ZERO HEROES NEFTYANIK STADIUM, 3PM
Flanagan promises Gers are ready to fight like warriors to blank out Ufa and save shutout record
FROM GARY RALSTON in Ufa g.ralston@dailyrecord.co.uk
HIS pre-match war cry owed more to Bonnie Tyler than a football commentary from Martin but Jon Flanagan is ready to deliver on Steven Gerrard’s call to European arms.
The Rangers boss told his players last week he’s holding out for heroes in Russia as they bid to land a spot in the group stage of the Europa League – a standard of competition they haven’t experienced since they lost 1-0 to PSV Eindhoven in the last 16 back in March 2011.
Ufa is a city of 1.1million ice hockey-daft citizens, the 11th biggest municipality in Russia, and its population has come late to the beautiful game.
FC Ufa were only formed in 2010, played their first game the following year and worked their way through the leagues before securing promotion to the Russian top flight in 2014.
They too are on the brink of history in their first season of European football but, guarding a 1-0 lead from the first leg, fullback Flanagan is determined to come good again for Gers and complete an impressive first three months in the job for his former Anfield team-mate.
He said: “We’re definitely ready to answer Stevie’s call for heroes and warriors. All the lads are on board. We know how big this game is and we all want to secure that European spot.
“We are one game away and hopefully the lads can come together for one big push to get it over the line.
“It’s definitely been our target and when I spoke to Stevie before I signed he had the idea of European football. He had the same conversation with all the other signings. We all want to be in this European competition.
“Rangers are a massive club and that is where we should be so for us to be in a position where we are one game away from securing that?
“We’ve got to give it one last big
shove. This is our biggest game of the season.
“In fact we know this is the biggest week of the season.
“Firstly, we hope to secure European football then everyone knows the importance of Sunday. All the lads are coming together as one and hopefully we can get two wins.”
Flanagan has contributed massively to the development of the stingy Rangers rearguard which has yet to concede a goal on the Euro road this season after games in Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia.
He has played left, right and against Motherwell on Sunday he was centre, although Gerrard’s switch to a 3-5-2 saw his side give up three goals in one match when they had conceded only four in total in their previous 10. Flanagan added: “We’ve analysed the setpieces and where we went wrong against Motherwell. We conceded three sloppy goals, let’s not get away from that.
“We can’t give away goals like that, we have to tighten up. We’ve worked on it in training. We must not concede like that again.
“Until now we’ve been pretty solid, if you take Motherwell out of it. We’d only conceded four goals in all competitions before that. It is a blip. We’ve looked at it and hopefully we will improve.
“Our last three away games in Europe have been pretty solid and we haven’t conceded once. It’s got to be the same against Ufa. If we get a goal it’s going to be difficult for them and it will also be tough for them if we defend as we have in the last three away games in Europe. A goal would be massive but not letting them find the net is the key.”
Flanagan struggled for game time at Liverpool before joining Rangers in the summer after loans at Burnley and Bolton but is revelling in playing games consistently again.
He said: “I knew Rangers was a massive club but it’s not until you join you realise the true size of it. I’m really enjoying it.
“Hopefully I can keep playing, keep winning and keep progressing. Over the last three years I haven’t played consistent football. It’s been a bit in and out so to play games regularly is fantastic. Hopefully that can continue.
“I’m getting closer to where I can be. It is coming. I still have plenty more to give and I wouldn’t say I was 100 per cent yet. The more game time I get the better I will play.
“As a full-back I’m more comfortable on the right but I just want to play – left, right or as part of a three. I will do a job for the team wherever I’m needed.
“I know the importance of these games after representing Liverpool in Europe. You can’t beat a big European night during the week.
“They also provide the opportunity to travel all over. I’ve been lucky to have travelled far and wide with Liverpool so I know what it’s all about and the significance of the competition.
“We’re one game away from the group stage. It’s massive – and we need to win.”
Hopefully the lads can come together for one big push over the line JON FLANAGAN