the squad, provide an opportunity for the patiently waiting Swedish international Filip Helander to partner Connor Goldson and offer 23-year old former Oldham Athletic defender George Edmundson the chance to step up. In addition, we would be heavily monitoring John Souttar’s situation. Although I knew that with his release clause I wouldn’t be able to afford him just yet, but I was happy to bide my time.
Instead, I was hopeful that the money could potentially help me onboard a young Croatian attacking midfielder in January, Lovro Majer. He was at Dinamo Zagreb having joined them from Lokomotiva Zagreb in 2018. He was highly rated, thought of as someone in the mould of Marcelo Brozovic, who I thought was a pretty unsung member of the Croatian midfield during the 2018 World Cup. Anyway, Majer had spent part of the previous season on-loan at Granada in La Liga and put in some impressive performances. Without a pot to relieve themselves in, however, the Spanish side had been unable to activate the option they had on the player so he returned to the Croatian capital.
Ross had heard good things about the player and was heading off to watch the Croatian Under-21 side take on Scotland at St Mirren in midweek before opening discussions with his club. He’d done a little bit of digging and thought that they’d probably be happy for us to take him on-loan in January with an option to buy in the summer and he didn’t think that he’d cost the earth.
On Monday 31st August news reached me that Nikola had agreed terms with Sevilla and would have signed a 4-year deal before the end of the day. Usually I’d have rung Leah straight away to give her a head start but, since she had continued to show me absolutely no signs of wanting to talk, I left that. The squad was a hefty centre-half lighter but the transfer budget had swelled.
Since I had little else to do, on Thursday 3rd September I accompanied Ross to Love Street and watched on as the young Scots put in a superb performance to overcome their Croatian counterparts 2-0. Our 20-year old wing-back Jordan Houston put in a steady performance at right wing-back, whilst in midfield Stephen Kelly, who was on-loan at Inverness Caley Thistle from us, alongside Chelsea’s young maestro Billy Gilmour, put in assured performances.
Of course, my eyes were mainly on Majer, who had been handed a role just behind the lone Croatian striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. He impressed, he was able to find space, used the ball well, looked to get up in support of his centre-forward, wasn’t afraid to shoot and was always looking to create when on the ball. He played with his head up, something that was always the mark of a good footballer and to top it off, stroked the ball around with impunity left-footed. A purist’s wet dream.
After the game, we had a chat with Jordan and Kells and both spoke effusively about the Croatian number 10, so much so that the following day Ross and I set the recruitment team the task of monitoring him further and we’d look to make a move in January if that level of performance wasn’t simply a one-off.
0 -
Table as at Sunday 30th August 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
4
4
0
0
16
2
12
14
Glasgow Rangers
4
4
0
0
12
1
12
11
Motherwell
4
3
0
1
8
5
9
3
Heart of Midlothian
4
3
0
1
7
5
9
2
St Mirren
4
1
3
0
5
3
6
2
Kilmarnock
4
1
2
1
3
3
5
0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
4
1
1
2
5
7
4
-2
Livingston
4
1
1
2
4
6
4
-2
Dundee United
4
1
1
2
6
9
4
-3
Aberdeen
4
1
0
3
2
6
3
-4
St Johnstone
4
0
0
4
2
12
0
-10
Hibernian
4
0
0
4
1
11
0
-10
Friday 28th August
Motherwell
1
0
Hibs
Saturday 29th August
Aberdeen
0
1
Livingston
Hearts
1
0
Kilmarnock
Rangers
3
0
St Johnstone
St Mirren
0
0
Dundee Utd
Sunday 30th August
Inverness
1
3
Celtic
0 -
Saturday 29th August 2020: Glasgow Rangers v St Johnstone (SPL)
Venue: Ibrox
Att: 48,864
Managerial Record v Livingston: P 3 W 2 D 1 L 0 F 8 A 4
We returned to Ibrox after a 3½ week absence to take on a St Johnstone side that had yet to win so much as a point so far in the season. In the run-up to the game there was frenzied speculation regarding the future of Nikola Katic with ‘sides from the continent’s biggest leagues poised to swoop’ before the window ‘slammed shut’ on August 31st. To be fair to Kats, he’d kept me up to date with conversations he’d had with his agent. He was expecting something to materialise but so far nothing had come into the club officially. That said, my side of the bargain remained if anything did come in in the final 48-hours or so.
I’d had a conversation with him after training on Friday to check he was fully focused on the game ahead, he’d signalled he was and so would continue at centre-half alongside Connor Goldson. The two changes to the side saw James Tavernier pass a fitness test and return at right-back in place of Ross McCrorie, who missed out with a cold whilst Troy Parrott came in for his first start in place of Rhian Brewster alongside Alfie Morelos.
A tepid opening ten minutes or so suddenly sprang into life when Barisic was found by Morelos on the right hand side, he switched back onto his left foot and curled the ball over to the far post where Ryan Kent arrived on cue to seamlessly guide the ball between Elliott Parish and the post to open the scoring and get us underway in the best way possible.
The Saints’ set-up seemed to be focused on damage limitation, although set on paper in a 4-3-3 formation, two of the central midfielders were sitting very deep shielding the back four whilst the two wide men were tucked in very narrow making it very hard to play through them. When we did get wide, they were so well organised with effectively a six-man defence that we were outnumbered in the penalty area and they dealt with out threat well.
In an attempt to try and stretch things I took off James Tavernier midway through the first half, he wasn’t looking himself at all, and brought on Brandon Barker to replace him and asking him to play a more advanced role down the right flank and leave just the three men, Goldson, Katic and Barisic in defence. When Barisic flew forward as he continued to do, that often left us with just two men at the back, although Ryan Jack would often just sit in to shield a little, but even with that slightly risky strategy we were in total control of the ball, we just needed patience to warrant the second goal.
That paid off just past the half-hour mark when we broke quickly from a Saints free-kick in their attacking half. The ball fell for Katic who knocked it inside for Barisic and the left-back sent a lovely ball down the left flank for Ryan Kent to get in behind. The winger made straight for the penalty area with acres to run into and then with the outside of his right foot nonchalantly slipped the ball past Parish and into the bottom corner of the net for his 5th of the season, drawing him level with the man who assisted him at the top of the goal charts.
Three minutes later, a Barisic free-kick towards the far post saw Parrott bounced out of the way illegally by Jason Kerr. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. With Kent on a hat-trick, usual penalty taker Barisic handed the ball to the winger giving him the chance not only to complete his treble, but also go ahead of the left-back in the goalscoring charts.
Kent stepped up right-footed and although his effort wasn’t badly directed, Parish dived to his left and at full-stretch made a superb save pushing the ball firmly away from danger. Kent couldn’t believe it but I swear I saw a hint of a smile cross Barisic’s face which led to me to surmise that he was a genius at the art of reverse psychology.
Thankfully at 2-0 up and with the Saints still showing now compunction to open up and get back into the game at all, I was able to laugh the failure off a little. Had we been at 2-2 my reaction would have been somewhat less charitable.
Kent was the main danger man and showed few ill-effects of the spot kick miss when he was sent clear again down the inside-left channel, again he looked to slot the ball across Parish and into the far bottom corner, this time opening his body Thierry Henry-style but couldn’t quite get the required bend on his effort and it ended up going just the wrong side of the post.
Now we were looking irrepressible, a Barisic corner kick was delivered to the far post where Troy Parrott rose highest. He couldn’t quite get over his header though and the ball ended up over the crossbar, marginally. I really hoped the coming of the half-time interval would interrupt our mojo too much.
HALF-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 2-0 St Johnstone
“Hey, this has been great, lads,” I said as I bounced around the dressing room. “You’re beginning to really bully them, they’re on the ropes, they wanted the ref to intervene, call it off. Half-time’s come at a good time for them, just go out there after the break and give it more of the same. There’s more goals out there for you, remain patient, move the ball around and enjoy yourselves.”
Ten minutes after the restart the game was truly put to bed. The source of the goal was predictable – Borna Barisic and his wand of a left-foot delivered a perfect corner kick into the heart of the danger area where Alfie Morelos rose highest to head unchallenged high off the underside of the cross bar and into the back of the net beyond Parish to make it 3-0 and also join his assister and Kent on 5 goals for the season.
Then as we had at Livingston the week before, with a three-goal advantage we took our foot off the gas, continued to dictate and dominate the game entirely, but without the level of urgency we’d shown in the hour or so before. That was fine by me, many of the boys were heading off on international duty and wanted to make sure they arrived as fresh as they could, not risk any unnecessary and silly injuries.
In stoppage time, Joe Aribo very nearly made it 4 when he dispossessed Kerr on the edge of the penalty area and then fired a lethal daisy cutter inches wide of the post from 20-yards out with Parish beaten. That would have been the icing on the cake. But, it was sweet enough without the garnish a fourth goal would have provided and we were able to celebrate another job very well done, leap-frogging Celtic in the process and heading to the summit of the table for the first time in my managerial career – albeit potentially only for 24-hours.
FULL-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 3-0 St Johnstone
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier (Barker), Goldson, Katic, Barisic (Durmisi), Jack, Aribo, Arfield, Kent (Jones), Parrott, Morelos
0 -
Table as at Sunday 23rd August 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
3
3
0
0
13
1
9
12
Glasgow Rangers
3
3
0
0
9
1
9
8
Motherwell
3
2
0
1
7
5
6
2
Heart of Midlothian
3
2
0
1
6
5
6
1
St Mirren
3
1
2
0
5
3
5
2
Kilmarnock
3
1
2
0
3
2
5
1
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
3
1
1
1
4
4
4
0
Dundee United
3
1
0
2
6
9
3
-3
Aberdeen
3
1
0
2
2
5
3
-3
Livingston
3
0
1
2
3
6
1
-3
St Johnstone
3
0
0
3
2
9
0
-7
Hibernian
3
0
0
3
1
10
0
-9
Friday 21st August
Kilmarnock
1
1
St Mirren
Saturday 22nd August
Dundee Utd
3
4
Motherwell
Hibs
1
2
Inverness
St Johnstone
0
3
Hearts
Sunday 23rd August
Livingston
0
3
Rangers
Celtic
2
0
Aberdeen
0 -
Sunday 23rd August 2020: Livingston v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: Tony Macaroni Arena
Att: 8,176
Managerial Record v Livingston: P 3 W 3 D 0 L 0 F 10 A 2
I really wanted significantly better from our visit to the Tony Macaroni Arena than we’d served up the week before at Alloa. I had quietly seethed for a couple of days after that performance, upped the intensity of training and made it abundantly clear that I wouldn’t stand for a repeat. I didn’t know if it was complacency or a lack of match sharpness that had contributed to our lazy showing, but I was going to be damned if the travelling fans were going to be treated to seeing that again.
Livingston were keen to kick off their home campaign in style after a point at Kilmarnock and narrow defeat at Tynecastle. They’d appointed Gordon Strachan as manager in the summer after caretaker boss David Martindale had led Livi to safety after the sacking of Gary Holt. 11 points from 6 matches had seen them survive and chairman Robert Wilson had made a real statement of intent in appointing the former Celtic, Southampton and Scotland boss. There was a real feeling of optimism around the place when we arrived that hadn’t been there the year before. I wanted us to puncture that balloon.
The side reverted to a much more familiar look, only Ross McCrorie retaining his place, deputising for the injured James Tavernier would likely have missed out if everyone else was fit. Outside of the eighteen-man squad that I’d named, Eros Grezda had been given leave to fly out to France and discuss personal terms with Toulouse ahead of a deal that would end up slightly less than £1million in transfer fees. I felt a little overloaded in the wide attacking places and although he’d done well for me in his couple of substitute appearances, I felt it was best for both parties if he moved on.
