BRUNO’S A BORN WINNER
A third-generation footballer, Alves has titles from around the world... and wants more
AT 35, Bruno Alves has won domestic titles in Portugal, Russia and Turkey. He was a Euro 2016 winner last summer. Born into a footballing dynasty, responsibility rests easily on his broad shoulders. ‘I am prepared,’ said Alves of a new challenge at Rangers. ‘I come from three generations of football players. My father played in Brazil for Flamengo, my uncle played for the Brazilian national team and Flamengo, too.
‘My grandfather played professionally in Brazil also. My brothers and cousins are all professional, and it’s something I respect. It’s my job and I give my best. I know what to expect.’
Impressive physically and in person, Alves is urbane, civilised and respectful, speaking English more fluently than his journalistic inquisitors. His CV is, by some way, the most impressive in Scottish football.
Nevertheless, the question remains. Can any man be fully equipped for the level of responsibility about to be placed on the defender at Rangers?
A Europa League defeat to Progres Niederkorn, the fourth best team in Luxembourg last season, was a humiliating business. Coach Pedro Caixinha now operates on a desperately short rope.
Judgmental eyes will be cast over new signings from Mexico, Portugal and Finland when Rangers play Marseille tomorrow. New signings will be given time to find their feet.
Last season Caixinha led Rangers to their heaviest home defeat to Celtic in living memory, while they lost to Aberdeen at home for the first time in 26 years. Backed with serious funds in the summer, a man who has taken charge of the team just 13 times could find himself under pressure unless his new-look side hit the ground running against Motherwell on August 6.
Over the next fortnight, Alves — and midfielder Graham Dorrans — will be asked to oversee a process of rapid improvement.
It’s a huge ask, yet Alves shrugs as he says: ‘I always had responsibility in football. Most of the time, I play for titles and this brings responsibility.
‘It’s the same in the national team where we have very difficult games, qualification campaigns, World Cups, Confederation Cups.
‘All the time, it’s very difficult games and when you play as a defender you have extra responsibility.
‘You lose a goal and it can put you in or out of the team.
‘I don’t feel pressure because of my experience and what I’m like myself. I come here to help, to give the best of me and when you give your best, good things will come.
‘As you know, I had another year on my contract with Cagliari and I asked the president to break the contract so I could join Rangers. I am also here because the coach wants me, it was a pleasure and I am proud to come and play for this team.’
Had there not been a fellow countryman he knows and likes at the helm, Alves is blunt. He may not have come, claiming: ‘It was both the coach and history. The history I know. I know the environment, the football and the club. This was my personal choice, but if Pedro wasn’t here, then maybe I wouldn’t join.
‘It was through him that I came to Rangers. However, it was good for me to have this offer. I didn’t think twice. I just wanted to come.’
Alves is a natural leader and, although there was speculation he might take the captain’s armband from Lee Wallace, it was apparently misplaced. Keen to preserve dressingroom harmony and integrate himself with new team-mates, Alves dismisses the idea quickly.
‘No, no, we already have captains,’ he said. ‘They have more experience of leading the team and helping me to be better and play better here.
‘I am just thinking of preparing myself, staying fit and doing my job.’
The job description has changed slightly since he signed the contract. When Alves agreed to the move, the expectation was he would contribute to a Europa League campaign in his first season. Defeat in Luxembourg changed things.
‘I was surprised to hear Rangers had lost,’ he admitted. ‘You can’t predict in football. My aim was to play in Europe with Rangers but it’s not possible.
‘I’ve already changed my mindset and I need to prepare for these friendly games and be ready for the beginning of the league.
‘We can’t do anything about Europe now. We need to move on.’
I’ve come to win. I won at almost all my previous clubs. I expect the same here
With Alves in the team, the result might have been different, but he had already committed to playing for Portugal in the Confederations Cup. Insisting that mental and physical rest was important after 12 months of constant playing, he says: ‘I started last season on July 27 and finished on July 2, so that’s almost a full year and, for me to be at my best, I needed some recovery time.’
He would rather look forward now. To a new start and a new team under growing scrutiny ahead of a new season. To catch Celtic, Rangers may need 11 Bruno Alves’ rather than one.
Accentuating the positive, however, the man himself says: ‘We need to believe we can shorten the distance.
‘We need to think about ourselves, about Rangers and what we can do. The way we can prepare for the Premiership and so on.
‘I came here to win. Almost all of the clubs I played for, I won, and this is my expectation for Rangers now I am here.
‘I hope that, altogether, we can do something good.’