Ianis Hagi is no stranger to the hard graft required to make it at Rangers. When the going has been tough, he has risen to the challenge time and again.
In his first months at Ibrox, the Romanian had to adapt to the rough and tumble nature of Scottish football and become accustomed to the challenges of life in blue before he went on to become a title hero during the 55 campaign. Last January, he embarked on a year-long rehabilitation process that saved his Rangers career.
When Hagi says, therefore, that the pre-season schedule that Michael Beale has put his players through this summer is the toughest that he has had, the statement carries its own weight. Once again, Hagi has proven he has the physical strength and mental fortitude to succeed at Ibrox.
The defeat to Olympiacos on Wednesday evening was the second that Beale’s side have suffered since they returned to action. It was one, though, that did not overly concern the Englishman as a James Tavernier penalty proved to be an irrelevance.
It was a largely humdrum affair that sparked into life late on. Hagi was on the end of a crunching, crude challenge that provoked a fierce reaction and saw stern words exchanged.
The Romanian insisted his stance was nothing to do with his previous injury issues. He felt the tackle was ‘unnecessary’ given the nature of the bounce game, though, as Rangers never looked like mounting a late comeback provide some optimism for the home crowd.
The trip to face Hoffenheim this weekend is the final warm-up for Rangers. After that, Rugby Park awaits and the Champions League will be looming large for a squad that have been hastily but precisely assembled during a period of change on and off the park.
“Personally, I think it has been the hardest pre-season that I’ve ever had," Hagi said as he reflected on the work done on the training ground and the matches with Newcastle United, Hamburg and an Olympiacos side that ran out comfortable 3-1 winners at Ibrox. "But I think that’s a good thing.
“You grind for three or four weeks, you push yourself to the limit. Obviously, you also have to understand your body and accept that sometimes you can’t go over the line, so that you don’t get injured.
“But I think everybody up until now has been fine and with another 10 days before the season starts, we are in a good place mentally. Pre-season is not all about physically, it’s also mentally tough but I think we are in the right place.
"We know when the season starts it comes down to winning and I think the new players who have come in understand that. Obviously the ‘old’ guys who have been here for years know what to expect.”
It is so often said that the first weeks of training and the opening matches on the calendar are more about fitness and sharpness than performances and results. Given Rangers’ mixed fortunes thus far, supporters will hope that is the case as the countdown continues to the big kick-off.
Hagi knows the importance of match minutes as well as anyone. He made eleven appearances in the closing weeks of the campaign as he returned after the lengthy lay-off that saw him forced to go under the knife to fix the knee ligament damage he suffered against Stirling Albion.
The goal he scored in the win over Hibernian was one of the most satisfying individual moments of an ultimately futile collective campaign for Beale’s side and it was clear to see what it meant to Hagi after such a tortuous time. Now, the new term brings new opportunities.
“One hundred percent," Hagi said when asked if pre-season was vital for him after not playing as much as he would have liked towards the end of last term. "Coming back mid-season, everyone was at a level physically and I was basically starting at zero.
"It was so hard to catch up physically because there are not too many running sessions and you play a lot of games. There was not really time for me to catch up with the guys, so I had to accept that I couldn’t play as much.
“But this is a different story right now. I started everything with everyone this time.
“I had 10 days off because I was with the national team. I came in fully focused, physically, mentally, everything and in a really good spot so I can’t complain.”
Hagi has built himself back up and is now in a position to kick on once again as he attempts to become an integral part of a successful side this season. As always, that will be easier said than done for Rangers.
The playmaker has shown himself to be an accomplished performer in a range of attacking roles but his position and his responsibilities could shift as Beale’s squad and side continue to improve and evolve over the course of the campaign.
The Ibrox boss is not short of creative options from middle to front. A move to a more withdrawn position on the pitch could yet bring out the best in Hagi and be the catalyst for the next phase of his career.
“There is no difference," Hagi said of the challenge for a starting spot at Ibrox after seeing Beale sign the likes of Kieran Dowell, Abdallah Sima and Sam Lammers this summer. "I have known since the age of seven that I’ve had to fight with everyone and whoever is in front of me, it doesn’t really matter. It’s nothing new.
"When I came to Rangers I could only play in any of the front three positions, but I have added this into my game from two seasons ago.
"Obviously, the injury came so I couldn’t actually play in that (deeper) position too much but my mind was always there. I knew I could play there.
"I had a few questions in my mind about it but I’ve answered them this pre-season and I’m happy about that, so I have no problem in playing deeper.
“I like it. I’m more on the ball and I have runners in front of me, so I am happy.”
Time will tell what berth Beale has earmarked for Hagi and what part he is able to play as he seeks to make up for lost time and help Rangers challenge on all fronts this season.
Now is not the stage of the campaign to be making snap judgements or rash calls. For Hagi, it is a moment to keep calm and carry on as Beale works through the schedule that is designed to have Rangers fit and firing for when it really matters.
“It’s another 90 minutes and I think the most important thing is that we were able to play through fatigue," Hagi said. "It’s been tough the last few weeks, but it has to be like that.
“The most important thing is that people came out of this game without injuries and we just build up because the season is just around the corner and we have to be 100 percent ready.
“It’s hard to judge anyone at this stage tactically or technically. The most important focus was to get everyone fit as soon as possible and go through these games without injuries, so that in the first game of the new season we are ready in all aspects. That’s the main thing.”
