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Connor Barron warns Rangers ‘we can’t be slacking now’ as rising star completely stumped over one big question
Connor Barron reckons European success can be used as a launch pad to propel Rangers back into the title race.
Philippe Clement’s team grabbed a decent draw against Olympiacos in Greece this week as they moved a step closer to the Europa League knockouts. But while they now just need one more win from their four remaining league phase fixtures to qualify, Gers remain a long way off Premiership pace-setters Aberdeen and Celtic.
Barron, though, believes their form abroad can be the platform for improved results at home. The Ibrox midfielder was among the stand-out performers as Clement’s men picked up a more-than-deserved draw against Europa League rivals Olympiacos on Thursday.
They might even have snatched a win had Cyriel Dessers not taken an hour to find his shooting boots in Greece. But the scale of their achievement is underlined by the fact this was a Greek outfit who fired six goals past Aston Villa over two legs on their way to claiming the Conference League last season.
It was another impressive display to follow wins over Malmo and Steaua Bucharest, putting Gers right in the hunt for a place in the knockout rounds. However, while Rangers remain a competitive force in UEFA competition, they have been anything but on Premiership duty.
With a quarter of the season gone they are already well off the pace being set by leaders Aberdeen and Celtic. But Barron hopes his side can use European success as a spur to get them back into the domestic race.
He said: “We need to use that as a launchpad going forward. We showed a real character.
"It was a team performance on Thursday. We just need to use that game going forward. We can’t be slacking now. That's got to be the way we play week in and week out. Thursday was a hard place to go.
“Olympiacos picked up the Conference League last season so they are a top team and we respected them. But as an 11 and the boys coming off the bench, it was a real team performance. We got right after them and showed what we wanted to do in the game. You actually come away a bit in between – there was a bit of disappointment because we had chances to win the tie.
“But we kept the back door shut which was nice as. Now we need to use that as a launchpad going forward. Olympiacos scored six against Villa last season so that speaks volumes about the level of performance of this team. We showed real character. It was a team performance. We just need to use that game going forward as a launchpad.
“It’s a bit mixed emotions. We’re happy but we’re not That’s a good thing to have as a team and we’ll keep striving for more. Do we need to take our European level back into domestic action? Definitely. We really showed that in the semi-final at Hampden last Sunday, we showed glimpses of the levels we can reach.
“But on Thursday we showed a full 90 minutes of it. We’ve got to dust ourselves down, recover and do the same again against Hearts. We can’t be slacking now. That’s got to be the way we play week in, week out.”
Midfielder Barron can’t quite figure out why Rangers are able to raise their levels abroad but slump back in Blighty. “I don’t know why,” he added. “It’s hard to put your finger on it. I can’t really tell you how. It’s one of those things. It’s just the way football is at the moment. But it’s something we can change and it’s something we need to change. So we’ll go out and be positive against Hearts and show the same desire as we always have.”
Hearts are next up in Govan this evening, with Gers having kicked off the season with a draw at Tynecastle. Both teams have had turbulent campaigns since, with the Jambos forced to sack Steven Naismith and replace him with Steven Gerrard’s former Villa assistant Neil Critchley.
Barron said: “We know what Hearts are about. Obviously we started the season with a draw there so we’ve got to keep that game in mind. There will be a threat. We know what Hearts will bring but, again, it’s down to what we do and how we perform on the pitch.
“It’s a home game and we’re going to have the crowd behind us so it’ll be a good one and it’s down to us. We feel that we’re building a strong mentality. But there’s no point in us keeping talking and saying what’s going to happen when you’re going short on the pitch – and that’s what we’ve got to do against Hearts.”
There has been plenty of chatter from Rangers’ critics this season but Barron sees no point in listening to what’s being said about his team. “It’s important to block the noise out, even if it’s good or bad,” he said. “You focus on your game, what can you improve, what can you do better, all these little things you’ve got to do as a player.
“It’s just about what you do out on the pitch every time you play and every time you pull on that shirt. You’re going to make mistakes, yes. It’s going to happen. Every footballer in the world makes mistakes but it’s how you react to it and how you build that consistency.”
He said: “We need to use that as a launchpad going forward. We showed a real character. It was a team performance on Thursday. We just need to use that game going forward. We can’t be slacking now. That's got to be the way we play week in and week out.”
Barron has had to make the adjustment while dealing with a merry go-round of midfield partners. Nico Raskin is the latest addition to the mix after the Belgian finally overcame a year of injury frustration. But he looks to be hitting top form now after his man-of-the-match display against Olympiakos.
Barron said: “We really complement each other’s games and feel we know if one’s going to go, one’s going to stay. It’s a real partnership being created.
"That has been on the training pitch as well. It’s always nice to see these partnerships starting to grow as the season goes on and hopefully it continues.
“It’s good to see Nico getting a run. It shows everyone’s got a chance to come into the team. It’s not a set XI, it changes. The boys coming in have held their own, if not more. Nico has showed that in the past few weeks. He has been brilliant since coming back in and a breath of fresh air.”
