WINDOW STRESS IS TOO MUCH FOR RANGERS NEW BOY O’HALLORAN:

O’Halloran’s sigh of relief as Rangers land Saints star at the third attempt

It’s not until you are part of it all that you realise how stressful it is

FOR many of his 25 years, Michael O’Halloran spent deadline day transfixed by its manic concoction of rumours, bids, counter-bids, medicals and deals.

From afar, he could only view such high-stakes human drama with a small degree of envy. For those at the centre of all the yellow-tinged madness, what was there not to like?

From the moment his phone rang yesterday morning, though, any sense of fun he anticipated as suddenly being at the heart of a major deal was put on hold.

At the third time of asking, a fee had been agreed between St Johnstone and Rangers. As a professional athlete nearing the peak of his powers, it seemed illogical for O’Halloran to ask himself, at that point, what could possibly go wrong. Yet, that is exactly the burden he carried until signing on the dotted line later in the afternoon.

‘I’m absolutely delighted it has gone through,’ he beamed. ‘I first heard about it early in January, so I’m pleased I’ve finally got here. It always crosses your mind that it might not happen. But I just spoke to my representatives and I was always confident. They assured me it could still happen.

‘The last day of the window is always hectic. I was sitting this morning waiting for the call and happily it came through.

‘I watch deadline day on Sky Sports every time it comes around and always think it’s exciting stuff. But it’s not until you are part of the situation yourself that you realise how stressful it actually is and what the players involved go through. I know now. It’s not that easy.’

His relief is understandable. Rumours that Rangers’ interest in him was strong surfaced at the turn of the year. Two weeks ago, two derisory bids were fed to the shredder, leading to him being omitted from the Saints side which faced Hamilton for his own good.

He subsequently played — and played well — at Celtic Park but the time it took for Rangers to f i nally meet St Johnstone’s demands seemed like an age.

‘I more or less thought the deal was going to be done over the weekend of that game against Hamilton when Tommy (Wright) decided to leave me out of the team,’ he recalled.

‘But it obviously took a bit more time, so I had to get ready to play for St Johnstone again, including the League Cup semi-final.

‘ You have to be prepared because anything can happen in these situations. It has definitely been quite stressful.

‘I could understand why he left me out of the Hamilton game. I think he thought the deal was going to go through then, as well.

‘He was looking after things in what he felt was the best way for the team and for me. He has been great at managing the situation.’

Perhaps any lingering doubts Rangers had about the mental strength of the player — and the value he would offer — vanished when he more than earned pass marks in the 3-1 defeat to Celtic.

‘All you want to do i s play football,’ he said. ‘I’d have been happy to play the week before as well if he’d selected me, but it was just good to get back out against Celtic. The result wasn’t good, but it was a pleasing performance from myself.

‘ The manager here ( Mark Warburton) told me how keen he was to get me. Whenever you play, you have to show you can handle it no matter what else is going on.

‘You have to try to be your best every week. I know that is what is expected of me at Rangers.’

Signed on a four-and-a-half-year deal, O’Halloran will be expected to take Rangers over the promotion line before making them capable of competing for the Premiership title in short order. Already his ambitions stretch beyond that.

‘Rangers are going places — they are on the up,’ he said. ‘They are f l yi ng j ust now in t he Championship and the objective is to get promotion this season.

‘A club like Rangers should be able to win trophies and get into Europe. That’s a factor in me coming here. It is a huge opportunity for me.’

Wright’s recent assertion that the forward was a Scotland player in the making wasn’t just some lame attempt to add a few quid on to his value. As anyone who has seen the player when he is on his game will testify, there are few better running at pace with the ball than the Glaswegian.

‘Like every other player, I want to play for my country,’ he explained. ‘If I can perform well at a big club like Rangers, then hopefully the opportunity will come along.

‘ I suppose i t did enter my thoughts when the move was happening. It might help me on the international scene, as well.’

It says much about how football is changing that O’Halloran’s time as a Celtic youth player barely merited a mention at his unveiling yesterday afternoon.

His father — also Michael — is a coach with the Celtic Academy but the player had nothing but encouragement from his nearest and dearest when the move to Murray Park presented itself.

‘He is delighted for me,’ said O’Halloran junior. ‘He wants me to play at the highest l evel possible. There will be a wee bit of banter in the house now, though.

‘It will all be in good spirits. But my mum will be supporting me. I’m a mummy’s boy!’

How high that level can be, only time will tell. O’Halloran may have been something of a slow starter but, still to reach his peak, he believes he has considerable room for growth.

‘Being at Rangers is only going to help me, with the infrastructure and facilities here, along with the management team,’ he said.

‘The way they want to play suits my style and I think I will thrive on it and become a better player. I’m looking forward to progressing.’

He has much to look forward to but, fittingly, first of all he aims to look back. He may have been good for St Johnstone during his two years but the Scottish Cup winners’ medal in his possession is a constant reminder that the club was extremely good for him.

‘It’s been a great two years since I came back up the road, winning a trophy and playing European football,’ he said.

‘I’m planning to go to St Johnstone to get my boots in the morning. I can’t thank the manager and staff enough. I will take them in a wee something.’