RANGERS have learned the lessons from their time at the home of Total Football. Now David McCallum has challenged his students of the game to put their knowledge to good use.
The trip to Amsterdam was to prove a mixed experience for those in blue last week. One result offered reasons to be optimistic, but there were no positives to take from the other just hours later.
After McCallum's kids came agonisingly close to a notable draw in the UEFA Youth League, Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side were humbled in their Group A opener as a 4-0 defeat piled on the pressure this term.
The first team have the chance to make amends when Napoli visit Ibrox on Wednesday evening. But it is the fixture a couple of hours earlier at Firhill that will be most telling for McCallum as the Under-19s aim to bounce back from their own disappointment.
Lewis MacKinnon's goal that reduced the arrears ultimately wasn't enough to inspire Rangers to a comeback victory as a talented and technically gifted Ajax earned a 2-1 win at the De Toekomst centre of excellence that will produce the next stars of the Oranje future.
Losing to a side from such an acclaimed academy is no disgrace. It was an experience that McCallum hopes will benefit his players, though, as they were given an insight into where they are and where they need to reach to compete at that level.
"I think everyone will know what Ajax have got in terms of the training facilities and the closeness of the stadium," McCallum said. "It is a nice place to go and play football.
"From our point of view and looking at the game in isolation one of the biggest things, and we spoke about it before the game and again at half-time, was about going and believing in yourself and go and back yourself.
"We know they are good players and a good team, they have been renowned for producing players for a number of years, but we have to believe in ourselves at the same time.
"I think the biggest difference in both halves, the second half it was almost like the shackles came off, we got closer to Ajax when they had possession and made it more difficult for them to play.
"In turn, that gave us more time on the ball and some opportunities off the back of that as well. I think this game is about believing in ourselves a little bit more.
"When we don’t have the ball it is fine, but when you can you get as close to Napoli as you possibly can."
The benefits of Champions League qualification, in terms of finance and kudos, became well versed after Van Bronckhorst guided his side to that memorable victory over PSV Eindhoven last month.
A place in the Youth League is another bonus of the achievement, though, and the visit of Napoli will be followed by a double-header with Liverpool as the 19s mirror the campaign that their first team peers are embarking on this term.
"The best v best philosophy we have had for a number of years now has been important to us but I think this is a bit different because it is that but in a more competitive environment," McCallum said. "It is not just a friendly against one of the top sides.
"It is a mini-league programme, which is excellent for the lads, because it is finding a way to perform, finding a way to try and get a positive result at the end of it and maybe getting to the knock-out stages of the competition.
"For us at the moment, we have three different kinds of opposition. You look at Ajax last week, it was very much a possession based team who will, where they possibly can, put you into submission in terms of the amount of time they spend on the ball.
"When a team is like that, it is not to be impatient, it is to understand we will have moments and to find a way to create pressure. You have to go after them as a group rather than individuals because you will get picked off."
A promising second half showing, one which saw Rangers strike the woodwork on a handful of occasions, wasn't enough to earn the Light Blues a share of the spoils in Amsterdam. Defeat was perhaps harsh but the occasion was more than beneficial.
Such challenges are very different to the weekly battles of life in the Lowland League and each fixture offers a chance for McCallum's side to improve and impress as Rangers aim to reap the rewards of their continental campaign.
McCallum said: "Napoli might be a little bit different, they look like they play more of a front two and can go 4-3-4 or a back five into a three and a two.
"It looks like that from the footage we have seen so we will prepare for that and hopefully the plan we put in place will come across within the game.We know there are going to be times when we don’t have the ball, but we believe that when we do have it that we can hurt them.
"Looking beyond that to Liverpool, you have more of a British style game. But Liverpool, when you look at their first team and Academy, they have been successful in recent years.
"It is exciting games and ones the players are very much looking forward to. We are pleased with last week’s performance but obviously not with the outcome at the end."
For both the first team and the 19s, the final result must be different second time out if their respective campaigns are to finally get off and running.
The stage is set for Wednesday evening at Ibrox. Across the city in the afternoon, all eyes will be on the next generation as the Colts have their chance to shine.
McCallum said: "The reason that we have taken the game to Firhill is that it is closer to the city centre and you are hopeful that fans that might want to go to both games, it makes it easier for them to do that. The players would love any sort of backing that we could get for that game."