We kicked off with showing far more appetite than we had in the match at Alloa, although Livingston were very well organised. Fifteen minutes in, Morelos twice got in down the inside-right channel to send balls into the danger area. The first was well defended and the second picked out Brewster whose effort at goal was superbly blocked by a defender.
A couple of minutes later Ryan Jack neatly intercepted a ball on the edge of our box to set us moving forward swiftly. Katic sent the ball forward for Morelos whose first touch took him away from a defender and second sent Ryan Kent scampering through. He cut inside the defender onto his right foot inside the penalty area and fired a shot at goal. Ross Stewart dived to his left and made a superb save, pushing the ball well wide of the post for a corner kick.
As the half approached its midway point, Kent picked the ball up deep from a Barisic throw-in. He turned, then a shuffle of the hips saw him beat his marker, feinting to go outside but switching back infield and then accelerating towards the penalty area. He then slipped the neatest of balls in between the centre-halves for Morelos to run onto, the Colombian striker needed no second invitation to simply fire first-time powerfully past Stewart and into the corner of the net to open the scoring in fine style.
Four minutes later we switched off a little and conceded a little space in midfield. That allowed Scott Pittman to weave a lovely ball through for Steven Lawless in behind Ross McCrorie. Lawless did everything right, but thankfully for us, Robby McCrorie got his brother out of jail with a good save to his right, turning the ball behind.
Immediately we showed the fine lines involved between success and being the nearly-men in football. Katic cleared the corner emphatically and Kent won the duel with Sidnei Tavares just inside our half, taking the ball down on his instep, skipping over the challenge and then racing forward over halfway cutting infield towards the heart of the penalty area before slipping the ball sideways for Morelos. The striker stopped for a moment, foot on the ball, waited for Scott Arfield to overlap him, played the former Burnley man in with a lovely little pass and the finish was perfectly measured beyond Stewart, opening his account for the season. Another well worked goal and within a minute of almost being pegged back to 1-1 we had doubled our lead.
The cruelty of football.
A couple of minutes before the break we went mighty close to finishing the game as a contest, neat build-up down the left saw Aribo play Barisic in on the overlap. He feinted to cross it into the box, but instead cut it back for Kent. The winger cut inside again, onto his right foot before striking an angled drive that beat Stewart all ends up but ended up going just the wrong side of the post.
HALF-TIME: Livingston 0-2 Glasgow Rangers
I was infinitely happier with things at the break, this had been arguably our most assertive performance so far, one where we looked almost fully in control of the game, yet with another gear to go into if we needed it. There really wasn’t much for me to say aside from preaching watchfulness and to make the most of our opportunities going forward. If we did that, it was hard to see a way back for the hosts.
They nearly found one five minutes after the restart in bizarre circumstances when Katic looked to clear a ball into the box yet drilled it against Khanya Leshabela’s back. The ball rebounded back at quite a pace but again Robby McCrorie was alert and made a smart reaction save, throwing out an arm and pushing the ball away.
Aside from that, we exerted our control on proceedings again and in the 65th minute Ross McCrorie fed Arfield and he chipped a ball forward into the edge of the penalty area. Kent tried to get up and challenge for the ball but was beaten by Devlin. The Livi man had been adjudged to have been using my man as a pogo stick though illegally and the referee pointed to the spot. It felt at first glance like one of those decisions you get disproportionately if you’re a top side and never get if you’re a side that’s more akin to struggling. Nothing I’ve seen since has dissuaded me of that.
Borna Barisic stepped up from the spot and in his best Stuart Pearce style wellied it down the middle as hard as he could to take him back clear of Morelos and Rhian Brewster at the top of the goalscoring charts with 5.
That truly was the three points sealed.
I really don’t want to sound patronising, it’s not meant to in any way, but Livingston really deserved a lot of credit for the way they kept plugging away and trying to entertain. With 20 minutes remaining some good build up saw Pittman played in again, his first touch to beat Katic was outstanding but once again Rob McCrorie was equal to the effort and made another good save to preserve his clean sheet.
With 7 minutes remaining he got another work-out making a good, if slightly unorthodox save from Lyndon Dykes after a long free kick from Pittman beat our defensive line before Goldson headed the ensuing corner clear.
As the game entered stoppage time, a lazy ball forward from Goldson after a short goal-kick only found Pittman, his ball forward into Scott Robinson saw the Livi sub in plenty of space, our back four in gentle disarray. His low shot finally beat McCrorie but not the base of the post. As the ball rebounded back for what looked like a tap-in for Dykes, Goldson appeared from nowhere to intercept and thump the ball clear.
We’d taken our foot off the gas after the third goal and even though Livi had created a number of openings, I was still perfectly happy with our performance. I’d much rather that happen at 3-0 up than 0-0 or 1-0.
Three points, a job well done and some really warm words from Gordon after the game. I spent a good hour or so talking to him in his office afterwards with a drink – I wasn’t going back to Glasgow afterwards, it seemed silly when I was so close to home – so I could indulge in a couple of glasses of decent wine and listen to someone who knew what it was to taste success in Scotland whilst keeping an eye on Celtic v Aberdeen on the telly.
The Bhoys won that one 2-0 to return to the top of the table, for me it was nice to head home feeling much more contented.
FULL-TIME: Livingston 0-3 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Ross.McCrorie, Godlson, Katic, Barisic (Durmisi), Jack (Kamara), Aribo, Arfield, Kent, Brewster (Parrott), Morelos
0 -
Sunday 16th August 2020: Alloa Athletic v Glasgow Rangers (Scottish League Cup 2nd Round)
Venue: The Indodrill Stadium
Att: 3,100
It felt like a lot longer than 13 months to the day (give or take 24-hours) since I’d opened my competitive managerial career at Tynecastle against the same side in the same competition when we made the short trip to Alloa to take on the Scottish Championship side in the 2nd round of the League Cup. It was a competition I wanted to do well in, still being haunted somewhat by my early exit at the hands of Motherwell the previous season, and this felt like a good opportunity to make progress into the last-16.
I also took the opportunity to change things around a little, give minutes to some of those that hadn’t played much so far, give them a chance to impress and keep some of those that had been heavily used so far back for the visit to Livingston in the league the following week.
All of which saw first starts of the season for Ross McCrorie, Filip Helander, Greg Docherty, Jordan Rossiter, Jordan Jones and Troy Parrott, whilst Reze Durmisi also came as did Glen Kamara and Alan McGregor. Only Nikola Katic and Alfie Morelos remained from the starting XI that took the field in Germany in midweek. The change in personnel saw a change in shape as well, with Docherty, Rossiter and Kamara making an authentic 3-man midfield but with Kamara being given licence to push forward, Jordan Jones took on the ‘Kent’ role wide on the left.
In the 7th minute, a free kick from the left flank was delivered into the box by Durmisi and met by the head of Katic no more than 8 yards out, even for the giant Bosnian defender though, the ball in was a shade too high and the header was unable to be directed underneath the crossbar.
Five minutes later, Glen Kamara returned the ball to Ross McCrorie, in an unfamiliar attacking right-back role, and although his cross was headed away, it fell for Docherty. The former Shrewsbury man burst into the penalty area and it looked as though he’d badly scuffed his shot, somehow Troy Parrott got onto it but fired his effort just over the top.
That chance aside, which to be honest had begun from a throw-in, we really struggled to create much in open play, our best opportunities in the first half were being created from set pieces. Another Durmisi free-kick, this time delivered to the far post was headed over from an acute angle by Helander before another delivery from the left-back eventually fell for Jones, but his effort was straight at Neil Parry in the Alloa goal.
HALF-TIME: Alloa Athletic 0-0 Glasgow Rangers
I was really unhappy at the break. “This simply isn’t good enough, boys.” I said. “They’re working hard and they’re defending well, but jeez, we are so ponderous in possession it’s like watching Formula 1. Just meaningless, tedious possession. Let’s start dictating, let’s start making them run, don’t let them just sit in two banks of four, start moving them around. I want much better. Get it done.”
My words had absolutely no impact, I might as well have been talking Portuguese. With a dozen minutes of the second half gone, I made a couple of changes, withdrawing Katic (who deserved a rest) and Durmisi, who had worked really hard, bringing on Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic. It was the latter who created the first clear opening of the second half, predictably from a free-kick delivered from the left, met by Goldson at the far post, but the other substitute was stretching and could only find the side netting with his header.
There was still no great improvement in our performance, Morelos came off and Brewster replaced him with the instructions to ‘at least run around and try and make something happen, for heaven’s sake!’ ringing in his ears.
With fifteen minutes remaining, a free kick crossed the halfway line for Yannick Loemba to come infield, he laid it off to Steven Hetherington and he chipped a lovely ball in between Helander and Goldson for Kevin Cawley to run onto. The former Celtic man wasted no time in drilling the ball low beyond McGregor into the bottom corner sending the place into absolute raptures. I stood there, hands thrust deep in my trouser pockets, staring at the ball in the back of the net, players in blue shirts turning on eachother in recrimination. It was then, and only then, that I noticed dismay spreading amongst the home side, the flag was up, Cawley had been caught offside.
Jeez, if we’d felt hard done by in Germany, we’d properly got away with one here!
Even that didn’t spark us into action, the final quarter of an hour equally as soporific as what had gone before.
FULL-TIME: Alloa Athletic 0-0 Glasgow Rangers
I gathered my team in the penalty area just in front of where our fans were congregated and sat them down.
“Right, perhaps if you f-ers aren’t going to listen to me then you’ll listen to them!” I pointed at the 500 or so supporters in blue. “Because each and every one of them would love to be where you are now, giving everything for the cause.” I turned around to the supporters and approached them “Eh, what do you lot think about what you’ve seen?” I shouted. My words were met with a tumult of abuse. Boos, jeers, any number of swear words and threats. Some directed at me personally, some at the gaggle of players behind me. I turned around. “You hear that? That’s what they think of us. You, me, each and every one of us individually and collectively. If we’d played well and not scored, that’s one thing, but we haven’t. We’ve been lazy from back to front. You have half an hour to sort it out. Show what you’re capable of. Not for me benefit, but for those folk there,” I pointed behind me again, “they’re who you’re doing this for.”
Finally, we created something semi-worthwhile out of open play when Scott Cuthbert’s headed clearance fell for Glen Kamara and his header into the path of Docherty invited the midfielder to attack the penalty area and even if his shot was straight at Parry, at least it was something.
That was in the second minute of the additional half-hour. Less than a minute later Docherty exchanged passes with Kamara who turning, sent a beauty of a pass beyond Jordan Jones where Barisic was steaming up on the overlap. As the ball dropped, the substitute didn’t break stride as he fired a venomous volley across Parry and into the corner of the net to finally break the deadlock. The first piece of genuine invention all afternoon and it had been rewarded by the first goal.
Or first legal goal, anyway.
From the restart, a long-ball forward caught out Ross McCrorie and suddenly Kevin O’Hara was clean through. McGregor got his angles spot on and made a decent save low down, pushing the ball behind for a corner. No sooner was he back on his feet and he was absolutely bawling out those in front of them, and rightly so.
A couple of minutes before the half-way point of extra time, Parrott received a throw-in from Barisic, turned his man and skipped into the penalty area. The angle was rather against the teenage on-loan striker from Spurs and his effort fizzed into the side netting.
ET HALF-TIME: Alloa Athletic 0-1 Glasgow Rangers
At the turnaround as the boys were taking on fluids, I was back on at them. We’d been marginally better in that first period but were still riding our luck. I needed more. Much more. Again.
In a complete carbon copy of what happened just after we scored, from the restart a simple long ball forward saw us absolutely sliced apart and Jamie Gullan couldn’t believe his luck as he raced in on goal with no Rangers defender in the same postcode. Thankfully, for us at least, McGregor used his experience to stand up and make a fine save.
