Hendry warns old club Celts that Rangers new boy has pace to run rivals ragged
JACK HENDRY believes when Fashion Sakala gets up to top speed he will take some stopping at Rangers.
The Scotland defender was a team-mate of the Ibrox new boy last season as Sakala caught Steven Gerrard’s eye with his exploits at KV Oostende.
It convinced the Scottish champions to sign the Zambian international on a pre-contract.
Hendry knows that, at 24, the pacy Zambian’s best years are in front of him and has predicted a big future at Gers.
And the fact Sakala was signed for nothing makes Hendry more convinced he’ll be a success.
The former Celtic stopper insisted: “Getting Fashion on a free could be a really shrewd signing from Rangers.
“They are getting a player who has already shown he will work extremely hard for the team.
“He has great pace and that is a huge weapon but there is so much more to his game.
“He showed at Oostende last season that when he gets a chance, he will take it.
“Fashion is also a player who excites the fans and gets them off their seats.
“He will thrive in that sort of atmosphere, playing in front of a full Ibrox.”
Sakala was left out of Zambia’s World Cup qualifiers with Mauritania and Tunisia so he could stay back in Glasgow to work on his fitness ahead of Rangers’ domestic return against St Johnstone this weekend.
He had missed the Europa League play-off tie and the Premiership games against Dundee United and Ross County, although Sakala did make a late
cameo return in the 1-0 win over Celtic. Sakala’s blistering pace gives Gerrard’s frontline options and something different to the craft of Kemar Roofe, the muscle of Alfredo Morelos and the experience of Jermain Defoe.
The Zambian’s speed was massive for Oostende last season and Hendry thinks it could be the same for Rangers, especially as they take on Lyon, Sparta Prague and Brondby in the Europa League group stage.
The Scot said: “Fashion’s pace was massive for KV and the way we played last season. We played in quite a defensive style and then hit on the break so Fashion was perfect for that. We got a lot of joy from his avenue.”
Sakala got his first taste of European football with Spartak Moscow but it was in Belgium where he really came to the fore.
Last season saw the striker hit new heights with a 16-goal tally but Hendry is in no doubt there is room for more improvement.
And he believes working under Gerrard and the Ibrox coaching staff could help Sakala take his game to the next level.
Hendry, who has just made his own big summer move to Belgian champions Brugge, said: “Fashion is a great person.
“He is very humble and he will give his all.
“The conversations I had with Fashion were really positive and I told him to go and grab this opportunity.
“Rangers are a massive club and from what I have heard, the coaching staff there are excellent.
“It will be brilliant for Fashion to go and work with a coaching staff of that calibre.
“Fashion has got a bit of his game to work on but Rangers looks to be a good place to go and do that.
“I’m sure he will keep learning
and getting better. I’m in no doubt he will kick on.”
Rangers had been trailing Sakala for a good few months before they landed him.
And the African turned to former Hoops centre half Hendry for advice on making a move to Scotland.
The defender said: “I just relayed to him how big a club Rangers are and what a chance it was for him. I also told him a bit about Glasgow. I then left Fashion to make his own decision.
“But he knew how big a club Rangers are and it was a massive opportunity for him.”
Rangers fans have already seen glimpses of Sakala and that started with his pre-season goal against Real Madrid.
Hendry predicts there will be even bigger goals to come, now that Sakala is finding his feet on and off the park.
Hendry said: “It was good to see him get off the mark in pre-season against Real Madrid.
“I keep in contact with Fashion.
“He is loving every minute at Rangers and long may that continue.”