Richard Foster reckons John Souttar's Rangers move is all about progression.
The Scotland international has joined Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men this summer after penning a pre-contract deal from Premiership rivals Hearts. The Jambos enjoyed a stunning top flight return finishing third and reaching the Scottish Cup Final. They secured guaranteed European group stage football as a cause with the defender playing a key role.
Ex-Rangers defender Foster says his mentality in the Hampden showdown against his new employers was exactly the kind of stage the Light Blues would want to see him perform on and he passed with flying colours. The 36-year-old made a similar move to Ibrox from Aberdeen and he says adjusting to life and the mentality at Rangers is vital with wins expected in every game no matter who the opposition are.
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He has no doubt that Souttar will handle the step up and that he has all the tools to cope with the demands of being a Rangers player.
He told the Scottish Sun: “I think this move is about progression for John Souttar.
“He’s had a few serious injuries over the years, but he has shown real character to come back from them.
“We saw his performance in the Scottish Cup final against Rangers, and it showed his mentality to go up against the team he was joining.
“It’s difficult for someone who is still relatively young to get your head round that, but he focused and put in a really top performance.
"If there was ever a game that Rangers wanted to see how he could perform that was it.
"He was easily Hearts’ best player that day, and one of the best on the park.
“Souttar hadn’t played for a few months before the final after getting a knock, and he was missing a bit of match sharpness.
“But that shows how good a player he can be.
“Going to Rangers and adjusting to life there is so important.
“He was at Hearts, who were third in the league and you have been great, but there’s games you have dropped points.
“You might not play well there and you get away with a draw, but that can’t happen at Rangers because a draw is never good enough.
"No matter who or where you are playing, you are expected to win every single game you play in.
“John seems to have a real strong mentality, and I don’t think moving to Rangers will worry him and he has enough to handle it.
“When I moved there from Aberdeen it was exactly the same for me.
“Hearts and Aberdeen, especially at home, you are expected to put in a good performance.
“In some games you don’t play well and you should probably have lost, but you get a point and people say it is a good one to pick up.
“But at Rangers a point is never OK. You don’t ever come off the park and think, ‘It’s fine we got a point today’. It is always, ‘We have lost two’.
“The big thing I noticed at Rangers was the mindset of the boys in the dressing room.
“I had played with good players at Pittodrie, but you go to Ibrox and you are working with the likes of Allan McGregor, Lee McCulloch, Kenny Miller and Steven Davis.
"They were top players, but they had that winning mentality, and it was a habit they wanted to get into.
“He will be used to winning most games — but now he has to win every match.
“It’s different for him but I believe he is capable of doing that.”
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