Once again, scorn flew from the Rangers faithful on the terraces.
Four minutes later, a ball into the box from deep by Barisic was met by the head of Brewster, but he was unable to keep his effort down.
We moved into the final ten minutes and it looked as though at best, we were going to fluke our way to a 1-0 win before Jones headed clear an Alloa corner and suddenly Parrott had the chance to lead a counter attack, gathering the loose ball, opening his legs and powering over halfway, onwards, deep into Alloa territory until he reached the edge of the penalty area and slipped in Brewster, who had motored up in support. From 8-yards out, Brewster fired emphatically beyond Parry in the Alloa goal and as much as in relief as anything else, went to celebrate with the Rangers support behind the goal.
You could almost see the Alloa players wither on the spot at that sucker punch.
Five minutes later, another Barisic free kick into the box was met by a Rangers head, this time by Helander and he looped his header narrowly over the top.
From the goal kick, Brewster won the ball, he took a touch and then sent the ball into space for Kamara to run onto. As the Finnish midfielder was about to gather the ball in his stride he was completely taken out by two-footed by Tyler Adamson. It wasn’t a clever challenge and the red card was inevitable.
The free kick, from fully 35-yards out, was taken by Barisic and he chose to go for goal. Left footed he caught the ball perfectly and it singed its way beyond Parry into the top corner of the net to make it 3-0. A goal quite out of keeping of the rest of the performance and one that gave the scoreline a sheen that was so far beyond flattering as to be nothing short of embarrassing.
“I feel for Peter Grant and Alloa today,” I said after the game in the press conference. “They were magnificent, I thought their goal should have stood and they should have beaten us.”
“And your performance?”
“Nothing short of a shambles,” I responded before getting up and leaving.
Shambles didn’t even begin to cover it.
ET FULL-TIME: Alloa Athletic 0-3 Glasgow Rangers
Team: McGregor, Ross.McCrorie, Helander, Katic (Goldson), Durmisi (Barisic), Rossiter, Kamara, Docherty, Jones, Parrott, Morelos (Brewster)
0 -
Thursday 13th August 2020: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v Glasgow Rangers (Europa Lge 3rd Qual 2nd Leg)
Venue: PreZero Arena
Att: 24,373
We saw absolutely nothing of Hoffenheim the place on our visit to Germany. The club was actually based in the nearby town of Sinsheim, only a 10 minute or so drive to the south-east from the village from which the club took its name and where the PreZero Arena was located. A fully modern multi-purpose stadium only 11 years old, it was an impressive facility very different from a ground steeped in history like Ibrox was, comparing the two was a bit like comparing apples and mutton.
Two changes, Ryan Jack returned to provide energy and industry in midfield alongside the slightly more prosaic talents of Joe Aribo whilst Borna Barisic returned from his weekend rest to take over from Reza Durmisi at left-back.
With only the one goal deficit to overturn, I had been urging the boys to really give everything, go with as high a tempo as possible, work as hard as they could. If it wasn’t to be enough then so be it, but I really didn’t want us to go down with a whimper.
There was real appetite for destruction about our start, the midfield went hunting in packs to win the ball back early, the two front men hustled and harried the Hoffenheim back-four in possession and it was through that level of intensity that Barisic picked up a loose ball just inside his own half and sent the ball for ward for Kent, who had come in off the left flank to find space. The winger turned, advanced and then chipped a lovely ball over the top for the onrushing Morelos to take into his stride with a neat first touch. Oliver Baumann came out, the Colombian skipped around him and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net to square things up on aggregate.
The perfect start, I was absolutely delighted.
For the next seven or eight minutes we continued to buzz around with oodles of enthusiasm, the game plan seemed to be working! Then we were caught by a sucker punch just past the halfway point of the half. Firstly, Barisic and then Kent lost possession in the right-back area of the Hoffenheim half and Florian Grillitsch launched it down the line where Robert Skov was in space. He shifted the ball from right foot to left foot as Katic came across to cut his route down the line off and sent the ball instead in behind the Bosnian for Kramaric to run onto. Goldson came across but couldn’t get near the Croatian striker who from 12-yards out fired the ball wide of Robby McCrorie and into the bottom corner of the net to pull the hosts level on the night and put them back in front on aggregate.
We had it all to do again.
Three minutes after conceding, some lovely one-touch football involving Tavernier, Aribo and Morelos saw the latter send the ball left on the half-turn where Barisic as he always did, was barrelling forward on the overlap. Kent stepped over the ball which allowed the left-back onto it, also taking Grillitsch out of the equation. The Croatian full-back had worked himself an angle to get a shot away at goal, but Baumann had got his angles spot on and was able to make a good save at his near-post.
I was really delighted with the levels of belief the boys were showing though, it was much improved from seven days previously when they seemed to lack any belief whatsoever.
Ryan Jack typified things with an outstanding challenge in midfield, the ball ran to Brewster. He returned the favour for Jack and the ball was fed forward for Morelos. Again, he swung a beautiful pass out wide for Kent and suddenly we had 5-on-3 converging on the penalty area. He went down the outside, but the move appeared to have petered out when he tried to cross the ball into the 6-yard box on his weaker left foot. Incredibly, what looked like a routine claim for Baumann was anything but as the keeper spilled the ball. Brewster was on hand to steer the loose ball home from four or five yards out and ran off to celebrate with the fans behind the goal, scarcely able to believe his luck.
Nor could I, for the first time we were in the box seat.
For all of five minutes! Over-exuberance suddenly got the better of us, Ryan Jack joined Scott Arfield and Morelos in chasing down a back-pass and left a gap in behind him which was exploited when Kostas Stafylidis found himself in the space vacated by Jack. Connor Goldson was left in a quandary as to whether to go to the man or hang back and cover Kramaric, in the end he was caught between the devil and the deep blue ocean. The Greek midfielder slipped the ball through, the Croatian striker ran onto it and again made no mistake with a fine finish beyond McCrorie into the bottom corner of the net to once again give the hosts the advantage.
HALF-TIME: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2-2 Glasgow Rangers (3-2 on aggregate)
“You’ve done it twice already,” I urged at the break, “you can do it again. You can do it twice if you need to, you’ve just got to believe. They’re not bad going forward, but they can’t defend when you fellas in the final third are in that kind of mood. Jacko,” I turned to Ryan Jack, “you got caught out there for their second goal. Just hold your position a little more in front of the centre-halves, if we’re in possession, they by all means support, don’t go chasing lost causes – that’s what these boys are there for.” I pointed at Rhian and Alfie.
“Keep going boys, keep believing, keep working and if it turns out to be not enough then don’t let those behind that goal come away accusing you of not giving it absolutely everything you’ve got.”
Things couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start after the break. Tavernier conceded a free kick wide on the left, perhaps 10 yards inside our half, so no great danger. The delivery by Skov was excellent though and Grillitsch won the header inside the box, nodding it towards goal. It was heading wide but there, totally unmarked, was Kramaric a yard from the by-line and nodding past McCrorie from the acutest of angles into the back of the net.
The arms of each and every Rangers man in and around the penalty area went up in appeal for offside, but the Assistant was already scooting up the touchline ready for the restart. We were to a man convinced that at least two men were offside when the ball was headed back across goal but with no VAR available for the qualifying rounds there was nothing we could do. The goal stood and we had to use any sense of injustice to fire us up and spur us on, back into the game. We’d scored twice already, we could do the same again.
Except that now with an aggregate lead of two clear goals, Hoffenheim could allow themselves to sit back and soak up the pressure, much as they’d done after going ahead at Ibrox. Once again, it made it very hard for us to get close to breaking them down.
With just over a quarter of an hour remaining, Barisic finally spotted space in behind the hosts’ back-three and released Brewster with a ball over the top. The young striker drew Baumann before slotting the ball beyond him and… agonisingly wide of the post. Had that gone in, we’d have been in for a grandstand finish. As it was, we had to continue to press and increasingly leave gaps at the back. Credit to the home team, they defended well and Baumann was outstanding behind them.
The game was out of our reach already when, in the fourth minute of stoppage time Steven Zuber was released down the left flank after Tavernier had been caught in possession upfield. The Swiss substitute tried to beat McCrorie at his near post, but the goalkeeper made a good save, the rebound though fell nicely for the wing-back and he coolly slotted it into the empty net to complete what looked like a comfortable win for the German side.
The boys were crestfallen at the end, but they’d been given a good ovation by the travelling faithful as they came off the pitch. I was content with their efforts even if disappointed by the result which I knew would redouble the focus on me. Nothing left for me to do but to focus fully on domestic pursuits instead.
On the plane back to Scotland, I called Nikola Katic forward for a quick chat.
“Okay, Kats, I’m not going to make you available for transfer, but if between now and the end of the transfer window we receive an offer for you that meets our valuation of you and if we feel that the move would be a step-up then we will not stand in your way.” I told him. “I don’t want to lose you, and I expect that if nothing is received that you continue to be as committed as you have been so far.”
“Thank you, boss. Of course, you have my word. I give best to Rangers but appreciate your understanding.”
Now it was just a case of waiting and seeing.
FULL-TIME: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 4-2 Glasgow Rangers (5-2 on aggregate)
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic, Jack (Kamara), Aribo, Arfield (Jones), Kent, Brewster, Morelos
0 -
“Boss, sorry to disturb you, can I have a word please?” We were on the flight to Germany for our second leg match against Hoffenheim and were in the skies somewhere over the North Sea when I was aware of a towering figure casting a shadow over me. I looked up and saw Nikola Katic, phone in hand and, unusually for a footballer, without any headphones in sight.
“Sure thing, Kats,” I said, shifting over to take the window seat. “Take a seat.” The giant Bosnian took his seat next to me, stretching his long legs into the aisle. “What can I do for you?” The centre-half, who was a rarity in football in so far as he’d won an international cap for Croatia before committing to his home nation afterwards and had won his first Bosnian cap the previous November.
“Well,” the heavily accented and surprisingly light voice began. “I wanted to talk about my future. You see, boss, I think I want to move to a new team, abroad.” The words took me aback somewhat. He’d enjoyed an excellent start to the season, not only as an ever-present but also aside from the occasional slip in concentration, looked to be building a formidable partnership with Connor Goldson alongside him.
“Okay,” I said slowly. “What’s brought this on, and why now?” I knew by now how this kind of thing worked, I’d been through it with Aaron Hickey at Hearts. His agent would have been having conversations, perhaps whilst negotiating and just mentioning that amongst his clients he represented an international and at a top club in their nation, but not amongst the elite leagues planting a seed and see if it germinated.
“I think I am now 24 and I love Rangers but also I want to try and test myself in a club that is in a league that has more competition,” he said. “I think I can be at a bigger league and do well. If I can do that, I can improve my chances in the national team.”
I looked at him. “You’re part of the national team, aren’t you?”
“Yes, yes, but I sometimes on the bench, sometimes I start. I want be key man for Bosnia and I think this I can not do unless I play in more competition league.”
I could understand his concerns, they made a lot of sense and I was never going to be one to hold a player back if they really wanted to leave and if the move made sense for both parties, ourselves and the player. That was contingent on a few things, firstly making sure the money was right, secondly that I had enough cover in the position (in this case centre-half) and thirdly that I felt the player was making a step up. If, for example, Everton were to come in with an acceptable bid then I’d be happier to let him go there than, say, Salzburg in Austria where they were pretty well completely dominant.
“Do you think regular European football would help?” I asked.
Katic thought for a moment. “Perhaps,” he replied. “I think only group stage football.”
“Yes,” I agreed, “that’s what I was thinking as well.” I paused for a moment, thinking. “Listen, I understand your concerns. We’re not out of this European tie yet, I think we can turn it around and progress. If you can wait and see how we go tomorrow evening, then we can pick things up at the weekend and work out the best way forward for you and the club.”
