PASSION KILLER
Alex Rae knows just how hostile Standard Liege’s ultras can be and insists fans being locked out for Euro clash is huge bonus for Rangers
ALEX RAE has witnessed at first hand the craziest football following in Belgium and reckons it’s a bonus for Rangers they’ll be locked out in Liege on Thursday night.
The former Ibrox midfielder had a stint as assistant to Alex McLeish at KRC Genk in 2014.
And Rae admits to have been unaware of just how fiercely passionate the fans of Standard Liege were until he turned up at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne on a scouting mission that coincided with the one of the most infamous days in their rivalry with Anderlecht.
Standard’s ultras unveiled a banner depicting the decapitation of their former favourite Steven Defour, who had left for Porto but returned to sign for Anderlecht.
The sight of it riled Defour to such an extent that in the second half he deliberately blasted the ball into the area of the ground where the banner had been unfurled and was sent off as his team went down 2-0.
Rae told Record Sport: “A big bonus for Rangers is there will be no fans there. Standard have the most hostile supporters in Belgium.
“I went to a Standard versus Anderlecht game when I was over there. It was a Sunday afternoon and we had played on the Saturday, so I took the opportunity to see two of our main rivals.
“The atmosphere was electric. Behind the goal on the right-hand side from the main stand, their ultras had made a banner that covered the whole bottom tier.
“It was a guy in a Michael Myerstype hockey mask, with a giant sword in one hand and Defour’s decapitated head, blood dripping from it, in the other hand.
“Defour had signed for Anderlecht from Standard and this was their message to him. It caused outrage in Belgium but shows how crazy some of the Liege support could be.
“It will help Rangers that the stadium will be quiet and they’ve coped really well with playing with no fans at home and away.
“That, and their form against Willem II and Galatasaray, will have them believing they can go to Liege and get a result.
“That’s down to their experience and the journey they’ve been on in the last couple of years.”
The former Treble- winning midfielder believes Rangers, boosted by Saturday’s Old Firm win, will be confident of getting their Europa League campaign off to a flier.
He said: “The one thing to expect against Standard is you are going to be up against a team that is technically very good.
“From my time in Belgium, they were very comfortable on the ball and they blood young players who have come through their academy system – that happens across the board in Belgium. But Rangers have a particular style of playing now and the personnel who can break in numbers and at pace. They look strong.
“I believe they’ll go there thinking they can win the game. They’ll have done their homework and they’ll be buoyed by the fact they’ve been really comfortable in an Old Firm game.
“Usually, playing at Parkhead before a vital European tie wouldn’t have been ideal because of the physical and mental toll that can take on players.
“But this time, with the way they went about their business and how comfortable they were, I don’t think that will be the case.
“They’ll be going to Belgium thinking they can kick on. They’ve had 12 wins and two draws – it’s a tremendous start to the season.
“They’re not just grinding out results either. There’s a real confidence about their play and I think they’ll go over believing they can get the group stage off to a flying start with three points.”
Rae believes the fact Steven Gerrard’s team no longer rely on Alfredo Morelos to score is a sign of how far they’ve progressed as a team. But he remains convinced the Colombian, who has notched five times this term, is still their main man up front.
He added: “The contrast is phenomenal. Last year, if Morelos wasn’t scoring, you’re thinking, ‘Where’s the win going to come from?’
“There was a lot of speculation over the summer, which is why Steven strengthened in that area with Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten and now Jermain Defoe is fit as well.
“There has been a realisation from Morelos that he has to be more of team player. He’s got a few this season but the goals coming from the rest of the squad must be a delight for everybody concerned at Rangers. If Morelos isn’t
scoring, you aren’t worried where the next goal is coming from because they’ve been spread out across the board.
“I still maintain he’s the No.1 striker at Rangers. Without doubt. He really does occupy central defenders like nobody else.
“There will be people of a Celtic persuasion saying he should have been sent off at the weekend. But I have no issues with people leaving something on their opponents as long as they don’t overstep the mark and I don’t think he did on Saturday.
“As a midfielder, I loved seeing big Dado Prso going to war with defenders. It motivated me to do the same.
“That’s what Morelos does. He doesn’t have the height or the presence of Dado but he wasn’t afraid of the physical battle with Shane Duffy. He led from the front and went looking for it. He was ready to fight his corner.
“I still think he’ll be pivotal to what Rangers do this season. I’m absolutely certain the goals will come for him.
“I don’t think it will be a concern to anybody at Rangers he’s not scoring regularly. Results are the bigger picture and when you’ve got a striker like him, you know deep down he’ ll have that burning desire to get back among the goals. Once he goes on a run, I’ve no fear he’ll get over 20 goals this season.”