Colin Hendry tells Rangers players ‘there’s no hiding place’ amid struggles

Colin Hendry has told Rangers’ embattled players “there is no hiding place” amid their struggles as he gave an insight into the psychological challenge of representing the Ibrox side.

The former Scotland captain spent a season and a half with Gers under Dick Advocaat at the end of the 1990s at a time when they were the top team in the country.

By contrast, Rangers are currently 16 points adrift of William Premiership leaders Celtic and out of the Scottish Cup after losing each of their last three home games to Queen’s Park, St Mirren and Motherwell.

Hendry admits the mental test of being “at it all the time” while playing for a club whose supporters demand success regardless of circumstances can be more challenging than the physical demands of performing.

“There is no hiding place,” said Hendry, who was promoting Premier Sports’ coverage of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-finals.

“That’s part of being part of Glasgow Rangers Football Club. That’s how it works.

“When I came back from England in 1998 and signed for Rangers, I used to try and describe the fact that when I was playing in England in the Premiership, week in, week out, that I was in a boxing match. So physically, when you come out of that game, after your 90 minutes, you knew you’d been in a game.

“But when you come up to Rangers, and with the exception of 10 or 20 per cent of the games that you play, the other 80 per cent, you’re in charge. Even away from home, you’ve got possession, majority possession of the ball, you’re in charge. And psychologically, you’ve got to be at it all the time.

“That was probably the main difference I found, was that psychologically, you’ve got to be absolutely on top form. Physically, it wasn’t as draining, it wasn’t as demanding, but psychologically, you’ve got to be at it all the time because there’s only space for one winner.

“For a team that’s been beaten three times at Ibrox, then the pressure, of course, psychologically, builds up on each individual player because they’ll be thinking the next game, the next game, the next game, and they’ve got to win the next game. And that’s how it is.”

Gers have a reprieve from their domestic struggles this week as they are preparing to face Fenerbahce in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.

The match in Turkey pits former Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma boss Jose Mourinho against Ibrox caretaker Barry Ferguson, whose three previous managerial posts were at Clyde, Kelty and Alloa.

Hendry is looking forward to seeing his former Gers and Scotland team-mate – who was handed the reins last week after Philippe Clement’s sacking – lock horns with the decorated Portuguese coach.

“I was delighted for Barry and the lads (his assistants Neil McCann and Billy Dodds) to get the position,” said the 59-year-old. “I wish them all the luck in the world and I really hope they get to improve things.

“It’ll be a great experience for him to come up against somebody of that ilk (Mourinho). You talk about all the different modern managers, he’s got to be up there in the top five, six, seven managers in the world of being as successful as he’s been. He’s a character as well.

“It will be interesting. It would be great for Barry and Rangers if they can go there and get something.”

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