Leon Balogun previews Rangers first leg Europa league quarter final with Athletic Club
09/04/2025
uefa25
Rangers - Athletic Club, Europa Legaue quarter final first leg
09/04/2025
uefa25
Rangers - Athletic Club, Europa Legaue quarter final first leg
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SportsTranscript
00:00Middle seat.
00:02I thought you were talking about staying in.
00:07So, let's see if there's any questions.
00:11Where's the...?
00:13That's new to me.
00:1417 years of football, I never had to do this.
00:17Buenos dias to the Spanish colleagues over here.
00:20That's just for my questions.
00:22Guys, we're getting started, okay?
00:24Can I mute them?
00:25Bye.
00:26If you can have the microphone before you start.
00:28Keith, can you start with yourself, please?
00:30Hi, Leon.
00:31The manager has just said that he's had a lot of conversations
00:35with the players since Saturday and he said he's happy,
00:39he's pleased with what he's heard in response to his criticism.
00:43Has there been some harsh words behind the scenes?
00:48I think it was just a very straightforward and honest conversation
00:51which needed to be held,
00:53because we all know that recent performances,
00:57domestically especially,
00:58haven't been good enough.
00:59I mean, if you lose five on the spin at Ibrox,
01:02at this club,
01:03it's not something you should be able to accept.
01:07So, yeah, it was very open,
01:10no filter,
01:12but with a very positive outcome in the end.
01:15Do you, as a player,
01:18do you feel that that conversation needed to take place for you to move forward?
01:23Probably.
01:24If you see what has come off of it,
01:26I'm sure you understand I cannot give you any nitty-gritty there,
01:30but if you see how the conversation went and how honest and straightforward it was
01:38and what we started to talk about,
01:40there were definitely some things that needed to be said,
01:43that needed to be heard and, like I said,
01:45it led to a positive outcome as a group.
01:47For you watching on Saturday,
01:51obviously you didn't play,
01:52how difficult was that,
01:54not just to watch the performance,
01:55but I suppose to see the stands emptying as well after about an hour?
02:00I mean, it's a tough one.
02:03It's not my right to tell people how to support us.
02:09I think they've been outstanding,
02:12they are outstanding the majority of the time.
02:16If you look at our season,
02:18you can probably show some empathy.
02:21Would I like to see something different
02:23and for most of them to stay until the final whistle?
02:27Yes.
02:28Can I understand their frustration and their disappointment?
02:31Definitely.
02:32So, it's hard for me to really,
02:35I wouldn't judge on it,
02:37but obviously it's tough
02:39because they can give you so much
02:41and at the same time I think everybody also understands
02:45what it means to the fans in that moment
02:47when they decide to take that option.
02:50So, it's on us to turn things around.
02:53Leon, I spoke to the manager about the performance on Saturday
02:59and one of the things I highlighted with him and asked him if he agreed was
03:02the players being brave on the ball, on and off the ball,
03:06just making ourselves available, taking the ball, etc.
03:09I don't want to say hiding, but sometimes when things aren't going well,
03:13you take the easy pass or you do the easy thing instead of trying to break lines,
03:17instead of trying to do that.
03:18How do you, as a group, become brave and trust yourself and get that?
03:24Do you know what I'm trying to ask?
03:26How do you discover that when you look at the performance on Sunday?
03:30There was a lot of that in the game.
03:33So, how do you fix that ahead of tomorrow night?
03:35How do we fix to be braver? Is that what you're asking?
03:39How do we become brave on the ball and, like you said, do not hide?
03:44I think we need to live through those difficult moments,
03:47but also remember that we do have the quality to do it
03:51because I think we've shown it more than enough this season,
03:54despite the ups and downs.
03:56It's just about repetition and it's about upping your own standard,
04:01holding yourself accountable first and foremost.
04:03Remember or know that you can do better.
04:06One or another might need a bit of a ruffle,
04:13another one just needs maybe a night to sleep over it and then just shake it off.
04:19But it's about going out there and do it again,
04:22and that's the beauty of playing at the club like Rangers,
04:26that you have the next game always a few days later.
04:29And I think it's a very good game tomorrow to show that you can do a lot better
04:33and write a good test.
04:38There's been a lot of hurdles this season.
04:40It seems as if it's one step forward, two steps back a lot of the time with this team.
04:43You mentioned the honest conversations.
04:46Why should fans believe that these honest conversations will fix it
04:50when there have been so much irregularities throughout the season?
04:54Again, I can't dictate on someone's behaviour or on their thoughts or their decision-making.
05:00It's on us, like I said before, to make them believe.
05:04And I think that's pretty much my answer.
05:06We have to prove it.
05:07I said it's on us.
05:08We have to turn things around.
05:10And the only way to do that is to follow words with action.
05:14Frizo?
05:16Leon, you mentioned the five defeats in a row at Ibrox,
05:20which has never happened before in Rangers history.
05:22Is there a problem playing at Ibrox for this group of players?
05:25I think you would have to ask each player individually.
05:32Again, you look at performances here that we had in the past
05:36and then you might think it's hard to say that.
