HAMMER OF THE SCOTS
Rae urges Rangers to beware of Maribor
This is Rangers’ and Gerrard’s biggest test so far this season
DURING the past decade, NK Maribor have proven to be unlikely specialists at breaking the hearts of Scottish football supporters.
Four times in the last nine seasons, our clubs have been sent packing by the Slovenians who are based in the 12,702-capacity Ljudski vrt Stadium.
In 2010, John Hughes’ Hibs were thumped 6-2 on aggregate by Maribor in the Europa League third qualifying round. Twelve months later, an Ally McCoist-led Rangers were dumped out of the play-off round in the same tournament.
In 2014, it was Ronny Deila’s turn to feel the pain as Maribor beat Celtic 2-1 on aggregate in a Champions League play-off. Then, in 2016, Derek McInnes and his Aberdeen side were the Scottish victims as the Slovenians won 2-1 on aggregate in the Europa League third qualifying round.
Against that backdrop, the arrival at Ibrox tomorrow night of these Hammers of the Scots represents a clear and present danger to Rangers’ chances of progression in the Europa League.
Former Ibrox midfielder Alex Rae is in no doubt about the task facing Steven Gerrard’s side as they host a side who reached the Champions League group stage last season and faced Liverpool, Sevilla and Spartak Moscow.
‘There’s no doubt this will be the biggest test Rangers and Steven Gerrard have faced this season,’ Rae told Sportsmail.
‘With respect to Shkupi and Osijek, Maribor are a different level of opposition.
‘They have an impressive history of knocking Scottish clubs out of Europe and are also backed by finance banked from the Champions League group stage last season.
‘They are a team that tend to be in or around either the Champions League or Europa League group stages most seasons. It will be very difficult for Rangers.’
Gerrard made Croatian left-back Borna Barisic his 11th summer signing yesterday, having already recruited Allan McGregor, Nikola Katic, Connor Goldson, Jon Flanagan, Lassana Coulibaly, Scott Arfield, Ovie Ejaria, Ryan Kent, Umar Sadiq and Jamie Murphy. For Rae, the acquisition of the Osijek captain and Croatia international looks shrewd.
‘I watched the first tie against Osijek and Barisic stood out,’ he said. ‘He was their captain and that suggests you are getting a particular type of character. He must be a leader or he would not have been given the armband.
‘He is impressive, full of energy up and down that left-hand side of the park.
‘Rangers have been light on that kind of power in recent years, so he looks a good signing. It needed major surgery to turn the squad around and that’s 11 new players brought in now.’
Rae has been impressed by the progress he detects in Gerrard’s Rangers and feels the camaraderie and team spirit being fostered by the former Liverpool and England captain will serve the Ibrox club well at home and abroad.
‘I’ve been encouraged by what I have seen so far,’ he added. ‘Their performance in Aberdeen at the weekend after going down to ten men was good. And they will have had enough time to recover for tomorrow’s match with Maribor.
‘I think Rangers have lacked physicality in recent years but they seem to have more of that now. And I like the fact Steven Gerrard does not sugar-coat things. He makes demands of his players and lets them know if they are not meeting his expectations.
‘Rangers seem to be getting better every time I see them. In the early European games, they were maybe a bit stop-start and lacked fluency. But that’s understandable as it takes time to work your way into a new season.
‘Yes, they suffered a setback at Pittodrie, conceding the late goal, but, sometimes, a setback can make you stronger as a group.
‘I’ve been speaking to a few of the players in recent weeks and they’re all enjoying working under the new manager. There seems to be a good unity in the squad. But it’s early days and no one will be getting carried away — certainly not the management team.’
Should Rangers do what no Scottish team has managed in recent years and make it past Maribor, a favourable draw awaits.
In the play-off round, they would face Russians Ufa or a rematch with Progres Niederkorn, the part-timers from Luxembourg who inflicted humiliation on Pedro Caixinha’s side in the same competition last season.
‘I think Rangers have a chance of making the group stage,’ said Rae. ‘Of course, tomorrow night’s game will be tough. But the draw for the next round looks decent.
‘Without getting ahead of ourselves, Rangers need to focus on Maribor and only on Maribor. You only have to look at their recent results against Scottish clubs.
‘It will also be a good yardstick to see where Rangers are under Gerrard and I’m looking forward to seeing how they get on.’