Ibrox quality over quantity plan has merit for Durrant
ASK any Nine-In-A-Row hero turned Ten-In-A-Row failure to pinpoint how Rangers came up short in their record-breaking bid and they will offer obvious reasons for regret.
The bizarre squash-court eye injury that stopped Marco Negri’s prolific scoring start in its tracks.
Confirmation that manager Walter Smith’s era in charge would be over at the end of that season.
Brian Laudrup agreeing a deal to sign a pre-contract with Chelsea and depart for free.
The catalogue of injuries suffered by Lorenzo Amoruso that delayed the £4.5million Italian defender’s debut until April.
The sale of Paul Gascoigne to Middlesbrough in March with seven league games to play.
All played their part in derailing the dominance of Rangers and helping Wim Jansen’s Celtic steal up the blind side to score an historic One In A Row.
However, there was perhaps one extremely well-hidden clue to trouble ahead in pre-season.
Ibrox basked in a show of strength by hosting a friendly featuring two Rangers teams on an afternoon billed as Nike Family Day.
On that July day in 1997, one side read: Goram, Porrini, Vidmar, Wright, Thern, Durrant, Albertz, Laudrup, Johansson, Durie, Negri.
The other, that ran out 6-1 winners over two 30-minute halves, was: Niemi, Cleland, Bjorklund, Amoruso, Stensaas, Gattuso, Ferguson, Gascoigne, Bo Andersen, Van Vossen, McCoist.
The rich had just got richer. A clutch of expensive new signings, predominantly from Serie A, had given Smith two teams from which to select one.
On reflection, Ian Durrant suspects that dynamic failed to create a tight-knit group.
As Steven Gerrard, with the help of director of football Ross Wilson, sets about assembling a squad to puncture Celtic’s bid for 10 titles, Durrant hopes the signing of Ianis Hagi proves a positive for strengthening the Rangers squad.
He was encouraged to hear the accent for this summer’s recruitment being on star startingplace quality rather than increasing the quantity in the first-team ranks.
‘We had a squad there, maybe too much of a squad that year,’ said Durrant. ‘The consistency level we had for the previous nine years just wasn’t there and we lost too many games.
‘At the time of the Ten-In-A-Row season, I was used sparingly. We had a lot of quality sitting in the stands — and I don’t think the present Rangers manager wants that.
‘He wants his best team on the pitch and a squad of maybe 18, 19 players. Nowadays, you don’t want a lot of players earning wages and not playing. You want to get a squad.
‘Who knows, they can maybe tap into their youth department and unearth a wee gem there.
‘As far as I know, they have released nine players, so that is nine to be replaced unless you bring up from youth.
‘This is a huge year for Rangers trying to stop Celtic. They’ve taken the option up on a good player in Hagi and, once everyone gets the green light, I’m sure there will be an influx.
‘Recruitment is top of the agenda, Rangers know what they have to do. I see them saying they want quality rather than quantity. Quality costs, so that must be the way they are going.’
Despite all his experience of a life lived in the crazed climate of Glasgow rivalry, Durrant can only imagine the hype levels that will be whipped up next season as Rangers clamour to stop Celtic reaching the holy grail.
Yet there is the bizarre prospect of an Old Firm match or two taking place behind closed doors as the game eases in its return towards normality at the back end of the coronavirus crisis.
Durrant, East Kilbride’s new assistant coach, added: ‘It could be chaos next season. But you also might have the scenario of having an Old Firm game with no fans.
‘That would be a shame, it would take away so much and not just with Rangers and Celtic.
‘If you look at Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, these are great stadiums to go and play football — when they are packed.
‘We are just trying to get our heads around how you play without fans. I’ve played in the derbies and the atmosphere is second to none.
‘I have been watching the Bundesliga and it feels as if they are training games. It is going to be interesting but, the sooner we can get the fans in and create an atmosphere, the better.’