Post by Stubo on Oct 6, 2017 10:57:33 GMT
“I still get messages now from fans telling me some of the best days of their life was watching that team – it makes you so proud to stand in front of them and feel as though you’ve made them proud.”
Few players speak more passionately about their time at Rangers than Kevin Thomson – the midfield dynamo who played such an outstanding role in the club’s 2007-08 season.
Establishing himself as a supporters’ favourite that season, he, like every other player in blue at the Stade Gerland that evening, was quite simply outstanding. But for as good as the 11 on the park were – he believes on man above all else deserves credit for the result – Walter Smith.
“On the night, Walter showed his tactical genius.” explained Thomson. “The gameplan came off to a tee. We were playing for a set-piece, and the first goal came from a set-piece.
“The next goal – Alan Hutton was fundamental in the group stages and his power running down the line was incredible – and it came from him crossing it in for Daniel Cousin, he took a great touch, a wee swivel and it was a goal.
“Then the third goal was on the counter attack again. We spoke about us being hard to beat, and we were able to soak up the pressure and then hit with a little bit of quality.
“When I sit back and look back at all the successes we had in that season, to win 3-0 in France against the superstars they had at that time who were skooshing the French league, we more than held our own.
“We had to work so, so hard in European games – especially Champions League games – as we were realists and we knew we were going to spend a lot of time without the ball.
“That meant we had to work extra hard to keep our shape, and with one lapse of concentration, good players would punish us. Concentration levels would drain it out of us as much as the physical aspect of the games.
“Hopefully, what we achieved would only ever be applauded, but I think there was disbelief at times within the changing room thinking ‘did we actually just win there?’
“I’d like to think we got credit for it – at times it may have been a bit smash and grab – but I think the performances, the work ethic and the commitment the boys showed right through the whole campaign – we got what we deserved.
“Walter always tried to give us a belief, and whether he was speaking to the team or speaking to you individually, he tried to give us that belief and that mentality within ourselves that we were good enough to compete with these players.
“Look, I would never say we were as good as these players, as we are talking about some of the best players in the world, but if you are well-drilled, well-organised and you have a bit of camaraderie within the squad – and we had that in abundance – it can go a long way.
“That showed all the way to Manchester. With that belief we had in that squad – we had a lot of characters and a lot of winners – and when we did get our noses in front even the best teams in the world struggled to peg us back.”
Please click the link -> rangers.co.uk/
Few players speak more passionately about their time at Rangers than Kevin Thomson – the midfield dynamo who played such an outstanding role in the club’s 2007-08 season.
Establishing himself as a supporters’ favourite that season, he, like every other player in blue at the Stade Gerland that evening, was quite simply outstanding. But for as good as the 11 on the park were – he believes on man above all else deserves credit for the result – Walter Smith.
“On the night, Walter showed his tactical genius.” explained Thomson. “The gameplan came off to a tee. We were playing for a set-piece, and the first goal came from a set-piece.
“The next goal – Alan Hutton was fundamental in the group stages and his power running down the line was incredible – and it came from him crossing it in for Daniel Cousin, he took a great touch, a wee swivel and it was a goal.
“Then the third goal was on the counter attack again. We spoke about us being hard to beat, and we were able to soak up the pressure and then hit with a little bit of quality.
“When I sit back and look back at all the successes we had in that season, to win 3-0 in France against the superstars they had at that time who were skooshing the French league, we more than held our own.
“We had to work so, so hard in European games – especially Champions League games – as we were realists and we knew we were going to spend a lot of time without the ball.
“That meant we had to work extra hard to keep our shape, and with one lapse of concentration, good players would punish us. Concentration levels would drain it out of us as much as the physical aspect of the games.
“Hopefully, what we achieved would only ever be applauded, but I think there was disbelief at times within the changing room thinking ‘did we actually just win there?’
“I’d like to think we got credit for it – at times it may have been a bit smash and grab – but I think the performances, the work ethic and the commitment the boys showed right through the whole campaign – we got what we deserved.
“Walter always tried to give us a belief, and whether he was speaking to the team or speaking to you individually, he tried to give us that belief and that mentality within ourselves that we were good enough to compete with these players.
“Look, I would never say we were as good as these players, as we are talking about some of the best players in the world, but if you are well-drilled, well-organised and you have a bit of camaraderie within the squad – and we had that in abundance – it can go a long way.
“That showed all the way to Manchester. With that belief we had in that squad – we had a lot of characters and a lot of winners – and when we did get our noses in front even the best teams in the world struggled to peg us back.”
Please click the link -> rangers.co.uk/