Ross County manager John Hughes has heaped lavish praise on Rangers brand of football, as the two sides prepare to face each other on Saturday.
Big ‘Yogi’ has achieved that new manager bounce with County, dragging them off the foot of the Premiership table with seven points taken from his first four league games.
Hughes’ side will be full of confidence following their excellent 4-1 home win over Aberdeen last week but he knows that going to Ibrox will be another test, entirely.
As reported by the Glasgow Evening Times, Hughes reflected on his admiration for the way Steven Gerrard and his training staff have the Gers players drilled.
He stated, “Rangers play football the way it should be played. They keep the ball, you don’t get a touch of it.”
“I could sit here and wax lyrical about Rangers because their style of play is right up my street.”
“Proper football. Everybody can look after the ball, full-backs scoring goals, guys coming off the bench and doing the business, plenty of rotation, pace, goals and that’s why where they are where they are.”
The man who won the Scottish Cup with County’s highland rivals Inverness wants his men to rise to the occassion and meet the demands that Rangers will place on them.
“I have been to Ibrox many a time when you are right up against it. There is no getting away from it, they have better players than us.”
“I use a great phrase; bulls and matadors. There is many a time I have been the bull and it is not nice getting a chasing. It might be like that on Saturday.”
“Many a time I have coached a team when they have been matadors and it is a great feeling when you are looking after the ball and taking your time, taking the sting out of the opposition, moving to from side to side, looking for that opening.”
Be Inspired
“That’s what Rangers do, you can see they have been well-coached and they implement it.
“So we will be right up against it but it is one we are looking forward to. As a player it cannot faze you, it has to inspire you.
“You get to test yourself against the best and I hope the boys can do that, that their mind-set is that we can give them a game.”
Rangers will be out to get back to winning ways on Saturday but John Hughes wants his team to stand up and give a good account of themselves.
Ross County will be tricky opponents as their revival continues under the new manager.