I just helped Livi return to Premiership, here's my big Rangers target
The 22-year-old made six first-team appearances last campaign before being sent out on loan to Livingston midway through.
Read more:
Fraser played the full 90 in each of the West Lothian club's Scottish Premiership play-off final legs with Ross County, helping them to a 5-3 aggregate win.
"It had all the emotions," he told rangers.co.uk.
"We had a poor start to the game, but the boys battled back, showed great character, and we rightfully deserved to win the game and gain promotion.
"I loved [the play-offs]. It was high-pressure games, which is exactly the type of experience that I needed if I want to go back to Rangers and perform.
"I really needed to learn the physical side; long balls and second balls. Each game was different in the Championship; one game can be ball on the ground with a good pitch and then the next game can be long balls and fighting for scraps.
"At Rangers, it's more possession-based and you're trying to take the game to other teams. I just had to adapt in any way possible."
Although it remains to be seen who will be in charge at Ibrox next season, Fraser is relishing his opportunity to return and challenge for a place in the team: "I'm really looking forward to it," he said.
"I'll firstly enjoy my break and switch off, but I'll be preparing as hard as ever to go in as ready as I can be.
"There's a lot of excitement and fresh eyes, so it's about keeping myself in the best shape possible and trying to impress.
"I feel in a much better place in all parts of my game. I was also able to stay fit when I was out on loan, which is important for any manager coming in and seeing that I'm fit and available.
"I've got the games under my belt and have experience, so I'm in a good place to go and kick on at Rangers.
"I wanted to prove that I could get a run of games to show what I can do at both a consistent level and the top end of a league.
'It went almost perfect, but I know it's a massive season going back to Rangers."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
An unflinching Jury judges Rangers on Takeover, transfers, wildcard manager shout and a claim about rivals
The big story down Govan way is dominating the agenda Rangers in safe hands with their new American owners? CRAIG SWAN: Rangers have plenty of catching up to do on and off the park, but things can turn quickly on the field in Glasgow as Ange Postecoglou proved at Celtic recently. SCOTT BURNS: That might be the money they are putting into the club but that won't all go to transfers. I will go into strengthening the infrastructure. It is down to whether they can get the maximum out of what they have. It would be a big ask to topple Celtic. MICHAEL GANNON: It's a decent start but it's going to take time and long term investment to get to the top of the tree in Scotland and it will be even tougher to reach the group stages. Three qualifiers is a big ask and there's already a ton of work required to be ready. Year one might be about building solid foundations. Are Rangers in safe hands with their new American owners? CRAIG: The only gauge anyone has at this moment is their past work at other clubs and most of that seems to be in order, so you'd say yes at this stage. SCOTT: Who knows? Rangers need a fresh start. The new owners are providing that and the proof will be in the pudding as to what they do. MICHAEL: They are talking a good game. It's now time to see the proof. It looks like they want to make money on their investment but realise it will take success to do so. That should be good news for Rangers fans. Would Francesco Farioli be a good shout at Rangers manager? CRAIG: Managing Ajax is a pressure job at a high-profile club, so that box is ticked and he's well spoken about by people such as Arne Slot. SCOTT:I genuinely believe it is between Russell Martin and Davide Ancelotti. There has been too much smoke and mirrors, Steven Gerrard hasn't been in the equation for weeks. MICHAEL: The Italian is a strong character and has a big reputation. The Ajax collapse and fall out with the club's officials might be a red flag to some but he's certainly his own man and would be an interesting appointment. CRAIG: Celtic will have their plans and do their own thing. Brendan Rodgers wants more progression and ideas will have been in place for ages. It's unlikely to make any difference to their thinking. SCOTT: Celtic just need to concentrate on making themselves better. If they do that then they will remain as the standard bearer in Scotland. MICHAEL: It will be business as usual but they'd be daft to ignore it. Celtic's baseline is set at being better than Rangers and if things are ramping up at Ibrox, the Hoops will need to respond to stay ahead of the game. It's a big summer at Celtic Park.
