On Monday morning, Rangers Football Club hosted a remarkable Reboot meeting. They are preparing for a huge Europa League quarter-final first-leg tie against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday night. The dramatic, 45-minute discussion was meant to turn around the team’s fortunes during what has been a frustrating domestic season. We heard earlier from head coach Barry Ferguson, and he discussed his goalkeeper Jack Butland about the squad’s collective display. What exactly they discussed remains a closely guarded secret.
That kind of meeting was hardly the best preparation for the daunting match that awaited. The mood going into training on Monday and Tuesday was incredibly optimistic and electric. Ferguson expressed optimism about the upcoming challenges and emphasized that the team has clarity on how to proceed for the rest of the season.
We arrived on Monday morning and to put it mildly, we had a really really good discussion, Ferguson stated, reflecting on the discussions held.
Even after the bright, positive days on the training pitch, Rangers have continued to face enormous challenges on their home turf at Ibrox. The club has not won any of their past five games there, a statistic Ferguson confessed is sobering and unacceptable. “Five games without a win at Ibrox is just not good enough,” he remarked. Adding to the pressure are the fans as Rangers look to repeat their loud, hostile form at home.
European football has been the one saving grace for Rangers during this otherwise difficult domestic campaign. The team are intent on ending the hoodoo of having lost their last five home fixtures at Ibrox. They want to bring players and fans alike to believe in the game again. Ferguson remains hopeful that improved performances will manifest as they face Athletic Bilbao, a fixture that could reinvigorate their campaign.
And even Jack Butland, who is getting raked over the coals right now for recent mistakes, continues to be sheltered by Ferguson. Thankfully, the head coach quickly set that nonsense straight, assuring everyone that Butland’s place in the starting XI was never in danger. “Players make mistakes and players maybe underperforming is part and parcel of football,” Ferguson explained, reinforcing his support for the goalkeeper.
The last few days on the training field prior to this match echoed a different level of focus and determination. Players have shown enthusiasm and commitment in their preparations, indicating a collective desire to rectify past mistakes and improve their performance levels. Ferguson digresses to mention how much he enjoys having healthy debate on the practice field, which he believes is an important part of team chemistry. “I want people to be opinionated, I want people to debate with each other and I found it really helpful and now hopefully, going forward, I’ll start to see a bit more consistency,” he affirmed.
The Europa League second leg against Athletic Bilbao is approaching quickly. Rangers will be eager to achieve their first home win during Ferguson’s short reign as manager. The stakes are very high. Both the players and coaching staff will be keen to produce a resounding response and regain the faith of fans who have suffered through a nightmarish spell at Ibrox.
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