As every Hollywood star knows, replicating a blockbuster hit is easier said than done.
For every Godfather 2 there are a dozen stinking sequels that have moviegoers heading for the cinema exits long before they’ve polished off the popcorn and dolly mixtures.
If only the makers of the dismal Highlander II – regularly voted the worst movie follow-up of all time – had listened to the original film’s 'there can only be one' tagline, eh?
It’s not a dissimilar dilemma facing Gio van Bronckhorst too as he looks to direct his Rangers side to a second coming next season.
Last season may not have had quite the happy ending the Ibrox faithful were hoping for as Premiership and Europa League glory evaded Rangers but it was still a compelling enough watch that the punters will be flocking back in anticipation ahead of the new campaign.
Former Ibrox hero Pieter Huistra is among those keen to see what his fellow Dutchman produces. And judging by his previous work at Feyenoord, he expects to see van Bronckhorst’s second season prove to be a box-office hit with 45,000 fans who have already renewed season tickets.
Van Bronckhorst took over the Rotterdam club in 2015 and like his start at Ibrox, had to be consoled with a domestic cup win from his first term in charge.
But year two saw his side really take off as the former Dutch World Cup captain’s team topped the Eredivisie from start to finish, scoring the club’s first title in almost two decades with a record points haul.
And Huistra knows the Rangers faithful would love a repeat showing of that script. He told Record Sport : “When Gio first went into Feyenoord, the first season he was looking more at the defence, organising it and tightening it up.
“But the second season is always the time you get a better idea of what the coach wants to do, especially in situations like Gio’s at Ibrox when he’s come in halfway through the season. With all the European games, he didn’t have so much time to work with the players and put his full spin on it.
“So it will be interesting to see what his plans are for the team. I’m just as curious as the fans. I hope he develops a nice footballing team involving total football with defence, attack, passing. That would be great to see.”
Van Bronckhorst came close to securing his slot on the Ibrox walk of fame only to see Eintracht Frankfurt steal the scene with their shoot-out success in Seville.
Now the task will be to assemble a cast capable of delivering prizes next season.
“Gio came in halfway through the season which is never easy,” added Huistra. “It wasn’t his team and he had to take over from Steven Gerrard, who had been quite successful.
“He brought in new staff who had to get used to the players, which takes time, but even with all that I think he did OK. Of course, there is disappointment at losing the title but that’s normal.
“He made up for it with the run in Europe. It was very special to see all the fans going to the final in Seville. It’s just a pity that after going ahead they could not hang on to the lead. It was an open match and both teams could have won it. In the end, Frankfurt had a little more luck.
“But it was good for Gio, the players, his staff and the fans that they were able to lift the Scottish Cup, so at least they ended with one prize. Now June and July will be crucial.
“There will be some pressure on from other clubs looking to take away some of the big players given what the team did last season. The club will have to be alert to that and sign new players if possible. It’s a key period and can decide how the rest of the season goes.
“Gio will also be looking to take the team into pre-season and mould the team how he really wants to play. In the past, he was really good at that. He made a clear plan on how to play and what he expected the players to do.”
Huistra, a 1990 recruit from FC Twente, won five league titles, two Scottish Cups and three League Cups at Ibrox over five years before embarking on a Japanese adventure with Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the newly formed J-League.
The former Groningen coach returned in 2016 for a spell as manager of Iwaki FC, where he was impressed by the leap forward Japanese football had made in the intervening two decades.
And he reckons his old club should follow the lead set by Ange Postecoglou in prioritising the Japanese market for playing talent.
He said: “Celtic’s coach has worked with these guys before, meaning there’s a smaller risk.
“But I’m sure that Gio also has his connections across the world. It’s now up to him and his scouts to bring in the players they need
to challenge Celtic for the title.”
