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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
This isn't a case of 'WILL they get it right'? This is a case of 'WHEN they get it right'... GRAEME SOUNESS is backing the new revolution at Rangers
Almost 40 years after being at the vanguard of one revolution at Ibrox, Graeme Souness is now content to be bear witness to another. In the past three months, Rangers have moved into new ownership, with their American custodians quickly identifying Russell Martin as the man to instigate a change of fortunes on the park. While the new manager's nine recruits to date have been much lower profile than the cast of international A-listers assembled by Souness, the wind of change throughout the club feels reminiscent of that which blew in during the summer of 1986. When Souness arrived from Sampdoria as player-manager, the club had long become strangers to the winner's podium. With just one league title in the past 14 years, Martin has also arrived on the scene at a point when losing has become the norm. While 72-year-old Souness purposefully stops short of predicting that the latest incumbent can follow his lead by winning the Premiership at the first time of asking, his instinct tells him that something special is brewing again at his old stomping ground. 'I think the new guys (in charge) have started well,' said Souness of the consortium which includes 49ers Enterprises. 'The noises that have come out sound very professional and it's as if they know what they're doing. Former Rangers manager Graeme Souness is thrilled with the positive signs under new regime 'This is not a case of 'Will they get it right?' This is a case of 'When they get it right'. 'This is not their first dip into soccer. Like in any new business, they will have made some mistakes down in England with Leeds United. 'I expect them to hit the ground running to a certain point. From what I'm hearing from within the club, and how it comes out publicly, I'm very much encouraged. 'It would appear, from the outside looking in, it's settled down. People know what roles they've got within the organisation. And I think there's a clear path that's being led from the top. I think everyone now knows their job and they can get on with it.' His heart tells him that Martin's newly moulded side can come up trumps at the first time of asking. His head tells him that's still a very tall order, 'I think it's a bit like dealing with a politician, asking Rachel Reeves or Keir Starmer when they're going to get it right,' he added. 'In football terms, it's the same. I think you're putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. The US-led revolution at Rangers has been warmly welcomed after years in the doldrums 'I'm a Rangers supporter and, like every other Rangers supporter, I hope it's sooner rather than later. I hope it's this year. The minute you try to attach logic to football, you'll come unstuck.' Souness is sure about one thing, though. When asked if he agreed with former director Paul Murray's view that this felt like the biggest moment for the club since he walked in the door, he fully concurred. 'Yes, 100 per cent,' he replied. 'These people understand soccer. Do they fully understand what Glasgow Rangers is about? I'm sure they have realised that this is a unique football club and a unique football experience. It's a very special football club. And working in the west of Scotland is quite unique, trust me.' Martin will feel more comfortable today than he did on Saturday evening. On the back of a feeble display at Motherwell, the 39-year-old publicly flayed the majority of his players for going through the motions throughout an opening-day draw. Anyone who was in any doubt as to who he felt was responsible was enlightened when the team-sheet for Tuesday's match with Viktoria Plzen dropped. James Tavernier, Nico Raskin, Danilo and Kieran Dowell were nowhere to be seen. 'He went early, but that's his style,' Souness said. 'You'd have to say that he's put his foot down pretty quickly. And I don't see that as a bad thing. 'I think you're putting a marker down that: 'I have my standards and you're going to have to come up to my standards to be a regular member or a starter in this team'. 'It's not about him dropping his standards to accommodate players.' This view is offered with the benefit of considerable experience. 'I expected the senior players to be the standard-bearers,' reflected Souness. 'They were the ones that had to set the standards within the dressing room. And that's how it should be. 'I'm a great believer that you don't have a successful football club unless you have good senior pros. And maybe he's expecting a bit more from some of the senior pros than he got at the weekend. 'I've been talking about Jock Stein a lot recently. I always felt Jock was harder on Kenny Dalglish and me with the Scottish team. 'I was frightened of him, although I'm not sure Kenny was! But the message was: 'If I can do that to them, you make sure you're on it'. 'Some people need a lot more love than others. I was lucky I didn't need any love.' Souness was present on Tuesday as the tough love imparted by Martin did the trick. A three-goal win against Viktoria Plzen planted one foot in the play-off round. Barring a disaster in the second leg, Rangers will face either Club Brugge or Salzburg for a place in the Champions League proper. Despite the last trip to the promised land under Giovanni van Bronckhorst being the most chastening experience imaginable, Souness refutes the suggestion that his old club would be better off in the Europa League. 'I was at the Liverpool game (a 7-1 loss) and it was a sore one,' he recalled. 'That night, Rangers just didn't believe they could get a result against them. They got rolled over far too easily. 