Vaclav Cerny opens up on future and one Rangers regret
The Czech winger was one bright spot of a difficult season for Gers, scoring 18 goals and assisting nine while on loan from Wolfsburg. But it was always thought a permanent deal would be difficult due to the likely asking price of the Bundesliga side and wage demands of the player.
Cerny has had reported interest from the English Premier League and around Europe but heads back to Germany for now.
He is contracted to Wolfsburg for another two years and expects to honour that until told differently.
Speaking to Czech media while on international duty, the 27-year-old said: "I still have no idea where I will be playing next season.
"The only thing I know is that I am returning to Wolfsburg because the loan was without an option. I have a contract there for two more years.
"There will be time for a club future after the national team.
Read more: Russell Martin and Rangers: Why he's being considered, philosophy, Guardiola beliefs
Russell Martin's ex-teammate delivers verdict on potential Rangers appointment
"I am a regular player at Wolfsburg . The club does not have a coach yet. Of course, I have some preliminary agreements, or I know what is planned for me.
"I would like to get the most out of a successful season.
"Contact (with Wolfsburg) has taken place, we all want to know where we stand. It has become clear what they expect from me, what I expect from them.
"I have received a training plan for the summer and we are moving forward."
Cerny reflects on his spell at Rangers with pride and special memories. However, his one regret is not winning any silverware.
He added: "I managed to play a lot of games, almost 60 in one season, which is wonderful. I had a wonderful relationship with the fans, I think I gave them a lot of nice experiences, just like they gave me.
"I'm just sorry I couldn't win anything with Rangers. But I will have very nice memories, they have a magical stadium. Memories for my entire career and my entire life, as I wrote on my social networks.
"I hope I managed to bring them what has always been my thing. A lot of the goals and assists were at our home stadium.
"I'm really happy that everything turned out like this. It was nice to say goodbye."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Staggering monthly fee Prem aces pay for luxury online butler service offering private jets, hotels & shopping revealed
But one player ended up having a brush with the law PREMIER League stars are signing up to a luxury £1,700-a-month online butler service offering private jets, hotels and shopping. The app promises 'exclusive lifestyle management for football elites' including help with travel plans, fashion and VIP event tickets. Advertisement 2 Premier League stars including Joshua Zirkzee are signing up to a luxury £1,700-a-month online butler service Credit: Getty 2 The service offers private jets, hotels, more Stars who have downloaded concierge service Amslux include Liverpool's Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch. Man United striker Joshua Zirkzee, new Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and the ex-Bayern Munich ace Thomas Muller have also joined. The Amsterdam firm was founded six years ago by pals Emmanuel Ntow, Ward Struwer and Mitchell Spel. Their most expensive one-off purchase was for a star of Germany's Bundesliga who asked them to source a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 watch worth £105,000. Advertisement read more on football ACE BANNED Former Man Utd and Chelsea star Matic banned after taping over LGBTQ+ logo Other requests include handbags worth £20,000 and £10,000 designer trainers. But one anonymous player's partying ended up in a brush with the law. Emmanuel told The Sun: 'A player asked us urgently through Instagram if we could help him with a very difficult last minute request. 'He needed a private jet for the next day to Ibiza as all flights were cancelled. Advertisement 'We used all our power to get this done and he was very happy. "A week later when he arrived back from his holiday he asked us to fly two girls in from Ibiza. John Obi Mikel on wild Chelsea nights out in central London and his hilarious friendship with Salomon Kalou 'Everything was taken care of but after they landed we were called with a very strange conversation. 'He said the girls were not allowed to enter the country because they were being sought by Interpol.' Advertisement But he said most requests were more straightforward to deal with. Emmanuel said: 'We offer personalised travel — whether that's a secluded private villa, a luxury yacht charter, or a five-star resort.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
RUSSELL MARTIN: I want to show a different version of myself than I did as a player here. It didn't go well... and that hurt me
When it was confirmed last week that Rangers had officially been taken over by new American investors, the mood around Ibrox was one of unbridled joy and celebration. After so many years in the doldrums and plumbing the depths of despair, supporters were daring to dream of a bright and prosperous new future. The only thing left to establish, the final piece of the jigsaw, was the identity of the club's next manager. Or, rather, the new head coach. An important distinction in the club's new structure. When the news broke on Wednesday evening that Russell Martin was on the brink of landing the job, it's fair to say that a substantial number of Rangers fans weren't overly enamoured. By yesterday morning, when Martin was posing for the obligatory pictures with jersey and scarf, the mood had turned apoplectic among some fans. It's difficult to recall the mood among such a large number of a club's supporters turning from joy and optimism to anger and dismay in such a short space of time. None of this, of course, is Martin's fault. He's done nothing wrong. He cut an impressive figure yesterday, spoke well, and engaged with all the questions which were put to him. Smartly turned out in a collar-and-tie and the club suit, he looked like a Rangers manager. Articulate and intelligent, he sounded like everything you would want in a modern coach. He didn't make any outlandish promises, he outlined a clear vision, and he understands that winning trophies will underpin everything he does in Glasgow. As described in these pages a couple of days ago, there's a lot to like about him. He ticks a lot of boxes in terms of what Rangers are looking for. He is a progressive young coach with a very clear identity and style of play. That's something Rangers have been crying out for these past few years. And, yet, such is the underwhelming reaction from so many Rangers fans, it's clear that Martin's first task will be to win over the naysayers. Unlike so many new managers elsewhere, there will be no honeymoon period for him. He needs to get the fans onside and, in his own words, start winning games quickly. Asked about the notion of being given time and patience, he replied: 'I think we need to win early and we need to find a way to win while we're developing. 