The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Lundstram can lead Rangers to the group stage

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YES, it might all have come across a little low-rent in the end with a post on Insta stating that those who chat unwisely, shall we say, ‘get banged’.

However, the actions of John Lundstram around the 3-0 Champions League qualifying win over Union Saint-Gilloise offer a wider reflection of just how important he has become to Rangers after a slow start there.

In addition to giving them the kind of presence they have long missed in the engine room, he is also becoming one of the real voices of the club, a player the fans identify with and rally behind.

He brings character, dig and relatabili­ty and all good teams need people like that. His gamesmansh­ip before Tuesday’s match — branding the Belgians ‘disrespect­ful’ for celebratin­g their first-leg win — showed a willingnes­s to stand tall, mix the pot and cook up a storm.

Lundstram is more than just an ace hype man, though. He’s clearly a leader. A guy who lays down markers. And if Rangers are to make it past PSV Eindhoven to the Champions League, individual­s like that will be crucial.

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