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Sands determined to boost Qatar chances by shutting out Ajax
FOR Rangers, a long-awaited return to the top table of European football saw elation swiftly replaced by the desolation in the wake of five consecutive Champions League losses.
For James Sands, however, his own personal ordeal amid a bruising Group A campaign threatens to be the end of the world.
The USA international toiled as Rangers kicked off with a disastrous 4-0 defeat to Ajax in the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Seven nights later, the American international was shown a red card for conceding a penalty for a foul on Giovanni Simeone as a rampant Napoli ultimately ran out 3-0 victors at Ibrox.
Relegated to the bench by Van Bronckhorst for a spell, his ill-timed form slump also saw a fearful Sands left out of the US national team squad for friendlies in Germany against Japan and Saudi Arabia last month.
His dreams of being part of the biggest footballing party on the planet later this month are now hanging by the most slender of threads.
But Sands is eyeing redemption against the Dutch champions at Ibrox tonight in a bid to prove to coach Gregg Berhalter he is worth his place on the plane to Qatar 2022, where the USA face England, Iran and Wales in Group B.
Asked if he needs to prove himself against Ajax to fulfil his World Cup ambitions, he said: ‘Yes, I really believe so.
‘These games in the Champions League are the closest games you get to the World Cup matches. I was not called in for the US national team camp and I think that was because of some of the struggles I’ve had — the sending off against Napoli, the Ajax game.
‘But it also works the other way around. I can play myself back into the team with a good performance tonight!
‘It’s certainly been a little bit of a tough period after the red card.
‘I was out of the Rangers team for a bit but I do recognise that when you make mistakes, you get dropped. That’s the responsibility you have when you play for a big club like Rangers.
‘The Napoli game was certainly difficult. But as a young player, I know I will make mistakes and I have a lot of highs and lows ahead of me.
‘I’m happy with myself that I’ve pushed through it. And I think I have learned from it. I am now trying to implement what I have learned and hope for a positive result tonight against Ajax.’
Six months after losing the Europa League final on penalty kicks to Eintracht Frankfurt, Rangers are in line this evening to make continental history of a more unwanted kind.
With zero points and a goal difference of -18, Van Bronckhorst’s side could yet match or eclipse Dinamo Zagreb’s Class of 2011 — zero points, and a goal difference of -19 — as the team with statistically the worst-ever group stage Champions League campaign.
But Sands insists avoiding that unwanted tag is not their sole focus.
The on-loan New York City FC player will instead concentrate on savouring the experience of being part of the European football’s elite competition while aiming to deliver a result for the Rangers fans who have suffered through five straight losses.
He said: ‘Is the Champions League record a spur for us? A little bit maybe but I think we are more just focused on the opportunity. You never know how many Champions League games you will get to play. You could go on to play in 100 matches or this could be your last one.
‘So for all of us it is about taking advantage of the opportunity rather than defending against an unfortunate record.
‘Anyone can see it has been tough for us. A lot of results have not gone the way we would have liked.
‘But I think we have learned to take the emotion out of it and focus on the aspects of the game we can do better and focus on what we have done well.
‘I think that makes it a little easier to deal with when you focus on the
process and not the results. Tonight is the last chance to prove what we have learned and it’s a good opportunity for us all.
‘But I think we all kind of feel that the fans deserve something. They have waited a long time to see us in the Champions League.
‘We are all pretty eager to get a good result for them and a good result for us.’
Sands was one of the top performers in Saturday’s fine 4-1 home win over Aberdeen, playing in midfield and then in defence.
He is hoping to replicate that performance tonight when he is expected to start as centre-back beside young Ibrox academy graduate Leon King. ‘My game is not built on a lot of flash so sometimes it’s possible I get overlooked,’ he said.
‘I think that the game against Aberdeen is a good example of the strengths that I do bring. But I know you’re only as good as your last performance so I need to play well again tonight.
‘The game at the weekend is the best the team has played in weeks. As long as we keep learning from all these experiences, that’s the best way to get a positive result.
‘There is nothing that builds momentum like a big win. That’s what we had and we will aim for another positive result tonight. ‘I hope a result tonight can spur the team on until the break for the World Cup.’ RAngeRS duo Antonio Colak and Borna Barisic have been named in Croatia’s preliminary World Cup squad. Coach Zlatko Dalic has picked a 34-man pool which will be reduced to between 23 and 26 on november 9. The 2018 finalists take on Belgium, Canada and Morocco in group F.