“If we lose, you will agree to sell me?”
“If we get an offer that’s right for us, and that I feel is right for you, then we’ll give it consideration.”
“Thank you boss, that is fine for me.” Katic replied.
“You’re going to be starting tomorrow, Kats, I expect you to give everything for the cause.”
He made a face, putting his hands over his heart. “Boss, of course, I never give less than everything.”
“Good,” I said. “That’ll help us forget this conversation ever happened.”
The defender’s face suddenly dropped. “Huh? But why?”
“We’re going to win aren’t we?!” I exclaimed.
Katic grinned broadly. “Haha, yes boss, we win and take on world.”
I immediately reached for my phone and dropped a text over to Ross Wilson, our Director of Football, explaining the conversation I’d just had and what I’d promised Katic.
Sound sensible?
Aye, disnae sound unreasonable.
Can you think about what we should be thinking of asking if the worst happens?
We have him valued at 11m right now.
£11million? How long is left on his deal?
It expires June 22
And cover? We have Helander and Edmundson
Aye, not much in the age groups. Plus neither is a ball player like Nikki
I like a ball player at the back.
Any ideas?
If he goes a couple of options spring to mind
Affordable?
Aye, one of them would be within our budget for sure
Oh? Name?
Someone you know well
???
John Souttar…
0 -
Table as at 9th August 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
2
2
0
0
11
1
6
10
Glasgow Rangers
2
2
0
0
6
1
6
5
St Mirren
2
1
1
0
4
2
4
2
Kilmarnock
2
1
1
0
2
1
4
1
Motherwell
2
1
0
1
3
2
3
1
Aberdeen
2
1
0
1
2
3
3
-1
Dundee United
2
1
0
1
3
5
3
-2
Heart of Midlothian
2
1
0
1
3
5
3
-2
Livingston
2
0
1
1
3
4
1
-1
Invernes Caledonian Thistle
2
0
1
1
2
3
1
-1
St Johnstone
2
0
0
2
2
6
0
-4
Hibernian
2
0
0
2
0
8
0
-8
Friday 7th August
Inverness
1
2
Dundee Utd
Saturday 8th August
Celtic
7
0
Hibs
Heats
3
2
Livingston
Motherwell
0
1
Kilmarnock
St Mirren
3
1
St Johnstone
Sunday 9th August
Aberdeen
1
3
Rangers
0 -
Sunday 9th August 2020: Aberdeen v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: Pittodrie
Att: 20,961
Managerial Record v Aberdeen: P 4 W 1 D 1 L 2 F 7 A 6
Oh my goodness, they were coming at me and coming at me hard. After the limp midweek display the papers were already questioning my future at the club. As I’d done at Hearts, I ignored social media, the print media and the screen media but even then, things penetrated through the shield. The disappointment on behalf of Scottish Football as a whole was palpable, we’d let everyone down with our showing against Hoffenheim, I was left in no doubt about that on Friday morning.
Then, in the Sunday morning previews Celtic had done very little to help matters with their 7-0 demolition of Hibs at Parkhead the previous afternoon. That, along with my winless record at Pittodrie since first visiting almost a year ago to the day with Herts, led those with their poison pens to suggest that failure on my part to lead my lads to three points, would invite serious questions about my suitability to steer a ship as big as Rangers onwards.
I did my best to ignore all the chatter and picked a side that showed two changes from midweek. Lazio’s on-loan Danish left-back Reza Durmisi came in for his first start in place of Borna Barisic whilst Glen Kamara returned to give the midfield a little more attacking edge in place of Mattias Kranevitter. Ryan Jack was fit enough to return to the bench after a spell out through injury whilst Troy Parrott missed out through food poisoning. Zak Rudden enjoyed his first call up to the first-team squad and was named on the bench.
The performance against Hoffenheim had set my relationship with the fans back a bit, I needed to get them onside as soon as I possibly could. Clearly, the best way to manage that was to get the three points here and then mastermind a heroic against-the-odds fightback in Germany. I had to take that one step at a time, starting with getting a performance at Pittodrie. We hadn’t dwelt too much on the midweek performance during training, instead looking ahead to ways in which we could beat the Dons on their own patch, something I’d yet to experience.
We started as if we were suffering a bit of a hangover from Thursday evening. Durmisi picked up a second minute caution and the hosts looked rather fresher than we did, showing boundless enthusiasm and peppering the goal with shots. Niall McGinn, a quarter of an hour in, went closest when he cut inside James Tavernier onto his right foot and curled one from distance towards the far post. Had it gone in, it would have been an unbelievable strike, as it was Robby McCrorie was alert to it and at full stretch produced a fine save.
Shortly afterwards, a long ball forward saw Alan Forrest getting in behind the back-four yet the angle was against him, McCrorie blocked the initial effort and when the rebound fell to Sam Cosgrove, who’d scored a hat-trick against me last time we met, Nikola Katic was on hand to make a smart block and then clear the danger.
It took us until about the midway point of the first half to blow away the cobwebs and begin to impose ourselves on the game. A throw-in from James Tavernier saw him receive the ball back from Arfield and then knock it infield to Joe Aribo. The midfielder shifted it forward to Arfield who had now found a pocket of space to run into. He turned, moved 10 yards infield before chipping a delightful ball into the gap between the centre-half and right-back. On it in an instant was Ryan Kent and after taking a touch to gather the ball into his stride, he slipped it beyond Joe Lewis with the outside of his right foot and into the bottom corner of the net to open the scoring.
There we were. That’s what I had been looking for.
Less than 90 seconds later, a Brewster cross was headed clear as far as Aribo. The midfielder exchanged passes with Durmisi to his left before sliding it into the box for Alfie Morelos. The Colombian’s strike was repelled but it fell perfectly for Kent who, with the minimum of backlift, drilled the ball high and hard into the roof of Lewis’ net leaving the goalkeeper with absolutely no chance.
After more than 20 minutes of dire struggle, within six minutes we were 2-0 ahead. The benefit of having that level of quality up front in comparison to what I had available at Hearts – and indeed, Aberdeen - was there for all to see.
It should have been three at the break, Arfield won possession just inside the Aberdeen half and he released Brewster. The youngster was clear, but with a defender coming across to cover him, he slipped the ball to his left for Morelos. The striker, on the edge of the area took his strike early, with Lewis still setting himself, but he drilled it no more than 6-inches wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post.
A third goal then would surely have clinched the three points, as it was we were very much odds on favourites at the interval.
HALF-TIME: Aberdeen 0-2 Glasgow Rangers
At the break I praised the boys’ resilience, the way in which they’d weathered the early storm, continued to work hard and slowly gotten themselves not only a foothold in the game, but got to the point where they were fully on top.
“That’s the difference at this level, boys” I began enthusiastically, “taking your chances when you’re beginning to get on top. That’s what Aberdeen didn’t do, that’s what we didn’t do against the best sides at Hearts. You’ve got that quality here at this level to make pressure count and score goals. They’ll be wanting an early goal back in the second period, you’ll probably have to defend again. That’s fine, we can’t be attacking for the full-90. Just remain compact out of possession, well organised and make it hard for them.”
A promising attack down the Aberdeen left-flank broke down thanks to a Connor Goldson intervention and he fired the ball down the line for Brewster. A neat turn and spark of pace saw him outpace his marker and then send a delicious cross in for Morelos. The striker had the option of taking the ball down and shooting on the edge of the box, instead he elected to volley first time and whilst Lewis was completely beaten, the ball fizzed just over the top and thumped into the stanchion behind the goal.
After that, Aberdeen had the spell of being on top that I’d talked about at the break and Cosgrove, twice, went very close. Firstly, he latched onto a lazy backpass from Katic only to be denied by an outstanding recovery tackle from the same player and then his second effort did see the striker get a shot away at goal but Robby McCrorie made a fine save before Durmisi completed the clearance.
As they ramped up the pressure, looking for a way back into the match, Dean Campbell seized on a loose ball outside the penalty area and unleashed a sizzling strike from 25-yards that flew beyond the post and into the advertising hoardings at the front of the stand, McCrorie wouldn’t have had a prayer if the effort had been on target.
They found their way in with 20 minutes remaining, a long-ball forward from Mikkel Kirkeskov was headed away by Filip Helander, however the header fell for Scott Wright in the space vacated by Ross McCrorie, who was caught upfield. Wright immediately put his head down and ran directly towards the penalty area before unleashing an unstoppable drive from 18-yards that beat Rob McCrorie all ends up, thundering into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
That set up a barnstorming final 20 minutes, full of high-octane running, blood and thunder tackles, enormous levels of passion flowing down from the stands and yet, precious little goalmouth action. Even so, it was thoroughly entertaining to watch and enjoyable to be part of.
With four minutes remaining, as we chased the third goal, possession was lost and a ball played in behind Reza Durmisi for James Wilson to run onto. Although he had Cosgrove in support, the route for the simple square ball was cut-off. The on-loan Manchester United man had to go himself and shot, low, left-footed. Thankfully, Robby McCrorie showed lightning quick reactions to get down to his left and make a smart block before the ball was hacked clear.
Then, from the throw-in, the ball was delivered into the penalty area from the left by Kirkeskov. It was headed away by Helander but fell for Lewis Ferguson to powerfully head goalwards from a long way out, yet with McCrorie at full stretch and nowhere near the ball, it thankfully flew just over the top of the net and behind for a goal kick.
In the fourth minute of added time, and with us resorting to running down the clock at every opportunity, a ball into the penalty area from Aribo really should have been cut out by one of two red-shirted defenders or claimed by Lewis. Neither happened so Jordan Jones, on as a sub for Ryan Kent, nipped in and from an improbably acute angle slid the ball home at Lewis’ near post.
3-1, points clinched and, in truth, a flattering score-line. I felt a point apiece wouldn’t have been unjust and said so to Derek McInnes at the end. His shrug was rueful. “You took yer chances, we didn’t, simple as that.” And it was.
FULL-TIME: Aberdeen 1-3 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier (Ross.McCrorie), Goldson (Helander), Katic, Durmisi, Kamara, Aribo, Arfield, Kent (Jones), Brewster, Morelos
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Many congrats @neilhoskins77 - good appointment
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Thursday 6th August 2020: Glasgow Rangers v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (Europa Lge 3rd Qual 1st Leg)
Venue: Ibrox
Att: 48,690
This one felt like a real European night. Even though it came so early in the season, the fact that we were playing Bundesliga opposition in a knockout tie really felt like something else. The atmosphere around the ground felt charged more than it had for the games against Ordabasy and Hearts, even if there were a couple of thousand fewer in the ground than there had been at the weekend.
The German side were coached by the effortlessly cool Danish legend Michael Laudrup and had just finished a very respectable 7th place in the 2019/20 season. They’d overcome Belarussian side Dinamo Brest in the previous round and this game marked the watershed between their pre-season campaign and the start of their regular season. Sandwiched between the two ties against us, they kicked of their Pokal campaign against Hansa Rostock.
I named an unchanged side from that which had beaten Hearts so comfortably in the league opener but on the bench there was a first call up for Jordan Jones in place of the ineligible Troy Parrott.
And we should have gone ahead just ten seconds into the match. The ball was worked back to Joe Aribo from the kick-off and he immediately sent the ball over the top for Rhian Brewster, who had sprung the offside trap. Oliver Baumann came out to narrow the angle and got it just right, making a superb save to block Brewster’s effort and deflect it away from the danger zone. That would have been the dream start.
That woke the visitors up and the next fifteen minutes was a feisty, entertaining contest with both sides committed to attack. In the 14th minute, disaster struck when Barisic dallied on the left edge of his own penalty area and found his pocket picked by Pavel Kaderabek. As so often happens in those situations the defender reacted with a clear tug of the shirt and the Hoffenheim wing-back went down just inside the penalty area.
