John Rankin still loves Hamilton job despite turmoil and explains why he won't let his girls go to games

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17 hours ago

Made homeless after being booted out the ground they've inhabited for quarter of a century.
Forced to shop in the freebie market after being struck by a transfer ban.
Demos and disharmony among the locals towards those in charge after a season of administrative turmoil brought a 15-point deduction and, ultimately, relegation.
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Hamilton haven't had their troubles to seek in the last four months. But don't expect to hear manager John Rankin plead poverty or seek sympathy.
Not when he's seen real destitution first hand as a 17-year-old kid sent 6000 miles across the Atlantic to Brazil by Sir Alex Ferguson.
That short loan spell in São Paulo with Corinthians was an eye opener to a world Rankin never knew existed back then when he was learning his trade as a young pro at Manchester United.
He cut it short after a matter of weeks. But he'll never forget the sight of kids as young as four begging, people living in wooden huts and surrounded by hardship.
It's a chapter of the former Dundee United, Hibs and Ross County midfielder's career that few know anything about.
But it's one he insists helped give him the resilience to go on and forge a career at the top of the game. Record Sport caught up with the 42-year-old this week to find out just what it's like managing a full-time club against such a backdrop of turmoil.
And asked if that spell in Sao Paulo in June 2001 still helps keep things in perspective. Rankin said: 'That time in Brazil was short. But it was the biggest eye-opener.
'I was just 17. I actually turned 18 on my flight back to the UK. Manchester United sent me and Ben Muirhead who went on to play for Bradford over. But neither of us could speak a word of the language.
'The mobile phones we had only worked in the UK and Europe so we had no way of contact. It was tough.
'There was real poverty. People living in wooden sheds.
'It was heart-breaking seeing groups of kids at four, five and six begging and running past cars with long strips of sweets, putting them over wing mirrors and then trying to grab them back before the cars moved off.
'They were hoping the drivers would give them money for them.
'It was a rough area where we lived and we didn't want to go out.
'But I suppose that helped build resilience. You only get stronger with negative experiences.
'It was character building. You're looking at how lucky you are.'
Now 42 and with an impressive playing career behind him, Rankin insists he has a rhino's skin.
It's just as well after a few months where the body blows just kept landing on Accies.
The timing of the 15-point penalty - imposed for a number of SPFL rule breaches including a failure to notify the SPFL of remuneration defaults in respect of six players - took the wind from their gut. They were on the brink of safety with three games remaining.
But having been advised they had a good chance of salvaging those precious points on appeal they were then hit with the double whammy of having the penalty upheld a DAY before the final game of the campaign.
Things wouldn't get much better. Accies were booted out their New Douglas Park home over the summer after a messy fall out with the stadium owner - former chairman Colin McGowan - saw the club relocate to Cumbernauld.
Fan protests against the current board hit new levels last weekend ahead of the season opening 2-0 victory over Montrose.
Just a week earlier came the bitter blow to Rankin that he wouldn't be able to sign anyone other than amateurs for the next 12 months.
Blow after gut wrenching blow. But never once has Rankin even considered giving in and walking away.
As a former PFA Scotland union chairman he always carried a responsibility to his team mates.
Now as a manager he insists the daily drive and determination he gets back off his players drives him.
He told MailSport: 'It's been a really tough few months but through everything the players' drive and attitude was brilliant.
'The only time I can ever remember payments being late was before the Ayr United game which was the first game of the season, that's when the players refused to train.
'A day later and everything was sorted and money was in people's accounts. Over and above that the payment was never late.
'Having the points deducted was a really sore one but we were all told and began to believe that we were going to get them back.
'So to go through that all for a second time was a kick in the gut. It relegated us.
'When you then move stadium, surround yourself with positivity, change the mindset, get everybody believing and then to be hit with a transfer embargo on the last Friday of pre-season - that was tough.
'The atmosphere that day was really, really low. I was thinking, 'how do I tell the players this?'
'A lot of people ask me, 'Ranks, what are you doing? or 'do you not want to move on?' But I love my job. I don't think I'll have a tougher learning experience as a manager, but it's one I enjoy.
'I love working with players. They're my players. I know what these guys are all about.
'I look at Scott Robinson, the ultimate professional, comes in every morning, does his pre-hab, does his activation, goes and trains, finishes his training and goes straight to the gym, finishes that and goes into an ice bath.
'How could I possibly turn my back on somebody like that when they're going through the mill and they're giving all they can?
'I was involved with the players' union for five years when I was playing because I fought for players. I'm still fighting for players, but I'm fighting for players in a different capacity as a manager.
'Same with my staff. Never at any point have they said, 'this isn't for us'. This will be our fourth season. Never have we had it easy. But as you go, you become more solid, more focused, more aggressive.'
The atmosphere between the supporters and those running the club has been described as toxic.
Rankin, who has been the target for the boo boys himself at times, admits he doesn't want wife Maria or his two girls Maya and Gianna exposed to the negativity so keeps them away from games.
That's something that saddens the father of three, although his 15-year-old son Luca occasionally ventures along.
Rankin said: 'My family were always part of my playing career. I've got pictures of my daughter in the Hibs kit when she was born there. I've got pictures of my son on the pitch at Tannadice with me. Again at Falkirk, again at Clyde.
'But I've kind of.. when it comes to a Saturday at 3pm now, I put my family away from me.
'They were all at the cup final two years ago. Reluctantly, Maria decided to go with the kids. That was last minute.
'Over and above that, they don't come to games.
'That's a sore one when you can't take them. I've probably got the skin of a rhino. I don't think my girls have.
'Why would I risk them hearing something negative when I don't know how they can deal with it?
'So I would rather protect them as much as I possibly can, because they're mine and I want them to have success in life.
'Yeah, they'll need to overcome adversity at some point. They'll need to realise what negativity is.
'I'm not trying to shelter them from that. But I'm their dad, first and foremost, and I need to make sure that I give them the best chance of being who they want to be and give them the why of why they want to be that.
'So I don't think the footballing environment is where I would put them at this moment in time.'
Rankin has every faith the people in charge at Hamilton Accies will return the club to their spiritual home.
And he revealed they are already looking to secure investment to build a training ground in the town so the day to day business returns to Hamilton.
Accies have started the new season 23 miles away at Broadwood in Cumbernauld after a fall out with the owners of New Douglas Park.
Owner Seref Zendin and chairman Jock Brown have been the target for fans protests. Rankin admits anything outwith the football business at the club is above his pay grade.
But he said: 'The club are trying to secure fresh investment so that they can build a training ground in Hamilton. That's been going on for the last two months.
'The guys that are in charge of the club work tirelessly. They've got a vision for what they're trying to do.
'They're trying to put a successful product on the pitch and there's obviously stuff going on off the pitch.
'I don't take part in any of that, that's got nothing to do with me.
'I need to try and work with the football side of it. They've got their best interests and want to make sure that the club is here long term.
'They've come to Broadwood for a reason that they think will progress the club. With intentions of going back to Hamilton longer term and taking the club back into the town.
'I'm confident the supporters will get the club back in Hamilton long term.
'But all I can do is focus on the football side of it, I say this to the players every day.
'What happens upstairs and what happens out with the dressing room walls or those lines out there, we can't control.
'All we can control is what goes on on the pitch and in the dressing room.
'And what's way above our pay grade, we don't have anything to do with. All we can do is maintain focus.'