Along with assistant manager Alex Rae, the Belgian manager took some time out of his hectic schedule to interact with supporters. He answered a number of pertinent questions and allowed audience members to ask any questions they might have. The transfer activity involving the Gers, closing the gap with Celtic, and the mounting discontent among the supporters following the team’s crushing defeat in the Old Firm and early elimination from the Champions League were among the main subjects covered.
Since the beginning of his first full season, there has been a summer of change as many seasoned players have left to be replaced by younger players. In the early months of the season, Rangers were also forced to play their home games away from Ibrox Stadium because of ongoing construction delays on the Copland Road bridge connecting Hampden Park to Rangers.
They are currently five points behind Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops following a poor start to the campaign, having picked up just seven points from a possible 12 so far in the Scottish Premiership. Add in yet more European disappointment and frustrated supporters have made their feelings known in recent weeks, with a banner which read “Sack the Board” left hanging outside Ibrox – accusing club chiefs of “sleeping at the wheel”.
Is squad capable of mounting a title challenge this season?
“Yeah, I’m convinced about that otherwise I wouldn’t be here. Of course, it is a big rebuild. 16 players left, we spoke about that already. It was not also easy to have a good transfer window because seven players left for zero and had to be replaced by players that cost money. We are not a club with a big investor saying ‘we spend £50m now and just go onto the market, it’s not the case’. We – recruitment, board and myself – need to be inventive. We had to cut the wages also because it was not sustainable the way the wages were built the last couple of years in the squad. There are a lot of challenges that way but I’m very convinced that we bring in a few experienced guys who can do the job directly but also several young guys, some who can do the job already, they need to prove they can do it every three days now. That’s the next step for them in their career. Some young guys also with a lot of potential. It’s the start of a new cycle and story. I’m very convinced this team has more potential for the future than the team was six months ago in that moment. It’s about potential and our job to get the potential out as fast as possible.”
Leave a Reply