TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED
Dons’ horror show in Luxembourg will keep me focused, says Jack
When Ryan Jack last stepped out into the Stade Josy Barthel in Luxembourg City, the line which separated triumph from disaster could be measured in just a few inches.
Taking a 3-1 lead against Fola esch from the first leg at Pittodrie, the midfielder’s Aberdeen side were widely expected to brush aside the part-timers and progress with consummate ease.
By the end of a wretched evening, however, the Dons could take progression from the first qualifying round of the europa League as the one and only positive.
Deservedly leading by a goal as the game entered the dying embers, the hosts’ hopes of winning a european tie for the first time in their history were dashed when they struck the upright and the ball bounced to safety.
One year on, and now in the colours of Rangers, Jack is unlikely to be fighting misty-eyed nostalgia as he prepares to return to the scene of the great escape on Tuesday.
having blown off the pre-season cobwebs during Thursday night’s uninspiring one-goal victory over Progres niederkorn at Ibrox, Pedro Caixinha’s men should, theoretically, make short work of the side who finished fourth in their domestic league last season.
But, as Jack almost found to his cost at the same stage and at the same venue last year, making assumptions about anything that lies in wait in these fraught early weeks is a mug’s game.
‘There are no givens in any game of football,’ stressed the 25-year-old.
‘But we will step it up next week and we will be going out to win.
‘We have things we will work on before Tuesday and try to put things right. We look forward to it.’
Only a fool would draw too many conclusions from an opening-night display that fell significantly short of expectations.
Just three of Caixinha’s eight summer signings started the match, with only two more seeing action from the bench.
Only by being immersed in a cluster of competitive matches will the required sharpness be attained — and only by that stage could reasoned judgments be made.
notwithstanding that, no one had to tell the Portuguese manager that the paying public’s first impression of his new-look side was hardly startling. After a reasonable first half, they looked weary and uninspiring as the game drew to its conclusion. While Rangers were deserving of the slender lead gained by Kenny Miller’s first-half goal, by no means did they comprehensively outplay their opponents.
‘We knew they would come, sit in and make it difficult for us,’ reflected Jack. ‘We knew that was how the game would go.
‘There are lots of things we want to improve on, although it is still the early stages of pre-season.
‘We are still trying to get everyone to gel, so I think there is a lot more to come. We will look to step it up again next week.’
The main positive for Caixinha was a clean sheet. Although his new centre-half Fabio Cardoso was hardly over-worked, he acquitted himself well. Ahead of him, Jack was quietly efficient.
however, despite having the bulk of possession, Rangers lacked creativity. Rarely were niederkorn cut open at will.
‘I wouldn’t say it’s just the forward players,’ said Jack. ‘They are obviously the ones that win you the game, but there can be goals from all over the pitch.’
Only those of a ferociously optimistic bent would have truly expected Caixinha’s men to have reached their optimum level so quickly.
You can run as hard as you like, hold meetings until the cows come home and spend countless hours on the training ground. Teams, quite simply, do not come together overnight.
‘I don’t think there’s a fitness or a sharpness issue,’ explained Jack. ‘It’s more getting to know each other and getting used to how everyone plays.
‘In training, it’s different from a competitive match. There is nothing like being out there in front of 50,000 and having to put it right. As I say, there is still a lot more to come from us. It’s still early days.
‘There are a lot of new faces who have come to the club and I’m one of them. even for me, I’ve only moved two-and-a-half hours down the road, but some of the guys have moved to a different country.’
Despite failing to get the job done at the first time of asking, the Rangers fans who filled Ibrox for a first european game in six years left contemplating a considerable number of positives.
Chief among them was the display of niko Kranjcar. At 32, and coming off the back of a serious knee injury, the concerns about the Croatian’s longevity were obvious.
however, even allowing for the modest level of opposition, the ex-Tottenham man suggested he will be a fulcrum of the side going forward. Defensive diligence was never his strong point. But his ability to dictate the play with his wide assortment of passes still has few equals.
‘It has been excellent playing alongside niko, even in training,’ said Jack. ‘You can clearly see the talent he has. he can see passes most other players can’t. I’ve enjoyed playing alongside him and hopefully he can help my career.
‘he’s had great experiences and I would be happy to listen to any advice. he’s a man I have great respect for. he was excellent and hopefully that continues.’
For now, those fans who have already booked their flights to Cyprus next month will have to hold fire on sourcing the elusive match tickets.
AeL Limassol, 4-0 winners over St Joseph’s of Gibraltar, will surely be present in the second qualifying round. Rangers still have much work to do to ensure they join them.
If the prospect of a return to the Stade Josy Barthel is unappealing for Jack, he hides it well.
‘not at all,’ he insisted. ‘I think we set out to win the first leg and we did that. We would have liked to win by three or four, but it wasn’t to be. We still won the match and we will be looking to step it up a level next week.
‘That was the first 90 minutes for most of the boys and we are still getting up to speed. next week we are confident we can go and win the match over there.’