Rangers must continue believe in their identity to bring success, says head coach

‘You can’t just buy in success’ admits Rangers head coach, as he hails the importance of Gers identity.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 21: Kirsten Reilly in action for Rangers during a SWPL match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park, on April 21, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Rangers must continue to believe in what they are doing if they are to win their first Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) this season, according to boss Malky Thomson.

The 52-year-old head coach and his side find themselves embroiled in one of the most fascinating title battles in the 19 year history of the SWPL and currently sit just three points behind reigning champions Glasgow City, ahead of their trip to Motherwell this weekend.

And with a top of table clash against Scott Booth’s Glasgow City next week, the head coach reiterated that Rangers’ success can only come from continuing to concentrate on themselves and believing in their own process.

Last weekend Thomson saw his Rangers side respond to their heartbreaking late defeat at Celtic Women with a season-best 11-0 thumping of Forfar Farmington, and the former Blackpool assistant manager admits that while his players are still learning, he is delighted to see the seeds of success beginning to grow.

"Becoming a strong team that challenges and wins things can't be done overnight. You can’t just buy it in,” said Thomson.

"You have to try and select the players that you feel give a good level of competition between each other and buy into what you are trying to do to win games. But it takes time, and it takes effort, but as long as we have the performance levels and application, we can grow on that.

"We don't get too carried away, we keep our feet on the ground, we take each game - or each training session for that matter - more important than the last game.

"We're in training this morning and every session helps us, it adds to the selection me and Kevin make on the weekend. It's simple things, when do they turn up for training, what is their body language like, what's their interaction with others like - the final small details - that's what helps us decide.

"For me, so as long as we are playing well and handling the ball, playing in the style and the fashion we want to that's the main thing - by sticking to what we are doing and believing in what we are about, the results will come.

"It's the girls’ first year in professional football, the first year they've been in amongst the facilities that we are in, there's big expectations they’ve put on themselves and it's about the relationships we've created with the coaching staff and everyone around the facilities that will allow those players to develop and handle these occasions, but our performances are the key to us getting those results.”

Thomson, however, wouldn’t be drawn on team selection for this weekend’s game, with many curious to see if goalkeeper Megan Cunningham keeps her place after replacing regular number one Jenna Fife last weekend.

He said: “We talk about having two players for every position and we have absolute faith in both goalkeepers and the good thing about the squad, and especially Megan and Jenna, is they have a good working relationship, and a good relationship off the pitch too. The competition that drives them is healthy - we have no qualms about playing either.”

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