THERE will be no need for Giovanni van Bronckhorst to deliver a rousing pre-match team talk to his Rangers players in the dressing room before the Europa League semi-final match with RB Leipzig at Ibrox this evening.
James Tavernier and his team mates will all, even though they are still reeling from the sudden loss of their beloved kit man Jimmy Bell earlier this week, be fired up for the encounter.
They have the chance to make history by becoming only the fifth side in the Glasgow giants’ storied 150 year existence to reach a European final so no additional motivation will be required.
Yet, Tavernier conceded yesterday the sad passing of Bell, who had served Rangers in a number of capacities for the best part of 40 years and become something of a legend in his own right, has given them an extra incentive to perform at their very best and triumph.
The right back was still visibly upset when he spoke to the media at Auchenhowie ahead of the second leg match with their German rivals.
But he is well aware that his old friend, who was a passionate supporter as well as a long-serving employee, would want them to focus fully on overhauling the one goal deficit and booking a place in in Seville on May 18.
He is determined to do so and pay the ultimate tribute to Bell in the process.
“It is obviously devastating for the club and everyone who knew Jimmy, especially his family,” he said. “Yesterday was really difficult to take. We all took to our own to mourn Jimmy. People are still doing it now.
“But I know Jimmy wouldn’t want the fuss. He would want us to pull our socks up, roll our sleeves up and get stuck in to tomorrow. Even in training today. That was him, the standards that he set.
“It is about getting together with the lads today, making sure we have a really good session, which I know we will. Come tomorrow everyone will be ready to go from the first whistle. We are going to do it for the club, do it for the fans and obviously do it for Jimmy.”
He added: “I loved Jimmy to bits. He was one of the first people that I came in to see when I first joined the club. I remember the first time I met him, I asked him for the No 2. He gave me some stick for even asking him.
“We have created such a special relationship over the years. It is really hard to take. The boys who have even come in this season have created special relationships with Jimmy. He was the heart and soul of this place.
“But we have to focus on the game and try and put the best performance on and try and reach a final where he would obviously want to go. That is our aim. That is what he would want us to do.”
Bell used to put the captain’s armband – which he steadfastly refused to wash if Rangers had won the previous game – on Tavernier before kick-off on match day and the Englishman admitted that he will find it unusual not having the kit man there tonight to perform the ritual.
“That is a true story about the captain’s armband,” he said. “He wouldn’t wash it if we had won. Unless it got too dirty, then we’d come to agreement that I needed a new one.
“Some of these small details are going to be strange when Jimmy’s not there. They are the small things everyone had with him. He had something different with every player.
“That was one of mine. Before every game he’d put my captain’s armband on. It’s going to be strange, but I am more determined to everything in my power to make him proud.”
Tributes to Bell have flooded in from across the world in the past couple of days and fans of all clubs have flocked to Ibrox to lay flowers, scarves, strips and flags and show their respects.
The Europa League match with RB Leipzig this evening promises to be an emotionally-charged occasion and Tavernier is hoping the crowd can once again play an important role in the final outcome.
“I hope our atmosphere can affect them,” he said. “We have seen really good teams come to Ibrox and struggle sometimes. I hope that is the case tomorrow night.
“You saw in the Braga game when we got an early goal and that really kicked us on. We’d obviously like to replicate that with an early goal to really get after them.
“As a team, we just have try and make it as hard as possible and do everything we can to get the right result and limit their chances. Because we obviously know they are going to be a threat. We just have to try and do everything possible.”
Tavernier continued: “I think there will maybe be a little bit of nerves, but we are playing at home in front of 50,000 fans. It’s another good team being put in front of us. Another team of eleven players.
“The boys will soak it up. We know the fans will be right behind us. That’s what we want and that’s what we’ll need. All we can do is give it our best, give it our all and leave everything on that pitch to have no regrets. If we do that then we have every fighting chance to get into a final.”