'But you want to be in with the big boys. Every professional football player thinks he's proper. And, if you think that, then you want to be in against the very best. 'The Europa League might be more rewarding in terms of results, and you might go further in it. But I would take my chance in the Champions League. I want to play against the best.' As welcome as it was to see a largely positive sequence of European results continue on Tuesday, the main desire of Rangers supporters is for their side to return to the top of the pile in Scotland. Only then would the second revolution feel complete. 'Same old story. It's no good finishing second,' said Souness. 'I'm much-travelled, worked in several different countries. And I come back to this. It's the biggest rivalry in football, that I know of. The next one would be Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, and Manchester United and Liverpool. But this (Glasgow) is above that. 'The way I see football in this country, and I'll upset lots of football supporters, there are four institutions that are football clubs in this country: Liverpool, Man United, Rangers and Celtic. 'And why is it? It's because, as I see it, the passion that the supporters have for their own football clubs is beyond what I've seen anywhere else. It can certainly, if you're involved as I was, keep you awake at night.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Martin's changes pay off as Gassama double eases Rangers past Viktoria Plzen
Russell Martin's bold team selection paid off as Rangers defeated Viktoria Plzen 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie at Ibrox. Martin hit out at some of his squad following their deflating 1-1 draw at Motherwell on Saturday, questioning mentality, egos and application and the captain, James Tavernier, and the midfielder Nicolas Raskin were the biggest names among the expected changes. Martin got the required reaction as the winger Djeidi Gassama scored after 15 minutes before the returning striker Cyriel Dessers added a second from the spot just before the interval. Gassama, signed this summer from Sheffield Wednesday, scored his side's third in the 51st minute to put the Govan side into a commanding lead and eventually a comfortable win. Martin said: 'I really enjoyed it. I'm proud of the guys. We had a really difficult evening on Saturday, just because there was not enough running in behind, aggression, intensity with the ball. We were not just ranting and raving, we showed a lot of clips and we tried to do a lot of learning in the meeting room and on the pitch in the last couple of days and they took it on brilliantly. 'The guys that came in the team were fantastic. We're going to need everyone. You don't get dropped from this team, people come in and out quite a lot because we need to be fresh.' Martin claimed Tavernier was understanding of Martin's decision to leave him on the sidelines. He said: 'Yeah, yeah, he was great – all the guys. I say my piece, if they have a piece to say, then it's really respectful and really honest. But I think the way he played when he came on showed you everything you need to know. So there's been no problem and I don't envisage there being any problems moving forward.' Rangers will be heavy favourites to progress to a playoff tie against the Austrian side RB Salzburg or Club Brugge of Belgium. After pointing the finger at his underperformers at the weekend, all eyes were on Martin's team selection and he made significant changes. Along with Tavernier and Raskin – arguably their best player last season – Danilo and Kieran Dowell were left out. Oliver Antman, the Finland winger who joined from Go Ahead Eagles on Monday, made his debut with the left-back Jefté, the midfielder Lyall Cameron and Dessers returning while John Souttar was named captain. The Ibrox crowd was more subdued than usual on a big European night, initially. In the seventh minute Plzen's lofty striker Rafiu Durosinmi headed a cross from Amar Memic past the post but it was Gassama who struck first, playing a one-two with Dessers at the edge of the visitors' box before confidently curling the ball past the goalkeeper Florian Wiegele. After the Rangers defender Nasser Djiga brilliantly blocked a goal-bound shot from the visiting captain ,Matej Vydra, Antman's drive from a Gassama cut-back at the other end was cleared off the line by Vaclav Jemelka. When a driving run into the box by Antman ended with him being barged over by Vydra, Turpin pointed to the spot for a soft penalty and Dessers sent Wiegele the wrong way. Rangers started the second half strongly and within three minutes the midfielder Mohamed Diomande struck the bar with an effort from the edge of the box. However, the third soon arrived as Gassama grabbed his second when he bulleted in a header from a pinpoint Antman cross from the right to score his fourth goal in the past three European matches. Raskin, Danilo, and Tavernier all came off the bench when the job was done before the home keeper Jack Butland made a good save from a powerful drive from Memic. Malmö's home match against their local rivals FC Copenhagen ended in a goalless draw. The teams are separated by the Øresund Bridge which is the fastest route between Sweden and Denmark. Anderson Silva's late goal for Pafos fired them to a 1-0 victory against Dynamo Kyiv. A first-half penalty from Toral Bayramov secured a 1-0 away win for Qarabag at the Macedonian club Shkendija.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Transfer news LIVE: Liverpool make ‘concrete offer' for Barcola, Son completes MLS switch, Everton target Grealish
Harv a word RB Leipzig are in talks with Liverpool over a shock move for Harvey Elliott. The German outfit see the Reds ace as a potential replacement for Xavi Simons, who's been heavily linked with Chelsea. Talks are still in the early stages, according to The Athletic, but Leipzig are weighing up their options as they brace for Simons' exit.