It was a particularly idiot piece of defending and one that left me absolutely seething. All the more so when Hoffenheim’s former Leicester misfit Andrej Kramaric stepped up from the spot and smashed the ball beyond McCrorie to give them not only the lead, but a ‘valuable away goal’.
The remaining half an hour of the first half was abject. We created some vague openings and opportunities but never got going. Hoffenheim were so well organised and in control that it was almost as if they had us on a piece of string.
HALF-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 0-1 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
We continued in the same vein after the break, not even the addition of the more attacking Glen Kamara for Mattias Kranevitter could prompt us to get in around or behind our opponents who were producing the perfect European performance away from home.
McCrorie had to make a fine save ten minutes from time to keep us in the tie as Kramaric was played onside by Reza Durmisi, who had replaced Barisic at left-back early in the second half. As performances went, it was one of the most humbling of my career to date.
There was no hint of complacency following our goal-laden start to the season, absolutely none. The effort was there and we looked confident. We defended well too, but we were never really in the contest once Hoffenheim had scored their goal. It wasn’t so much that we’d suffered a reality check as shown me just how far we had to go to even match a reasonably good continental side. They were strides ahead of us and looked unbelievably comfortable sitting back and countering. None of the 1000mph gegenpressen stuff that was so in vogue in German football, just a well organised, well balanced performance.
I spent a long while after the game talking with Macca, Nino and Mikey Beale about where we’d fallen short and what we needed. Ross Wilson, the Director of Football was in on the conversation as well. Of course, we had to be mindful that we weren’t out of the tie by any stretch and that we could snatch something over in Germany, that was true, but I felt that we’d fallen short and that if we played Hoffenheim ten times, they’d probably beat us 7 or 8.
It came down, I felt, to craft and guile. Our midfield, for all their excellent attributes, didn’t really have that eye for a killer pass that can unlock very good sides. Someone like, for want of a better example, Michael Laudrup, playing in behind the strikers and who could just pick a through a ball at will.
There was plenty for us to work on ahead of the return leg, then, and also a focus there for Ross to take away for the recruitment side of things. Try and find me that weaver of magic.
FULL-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 0-1 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic (Durmisi), Kranevitter (Kamara), Aribo, Arfield, Kent, Brewster (Grezda), Morelos
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Table as at Sunday 2nd August 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
1
1
0
0
4
1
3
3
Glasgow Rangers
1
1
0
0
3
0
3
3
Motherwell
1
1
0
0
3
1
3
2
Aberdeen
1
1
0
0
1
0
3
1
Invernes Caledonian Thistle
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
Livingston
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
St Mirren
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
Kilmarnock
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
Hibernian
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
-1
St Johnstone
1
0
0
1
1
3
0
-2
Dundee United
1
0
0
1
1
4
0
-3
Heart of Midlothian
1
0
0
1
0
3
0
-3
Saturday 1st August
Dundee Utd
1
4
Celtic
Kilmarnock
1
1
Inverness
Livingston
1
1
St Mirren
St Johnstone
1
3
Motherwell
Sunday 2nd August
Rangers
3
0
Hearts
Hibs
0
1
Aberdeen
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Sunday 2nd August 2020: Glasgow Rangers v Heart of Midlothian (SPL)
Venue: Ibrox
Att: 50,817
This was one I was really looking forward to, for obvious reasons. Almost a year ago to the day I’d begun my league career taking charge of Hearts hosting Rangers at Tynecastle. Now the roles were reversed, I was once again at home but this time I was leading Rangers into battle against my old charges from the capital.
Obviously much was made within the media of the fact that my old team were visiting and I really tried to play it down as best I could. Whilst I was really looking forward to catching up with the lads, with Pat Nevin and JD and Foxy and Karen who were still at the club, even saying hello to Ann Budge and hopefully putting the past behind us after the game, before hand I was focused only on one thing.
Winning.
I was also looking forward to meeting David Moyes for the first time. When he’d taken the job at Tynecastle I gave him a ring to congratulate him and offer to help him if he had any questions at all about the players. We ended up speaking for a good hour or so which, I found, enlightening. I always thought that since leaving Everton and taking up a string of poisoned chalices, David hadn’t gotten the credit or respect he deserved. He was a man of dignity and returned the favour of calling me when I took the job at Ibrox to wish me well. That was a nice touch.
Like ourselves, Hearts were going into the game on the back of a European fixture. They’d just hosted Dynamo Moscow at Tynecastle at the same stage of the Europa League having overcome SJK of Finland in an earlier round. After losing 3-2 in Moscow in the first leg, they’d been undone 4-1 at home to lose 7-3 on aggregate and suffer an exit. Unlike the previous season under my stewardship, they were now looking to begin the league campaign on the right foot.
Robby McCrorie returned in goal and James Tavernier at right-back, whilst in a change I really ummed and ahhed about, Mattias Kranevitter come into midfield in place of Glen Kamara. I wanted to keep things a little tighter in the middle of the park than I had in midweek, knowing the quality possessed by Glenn Whelan and Ricci Montolivo and knowing that David was favourite a 5-4-1 formation with two attacking midfielders and attacking wing-backs in Aidan White and new signing from Chelsea, Tariq Lamptey.
Celtic had laid down an early marker with a 4-1 win at newly promoted Dundee United to begin the campaign, so I was very keen to serve notice of our own intentions. Predictably enough heavy rain greeted our start to the season but within the first minute, Kranevitter had won possession inside the Hearts half and released Brewster. The youngster’s effort was powerful but slammed into the side netting at Zdenek Zlamel’s near post.
The rain soon eased, but we struggled to match that early fluency, the four-man midfield providing us with problems. So, with only the one man up front to deal with I asked Tavernier and Barisic to tuck-in a little ahead of the centre-halves when Hearts had the ball and to try and stretch their midfield when we had it by hugging the touchlines.
When we did create something else, it was only a half-chance but all about the quality of Alf Morelos. Receiving a ball forward from Goldson into his chest, he then turned his marker, burst away from a second challenge with a searing burst of pace before jinking past a third. It was a crying shame then when he rushed his effort at the end of all of that and sent a powerful strike a long way wide of the target.
In the 22nd minute, Sean Clare won the ball down by the corner flag in his own half on the left-hand side and chipped it forward. Conor Washington won the header against Connor Goldson and spun in behind to get onto his own flick on. The Northern Irishman who had enjoyed such a goal-laden first-half to the season under me streaked clear before driving a low shot that Rob McCrorie did well to get down to and gather.
11 minutes before the break, we were awarded a free-kick wide on the right touchline. Borna Barisic trotted over with his wand-like left-foot and swung the ball into a congested penalty area. It missed everyone except Goldson who had watched the delivery like a hawk, peeled off to the far post and simply nodded the ball from just inside the 6-yard box into the gap between Zlammy and the upright to give us the advantage.
As much as I wanted us to be free-flowing in attack, I was also keen for us to make the most of as many set-pieces in the attacking third as we could, so this was a real feather in the cap of Macca who had worked so hard in the few weeks since my appointment on the training ground on set pieces.
Three minutes later the trick had worked again, this time Barisic’s delivery was much more central, as was Brewster’s header. Zlamel got a touch to the ball as it looped over him, but he was unable to keep it out of the net. As the young Liverpool man trotted off in celebration of his first ever league goal, sadly the assistant’s flag was raised and the goal chalked off. He had strayed offside and would have to wait to break his league duck.
HALF-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 1-0 Heart of Midlothian
“That’s a good half, lads, you’ve overcome a tough start and in the last 20-25 minutes began to outplay them a little. There’s no harm in going a little more direct to bypass their midfield four at times,” I said at the break, “They’re a tough nut to crack. Keep the tempo high when we have possession and stretch the game as much as you can, Borna, James,” I looked at my two full-backs, “that’s how we’re going to find gaps. Then, when they’re in possession tuck back in and let Ryan and Scotty deal with the wing-backs if they come forward. Okay?”
Murmurs of assent.
“Anything to add, Macca?” I asked Gary. He had a couple of pieces which he went through whilst I got myself a drink, all very encouraging stuff on the whole.
Less than a minute after the restart we found ourselves very nearly undone by a set-piece against us. The free-kick wide on the right was delivered to our far post and in almost a carbon-copy of how Connor Goldson had found space to score for us, John Souttar did the same for the visitors, but couldn’t keep his header down and it drifted just over the top.
Again, we had to fight and battle our way into the game, to earn the right to impose our style on the encounter and watching on, although it wasn’t particularly pretty, I was really pleased to see that we were able to graft as well as play some lovely football.
In the 62nd minute, Rhian Brewster chipped a ball into the heart of the penalty area. Ryan Kent was beaten to the header by Christophe Berra but the ball fell nicely for Joe Aribo just outside the penalty area. The midfielder took a couple of touches to manoeuvre himself into space before striking a low shot left-footed across Zlamel and into the far corner of the net. A really well taken goal again from a player who was looking as though he had a lot of quality about him.
That second goal was greeted with a mixture of elation and relief and allowed us to begin to dictate things.
With 14 minutes remaining we were very nearly caught out, Nikola Katic lost out in a challenge to Washington, whose turn saw him streak into space towards goal. As he shot, out of nowhere Goldson appeared to block. The ball broke nicely for Lamptey who advanced on goal before taking the wrong option. His effort was comfortably saved by Rob McCrorie, if he’d had the presence of mind to look up and square the ball, Washington had a tap-in to an empty net. Had I been on the other bench this time around, that would have absolutely driven me mad.
Ten minutes later, Scott Arfield chipped a lovely ball forward into the path of Ryan Kent, he used a stepover to get beyond Michael Smith before toe-poking the ball beyond the dive of Zlammy and watched on as it bobbled into the net for his first goal of the campaign.
Three minutes remaining and the game was completely sealed. It had been a tough encounter where we’d been made to work all the way by Hearts. A clinical edge in front of goal plus a little bit of individual quality had given us the edge and we were able to look back on a job very well done.
I spent a little time mixing with the visiting players after the game, seeing how they were getting on, and did get the chance to have a quick word with Ann Budge too. It seemed as though there were no hard feelings, which was good, we were both able to move on and look to the future with optimism.
There was still no such thaw in relations with Leah, who continued to blank me outside of the professional environment. I sent her one final text message that evening explaining that I couldn’t really understand what I’d done wrong after our agreement in the summer, but that I would be open to talking it through if she wanted. If not, I’d assume our relationship moving on was to be purely professional.
I didn’t want that to be the case, I’d really enjoyed getting to know her over the previous 8 months or so and loved her company. There was little else I could do, I wasn’t going to begin harassing her, that really wasn’t my style. Trying to put it out of my mind, as soon as I began the drive back to Edinburgh from Glasgow, my mind moved on to the tricky challenge of overcoming Hoffenheim in the midweek European qualifier.
FULL-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 3-0 Heart of Midlothian
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic (Durmisi), Kranevitter (Ross.McCrorie), Aribo, Arfield, Kent, Brewster, Morelos (Parrott)
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Thursday 30th July 2020: Glasgow Rangers v Ordabasy Shymkent (Europa League 2nd Qual 2nd Leg)
Venue: Ibrox
Att: 48,285
In the week before the two legs of the Europa League qualifier I completed my first signing in over a year as I secured Tottenham Hotspur’s teenage Irish striker, Troy Parrott, on a loan deal until the end of the season. He fitted the profile of the kind of player I wanted to bring in. Young, hungry and talented, someone with a big future ahead of them and who needed minutes at a good level. I was delighted to get him and although he was ineligible for this 2nd leg tie, he would be available for the league opener at the weekend against my old club, Hearts.
