Rangers players issued with stark message ahead of first Hampden game

RANGERS branding was being put up around Hampden by workmen yesterday in preparation for the Ibrox club’s enforced move to their temporary Mount Florida residence.

Whether Philippe Clement’s charges are ready to play their home matches at the national stadium will be revealed in the coming days when they play important domestic and European fixtures there.

 

They take on Motherwell in the William Hill Premiership tomorrow afternoon and then host Dynamo Kyiv in the second leg of the Champions League third qualifying round three days later.

If they drop points in the former fixture they will hand their city rivals Celtic, who take on Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday, the chance to forge further ahead of them at the head of the top flight table.

 

And if they lose in the latter outing they will miss out on the chance to join the continent’s elite in the new league phase of UEFA’s premier club competition as well as an invaluable eight figure pay day.

 

Former Rangers right-back Alan Hutton, who was at The City Stadium in the shadow of the ground he graced on so many occasions for club and country during his playing days at a Premier Sports media event, acknowledged the change of venue was far from ideal for his old employers.

Yet, Hutton warned that James Tavernier and his team mates will not be able to use the bizarre situation as an excuse for failing to perform to the high standard expected of them by their supporters.

 

Hampden has many detractors. A lot of punters feel the pitch is too far from spectators. Others bemoan the poor view of the action they get from its gently-sloping stands. But the ex-Spurs and Aston Villa defender, who won 50 caps for his country during the 2000s and 2010s, disagrees.

 

“Of course you’d rather be at Ibrox,” he said. “Bottom line, we’ve seen enough games there to know what the atmosphere can be like. It’s not to be. I even felt strange doing co-commentary the other night, having to say the second leg was now coming back to Hampden!

“But I don’t think the players will now be focusing on that. They know they’re coming to Hampden. They’ve been there before enough and had highs and lows there. The fans will come in their tens of thousands and that is their home now for the moment. They’ll have to deal with it.

 

“The pitch is really good. And I’ve been there enough times and played there enough times to know it can be a great atmosphere. Personally, I like stadiums when the stands are really close to the pitch. I think that heightens everything. But, as I say, it is still decent at Hampden.

 

“I certainly understand the criticism it gets. But I loved every moment of playing there and some of the atmospheres were tremendous. Some were not quite so good, depending on how the teams were going. From a fan’s perspective, behind the goal the view isn’t as good.

“But if the crowd turn up, you can make a lot of noise in that stadium and I’m sure that’s what Philippe Clement and his team will be hoping for. The players know where they stand now and the players cannot use this as an excuse. They’ve got to get on with it.”