'Winning helps you convince people — players, staff, supporters. So, no, I can't sit here and say: 'You know, it's going to take us two years to build something'. 'That's not why we're here. I want us to keep improving. The end-product might not click completely overnight, but we have to find a way of winning while building and developing. 'I'm just talking about winning games to create some energy and momentum. I think if you have that here at this club, it can be so powerful and so strong. 'Ultimately, it's about winning trophies and giving the supporters a team they identify with and feel proud of. A team that has courage, is aggressive, and dominant.' Part of the reason why a lot of Rangers fans feel so dismayed by Martin's appointment is because they feel he simply doesn't have the credentials to manage a club of this stature. They point to a win ratio of just below 40 per cent across his three previous jobs at MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton. They point to the fact that Southampton were a disaster in last season's English Premier League and had won just once in 16 games by the time Martin was sacked last December. The reality is that the English Premier League and the top flight in Scotland aren't always directly comparable. Brendan Rodgers was sacked by Leicester City in April 2023 with the club plummeting towards relegation. That didn't necessarily make him a bad manager. They just had a bad season and he paid the price for it. Ange Postecoglou has just overseen Tottenham's worst season in Premier League history and could yet be sacked, despite winning the Europa League. Yet Postecoglou was a revelation across his two seasons in Glasgow and, like Martin, he arrived to little or no great fanfare. So it's not always wise to place too much currency on how a manager fares in the English Premier League when assessing how he might do in Scotland. Ultimately, Southampton's main failure last summer was around recruitment. After winning promotion from the Championship, where Martin had engineered a club record 25-game unbeaten run, the club didn't back him. His style of play, which revolves around dominating possession and high pressing, should suit a club like Rangers. None of his previous clubs were ever expected to dominate on a weekly basis like the Ibrox side will be. On paper, it's a good fit. Maybe if he was called Russellio Martinho and arrived from a foreign league, fans would be more on board. But some Rangers followers are totally underwhelmed by it all. Not only by his managerial record, but by his short, disappointing loan spell as a player in 2018. On that very subject, Martin said: 'I hope people judge me on this moment, and not when I was a player here a while ago. It's very, very different. 'I feel my whole playing career was based on hard work, resilience, and trying to find a way myself. I'm even surprised at the playing career I had, playing in the Premier League (with Norwich) — because if you'd said (I would do that) when I was 18, I wouldn't have thought that. 'From my whole playing career to becoming a coach and a manager, I always wanted to do that. I've had a burning desire to do this from an early age. 'There were a few opportunities at other clubs when I left Southampton, but I was happy to take a break. I wanted to take time to reflect. 'When the opportunity to join Rangers came along, this was the one I wanted. One, because of the expectation, the size of it, what it means to so many people. '(It was) the opportunity to come here and experience something completely different to anything in football. That's what I felt when I played here for a really short period. 'That also comes into my mind, probably when I look back on my career as a player. It's the one thing that hurt me a lot was that it didn't go very well here, because I wasn't quite in the right place physically to do as well as I possibly could, and it was a difficult time for the club. 'That comes into the equation as well, I have to be really honest. So I'm desperate to show a different version of myself here than I did previously. 'Just everything, the fresh start, how these guys have been in the process, the owners, it's just really exciting, the whole thing.' Ultimately, the anger around Martin's appointment has been unfair and excessive. He's getting a raw deal from some fans and he's only five minutes in the door. However, by the time the Champions League qualifiers come around in July, swiftly followed by the start of the new Premiership season, he knows he needs to hit the ground running.
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Joe Aribo 'wants' Southampton exit amid Martin Rangers link
There has been speculation around the future of the former Rangers midfielder all year with reports in January suggesting he had told the club then he would like to move on. And, following Saints' relegation from the Premier League, it is believed he has made his intentions known to them. Turkish outlet Sabah are reporting Trabzonspor have submitted an offer and been granted permission to speak to the player, with Aribo's wish to leave clear. Trbazon are also said to be interested in his Southampton teammates Paul Onuachu and Kamaldeen Sulemana. Aribo is contracted until next summer. Read more: Former Rangers manager calls for 'stability' at Ibrox Cantwell backs Martin as Rangers boss after 'exciting times' claim His former Rangers teammates Borna Barisic and John Lundstram are at the Turkish side but both could be on the way out amid a mass clearout. Aribo was a key player under newly-appointed Gers boss Russell Martin at St Mary's as they won promotion from the Championship, and continued to be a regular as they toiled in the Premier League. Following his £10m move from Ibrox, the Nigeria international had been struggling for game time until the manager's arrival from Swansea. That relationship has fans wondering if that could open up the possibility of a return to Rangers for the 28-year-old.