I shuffled the pack a little with a comfortable advantage in my back pocket from the first leg. Alan McGregor took the gloves whilst Jon Flanagan got the nod at right back. Finnish international Glen Kamara partnered Joe Aribo in the centre of midfield as well, otherwise it was as you were from the week before in Kazhakstan.
This was the first opportunity for the supporters, whose reaction to my appointment had been somewhat split, to see me and my team in action and I wanted to try and put on a bit of a show for them. To see whether the boys had a ruthless streak in them or whether they were content to take their foot off the pedal and just do what was necessary. Obviously I also had one eye on the Hearts match at the weekend, a game I really wanted to make a statement in for reasons that were various and obvious. First though, seal progression into the 3rd Qualifying Round.
We served notice of our intensions in the 7th minute of the game when Glen Kamara found space down the right-hand side and fizzed a ball across the face of the penalty area where it was met my Ryan Kent’s head. The winger’s header from all of 16-yards out had Nesterenko concerned, but the ball ended up wide of the post.
Just a minute later, a half-clearance found its way to Scott Arfield on the edge of the box, he knocked it wide to the left for Barisic to drive into space. The full-back did so and then picked out Kamara, who had got into the box to make a fourth man, something that never happened with Glenn Whelan and Ricci Montolivo at Hearts, and the Finn managed to strike a brilliant left-footed volley at goal sending the ball high into the top corner of the net giving Nesterenko no chance at all.
A terrific finish.
Four minutes later a flowing move down the left flank saw Barisic make a break and shuffle the ball on for Morelos. The Colombian turned and sent a lovely cross into the box where it was met by the head of Brewster, but the striker directed the header inches wide of Nesterenko’s left-hand post.
The lead was doubled in the 19th minute, Ryan Kent cut in off the left flank and fed the ball into Brewster. The youngster held the ball up before laying it off into the path of Barisic who was arriving like a train. The Croatian full-back didn’t break stride before firing powerfully left-footed across Nesterenko and into the far corner to double the lead, another excellent finish.
8 minutes later another flowing move, this time down the right flank saw Flanagan find Kamara making tracks down the line. The midfielder’s run wasn’t tracked and as he fed the ball inside, Brewster lost his marker and was able to fire the ball underneath Nesterenko and into the corner of the net to make it 3-0 and exceed his goal tally from the previous season in doing so.
As we hit the half-hour mark, Jon Flanagan received a ball back from Kamara after a throw in and his left-footed cross from the right wing found Morelos who was able to flick a header goalwards, only to see his effort crash back off the crossbar. So unfortunate.
We were absolutely rampant at this stage, from the goal kick Ryan Kent burst forward and shifted the ball to his right where it found Kamara breaking forward again. Another burst of pace from the Finn saw him work a shooting opportunity, this time Nesterenko made a smart block at his near post. From Barisic’s corner kick, Morelos met it at the far-post but his header went too high.
Before the break, Nesterenko made another good save, this time from Kent after another surging run off the left flank from the former Liverpool man.
It had been a really good half, an excellent showing and the players received a warm and well-deserved ovation as they exited the balmy Glasgow evening for some refreshment.
HALF-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 3-0 Ordabasy Shymkent
The message at the break was simple. Keep it going, don’t let up. I was delighted with the performance, the amount of chances that were being created and the quality of our finishing. As I’d hoped, having more offensively minded central midfielders was providing us with an additional dimension in the attacking third and really pinning the opposition back on the edge of the own penalty area. As half-time talks went, this was one of the easier ones I’d had to deliver so far.
As happy as I was with the first half, I was equally disappointed with the first 20-minutes of the second period. We were off the pace, languid and lax in our approach. I made a triple change just before the hour mark to try and shake things up a little, Filip Helander came on for Connor Goldson, Eros Grezda for Ryan Kent and youngster Chris McKee up front for his debut for Rhian Brewster.
The switch paid off handsomely.
In the 67th minute Aribo swept the ball left for Barisic who advanced a dozen yards before sweeping a ball in behind the opponent’s right-back for Grezda to run onto. The substitute cut inside and then giving Nesterenko the eyes, swept the ball just inside the near post before wheeling away in absolute delight. The Albanian had struggled badly with injury problems and his pleasure at the goal belied his relief at putting all of those struggles behind him.
The goal also saw us re-find our mojo. Almost exactly a minute later, McKee’s cross from the right was headed away by Drachenko. The loose ball was picked up by Grezda and he fed it inside for Joe Aribo to pick up. The former Charlton midfielder had all the time in the world to take a couple of touches forward before firing a low strike beyond Nesterenko and into the bottom corner of the net to make it 5.
With 17 minutes remaining, Ordabasy received a double boost as they looked for their first goal of the tie. Roger Canas made progress down the right flank and sent a cross into the box. It found Samat Islmailov and as the attacking midfielder took the ball down, Jon Flanagan unceremoniously bundled him over. It was a clear penalty and Flanagan, who had already been cautioned, left the arena earlier than he might have liked. Kyrylo Kovalchuk took responsibility for the penalty and sent it low towards the bottom corner. McGregor did outstandingly well to get down low to his left and with a big left-hand, palm the ball around the post for a corner kick.
I shuffled Filip Helander a little further right but kept the three at the back for the final quarter of an hour and didn’t ask the boys to sit in any further but to try and keep going forward.
With five minutes remaining a Barisic corner was well claimed by Nesterenko, however he had to hurdle over a prone blue shirt on the floor when doing so. Eros Grezda had been pushed to the ground and the referee decided that it was worthy of a penalty kick. No arguments from us at all. Barisic stepped up and coolly sent Nesterenko the wrong way to make it 6-0 and grab his second goal of the evening.
Grezda then put the icing on the evening by latching onto a long ball out of defence from Nikola Katic and galloping through on goal. His right-footed finish was neatly measured, beating Nesterenko and ending up in the back of the net.
That was in the 2nd minute of stoppage time, a minute later the tie was over and our shattered opponents put out of their misery.
It had been a thumping win, mostly an excellent showing and an extremely comfortable progression into the next round. We were given another generous level of appreciation as we all exited down the tunnel, which was refreshing, I felt that we’d done ourselves justice and could look ahead to the visit of Hearts in a good and positive frame of mind.
It was so good to be back.
FULL-TIME: Glasgow Rangers 7-0 Ordabasy Shymkent (10-0 on aggregate)
Team: McGregor, Flanagan, Goldson (Helander), Katic, Barisic, Kamara, Aribo, Arfield, Kent (Grezda), Brewster (McKee), Morelos
0 -
Thursday 23rd July 2020: Ordabasy Shymkent v Glasgow Rangers (Europa League 2nd Qual. 1st Leg)
Venue: Stadion Qajimuqan Munaytpasov
Att: 6,463
The twelve days after my unveiling seemed to take almost forever, the time stretched interminably onwards without a hint of any kind of competitive game to look forward to. Until, all of a sudden, there loomed an intriguing looking trip to Kazakhstan in our Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round tie against Ordabasy Shymkent, who had beaten Georgian side Dila Gori in the previous round 5-2 on aggregate.
I knew nothing about them except what little the scouting team had been able to dredge up. It was a tie that we *should* be looking to comfortably progress through but that experience told anyone with an interest in Scottish football, that it should be treated very much as a banana skin. Celtic’s demise in Gibraltar a couple of years previously was very much at the forefront of our minds as we made the gargantuan journey to the south-eastern Kazakhstani city of Shymkent that stood so deep inside Asian territory that it was only about 600 miles from the Chinese border with Krygyzstan. Unchartered waters for pretty much all of us.
You think Kazakhstan and you think Borat and all of the silly stereotypical nonsense his character perpetuated about that part of the world. Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. Shymkent was a astonishingly beautiful city, affluent and stunning to look at as we travelled through it, all of us on our travels to the stadium, firstly to train on the night before the game and then for the game itself, were absolutely beguiled by what we saw.
We’d worked hard on training and over a couple of friendly matches on the shape I wanted us to employ that was very much based on that I used at Hearts. The main difference was that I wanted Joe Aribo, in particular, to get forward from midfield into the penalty area more than Glenn Whelan and Ricci Montolivo did for me the season before and create an additional goal threat. Rhian Brewster joined Alfredo Morelos up front whilst negotiations were ongoing at home for a striker on-loan from a club south of the border who I felt would do us some good as cover up front.
I couldn’t have asked for a better start from my charges than the one I was given. James Tavernier and Ryan Jack combined well down the right flank and the former Bristol City right-back, slipped the ball inside for Brewster. The young on-loan Liverpool striker cut the ball back and although a defender should have cut the cross out, he didn’t and Morelos was left with a simple finish from about 7-yards out into the bottom corner to give us a 4th minute lead and settle our nerves.
A great start.
Five minutes later Barisic, whose contract dispute appeared to have been blown out of all proportion by the press, surprisingly enough, sent in a peach of a free kick from the right flank towards the far post. Askhat Nesterenko in the Ordabasy goal came to claim, got nowhere near it and Scott Arfield jumped highest only to send his header over the crossbar.
Then, two minutes after that, Barisic found Aribo and his left footed cross found Brewster just inside the six-yard box, unfortunately the striker couldn’t get over the ball enough and also directed his header over the top.
Not knowing how good the opposition actually were made it really difficult to judge how well we were playing in the opening stages. Would Ordabasy have held their own in the SPL or were they equivalent to the Scottish lower divisions?
Just past the quarter hour mark and Ryan Kent dispossessed an opponent inside his own half and then went on a long, direct run that took him into the heart of the Ordabasy penalty area. On his stronger right-foot he looked to curl the ball into the far corner of the net but got it all wrong and directed his shot only into the midriff of Nesterenko, who held on well.
To the hosts credit, they managed to shake off their awful start and then begin to compete. The landslide that looked likely in the opening quarter of the hour swiftly subsided and although they created very little, so did we for the final half-hour of the first period. When the whistle came, we held the advantage but it was hard to know whether or not I should be pleased or disappointed with things.
HALF-TIME: Ordabasy Shymkent 0-1 Glasgow Rangers
I admitted as much at the interval, pacing around pensively waiting for the players to settle down with their drinks and energy refreshing packs. “Okay boys, I’ll be honest, I’m not sure what to make of that first half. Opening quarter of an hour was brilliant, we should be three or four up. After that, I don’t know. I can’t tell if we took our foot off the gas or they sorted themselves out. Thoughts?”
“They definitely got a lot tighter,” Scott Arfield chipped in.
“Aye, first fifteen they were standing off us, giving us all the time in the world.” Ryan Jack agreed. “After Kenty almost ran through they suddenly tightened up enormously, got on us much quicker.”
“That’s what I was thinking watching on from the sideline and that’s what you said to me, wasn’t it Macca?” I turned to Gary McAllister, my new assistant.
“Aye, that’s what it looked like to us. But listen, lads, you played into their hands a little then too. Youse could have moved the ball a fraction quicker when you cottoned onto what was happening. Get a little sharper off the ball, create space for the man in possession. How many times did we go over that last season, eh? Youse were all here, boys. Time and time again Stevie and I got into youse about that.”
“It’s that simple, boys, you’re better than them and they’re there for the taking, I’m sure of it. But you’ve got to make something happen rather than relying on them to give you the time and space to do so. Force the tempo, up it, play around them or, like we’ve looked at in training, go vertical if you need to. Nothing wrong with going from front to back quickly if you see something on. Okay?”
Nods and murmurs of agreement.
We got a very early boost in the second half. There was less than a minute gone when Tavernier made tracks down the right hand side before riding an absolutely shocking two-footed lunge from the much-travelled Portuguese winger, Hugo Seco. Tavernier remained on his feet but the whistle went immediately and Seco was sent-off from a distance of about 15-yards, the referee immediately raising the red card as he sprinted to the scene of the attempted manslaughter.
