A DATE WITH DESTINY AFTER DECADE IN DOLDRUMS
Rangers must rise to the occasion, but they have shown they can handle the heat over 10 long years
THE journey Rangers embarked on in August when they played Armenian minnows Alashkert in the first leg of the Europa League play-off, will come to an end in Seville this evening.
The Ibrox club have played 12 games or 1,110 minutes of football in seven different countries and flown over 15,000 miles to fulfil their fixtures during the past 10 months.
The final against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a huge number of people and is a fitting reward for everyone involved. As it is, of course, for all of those who have clapped and cheered them every step of the way.
Yet, this match is far, far more than the result of a season’s hard toil for Rangers.
It has actually taken them 10 long years to get here. At times during that period, it seemed inconceivable they would ever scale such heights again.
The match against German club Eintracht Frankfurt in Spain comes after a decade of struggle and tens of millions of pounds of investment from individuals with the best interests of their beloved Glasgow giants at heart.
Rangers fans have, quite understandably, been overcome by Europa League final fever since they defeated RB Leipzig in the second leg of the semifinal in Govan a fortnight ago.
Few of them will have paused and remembered the dark days of Craig Whyte, of administration, of Charles Green, of the Third Division, as they have desperately tried to get their hands on tickets and splashed out exorbitant sums on flights and accommodation.
However, it is incredible to stop and think that at one stage not so long ago their heroes were being humiliated by part-time opponents in the bottom tier of the Scottish game.
When Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team came from behind to beat Domenico Tedesco’s side in their last outing it was one of the greatest European nights that Ibrox had witnessed.
However, it was nothing compared to the recovery they have staged after years of reckless corporate vandalism and shameless profiteering by an array of ersatz characters with dubious motives and underhand methods who vanished as quickly as they appeared.
Who could have imagined that Rangers would be going into a Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville in 2022 expecting to win when they were being beaten by Stirling Albion at Forthbank in the Third Division in 2012?
Everyone involved in their revival, from one-time figurehead Ally McCoist, to ex-chairman Dave King, to former manager Steven Gerrard, to current custodians John Bennett and Douglas Park, should be proud of what together they have achieved.
To be playing in a European final in their 150th anniversary year – 50 years after the Barcelona Bears beat Moscow Dynamo 3-2 in the Nou Camp to lift the European Cup-Winners’ Cup – is sweet for every one of them.
If they come out on top this evening, and they have every chance of doing so if they replicate their performances against Borussia Dortmund, Red Star Belgrade, Braga and RB Leipzig in the knockout rounds, they could be forgiven if they shed a tear.
The contest between Van Bronckhorst’s charges and Oliver Glasner’s men promises to be
fascinating. There are many uncanny parallels between the two. Both have had disappointing seasons domestically, but have excelled in continental competition. Both have huge and passionate fan bases. Both have pulled off upsets against far wealthier clubs. Both managers deserve enormous credit for reaching this stage.
Van Bronckhorst, the former Feyenoord, Rangers, Arsenal, Barcelona and Netherlands defender-cum-midfielder, has improved the side he inherited when he succeeded Gerrard in November without adding to his squad significantly.
The ex-Champions League winner and World Cup finalist has tweaked his system, has moved players into roles they are perfectly suited to, has not demanded that they do anything that is beyond their capability. It has been simple, but highly effective. Out of possession, they are difficult to break down. When they have the ball, they are dangerous on the attack.
Calvin Bassey, James Tavernier and John Lundstram have flourished under Van Bronckhorst. But everybody has contributed. Not having Alfredo Morelos or Kemar Roofe for the semi-final was far from ideal. But Scott Wright came in and did his bit. He set up Glen Kamara for the second in the rematch with a deft lay-off.
Van Bronckhorst has shown that with clever tactics, the correct formation and good coaching that a side from a smaller football nation can beat one that has been assembled on a far larger budget.
The fact Rangers have beaten Dortmund and Leipzig, teams far higher up the Bundesliga table than Eintracht, has given their supporters, tens of thousands of whom have flocked to Andalusia whether they have a ticket or not, confidence they can win.
But Die Adler have been a revelation in Europe this season themselves. They went undefeated in the group stages and then knocked out Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham. Like their adversaries, they have been at their best against foreign opposition.
Seville is stifling this week. Their record May temperature of 40.8C was recorded in 2015. Weather experts believe that could well be topped in the coming days. How will Tavernier and his teammates cope? Will that favour Sebastian Rode and his fellow players? We shall find out this evening.
But Rangers have shown they can handle the heat in the past 10 months in Europe – and in the past 10 years too – and can pull off one of the greatest results in their existence if they rise to what should be a great occasion.