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
The Rangers are coming but there shouldn't be sniggers and it might just be best thing for Celtic
The Rangers are coming – again. This time Celtic fans shouldn't be sniggering at the suggestion. And what is going on over at Ibrox cannot be ignored by those in charge at Parkhead. It would be foolish to put the head in the sand when it comes to the challenge coming from across the city. But it doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing for Celtic. In fact, Rangers finally getting their act together might be the best thing that can happen to them. Just like last week's Scottish Cup Final. I'm sure there are plenty of Celtic fans who were and still are distraught at losing to Aberdeen and seeing the Treble going up in smoke. But I can't help but think the defeat was a GOOD thing for the club in the long run. I mean that. If Kasper Schmeichel hadn't made that uncharacteristic mistake, or if Daizen Maeda had stuck away that last chance, the entire story would have been different. Celtic would have completed the clean sweep, everything would have been sen as hunky dory. But it would have papered over some of the recent cracks. Listen, it's still a phenomenal achievement winning the Double. Regardless of what anyone thinks, it's tough to win two out of three never mind the job lot. Celtic have made it look easy in recent years and they could well have done it again this time but for some big moments at Hampden last week. That doesn't get away from the fact this is a team that is in real need of refreshing. They should be proud of their achievements this term. But the defeat to Aberdeen has made them feel a little uncomfortable and maybe now some have cottoned on to the fact there is work to be done. The big news from Rangers yesterday only underlines it. Celtic simply cannot afford to sit on their hands because their rivals won't be worse next season than they were this time around – they can't be. Celtic certainly can't assume they will be. And they can't get away with just doing the bare minimum to stay out in front. The new Rangers owners are already talking about a £20m immediate investment in the team. That's a decent chunk of money for Scottish football – but not to Celtic. They spent about double that in the last two windows, so that shows you the challenge Rangers face. You would expect Celtic to go and spend at least the same again this summer. They'll have to. The events of the last week should allow Brendan Rodgers to go tot he club's hierarchy and explain the team does need strengthened and rejuvenated. They need more to qualify and then compete in the Champions League – and now to also stay ahead of the game in Scotland. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there is any need to panic. But Celtic do need to recognise the threat – as well as the opportunity. My old manager Martin O'Neill has often stated he believes a strong Rangers helps make a strong Celtic. I would go along with that. In my time at the club, Rangers were strong – and we had to be to knock them off their perch. If there is a proper challenge coming from across the city, then Celtic will have to raise their levels and respond. That's no bad thing. And even though the league was won by 17 points, I don't think the gap is as big as it would seem. It doesn't take much to tip the scales in Glasgow, as we discovered when we turned a 21-point league loss into big win in O'Neill's first term in charge. It was similar when Ange Postecoglou arrived at Parkhead in 2021, when everyone expected Rangers to dominate on the back of their title victory. Things can flip quickly. There's the stuff about Rangers coming, but in reality they are still a long way back. The long wait for the takeover to go through and the delay over a manager hasn't helped them. They are playing catch up and that's where Celtic need to hammer home their advantage, on and off the pitch. Rodgers will know the importance of a fast start. He needs players in place for the Champions League qualifier but also to apply the early pressure in the league, when a new-look Rangers side will still be finding their feet. This is no time to be mucking about. Rangers fans will be galvanised and there will be a feel good factor on the back of the owners coming in. In contrast, it's all a bit flat at Celtic right now. The best way to lift that mood is to get busy in the transfer market. Because there are questions right now. There is a pressing need for a striker after the decision to sell Kyogo – and not replace him – came back to bite them on the backside. There are doubts whether Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate will be sold, people will wonder if the Nicholas Kuhn of the first half of the season will turn up, or the pale imitation we saw in the second. There are questions about Adam Idah, the centre of defence, the wide areas. All of a sudden from a position of supreme strength, it now looks like there's a growing list of jobs to do. I've got no doubt Rodgers knows it too. He's hinted about it often enough. He's also heard plenty of times that Rangers are coming. They may or may not be this time, but, regardless, Celtic cannot afford to sit still.
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Rangers' offense reappears in 11-1 rout of Cardinals
May 31 - Marcus Semien went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBIs as the Texas Rangers broke out of their offensive funk with an 11-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers' Josh Jung and Sam Haggerty each had three hits and three RBIs. Wyatt Langford added a two-run homer, and Kyle Higashioka (2-for-3), Haggerty and Semien scored three runs apiece. Jack Leiter (4-2) was the beneficiary of the outburst, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing three hits and two walks and striking out six. Caleb Boushley handled the final three innings, permitting one run. The 11-run outburst was the Rangers' largest since April 29 and more than Texas scored in the past four games combined. St. Louis starter Matthew Liberatore (3-4) gave up five runs, four earned, on seven hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out five in his worst outing since surrendering five runs in a loss in Pittsburgh on April 7. The Cardinals had won five of their previous six games, while the Rangers had lost eight of 10. Texas jumped on top in the first inning when Jung's two-out single drove in Haggerty, who opened the frame by reaching first on a throwing error by Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn. Texas then produced a four-run second. Haggerty tripled to the right field corner to send home Higashioka and Semien. Langford followed with a towering home run over the left field fence to stoke the lead to 5-0. The Rangers added to their lead in the sixth off St. Louis reliever Gordon Graceffo. Jake Burger singled, Higashioka walked and Semien singled home a run. One out later, Haggerty plated Higashioka with a base hit to make it 7-0. Langford then walked to load the bases, and Jung followed with a two-out, two-run single to left field to push across Semien and Haggerty and make it 9-0. Semien's two-run homer in the seventh expanded Texas' lead to 11-0. The Cardinals finally scored in the eighth when Lars Nootbaar's double plated Victor Scott II. The game was the opener of a three-game interleague series. --Field Level Media