With a man advantage there was even less excuse for the players not to really impose themselves on the tie.
For some reason, despite the width afforded us by the full-backs and the hosts playing with two ridiculously narrow banks of four, we insisted on trying to play through them. To be fair, on 57 minutes, Joe Aribo worked a little bit of space after exchanging countless passes with his midfield partner, Jack, before unleashing a terrific strike from 22-yards with his left foot. Nesterenko was beaten at full stretch, but the ball came back off the face of the post and was cleared from danger.
10 minutes later, we finally got the ball wide, Barisic played a give-and-go with Aribo and got to the by-line on the left flank. His driven cross was perfect for Brewster but once again, the on-loan Liverpool man headed over the top. He’d managed just the single goal in more than 25 appearances the previous season and on this evidence, it was easy to see just why.
In the 71st minute a Barisic corner kick picked out the run of Jack, who had peeled off his marker and found his way to the far post, the former Aberdeen midfielder’s header was powerful but went just the wrong side of the post.
That provided a brief stay of execution for the home side as Ryan Kent dispossessed Drachenko and then sent a ball down the inside left-channel for Morelos to get onto. The Colombian slipped the ball beyond Nesterenko and saw it rebound off the base of the far post. A defender then got himself in a huge muddle trying to clear and Brewster slid in to bundle the loose ball over the line. He wheeled off in absolute delight, despite the scrappy nature of the strike, to celebrate only his second senior career goal.
The evening was finally capped 9-minutes later when an excellent move from back to front and right to left saw Jon Flanagan pick out Jack and the midfielder turn, before releasing Ryan Kent down the left. The winger slipped the ball inside to Morelos and the striker, from about 12-yards out helped the ball on its way first time with his left-foot inside the far post for his second goal of the afternoon.
There was a late rally from the hosts when Amanov was sent racing in behind Connor Goldson with three minutes remaining, the striker’s effort was on target, but the hitherto untroubled Robby McCrorie preserved his clean sheet with a fine save.
That was it, the start of my Glasgow Rangers managerial career, the second chapter, began with an ultimately comfortable 3-0 win away from home in a tricky European tie. We could approach the home leg a week later with a fair degree of confidence and a nice comfortable cushion. A clean sheet, a banana skin avoided and both strikers already in the goals, it was a very good evening’s work.
FULL-TIME: Ordabasy Shymkent 0-3 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier (Flanagan), Goldson, Katic, Barisic, Jack, Aribo (Kranevitter), Arfield (Grezda), Kent, Brewster, Morelos
0 -
“Thank you for coming out this afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, I’m delighted to be able to formally announce that Glasgow Rangers Football Club have appointed Jones Patterson as first-team manager on a deal that will see him lead the club for the next 2-years through to the end of May 2022.” Dave King announced to the assembled media. The table in front of the two of us was stacked full of competing microphones and sound recorders, whilst flashbulbs went off at regular intervals and the glare of TV cameras were firmly affixed on us at the front of the press-room. There were plenty of scribes and journos in attendance including, of course, Leah. She hadn’t returned any of my calls or texts and sat there with that same look of distrust and almost dislike that she’d worn during my early days at Tynecastle.
“Whilst we appreciate Jones’ relative lack of years,” King continued, “the board unanimously felt that he was the right man to lead us forward over the next couple of years and lead us to further silverware, building on the foundations that Steven put in place before his departure. We are excited by the fresh ideas and enthusiasm Jones will undoubtedly bring to the club and I am very much looking forward to working with him as we look to take the club forward. I’ll now hand over to Jones to say a few words and then we’ll open things up for questions.”
“Thanks, Mr Chairman,” I said turning to my left to look at him, “both for the welcome and giving me the chance to work at this amazing football club. I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to work here at Ibrox and be given the challenge to, as the chairman says, build on the excellent work undertaken by Steven Gerrard over the past couple of years and look to take the club on to the next level. I understand that some supporters may be hesitant about my appointment given my lack of experience and having won nothing but a few plaudits, but all I ask is to give me, and the team, a little time. A little time to get my ideas across and the boys to understand them, a little time for them to gel and results to come. It isn’t likely to happen overnight. I can assure them that I will be looking to build on my own experiences from last season, to build a side that plays open, entertaining and attacking football but that above all else, plays winning football.”
“We have a big challenge ahead of us if we want to overhaul Celtic, they have been the yardstick in Scotland for the past decade. Every time they’ve been challenged in that time they’ve met it head on, we need to work extremely hard to go one better than them. It’s a challenge, but one that I’m very much looking forward to meeting head on. Thank you.”
I opened the cap on my bottle of sparkling water and the fizz of air escaping when the seal broke was probably very audible over the various microphones in front of me.
James Boyle: Hi Jones, congratulations on your new appointment.
Thanks, JB.
JB: I know you’ve touched on them, but can you give us a little more on your feelings taking on the Rangers job?
Absolutely, like I said I’m very honoured to be taking the reins at such a historic club, at such a huge club. I’m really excited and really can’t wait to meet the players and staff and then get started.
Leah (breathing hostility in my direction): Do you feel you can live up to the increased expectations of the fans and board here at Ibrox?
Of course, I’m an ambitious guy, this is an ambitious club. If we want to progress towards bigger and better things, everybody from me right through the players into the boardroom and every single part of the club has to be ambitious and aim for the top. That’s what myself and the chairman have begun doing this morning and that’s what we’ll all continue doing during my time here.
Kyle Connell: Jones, Kyle Connell from the Glasgow Times. Welcome to the club. You left Hearts some six weeks ago now with you choosing to resign from your post. Do you have any regrets leaving that job?
Not at all, no. I think it’s worth making it clear that my reasons for choosing to leave Hearts weren’t entirely my own. The failure to be offered a new deal at any point during my stay at Tynecastle played a big part in my leaving the club. But, I think it’s worked out well for all parties. They now have a brilliant manager in David Moyes at the helm there and I’m now sat here. So no, no regrets on my part.
KC: You haven’t spent a long time out of the game before taking the Rangers role. Was that a conscious effort to ensure you stayed active?
Absolutely, yes. I spent a few days out and recharging my batteries immediately after leaving Hearts but then from early June onwards I’ve had a few conversations with people about various jobs. As soon as I found out that Steven had taken the Palace job I knew that this one was going to be at the front of the queue.
LY: What about your backroom team. Will you be making any changes and bringing people with you from Hearts or going with what you have here?
I haven’t met the team here yet so it’d be wrong of me to make any judgements. If I feel we could achieve our aims with what is here, then I’d not hesitate in doing so. If, however, I felt that we could benefit with some fresh input then I’ll make any relevant changes.
Petar Genchev: You gained a number of plaudits for your adventurous style of football at Hearts. Is that something you’re intending to bring to Ibrox?
Very much so, yes. I have a belief in the way I want my teams to play the game and you saw that philosophy at Hearts last season. I want to use the same template here and encourage my players to express themselves, but I realise that just as they will have to adapt to a new style and shape, I’ll have to adapt to fit their strengths as well.
KC: Have you met the players yet and if so, what is the mood in the camp?
I haven’t yet, no. I will be after this press conference is over. I’ve been told that they’re looking forward to a fresh start and seeing what ideas I have, I can’t see why the atmosphere wouldn’t be one of optimism.
PG: Will you be returning to Tynecastle to bring some of your former colleagues into the backroom team here at Ibrox?
Like I said early, Pete, I don’t know. The staff here are here for a reason and deserve the opportunity to work with me. I want to help get the best out of them and it’s up to me to see how I can do that and get us collectively functioning to take the club forward on and off the pitch.
JB: How hard do you expect to work the players on the training ground?
I expect nothing more than their full commitment and attention. There’s space for banter and messing around now and again, but I need them to be focused on what we need to do to be successful. Anyone who doesn’t show that desire and attitude will not be at the club very long.
LY: So, Jones (she held my eye with a fierce stare), what attracted you to Rangers?
It’s a huge club isn’t it? I mean, who wouldn’t want to work here in amongst the history, the great facilities, the fabulous support. The whole club reeks of success.
Kara Warwick: Do you have any reservations about taking the job at all?
Nope. Absolutely none. The moment I heard I had an interview, I began to prepare myself for this moment. I’m ready and relishing the challenges ahead.
KC: Do you think the squad has the quality you need to achieve your targets, especially after falling just short last season?
I think the club should have won the title last season to be honest. Too many dropped points in the run-in cost them badly. So yes, I believe the squad has the inherent ability to achieve what I’m looking for and am looking forward to seeing how that pans out in the short term. There may be one or two tweaks here and there, we may look to bring one in just to add some depth, but there’s absolutely no need for drastic surgery here.
KC: It’s no secret that Borna Barisic has been agitating for a move given the lack of movement on a new contract. How are you planning to deal with that situation?
It’s disappointing when a player feels they need to go public over a situation that should be dealt with behind closed doors, it doesn’t help either party. At the end of the day, if Borna wants to play elsewhere then fine, I won’t force him to remain here against his will. But, I’m confident that when I sit down with him and his representatives we’ll be able to find a way forward.
KC: Do you not fear that giving in so easily to a player’s demands will lead to a lack of respect from his colleagues?
Absolutely not. Every situation needs to be judged on its own merits. From what I’ve heard Borna’s situation is very much an isolated incident and one that I’m sure we can come to an agreement on. He’s a quality player and I’m excited to start working with him.
“Okay ladies and gents, I think that’s time.” David King interceded. “I know Jones has a meeting now with the players and I’m sure you’ll all want to get back to your employers with some soundbites. Thanks for coming out and your time today.”
With that David and I left our seats and the table and a gaggle of noise began when the press-folk got up to go and collect their sound equipment from the front table. I looked over towards Leah who quickly looked up from making notes. I wanted to go and talk to her, to find out what on earth was going on but the glance she shot in my direction made me think better of it. Feeling a tinge of sadness, I took a deep breath, plunged my hands in my pockets and wandered off to find the dressing room deep in the bowels of the main stand to be introduced to my new first-team squad.
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Whilst I managed the journey okay without being discovered, that all rather unravelled upon my arrival at Ibrox. I was waiting in reception when who should came barrelling in through the main entrance, camera crew and sound engineers in tow, yup. Leah.
At first she didn’t notice me, it was only when she too was asked to wait a moment and she turned around to scan the waiting area that she noticed me, suited and booted and looking rather sheepish.
“Wait here, fellas.” She said to the crew before striding across the lobby towards me with purpose before plopping herself down beside me and looking urgently at me. “Well, this is a surprise,” she hissed. “What the actual f- are you doing here, Jones?”
I motioned at my outfit and said ruefully. “One guess.”
“Bloody hell, I can’t believe it! When was this all arranged? Why the hell didn’t you let on? I’d just resigned myself to you buggering off abroad.”
My future had been a little bit of an elephant in the room ever since I’d departed Tynecastle. When I returned from by Icelandic retreat we sat down and ‘had it out’. I’d expressed an interest in working overseas and would be looking around Europe even though I knew that at best, it would put a lot of pressure on our relationship. The chances were, we both knew, that even if we did try and long distance for a bit, it’d end up being too much of a strain.
“Well, we agreed, didn’t we, that you’d ask no questions and I’d tell no lies.” I replied. “Surely you must have had an inkling I’d want to go for the job once Stevie left for Palace?”
“I’d hoped, yes, but since you’d kept remarkably silent on the subject I guessed perhaps you weren’t interested.” She looked away for a moment. “So, this is your interview is it?”
“Yes, that’s right. Interview and presentation.”
“Well, if you don’t make a mess of that you’ll probably be favourite,” she said. “I know of two that were offered the role but turned it down.”
This was news. I wasn’t sure whether I was being encouraged or some sort of dismally back-handed compliment. Perhaps neither, Leah could be hard to read sometimes.
