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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Propper claims Rangers rivals are long ball merchants but warns fans are impatient

Rangers defender Robin Propper has called out rival Scottish clubs as long ball merchants as he stated fans in Scotland are impatient.

The centre-back arrived in Scotland in the summer as he signed for Rangers from Feyenoord on a permanent basis.

Propper is aiming to be a fully-fledged guaranteed first-team starter in his first season in Glasgow but has admitted he still has a lot to learn.

Speaking to VoetbalPrimeur in his homeland, Propper stated clubs in Scotland play very direct football with long balls.

"Despite my age, I have to get used to Scottish football. In the Eredivisie, a lot is focused on tactical and footballing ability. Everyone wants to build up, he said.

"Here, the focus is more on results, you play against opponents who play a long ball from the keeper. Many Scottish teams want to get forward as quickly as possible, play deep balls over the defence, quickly towards the enemy goal."


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The centre-back, 30, then revealed there is "no patience" for slow build amongst supporters as he opened up on his experience in Scotland so far.

"You can also hear it in the audience, they want the ball forward," he said. "Where in the Netherlands they might prefer to play the ball wide. Just slow down a bit. Sometimes there is no patience for that here."

On how that impacts his style from when playing in the Eredivisie, Propper said: "In the Netherlands, I took the short ball played to the striker into account. Then the striker comes into the ball, here right in your back. So I have to position myself differently and use my physique differently.

"But that's also why I came here; to learn something new. My goal is to be an undisputed regular by the end of the year, that's what I'm going for."

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