'We have quality': Propper hails three Rangers team-mates, says two are really improving

09/17/2024 06:00 AM

Slowly but surely, Rangers’ new squad is starting to take shape.

After a sluggish start for many of the club’ ten summer signings – Connor Barron perhaps the only one to make a consistent impact in the season’s opening few weeks – Sunday’s 1-0 win away at a tricky Dundee United start felt like a big step forward.

Jefte, brought in as a long-term replacement for Borna Barisic at left-back, flashed one fine cross across the box reminiscent of the Croatian in his Rangers pomp. The young Brazilian continues to showcase tantalising glimpses into his obvious potential.

There was a debut for £3.5 million deadline-day arrival Nedim Bajrami at Tannadice – replacing the returning Oscar Cortes at half-time – while Hamza Igamane followed up his debut against Celtic with a marvellous cameo in the Lowlands.

Igamane, entering the fray in the 65th minute, displayed excellent close control and an impressive eye for a pass.

Robin Propper enjoyed one of his better afternoons as a Rangers player too, albeit largely untested by a Dundee United side who mustered a grand total of zero shots on target throughout.

Robin Propper impresses as Rangers beat Dundee United

"I think we started really well and played some really good football from left to right,” Propper, the £1.5 million former FC Twente captain, tells Rangers Review.

“We had some chances. I think the goal from Tom was really good to see his quality there.”

Rangers needed only seven minutes to break the deadlock, Tom Lawrence driving into the box before lifting a clever finish into the Dundee United net.

“After, we had a lot of chances to make it 2-0. In the end, if you don’t score a second goal it’s going to be more difficult, especially in the second half they brought on more strikers,” adds Propper.

“But in the defence, we did well and didn’t have many chances against us. So, the 1-0 was, I think, how it was supposed to be.”

Jefte and John Souttar growing under Philippe Clement

Big things were expected of Propper at Ibrox.

Especially after the 30-year-old centre-half – labelled a bargain of a signing by Clement himself – skippered Twente to a third-place finish in the Eredivisie last term while earning comparisons with Virgil van Dijk and Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij.

An own goal moments into his Premiership debut against Motherwell was hardly the flying start Propper would have been hoping for, while another unconvincing display in that Celtic defeat led to calls for Leon Balogun to take his place in Rangers’ XI.

A solid display at Tannadice, then, at least eases the pressure on a defender who feels his understanding with both John Souttar and the aforementioned Jefte is growing by the game.

"You have to evolve and improve. I am new so I have to get used to the football, my players, my opponents," says Propper, who played with both Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny in the Dutch top-flight.

"That takes some time. I try to do my best and you see in moments we have good quality in defence and in the attack. We can improve that and I try to do my best.

“With John and Jefte, we’re doing really well to improve."

Rangers host Dundee United’s local rivals Dundee in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.