“Sounds encouraging,” I ventured.
“Sorry, Miss Young,” the receptionist called. “Mr McAllister is ready for you all now, I’ll show you through.”
Leah began to rise. “Is it, Jones? I’m not so sure right now.”
She strode off, purposefully leaving me gaping at her back in her wake, the verbal punch to the stomach aching somewhat.
***
I was feeling a little off-kilter ten minutes later when I was shown into the boardroom where David King, the Chairman of the club was sat on one side, flanked by a couple of directors whose names escaped me. I shook hands with all three men, firm but not overbearing, before being invited to sit down.
“Would you like some water, Jones?” King asked me.
“Yes please.” I replied.
“A jug of iced water, please Paula.” King said to the receptionist who compliantly wandered off.
“Thank you for attending, Jones. We’d like to formally interview you with a view to filling the role of first-team manager at Glasgow Rangers Football Club. We’ve been impressed with your work over the past year with Hearts and are looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the job, the role and seeing if you would be a suitable fit.” Paula returned with a tray that had a jug of iced water and a glass on it. I thanked her before pouring myself and she left the room without a sound. “The interview will comprise of some questions to see if you’d be a suitable fit with the club and then we’ve asked you to present your own vision for the future.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate you all taking some time to speak to me this afternoon,” I said. “I’m very much looking forward to seeing how we get on.”
The first section of the interview lasted around 40 minutes or so, asking me about my lack of experience, my tender years in footballing terms, never mind management. I was asked about why I’d left Hearts after less than a year, why I thought I was the man to unseat Celtic at the top of the Scottish game. The level of questioning was intense, but I felt I met their fire with my own counter-artillery.
Discussion then moved on to the structure of the club and finances. In both cases things were understandably on a different level but, if I was expecting a transfer kitty of £millions, I was sorely mistaken. As it happened, I hadn’t banked on much of a budget for transfers at all. If successful, I’d have about £450k available for transfers and around £25k in the wage budget remaining – the current limit was a shade over half a million – more than 5-times what I had to work with at Tynecastle.
After all of that, we moved onto a 20-minute slide show, comprising of eight slides that outlined why I thought I was the right man to take Rangers forward and how I would look to take them past Celtic.
The tactical plan was quite simple, Rangers had been playing with a 4-3-3 that had a lone centre-forward supported by two wide-men and a midfield three that had one man protecting the back four and two given licence to get forward.
“I know that Rangers scored plenty last season, but I think we could sacrifice the man at the based of the midfield three for an extra centre-forward, shift the wide attackers inside a little with Ryan Kent acting more as an inside forward than an out and out winger on the left and shifting the wide-right player more centrally to allow more space for the attacking full-backs to overlap into.”
“Isn’t there a danger that’ll leave us short changed defensively?” I was challenged.
“I don’t think that’d matter against most sides,” I said. “If, with Hearts, I used this kind of approach to good effect by and large, then with the extra quality available at Rangers we would be pinning most sides firmly back in their own half. Being disciplined and well organised would ensure that players would know when to launch forward and when to sit in, I really think the extra potency that extra striker and change in shape would provide would really help open dogged sides up.”
“How would you provide for the extra striker? Currently we have Alfredo Morelos on our books who is the only out and out centre forward of first-team quality.”
“You have Rhian Brewster as well for another season, don’t you?”
“Yes, but he’s more of a wide attacker, that’s where he was used last season.”
“I think he’d be really effective as part of a two up front,” I replied.
“And what about cover for injuries?”
“I’d be looking initially for a third striker to come in on-loan to begin with, look for someone else like Rhian who’s young and hungry from a top Premier League club and then blood some of the younger kids.”
Moving on, I spoke about my desire to integrate players from the youth teams into the first-team set-up. “To be honest, I know a lot of the younger lads are now out on-loan so that’ll have to wait until next summer, but I know about guys like Kai Kennedy, Josh McPake and Stephen Miller and I know that if they go well in the SPL this season, they’ll have every chance of making the grade here next year.”
“Would you promote a youngster in place of bringing someone in via the transfer market?” King asked.
“If I couldn’t find someone that would significantly improve the side for the right price and I had a promising youngster waiting in the wings, absolutely I would, yes. I certainly wouldn’t be bringing in any new face through the market just for the sake of making up numbers.”
Finally, I outlined my targets.
“I’d be looking to win one of the domestic trophies this season as an absolute minimum and aim for the Europa League group stages before next season, targeting the Champions League group stages, since Scotland gets the extra place next year, and winning the league title plus at least one of the two domestic cup competitions.”
With no further questions, I was thanked for my time and shown back out to reception by King. “We’ll let you know by the weekend,” he said, shaking my hand just inside the main entrance.
“Thanks,” I said. “I look forward to hearing from you.”
Leaving the stadium and walking around to the car park, I kept an eye open for Leah’s car and any of the Sky Sports News crew vehicles to see if she was still around. I couldn’t see anything so gave her a quick ring to let her know how things had gone.
The call went straight to voicemail.
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“Have you seen the news?” Leah asked. “It’s just broken.”
“What’s happened?” I asked. We’d been together long enough now for her to know that I didn’t take any notice of the news, whether sports based or otherwise.
“Oh, for heavens’ sake, Jones. Just switch the damn telly on for two minutes will you? I’ll be on in a sec.” With that she rang off and I reluctantly reached for the remote control, switching to channel 405.
A glance at the on-screen ticker told me all I needed to know.
Steven Gerrard had quit his post at Rangers to take the vacant Crystal Palace job in the English Premier League. An intriguing move, looking from the outside in, one that raised more questions than it provided answers for me, anyway, as one of Stevie’s peers. I can’t say it would have been a move that I’d have made, giving up the chance for silverware and usurping my city rivals for at best, a 10th place finish south of the border, but then Stevie’s career path was likely rather different to me.
The jobs at Split and Feyenoord were hugely enticing, but this was on a completely different level to me, a genuine shot at gaining silverware in a league I knew. Not only would that be a colossal opening for someone of my experience, or comparative lack of, but could also set me up going forward if, somehow, I was successful there.
Obviously, there was a long way to go before I could start thinking like that, the role would attract an extremely high calibre of applicant so somehow I really had to make myself stand out. I couldn’t point to an extensive CV, I couldn’t list my honours, but I could point to the progress I’d made on a shoestring at Hearts relying on coaching to create an entertaining side that exceeded expectations and that scored only four goals fewer than the free-scoring Gers had.
I spent a good while working on the CV before asking Pat Nevin, my Director of Football at Hearts, if he’d give it the once over and drop me back some feedback on where, if anywhere, I could improve it. He gave me some useful pointers and suggested that I begin to work on a little presentation, no more than half-an-hour in length, about how I’d take the club forward on and off the pitch.
“That’s the kind of thing boards at this level like to see,” he said. “You know the league now, you know a bit about the club and their players and you know what, there’s no harm in giving Stevie a wee call and getting the lowdown from behind the scenes. He’s a good guy, I’m sure he’d help you out there.”
I submitted the application on June 23rd and had a couple of chats with Stevie during that spell. In the meantime, I had been offered face-to-face interviews in Croatia and Rotterdam, so I had arranged travel and lodgings abroad. Leah was aware of where I was going and why, meaning that she was able to put two and two together and work out who I was going to be talking to.
Both chats went well but I could tell that I probably didn’t have what it took for either job. Perhaps there was some scepticism on their side around my age and lack of experience, whilst for me, I didn’t really feel either club would have been quite the right fit for me in terms of their outlook and where I was. The rejection calls, when they came, were no surprise, but I appreciated both clubs being open enough to talk to me. I chalked them up to experience.
Meanwhile, I had been offered an interview at Ibrox by Dave King, the chairman of Glasgow Rangers. This was one that I hadn’t told Leah about. Knowing her links within Scottish football and Rangers in particular, there was a good chance she’d find out anyway, but I didn’t want to say anything. So, my trip westwards on July 3rd was done fully in secret.
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“What?!” I spluttered disbelievingly into the phone.
James Boyle, one of the local Edinburgh journos was on the other end of the call. “Is there any truth in the rumours that you’ve applied for the Real Madrid job?” He asked again.
A third season without winning the title had seen Zinedine Zidane’s second spell in charge of Europe’s most successful club come to a bitter end and whilst it would have been a tempting enough prospect, I was nowhere near conceited enough to think myself capable of taking that job on just yet. Besides which, I rather thought that the Madrid hierarchy’s sights would have been set rather higher than a 21-year old who had a single season’s experience at Scotland’s third best club.
“Umm, really?” I asked.
“Yes. Word on the grapevine is that you’ve applied for the job.”
“I’m not sure who’s dangling that grapevine in front of you, JB, but there’s absolutely nothing doing there, pal. My sights are set rather more realistically.” I said.
“Have you applied for anything then?” He asked, hopefully.
“Nope, not yet.” I said.
“Would you tell me if you had?” He asked.
“Nope, certainly not.” I replied.
“Ah well, can’t blame a guy for trying.”
This was the first of many phonecalls I fielded during the month following my departure from Tynecastle about my future. Some of which had some truth behind them (FC Basel) and some of which didn’t (IF Elfsborg). In the end I was pipped to the Real post by Max Allegri, incredibly – however I did wonder whether when reporters asked these questions they realised how silly they often sounded. It’s something I asked Leah one evening.
“Well, not really,” she said. “We get fed a line from a source and we investigate it. Sometimes it’s nonsense, sometimes it’s got legs even though no-one will admit it publicly, sometimes it’s common knowledge.”
“So, what would you have done if someone had told you I’d applied for the Real job?” I asked.
“Well, it would depend if the source was credible. If they were, I’d probably have done the same as JB, asked you the question.”
“Even though if you look at it rationally, the whole notion is absurd? I mean, I’d either come across as extremely conceited or at best, arrogant.”
“Well, yeah. Stranger things have happened.”
We’d developed an agreement over the summer that my professional future was taboo, we wouldn’t discuss it at all at any time. I’d agreed to grant her an exclusive interview once my destination was known, but that until then, I wasn’t going to say a word to her about my future.
In actual fact, after being turned down by Basel, it took a good few weeks towards the end of June before any jobs that I liked the look of became available. Then, within hours of each-other two jobs that appealed opened up and I applied for both. The first was at Hadjuk Split in Croatia and the other was at Feyenoord, in Rotterdam.
I was granted preliminary phone interviews for both roles, which was promising, but whilst I was waiting, another opportunity opened up rather closer to home, one that was hugely attractive to anyone and that I felt I had a reasonable shot of getting…
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Welcome to the second installment in the story of Jones Patterson.
The backstory to this story can be found below.
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Baby, You're a Lost Cause (Jones Patterson, Part 2)
in FM Stories
Posted
Table as at Sunday 20th September 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
6
6
0
0
23
2
18
21
Glasgow Rangers
6
6
0
0
21
1
18
20
Heart of Midlothian
6
4
1
1
10
7
13
3
Motherwell
6
4
0
2
10
9
12
1
Aberdeen
6
3
0
3
7
6
9
1
Kilmarnock
6
2
2
2
6
9
8
-3
St Mirren
6
1
4
1
6
8
7
-2
Dundee United
6
1
2
3
8
15
5
-7
Livingston
6
1
1
4
5
10
4
-5
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
6
1
1
4
6
12
4
-6
St Johnstone
6
1
0
5
3
14
3
-11
Hibernian
6
0
1
5
2
13
1
-11
Friday 18th September
St Johnstone
1
0
Livingston
Saturday 19th September
Dundee Utd
2
2
Hearts
Hibs
1
1
St Mirren
Inverness
0
3
Aberdeen
Sunday 20th September
Kilmarnock
0
5
Rangers
Celitc
3
0
Motherwell