Rangers defender John Souttar has dismissed claims that the team is preoccupied with the league table, asserting that their focus remains firmly on the upcoming clash with Ross County.
Phillipe Clement’s side could ascend to the summit if they secure a victory by two or more goals against Ross County at Ibrox tomorrow night, potentially overtaking arch-rivals Celtic. Despite the prospect of a significant shift in the title race, many Gers fans had initially written off their championship hopes after trailing by seven points early in the season.
Souttar, however, was quick to underline the team’s philosophy that championships are not won in February. In response to questions about the players’ attention to the league standings, Souttar stated, “To be honest, not much. The gaffer has drilled into us that he wants to take it game-by-game and he’s created a bubble and focus on us that it’s about the next game.”
He continued, “It doesn’t matter who’s top now; it’s about what happens at the end of the season, so I think everyone is focused on that.”
When asked about the ease of disregarding title race discussions, Souttar affirmed, “Yeah, I think it is. You can get involved in it as much as you want, but I don’t think it’s beneficial to the team or to you if you do.”
Highlighting the manager’s influence, Souttar commended Philippe Clement, a three-time Belgian league champion, for instilling a winning mentality in the squad. He said, “It’s not thinking two or three games in front; it’s about the next session and the next game.”
“I think that keeps everyone on their toes and also with the squad that he’s got, you can’t afford to take your foot off the gas for this game in preparation for the next game. Everyone knows they need to be on it, so I think the manager has created that,” Souttar added.