Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst on transfers, James Tavernier, the Old Firm and his tactical approach
GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST was unveiled as the 17th man to hold the position of Rangers manager on Monday afternoon.
Flanked by sporting director Ross Wilson and Stewart Robertson, the managing director, he held his first press conference since being confirmed as Steven Gerrard’s successor.
Here are some of the key quotes from his Blue Room briefing as he fielded questions about everything from his transfer plans to his tactical blueprint at Ibrox.
ON TRANSFER ASSURANCES:
“We have had good conversations. We had two good meetings and I know where the people working for the club want us to be in the next years.
“Their philosophy, vision and ambition is really good, so I think we will always be close.
“We will discuss possible players coming in and players going out, but the most important thing is that you are on the same level.
“I will be talking with Ross daily about the future of the club.
“I am sure they will do everything possible to ensure the future is good.”
ON JAMES TAVERNIER AS CAPTAIN:
“We had a meeting today. He is the captain and an important member of the squad so the relationship between captain and coach has to always be a good one, but also with the squad.
“He is very influential as a captain and in the way Rangers play so it was a good meeting. I saw some other players who were at the training ground but I will meet with everyone tomorrow.”
ON MANAGING IN THE OLD FIRM DERBY:
“I played in many big games in my career. It was something special – they are special games every season.
“It doesn’t matter what country you are in. The Old Firm is one of the biggest games in football – the same as Feyenoord v Ajax or Barcelona v Real Madrid.
“I really enjoyed those games. Being the manager in those games will be the same.
“I enjoyed the Feyenoord v Ajax games as the manager of Feyenoord and I’ll be looking forward to the Old Firm games as well because those are special games and ones you want to win definitely.”
ON HIS FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY:
“I am brought up in Holland and we all know the 4-3-3 system.
“I am familiar with it from all the teams I played with, but also as a coach I am very fond of this system as a starting point.
“You can have many systems within a game depending on the opponent, if they are playing high up or defending very deep.
“I want to make sure my players know they different ways of playing against a system.
“That is the most important thing as modern football is more about the dynamic of changing and winning days.
“That’s the most important thing to work on from day one.”
ON HIS BACKROOM STAFF:
“I’ve brought some staff with me that I used to work with in the past. We have Roy Makaay who will be a first team coach.
“We played together and he was also with me on my staff at Feyenoord. He will especially be looking to work with the strikers.
“Yori Bosschaart is my analyst who knows the way I want to play and train and who is helping me in that department.
“Arno Philips is the one who will take the physical training sessions. With him is also a member of my staff I was working with for many years.
“I think it’s huge to bring some backroom staff I know. There is already a big backroom staff at the club – very good people, very professional. So in that way I think it’s a good mix.”
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