Michael Mols could hardly get a word out of Gio van Bronckhorst during his days as the quiet man of the Ibrox dressing room.
But he reckons a victory for his old teammate over compatriot Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV team next week would be a major statement of Rangers’ Champions League intent. Mols admits he never saw his old softly-spoken Gers pal making the move into management, but then he could also never have envisioned old international team-mate van Nistelrooy opting for a career in coaching either.
Yet come Tuesday, both men will be on the touchline hoping to orchestrate the European destinies of their respective outfits. The two clubs have been set on a collision course that will determine which of them goes on to bank a £40million UEFA windfall. It’s a battle they’ve engaged in before on the field having both starred in the 1999 group-stage double header that ended with Dick Advocaat’s star-studded Gers squad triumphing both in Eindhoven and Glasgow.
That dose of double Dutch delight provided the Ibrox faithful with two of their most cherished European memories. But Mols - who netted twice in the 4-1 Ibrox win - believes another victory for his old side is needed on Tuesday if Gio is to have the final say when he returns home to Holland next week.
The Light Blues legend said: “They played against each other when van Nistelrooy was at PSV and Gio was at Rangers. Now, of course, they have the same again, this time as managers.
“I never thought that either of them would go into management to be honest. I only ever knew van Nistelrooy through the national team. It was hard to think how he would be a manager. And from Gio in the dressing room he was very quiet and would hardly say anything.
“Of course, when I think about it now he was always thinking about the game and always learning. That is why he is a manager and together they make the tie very special. I don’t know if they are similar in styles, but they both like to play football for sure. It is a massive game for both clubs. Any match in the Champions League is huge, especially the ones that can take you to the group stages.
“These are games we had to play in during my time at Rangers and it’s always about the mindset. You have to be ready for these matches because they are so important for all sorts of reasons.
“When you look at both teams, both squads, then I think it’s going to be 50-50. I don’t think there is much between the teams at all.
“It is impossible really to say who will go through, which is why I say it is all in the mind at this stage. You have to be mentally prepared to play these games, not just physically ready. The atmosphere on these nights at Ibrox is always special. It always gives you the energy to play.
“It is why I don’t think it’s so good for this tie that Rangers play at home first. I would have rather have seen them play at Ibrox in the second leg.
“First they could get the result they need and then say to PSV, ‘you have to make it through hell’. But it’s football and this is the draw. It will be a very close game.”
There was nothing close about the night van Nistelrooy came to Ibrox with the then Dutch champions in 1999. He netted from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time but it was scant consolation during an evening in which Advocaat’s team ran riot.
Skipper Lorenzo Amoruso’s thumping header put Gers ahead before summer signing Mols extended his breath-taking start to life at Ibrox to 11 goals in his first 17 appearances with a brace either side of Neil McCann’s second-half tap-in. Four weeks after Jorg Albertz had hammered home a precious winner at the Philips Stadion, it looked certain Rangers would nail down a place in the second round as they went top of their section with two games to go.
But for Mols and Rangers there would be only heartache and pain as defeat to Bayern Munich in their final game ended qualification hopes on the night the Dutchman suffered his devastating knee injury. But even that agonising end does not wipe away the pride he felt in helping demolish his fellow countrymen.
“I remember the game very well,” said the former Utrecht hitman. “The manager brought Derek McInnes back into the team. He was asked to do a man-marking job. It was a great team performance, probably one of the best I was involved in during my time at Rangers.
“We played very well, I scored two goals, Neil McCann and Amoruso scored too. That was an incredible game. The way we played that night is something I will always remember. We managed to win in Holland too.
“It will be tough for Rangers but they have confidence from last season and I know how much the fans want to be back in the Champions League. It is the same for the players too because that is where you want to play.”
Tuesday will see the Eredivisie runners-up taking on the Europa League’s beaten finalists. And Mols expects a high-quality affair when the teams joust for a place among the big boys of the continent. He said: “PSV are a good side and at this moment they are playing really well. They have strong players and a strong squad.
“Cody Gakpo on the left is a very good player while Luuk de Jong in attack is someone who will cause all teams problems. He can score goals, he is dangerous with his head too.
“The midfield is very strong and people know all about Joey Veerman because he is a player who was linked with Rangers. They are a good team, they are a strong team. But Rangers are a good team too.”
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