Rangers will cope with short-term Hampden move – Alan Hutton

Alan Hutton believes Rangers players will have banished any negativity surrounding their temporary move to Hampden Park ahead Saturday’s visit of Motherwell.

The Light Blues will use the national stadium until the delayed refurbishment of one of the Ibrox stands is completed.

There was some consternation among the Gers support when the move was announced earlier in the summer but the former Rangers defender believes Philippe Clement’s players will adapt.

Hutton said: “I think at the time when everyone was talking about it – was it going to be at Murrayfield? Was it going to be at Hampden? – there was a lot of negativity surrounding it.

“As a player when you know where your home venue is, it is now Hampden, you put it to one side, you get on with it, you can’t change the fact.

“Nothing is going to change it. You can’t really look at it as a negative.

“I see when people say ‘if you don’t get off to the best start, it is at Hampden’, I understand all those queries but as a player the main focus is on the pitch. You can’t help your surroundings.

“But they are used to playing there, the fans have been there multiple times so I am sure they will make it just as noisy as Ibrox – but of course it is not ideal.”

There was more gloom around Rangers when they drew 0-0 with Hearts in the opening William Hill Premiership game of the season last Saturday.

However, Hutton believes a lot of positivity returned when striker Cyriel Dessers scored a last-gasp equaliser in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Dynamo Kyiv in Poland on Tuesday night.

The former Tottenham, Aston Villa and Scotland player said: “Absolutely. They didn’t get off the start they wanted against Hearts, we know that.

“But going over to Poland to play against a difficult Dynamo team who beat Partizan Belgrade 9-2 on aggregate, there was a little bit of nerves from everybody so to play and match up to a strong team will do their confidence the world of good.

“For Dessers, I thought he played really well. He held the ball up, he was a nuisance to defenders, he was physical and to get his goal at the end, that matches up to his performance, he deserved that.

“And the confidence that will give him moving forward, you really hope he will kick on from there and score the goals you need.”

While dominant Celtic are guaranteed a place in the Champions League, Rangers will have to negotiate RB Salzburg or FC Twente in the play-off if they get past Dynamo at Hampden next Tuesday.

Hutton knows qualifying for the Champions League is critical if they are to keep pace financially with their Old Firm rivals.

He said: “It is a huge part of Rangers moving forward.

“I know it is going to be really difficult getting into the Champions League, they have some big games ahead, first and foremost next week.

“But you have to keep pace with the likes of Celtic who are in the Champions League year after year. They are talking £40million (for qualifying), I think you need that to reinvest.

“Rangers have had a turnover of players and managers in previous years. Philippe Clement signing a new contract (until 2028) and Rangers putting their faith in him hopefully allows him to build what he needs and move forward.

“He will need (funds), it is as simple as that. Rangers can’t stand still.”

:: Hutton was promoting Premier Sports’ coverage of the Scottish Premiership, Premier Sports Cup and the Scottish Cup. Premier Sports is available to stream from premiersports.com or via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription.