Confusion on the bus, crystal-clear clarity in the changing room.
Rangers may have had to negotiate a few potholes on their trip to Dundee but Scott Wright reckons there was no chance the Light Blues were going to hit the skids with Philippe Clement at the wheel. An eventful night on Tayside saw the Ibrox outfit turn up more than an hour late as traffic chaos around the City of Discovery clogged up the route from their pre-match base at St Andrews.
Rush-hour madness then gave way to pyro-mania as the game finally got underway 45 minutes after the scheduled start, with the travelling Rangers faithful’s huge crimson flare display sparking another hold up as the Dens smoke alarms were triggered. At one point while trapped in their coach on the Tay Bridge, Wright admits that he and his team-mates had no idea if a game already in doubt because of Storm Ciaran would even get the thumbs up to kick-off.
But once that uncertainty cleared, so did Gers’ minds as Clement’s strict instructions spelled out exactly what he expected against Tony Docherty’s Dark Blues. And Gers duly delivered, following those orders to a tee as they swept to a crushing 5-0 win that keeps them on the tails of Celtic. For us there was a lot of confusion as to what was actually happening,” admitted Wright.
“We were hearing different messages from different people, we were wondering if the game was going to be on with the weather and then with the bus delay. It was far from ideal but we don’t want to make excuses for ourselves. All we wanted to focus on was putting on a performance and we did that.
“It was a good win. It wasn’t ideal with the delays for us as a team getting to the game. Obviously, there was another delay at the start of the game as well. What we had to ensure was that we came out and put in a proper performance and I think we did that. We had to focus on ourselves, making sure our mindset was right for when we got the opportunity to play. We did that.
“I was happy with how I played, I’m probably a little disappointed I didn’t get a goal. But it’s hopefully going to come. All I can do is keep working hard with the opportunities I’m given and try to prove to the manager that I should stay in the team. Like everyone, I just want to help the team.”
Clement now has three wins from three in the Premiership to go with the valuable Europa League point his side picked up in Prague last week. It’s been a near perfect start and Wright says that’s down to the manager’s non-negotiable demands.
He said: “The gaffer just wants us to be intense for the full 90 minutes, 95 or 100, whatever it maybe. He wants us to leave it all out there on the pitch. All we can do it take it game by game and not get too carried away. It’s about focusing on ourselves.
“We want momentum, that’s what we want, and we’re starting to build that as a team. The manager wants us to be constantly on it, don’t stop until the 90 minutes are over. We’re definitely doing that.”
SPFL bosses have taken a dim view of the blazing beacons that erupted from the away support in the Bob Shankly Stand, branding the pyro parade “very concerning and unwelcome”.
But Wright couldn’t fault the fans who braved torrential rain and raging gusts of wind on their way east to celebrate Rangers’ biggest win since Gio van Bronckhorst’s side put five past Hearts back in February last year.
“It wasn’t ideal for us to get to the game after the delay and I’m sure it wasn’t ideal for the fans either,” said the wing ace.
“They turned out in fantastic numbers and sang superb throughout for us. Obviously there was a delay during the game. On the pitch, we as players didn’t actually know what was happening. The ref just kind of pulled us in. All we can do is focus on ourselves. When we went back in and made sure we came out and put in a strong performance. We wanted to get an early goal and we managed that.”
Celtic’s late winner over St Mirren means Wednesday’s crushing win wasn’t quite as profitable as Clement might have hoped.
Gers remain five points behind Brendan Rodgers’ pacesetters but the result was another huge step forward for a team still trying to recover from the disastrous start they endured under Michael Beale.
Wright said: “It’s something we’ve needed as a team. We’re always creating chances. In the first half, we’ve gone in a little frustrated, knowing we were only 1-0 up. We’ve created a good few opportunities and we hadn’t taken them. At half-time we spoke amongst ourselves and the manager pushed home that we need to take our chances. We were trying to get a more convincing win and I think we achieved that in the second half with our performance.”
Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers both achieved something they’ve struggled to do in recent week as they both left the field to applause from the Light Blue legions.
The £8million duo have been major disappointment since signing in the summer but at last showed a glimpse of why Beale was so keen to land them, with Lammers smashing home spectacularly off the underside of the bar before Dessers raced away to add Gers’ fourth.
“It shows their character,” said Wright. “It’s two fantastic goals they’ve scored against Dundee and I’m absolutely delighted for them both. know they are going to show how good they are.”
Gers now return to Hampden to face Hearts in Sunday’s Viaplay Cup last-four clash – and Wright would love a repeat of his extra-time strike that sealed Scottish Cup glory for the Ibrox side over the Jambos last year. He said: “We were focused on Dundee, we wanted to keep the momentum going and we’ve done that. We have another big game at the weekend. Another Hampden winner? Hopefully, that’s the plan!”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
