Rangers boss Michael Beale and midfielder Todd Cantwell on PSV and Champions League qualification.
@UEFA 2023
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Is Kieran Dow still missing?
00:23 The only one that is missing is Kieran Dow who has still got this slight problem with
00:27 his knee but it's not a big problem, this game was just too soon for him.
00:32 In terms of what this match means to yourself as a manager, you've only just been in the
00:35 job a matter of months, what would it mean to take your team into the Champions League
00:39 if you can get a result tomorrow night?
00:41 Obviously it would be huge, it would be huge for the club and the fans first and foremost
00:46 and this group of players that are desperate to play in that competition again.
00:50 Naturally for me and the staff that's the aim and the aim coming into pre-season we
00:57 have a huge test in front of us to see that be a reality.
01:00 There's been a lot of commentary from the Dutch side, some of the pundits over here
01:04 seem to be writing your team off, how do you react to that?
01:07 What sort of message do you take from that and send to your players?
01:11 It's fine, listen we expect it, the other team needs to be confident, they're in their
01:14 home stadium and the first game was a draw, we don't read too much into that, we know
01:19 that we have to perform, I feel better than we performed last week if we want to go through.
01:24 This team is due a big performance so it's there, the opportunity for us is clear.
01:29 How do you strike the balance between going for this game and attacking the spaces and
01:36 recognising how strong PSV might be in the early stages and trying to keep the game tight
01:41 for a while?
01:42 How do you strike that balance with your team selection tomorrow?
01:45 The team selection won't be too far from last week, there won't be too many surprises but
01:50 across our squad we do have a variety of options in the final third.
01:54 We need to be better with the ball this week, I think we created chances regardless last
01:58 week from the small amount of possession we have compared to normal.
02:03 But going away in Europe you know you're going to need to be strong defensively first and
02:08 then you have to take your opportunities when they come.
02:11 I believe this is a game where both teams will have opportunities and it's the team
02:16 that's the most decisive that will go through.
02:20 How big of an incentive is it for you to play in this competition?
02:27 I don't think there's any secret, it's every player's dream to play in the Champions League.
02:33 We had a little taste of it, we've had the play-offs now and we're looking forward to
02:37 tomorrow night.
02:38 PSV have been trying to play down the significance of last year's tie, but I just wonder if you
02:45 were to score first or take the lead at any point, do you think that might unnerve them?
02:49 I think their crowd will be behind them just like ours was at Ibrox, that can do one or
02:53 two things.
02:54 I felt last week at times we were a little bit emotional in the game so it can unnerve
02:59 you as much as it can be a big help.
03:01 I think the coaches have changed for both teams and there wasn't many players last week
03:06 who were playing who were involved in those games but I'm sure everybody is aware of what
03:10 happened and the motivation for this game is equal as last year.
03:17 I don't see it being any bigger on both sides.
03:19 I think there's been a lot read into that but the group of players that are going out
03:23 there, the prize of getting to the Champions League is enough.
03:26 You seemed very calm just now, are you able to be clear-headed about the tie or is it
03:30 exciting as well for you?
03:32 No, it's a hugely exciting week if you're a Rangers player and you're a Rangers follower
03:36 and I'm no different as the coach.
03:40 The two games we've got coming up now in the next four or five days is what it's all about,
03:44 playing for this club.
03:45 If you can't enjoy it and you can't seize the opportunities in front of you then you
03:50 probably don't deserve to be at our club.
03:52 This is a huge moment, it's important that we give this game everything.
03:56 It's a final if you like in that sense.
03:58 Last year the team got a hostile welcome when the bosses arrived, a bit of a delay
04:04 for the team.
04:05 Gio was really unhappy about it.
04:06 Have you been given assurances by PSV or UEFA that that won't happen again?
04:10 There's been talks in the background about that.
04:12 There was a problem with one of the buses but we think that was just on that night so
04:16 we don't envisage any issues.
04:18 PSV have been playing in Europe for many a year, it's a high-quality club so we trust
04:23 on their organisation for sure.
04:24 Do you think there's more pressure on PSV given that they're at home in the second
04:30 leg?
04:31 Do they have a home game to win to go into the Champions League group stage?
04:35 They'll be supremely confident of that I'm sure, we have to be the fawn in the side.
04:40 How valuable has the last week been in terms of a good weekend performance and getting
04:48 the squad gelled up a bit better?
04:49 Do you feel you're in a stronger position now than you were even just last week for
04:52 the first leg?
04:53 Obviously we have about 14 or 15 players moving on this summer and nine new players coming
04:59 in.
05:00 The more games you play you think your team will get stronger.
05:04 So it was a good victory at the weekend, it was a clean sheet, it was a step in the right
05:07 direction in the league and I was pleased with that.
05:10 I'm sat here now without any injuries and everyone in a good place mentally.
05:15 I think it was the right thing that we played.
05:17 I think it's to our advantage that we played at the weekend.
05:20 You were talking about the Champions League being a dream for every player.
05:24 I wonder, given your career trajectory, when you were linked to a lot of big clubs earlier
05:28 in your career, did you ever think the chance might have passed by for you to become a Champions
05:32 League player?
05:33 No, I don't think so.
05:35 As a player you've got to believe in yourself, believe in your abilities.
05:39 For me, I would speak for most players in the changing room, you want to play in these
05:44 competitions.
05:45 So yeah, it's just an excitement for me.
05:47 Your commitment to Rangers has been obvious since you arrived.
05:50 Do you think those difficult seasons you had have almost given you, not to make up for
05:54 lost time, but given you that extra bit of impetus to make sure you maximise the opportunity
05:58 you have at Rangers?
05:59 Yeah, definitely.
06:00 You certainly want to maximise the opportunities that you get.
06:04 You shouldn't take any for granted.
06:06 You're right, every game at Rangers is a big game, an important game.
06:10 I think as a player it's your responsibility to show that.
06:12 The players last year, the scenes in the celebration in the dressing room, everyone
06:21 saw those pictures.
06:22 I just wonder what the boys in the dressing room have said to you about that night and
06:25 how they felt and what impact has that had on yourself?
06:28 Yeah, that's the past.
06:29 So we don't want to focus on that, that's what happened last year.
06:32 We can leave other people to think about what happened before for us.
06:36 That changes nothing tomorrow night.
06:37 It doesn't matter who won last year, tomorrow night.
06:39 It matters about who wins tomorrow.
06:41 So for us there is no focus on what's happened before.
06:44 Is the game, the way the game panned out last week, you didn't have all that much possession,
06:49 does that just reinforce the idea that when big chances come tomorrow night you're really
06:53 going to have to take them?
06:54 Yeah, no definitely.
06:55 In this competition you're going to play against good teams, you're going to play against teams
06:58 that have the ball.
06:59 It's important that we then show that we've got another side to us, which is we can be
07:04 in good shape and we can hurt on the counter.
07:05 I think we showed that last week.
07:08 I think all good teams have both to their capabilities, playing with the ball and obviously
07:12 being a danger without it.
07:28 Yeah.
07:29 Yeah.
07:29 Yeah.
07:30 Yeah.
07:30 Yeah.
07:35 Yeah.
07:41 Yeah.
07:47 [BLANK_AUDIO]