05:40You can't really put your finger on it.
05:42I think that overall we just lack consistency this season.
05:47I can't say if it's down to the fact that it's Ibrox.
05:54I'd like not to think so, just based on my own experience here.
05:57Yes, I've been in some tough games,
05:59but overall it's a joy to be here to play in front of 50,000 every single game.
06:03So I would like to think that this is not a problem,
06:05it's more a problem of consistency.
06:07It just makes it worse that it happens to be this season.
06:12At Ibrox we seem to struggle more than ever.
06:14Do you think you owe the fans then a big home performance?
06:18I think I've said that before,
06:20and a few questions that have been asked before.
06:22There are things to make up for, definitely.
06:25As much as there have been things this season where we gave back to them,
06:31but we need to give them more of those moments.
06:34That's, I think, undisputable.
06:37Leon, a lot has been made this season about Rangers' domestic form compared to European form.
06:44Can you, as players, put your finger on why you've saved some of your best performances for Europe?
06:50I can't, to be very honest.
06:52I think if we could, then we would have fixed it by now.
06:57What hurts a bit is that you obviously hear that people are saying that we only turn up for those big games.
07:06And at the moment, there's some truth in it, and that hurts, and that must hurt every single one of us.
07:12And again, it comes down to turning things around.
07:15But then again, it's probably not tomorrow's game where we can prove that.
07:20But it's the domestic games, like last weekend, where we have to show that.
07:25Leon, in forward areas, Bobo are assigned to excel in 1v1 situations.
07:30They try to put defenders in their positions.
07:32Does that change anything with regards to your game plan?
07:35And do you feel that's the strongest part of your own game?
07:37I'm really sorry.
07:38Can you just repeat the first part?
07:39Because I was trying to find you.
07:41Bobo are assigned to in forward areas, certainly excel in 1v1 situations.
07:45That's what they try to put defenders in.
07:47Does that change anything in your preparation, your game plan?
07:50And would you say that's the strongest part of your own game?
07:52I think it's a very big part of any defender's game.
07:57And it's definitely going to be a challenge tomorrow.
08:00They've got some really good quality up there.
08:03But this is what you embrace.
08:06Again, it's a very special game.
08:08It's the quarter-final of the Europa League.
08:10So that itself makes it massive already.
08:14But personally, I don't prepare any different.
08:18I just try to have a nice afternoon to wind down a bit.
08:23And then obviously you look at the players.
08:25There's not too much to look at.
08:27Not because there's not enough to see, but because it's pretty much known.
08:32But then it's just preparing for the game.
08:36It's the quarter-final.
08:37Like I said before, it's massive.
08:39They are special.
08:41And a lot of things can happen in these games.
08:43They're not worn off, but sort off because the occasion is that big.
08:47And then again, it's about bravery and backing yourself.
08:51Believing in yourself.
08:52Reminding yourself what you're capable of.
08:54And then enjoy it really.
08:57Do you want any more detail on the individual players per se?
09:01Would you look at an individual more detailed in their tendencies and where they want to come in the field?
09:06Not really, no.
09:07We've got all the tools from our club's analysts who are amazing.
09:12That's for every game though.
09:13So you look at their clips.
09:15If there's something that stands out, they point it out.
09:19But other than that, I think as a professional footballer you should be able to identify the strong points of the opposition.
09:27So looking at the clips should be enough normally.
09:29And then obviously tomorrow is going to be a lot about the collective as well.
09:33Leon, it's a kind of related question.
09:35But Nico Williams is obviously a player that a lot of people are talking about.
09:38You will have watched him, I guess.
09:40Are you excited about taking on a player like that?
09:42Of course.
09:43Yes, definitely.
09:45It's going to be a big challenge.
09:48But I think it's a big challenge for any player in the world who plays against him these days.
09:52And I think it's a privilege to be able to play against these type of players.
09:58I remember when we went all the way to Seville three years ago,
10:04I was desperate to play against Haaland, but he wasn't fit for the games.
10:08In hindsight, maybe it was better that he didn't play, we don't know.
10:11But I think this is the type of mindset you need to have.
10:14Yes, they are really good players or more than really good, world-class some of them.
10:19But those are the games, those are the type of matches that you dream of when you're a young boy.
10:26So we should just embrace it and be joyful about it and make sure that we have something to take joy out of it as well.
10:34Last couple, Martin, please.
10:36Leon, given what's been happening domestically, given the sort of nature of questions you're getting now
10:42and the manager got before, is it fair to say, or what is the mood in the dressing room now?
10:47Is it fair to say it's not a happy place?
10:50It definitely wasn't a happy place after Sunday, but we were all pretty clear on the fact that now we are in a quarter-final.
10:59It is separate from what's happening domestically, that's a fact.
11:04And we have to focus on that and there's a lot to look forward to.
11:08There's a massive opportunity for the players, for the club.
11:11So, to me, the last two days were pretty positive.
11:17I mean, everybody is aware of the domestical side of it, but we can focus on that after tomorrow night again.
11:24OK, guys. Thanks very much, everyone. Thank you.
11:31Good luck. Thank you.