KAREL Geraerts tonight dismissed claims that his Royale Union Saint-Gilloise team had shown a lack of respect to Rangers by celebrating their Champions League third qualifying round win in Leuven last week.
John Lundstram branded the actions of the Union SG players following the game in the Den Dreef Stadium last Tuesday night “disrespectful” when he spoke at a press conference earlier today.
However, former Belgian internationalist Geraerts explained that it is normal for footballers to celebrate every victory – even in a training session - in his homeland and insisted that both he and his charges held their opponents in the highest regard.
“I think after the win we were happy,” he said. “When my players win in training or in games they are happy that they have won. This is our culture. It’s not disrespect for the opponent. Not at all.
“We were happy for us and the efforts we made and we celebrated together, but the respect we have for Rangers is very, very big, I can tell you this.”
Geraerts’ sentiments were echoed by Union SG centre half Christian Burgess, the former Middlesbrough, Peterborough and Portsmouth player, before a training session at Ibrox.
“That is just Belgian culture,” he said. “My first game for Union we celebrated in the Second Division against Deinze when we won 2-0. It was like we had won the league already. It was a shock for me. But it’s just Belgian football culture. Everyone does it.”
Lundstram also suggested the Union SG players, who are competing in Europe for the first time this season, had underestimated the magnitude of the challenge that faces them taking on Europa League finalists Rangers at Ibrox.
Geraerts, whose team hold a 2-0 lead entering the second leg of the double header in Govan tomorrow evening, expressed hope that his charges will be inspired by the atmosphere and will avoid “choking” in the rematch.
“It’s a new experience for everyone in this team,” he said. “It will be strange. It will be something to discover and when you discover things it can be magic.
“If you have good mental strength and good physical ability, if you are ready to play this game in your mind, tomorrow is a big moment to take pleasure on the field in this magical, legendary stadium with this public. We need to take positive energy from that instead of choking.”
Burgess denied that he and his team mates already felt they had qualified for the play-offs following their first leg win – but he is confident the visitors can perform to their best in a hostile away ground and progress to a match against either Monaco or PSV Eindhoven.
“We were excited to draw Rangers and now we’re here we are looking forward to it,” he said. “Of course the crowd can have an impact, but it’s the same squad of players against the same squad of players.
“As long as we keep disciplined and play our way of football hopefully it’s something we can take pleasure from and it can be an exciting experience.
“I wouldn’t say we were overconfident. We understand the game will be play with a lot of energy and they have something to prove and there’s a massive carrot at the end of the stick. But we believe in ourselves and hopefully we go out and show the best of ourselves.”
Geraerts, whose team lost 3-0 to Mechelen in the Jupiler Pro League on Saturday, also insisted that his side will not sit back and protect their lead and admitted that they could also cause their hosts problems on the counter attack.
“I always give the same message to my group,” he said. “We want to play football, we want to play forward. We don’t have the team to defend.
“Of course, there will be big pressure from Rangers and from everyone but when we have the ball we have to play football because if we don’t do that it will be very hard for us.
“I think counter attack is a big part of football. Every coach wants his team to play counter attack when they can. But when we can play football from behind, I’m sure we will do that as well.
“We want to keep the ball and play, but sometimes you are pushed to play in the transition. I’m sure when Rangers have the chance to play on the counter attack they will do that as well. It’s normal.”
Meanwhile, Geraerts stressed that Union SG will be prepared if winger Ryan Kent, who missed the first leg in Belgium last week through injury, is in the Rangers starting line-up.
“Kent was one of the key players last season,” he said. “With his skill and speed he can play on the left and right. He’s an important player and it’s good for Rangers that he is back. We will prepare something if he is playing but we will also play with our qualities and strengths.
“We will give some tactical advice about Rangers. I like how GVB plays. Rangers are a nice football team with a lot of movement. It’s a nice team to see playing, but I’m here to coach Union and I want a good performance tomorrow.”
