John Souttar believes getting a full pre-season under his belt will be MASSIVE for his Rangers career going forward.
His debut campaign at the Light Blues has been one to forget with a long-term absence due to injury from the start of the season. Giovanni van Bronckhorst brought in the Scotland international on a pre-contract but lost him to injury and he's only recently came back to fitness under Michael Beale.
The Ibrox gaffer had been easing in the stopper but injury to Connor Goldson meant he was thrown in the deep end against Celtic in the Old Firm at Parkhead. His error allowed Jota to capitalise and round Allan McGregor to make it 3-1 with the Light Blues eventually losing out 3-2 in the five-goal thriller.
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But he bounced back and was in from the start in back to back games as he retained his place at home to St Mirren. He would land a third game on the trot come Sunday when Rangers face Aberdeen and the stopper admits he is desperate to be playing games after missing out on so much football while on the treatment table.
He said: “Definitely. And for me having missed so much football I’m just desperate to play games.
“Every game I play is massive for me, just to get back on the pitch feeling good. Getting back involved on a Saturday – you miss it when you’re injured, that competitiveness and being desperate to be involved.
“But for me to get a full pre-season and get right up and running it will be massive. I’m sure there will be a plan here to do certain things, whatever it is to get fully fit.
“It’s a big pre-season for me, a big summer for me, so I’ll be doing everything I can to be in the best shape possible.”
He continued: "When a new manager comes in you want to be fit to almost prove to him what you can do. There were a few injuries at the time and it’s not ideal him coming in and you’re injured.
“To be fair he’s always came out and backed me. He’s always been sound with me.
‘I just need to prove to myself and everyone else that I can play for Rangers and deserve to be here. That’s up to me to show that in however many games between now and the end of the season.
“I believe I can be a Rangers player. And I believe I’ll show that in whatever games I play in between now and the end of the season.
“When you sign for Rangers there are always going to be times when it’s tough. And it’s not been the ideal start for me.
“There’s no doubt about that. But it makes you stronger in the long run and hopefully in time I’ll be looking back and thinking that.
“The start to my Rangers career wasn’t ideal but you’re certainly going to be stronger for whatever happens. You need to be strong to play for one of the Old Firm, it’s not an easy place to play.”
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