It’s something of a cliche to talk up the atmosphere of the famous football grounds in Glasgow before a big European tie in the city.
Whether it’s coming from the Old Firm themselves or the opposition, the roar and raucous nature of the home support at either Ibrox or Celtic Park is continually cited as having an impact on proceedings on the pitch.
Ahead of welcoming Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce to Govan for the second leg of their last-16 Europa League clash, it was Barry Ferguson’s turn to opine on the so-called 12th man.
Yet the interim manager probably wasn’t looking to intimidate the opposition with his words of igniting ‘fire in the stands’.
Indeed, it’s the negative effect of playing at Ibrox that he was more likely trying to douse for his own squad as they look to avoid a record fourth successive defeat at home.
Rangers’ form at their own stadium has been a troubling and, at times, even mystifying issue this season. Recently, they have lost to Queen’s Park, St Mirren and Motherwell. There’s little doubt that it contributed to the demise of Philippe Clement.
Ferguson is looking to guide Rangers to the last eight of the Europa League
The Rangers interim boss accepts that there has been a mindset problem at Ibrox this term
In truth, the team’s issues playing at home stretch back beyond this campaign. You can hardly point the finger of blame at supporters for voicing their frustrations if the team on the pitch simply isn’t producing the goods.
It was telling earlier this week that skipper James Tavernier, a player who has had a rollercoaster relationship with the Ibrox faithful, felt he needed to speak about getting the home fans ‘onside’ despite Rangers’ stunning 3-1 victory in the first leg.
‘We’ll treat it as a 0-0 going in to Ibrox, we’ve got to as a team to try and keep a clean sheet,’ Tavernier said. ‘We’re going to need all the fans.
‘It all comes down to our performance, we’ve got to get the fans onside with a performance they enjoy and they’re proud of.
‘We know how loud Ibrox can be if we need to use it as an advantage.’
Much can be gleaned from the words of the Rangers captain and his manager, Ferguson, who was singing from the same hymn sheet yesterday.
‘We have to have a different mindset at Ibrox,’ Ferguson said. ‘That’s been a big issue at times this season.
‘That’s something I’m tasked with trying to change. The boys are taking everything we are giving them on board. From what I’ve seen, it’s going well.
‘If you can get this place rocking, it’s a proper place to play football. Some of these guys have played in Euro nights here and if you go out with the right attitude there’s no better place.
‘We need to stand tall, go head-to-head with Fenerbahce and I certainly believe my group of players know what’s going to come at them.
Cyriel Dessers, man of the match in Istanbul, enjoys training ahead of the return leg
‘You have got to want to play in front of this crowd. I’ve been here when it’s been Lyon, Tottenham… the place is electric.
‘We need to light that fire in the stands. I can’t wait. You have to be excited about this and embrace the challenge. My players are ready for it.’
Of course, the flip side – and the worry for the interim manager and his players – is that the ‘fire’ could turn on them if things start to go wrong.
Unsurprisingly, Mourinho was asked about it in his press conference yesterday evening.
And it was perhaps telling that he insisted his side had prepared for two versions of Rangers: the one who performed so effectively on the counter-attack last week in Istanbul and one who, much like they have to domestically, come charging out to attack their visitors. You’d guess he will be hoping for the latter.
Visiting boss Mourinho has started the mind games ahead of the second leg
‘I don’t know if Ibrox, as a very iconic British stadium like many in Scotland and England, I don’t know if they will accept a very defensive performance like they had in Fenerbahce,’ said Mourinho. ‘It was successful for them (in Turkey), but a very defensive performance. I don’t know if they are going to accept it.
‘And we are prepared for both – for Rangers to try and play the same way, the low block, waiting for our mistake and the counter attack with Cerny and Diomande, or Ferguson decides to play in a different way and they have a go at us. They try to start very strong and score.
‘I don’t know if we have to be patient in case we dominate the game against a defensive team, or I don’t know if we have to be strong defensively to cope with the first impact of a football team that wants to kill the game.
‘I don’t know, only tomorrow can tell us. We know what we want to do in both occasions. It could work both ways. We are ready for anything and hopefully we can perform.
‘Hopefully, we can fight until the end, which is the only thing that I demand from my players. I don’t demand we come here and win 4-0, I demand that we come here and have a go.’
