A FIRE THAT BURNS DEEP WITHIN
Jack’s raw passion for Rangers will fuel club’s drive for trophies
NOBODY who has shared an Ibrox dressing room with Ryan Jack over the past three seasons will be oblivious to how desperate he is to win silverware for Rangers.
A few colleagues from Aberdeen squads he was an integral part of from the age of eight through his development into a Pittodrie captain have a fair idea, too.
Jack, 28, was free to reveal, when signing for Rangers in June 2017, that he had been a fan of the club since childhood. His mother’s side of the family, he disclosed, nurtured the allegiance.
That was a proud day, then, as was every occasion he pulled on the blue jersey, even in a fraught first campaign at Ibrox.
Year one was blighted by red cards, injuries and the chaos of Pedro Caixinha’s reign then a handover to interim rookie Graeme Murty.
Jack — who heads out on preseason duty with Rangers to France this week — also happened to mention on his first day in the job that a certain Steven Gerrard was one of his three midfield heroes watching football in his youth.
Paul Gascoigne and Paul Scholes were the others. So to operate for the past two seasons with Gerrard as his manager and mentor for the club he loves should be a case of living the dream.
Scoring winners in Old Firm
clashes and bossing big
European games for Rangers with Steven Davis is surely just how he drew it up all those years ago.
But not quite. Jack will be far from triumphant about his three years’ work because Rangers have failed to secure a major item of domestic silverware, never mind topple Celtic from top rank.
For Jack, someone with an acute appreciation of what precisely is required at Rangers and a mentality ingrained to suit, this is the season it all comes to a head.
Clark Robertson was a Pittodrie confidant who advanced through the ranks with the same burning desire to succeed for the Dons — but with a secret aspiration to represent Rangers one day.
For Robertson, that hasn’t worked out yet. The central defender has recently celebrated promotion back to the Championship with Rotherham and represented Blackpool since departing Pittodrie.
He has been a huge admirer of
Jack’s efforts from afar but recognises the hunger of his pal must be satisfied in this vital 2020/21 campaign for Rangers.
Robertson said: ‘Growing up with Jacko and coming through at Aberdeen together, you always knew that he had the ability. ‘But what I also saw was that he was blessed with a winning mentality. He was always a winner — and that was in training too. ‘Even as a youngster, he was demanding of other players. Maybe not getting on at you all the time, but with encouragement.
‘He always wanted the best for himself and the team.
‘I’m sure Rangers will be hoping that mentality can come out next season. And hopefully he will be able to put that to use this season to stop Celtic.
‘Because up until January, Rangers were having a great season and Jacko was a vital part of what they were doing.
‘Then for them not to go on, for whatever reason after the winter break, was a big disappointment. They will be desperate to build on that next season.
‘I’d love to see Jacko do that and lift a trophy at Rangers. Hopefully it’s the league next season and stopping Celtic winning the 10.
‘Celtic are still strong and, unless they sell (Odsonne) Edouard, I think it’ll be a tough ask. But it would mean so much to Jacko to be involved in that — a dream come true for him to win a league title for Rangers.’
Little did Jack know when moving to Glasgow under freedom of contract that, around 12 months later, his icon Gerrard would be shaping his game.
The love-in started early on, Gerrard striking an encouraging tone for Jack when claiming he was ‘jealous’ of his display in a Europa League qualifier against Osijek.
The Liverpool and England legend has been glowing in his descriptions since of Jack’s outlook and application as a Rangers player under his guidance.
Robertson said: ‘Jacko deserves all the praise he’s been getting because he was one of the best
Even as a youngster, he was always so demanding of other players You can see that the praise he’s received from Gerrard has given Ryan an extra boost
players at Rangers last season.
‘You can see that the praise he’s received from Gerrard has given him that extra boost and that he is enjoying playing under him.
‘Can you just imagine the confidence you’d get? Being a central midfielder and having Steven Gerrard as your manager?
‘Jacko has always been so comfortable on the ball. He played a lot at Aberdeen as a right back and it was only when Derek McInnes came in that he started playing central midfield.
‘He’s probably in the best hands there working under Gerrard and Gary McAllister, who’ve both had unbelievable careers at the top level.
‘Jacko, being a central midfielder, will just be trying to take as many tips off them as possible.’
Gerrard’s wish for Jack to be more free and forward-thinking has gradually taken shape, with the player now impacting the game for Rangers further up the field.
‘He’s obviously benefiting from having a manager who was a box-to-box midfield player scoring goals,’ noted Robertson.
‘You can see some of that coming out in Jacko’s play now.
‘I think we saw him being more creative last season, going forward a bit more, scoring a few goals. That’s something he’s always wanted to add to his game and Gerrard has given him that licence.
‘I always saw Jacko as a defensive, holding midfielder who’d get on the ball and dictate play.
‘But it kind of looked as if Steven Davis did more of that and Jacko has been allowed to play off Davis and get himself higher up the pitch to add goals. He’s looking for the forward pass more.’
Jack’s relationship with Aberdeen began to turn sour towards the end of his 250-appearance alliance with the club. With Rangers rumours at their height, he was stripped of the captaincy in the countdown to the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic.
And, when the destination of Ibrox became confirmed, the hatred towards Rangers was always going to destroy the memories of Jack’s contribution over the years to the Dons cause.
His face went up on a few Aberdeen pub dartboards and, predictably, he was the target for abuse in Scotland colours when making his senior international debut against Holland at Pittodrie.
‘He was always a Rangers fan,’ said Robertson (right). ‘Most of the boys knew that he supported Rangers.
‘So when that opportunity arises, whether you are leaving Aberdeen or not, if it is one of your dreams then you are going to go for it.
‘Once he left, all the fans jump on that a bit more because he’s not playing for them any more. ‘I don’t know if he’s ever too bothered about what Aberdeen fans think about him. He got stick back at Pittodrie when playing for Scotland and he’d probably have been disappointed a bit by that. ‘However, it was always going to happen. Jacko is not the type of person who allows that to affect him. He’s always been quite thickskinned. And, anyway, Rangers fans love him.
‘I can see him as a Rangers captain of the future. He definitely has all the attributes. He’s got the mentality, a bit of a nasty streak in him. Sometimes you need that.’ To many Rangers fans, Jack’s reaction to defeat in the Betfred Cup Final last December rubber-stamped his candidacy for becoming captain. Detractors claimed it was a sign of weakness.
Jack’s powerhouse Hampden performance as Celtic sneaked a 1-0 win and the trophy was probably his finest in a Rangers jersey.
However, that shirt was sodden with torrential rain and by his own tears after emotions of despair impulsively overcame him at the final whistle.
Jack required solace in his manager’s embrace as he attempted to make sense of a defeat in which he had dominated midfield affairs in a superior Rangers effort.
‘That was a phenomenal display against Celtic,’ noted Robertson. ‘He was outstanding that day.
‘I thought Rangers did deserve to win, they were the better team. I don’t know why he got any criticism for his emotions.
‘It means that much to him to get his first trophy as a Rangers player and he wanted to win so much that day, I understand that.
‘Because he’s playing for Rangers. The club he has always supported. And he is so desperate to win.’