There’s life in the old dog yet, insists Hill
CLINT HILL last night vowed to play on for another year despite confirming the news that he will leave Rangers this summer.
Informed by manager Pedro Caixinha that his services will not be required at the club for next season, the 38-year-old shrugged off his disappointment to help Rangers defeat Hearts 2-1 at Ibrox, claiming the sponsors’ man-of-thematch award in the process.
The former Queens Park Rangers stopper was treated to an ovation as he departed the field and admitted that, if selected, Wednesday’s game against Aberdeen will be his last in front of an Ibrox audience.
He said: ‘It’s been a great year but I’ll be moving on unfortunately. It’s been hard in terms of performances but it’s been brilliant for me to represent this club, wear this shirt and play in front of those fans.
‘Obviously I’m a bit disappointed because you want it to last for as long as possible. But I’ve been in football long enough to know that when new managers come in, they
have different ideas on personnel.
‘I want to play for at least one more year — there’s life in the old dog yet.’
‘I’ve tried to do my best in every game in the hope that I’d be kept on. But there’s no animosity towards this club. They’ve been fantastic for me. I never thought I’d get the chance.
‘A few eyebrows were raised when I walked in the door. But I hope my performances have changed a few opinions.’
Yesterday’s win effectively confirmed a third-place finish for Rangers on their top-flight return but, although European football will be back at Ibrox next term, Hill acknowledges the club have loftier goals.
‘Hopefully they will get back to the top sooner rather than later,’ he said. ‘It’s going to be an interesting summer. The gaffer has made it clear that he wants new players in, so it depends
on how the recruitment goes.
‘It will be tough because Celtic are a good team. I can’t wait for the day this club is back at the top as it will be a special moment.’
For Caixinha, there was frustration at seeing his team fail to take a grip of a match in which they took an early lead through Joe Garner and benefited from a numerical advantage after Hearts defender Prince Buaben was sent off in the 26th minute.
‘Since we arrived, we have lost 70 per cent of the second balls and today we did it again,’ said Caixinha.
‘We allowed Hearts to have their best moments when they won the challenges and pushed us to play on the back foot. We could not cope with that.’
There were palpable signs of improvement for Hearts and their much-scrutinised head coach Ian Cathro.
Having got to half-time a goal down, Cathro changed his team’s formation but, crucially, kept two strikers on the pitch.
The ploy paid off when they combined to score, Bjorn Johnsen teeing up Isma Goncalves for the equaliser.
However, a mistimed punch by debutant goalkeeper Viktor Noring — the Swede handed the chance to replace the rested Jack Hamilton — allowed Rangers winger Barrie McKay to claim the winner less than two minutes after Hearts had levelled.
‘I have mixed feelings,’ said Cathro. ‘We are putting the gun in our own mouth sometimes, which makes it difficult.
‘It was a big day for him (Noring). He was deserving of the opportunity. He showed some qualities at times.
‘But of course there’s the error on the cross, which becomes a bigger headline than the misplaced passes in the build-up.
‘We’re disappointed but there were a lot of positive things, too.’