TALKING RANGERS
HE’S the man they’ve all been waiting for, the chosen one who can be the vital spark Rangers are desperately needing.
After almost two months, a Confederations Cup, a European embarrassment that would give a British Eurovision entry a run for its money and a head coach standing in a hedge in Luxembourg, Ibrox fans finally got their first glimpse of Bruno Alves as a Rangers footballer yesterday.
A quick flick through the club’s social media accounts brought up images of the Portuguese defender, fresh from the rigours of battle in Russia, moseying on to a freshly-cut lawn at Auchenhowie to begin his two-year deal.
Amid the the frantic panic and outbursts of hysteria at Rangers’ calamitous demise to the hands of Luxembourg’s Progres Niederkorn in the Europa League qualifiers, the name of the 35-year-old was the one mentioned most in dispatches to offer some glimmer of hope.
‘It’ll be alright when Bruno is here’ has been the pledge made in hope rather than anything by the Rangers support desperate to see not only a leaky defence plugged, but a man who can lead the light blue ship through stormy domestic waters.
We spoke to Portuguese football expert and Lisbonbased journalist Tom Kundert, who, through his work with ESPN, World Soccer Magazine and Portuguese football site Portugoal.net, has been following Alves’s progress closely over the summer months as he helped Portugal to a thirdplace finish in the Confed Cup.
“He definitely fits into the leadership mould,” Kundert said. “His 100 per cent commitment on the pitch is matched by saying all the right things off it. He expresses himself well, is vocal, and I’m pretty sure his achievements and confidence in his own ability will make him feel others can benefit from his opinions.
“In the Confederations Cup he was excellent, like he was when called upon at Euro 2016. He didn’t put a foot wrong, and was a monster in the air.
“Having 93 caps gives him status as a leader in the Portugal squad, despite not being a regular starter, which makes it easier for him to step into the team when need be.
“So assured was he in Russia, after coming in for José Fonte, that if the World Cup started tomorrow and everyone was fit, I would expect Fernando Santos to choose him and Pepe as the starters.”
DESPITE his signing being criticised last summer, veteran centre-half Clint Hill turned into arguably Rangers’ best and most reliable centre-half.
It’s with this knowledge in the back of the mind that gives encouragement that a man three years his senior will be able to cut it in the rough and tumble world of the Ladbrokes Premiership.
“Bruno Alves has never had pace but that has not stopped him performing as a high-class centre-back for over a decade,” explained Kundert.
“You can even argue that as he has reached the twilight of his career and is even slower than in the past he is playing better than ever, having checked a violent streak and making good use of his vast experience.
“Put him alongside a quicker centre-back partner and I’m sure he can do a fine job for Rangers.”
Turning back to the new recruits of this summer, Alves is in good company.
Of the nine players brought in by Pedro Caixinha, he is one of four Portuguese to join a Rangers dressing room that was largely dominated last season by Britishbased players.
Kundert has no fears Alves will fit in, and believes he could be the man to help bring the new foreign faces and the old guard together.
He said: “Bruno speaks good English, certainly can communicate easily with Spanish speakers, and having played extensively and successfully in several different countries, he will be able to offer words of advice about adapting to new club surroundings, a different league and a new style of football.
“As a good communicator and someone with a somewhat ‘British’ style of play, I’d expect him to get on well with the local players and so he would appear in a perfect position to play this “gelling” role from both sides.”