On this week's Fitbaw Talk Podcast, Martyn talks about the teams heading to Europe with John Grechan and Barry Anderson.
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00:00So, the draw for the Champions League qualifying has been made.
00:09Rangers are going to face either Dynamo Kiev or FK Partizan,
00:16known to you and I as Partizan Belgrade.
00:22This looks like probably one of the draws Rangers might have rather avoided,
00:28doesn't it Barry?
00:30Definitely.
00:32This is one of the worst draws that Rangers could have got I think,
00:35because you're going to be going away to Serbia or Poland against
00:40arguably the biggest club in Serbia and arguably the biggest club in Ukraine.
00:43So, it's extremely tough for them and their home game is likely to be at Hamden,
00:49which is slightly different from the European advantage they've gained
00:53in recent years from playing at Ibrox.
00:56Their run to the Europa League final was largely based on their performances and results at Ibrox,
01:02but that's taken away a little bit when they're at Hamden.
01:05You just need to look at the squads, the Partizan Belgrade squad,
01:08there's Brazilians in there, Bosnians,
01:11Serbians obviously, decent Belgian players, Israelis.
01:15I think Rangers are in for a really tough time no matter who they get in this draw,
01:20no matter who comes through and I think we'd probably say Dynamo Kiev would be the favourites.
01:26To beat Partizan Belgrade, I think that's probably fair,
01:29but either way, I think it's really tough for Rangers.
01:33Particularly their away league, they could be really strong.
01:36Yeah, I think what you're right there Barry,
01:38what it shows is no matter how much they've revamped the Champions League,
01:41it's still going to be tough to get into it if you're in those qualifying rounds.
01:45And Scotland's coefficient has been better in recent years,
01:48but it can still be really, really brutal unless you're getting in one of the leagues
01:53where you can get automatically in.
01:56Yeah, and just, we know that Dynamo Kiev,
02:01as much as Rangers would miss home advantage,
02:05Dynamo Kiev are also in a probably worse position in that they'll have to play their games in Poland
02:10due to the ongoing situation there.
02:13But if it ends up being Partizan,
02:17well, Rangers faced Red Star not so long ago,
02:20John, even prior to that on their road to Manchester back in 2008,
02:25you were telling me before the recording, you were there.
02:29It's safe to say that Belgrade is maybe not the friendliest footballing city for away fans to visit.
02:35It's a really interesting place.
02:38Yeah, they've got a lively scene, you could say.
02:40Because I remember we went on the run in 2008,
02:45a group of press, so middle-aged guys out for dinner in a restaurant.
02:50And next thing, the police turned up and we were finishing up and they said,
02:54yeah, we'll just walk you back to your hotel.
02:57We're like, what do you mean? We're not going for a drink?
03:00So, no, no, it's not safe for you, we'll walk you back to your hotel.
03:04So this big kind of riot police walking us back to our hotel felt a little bit incongruous.
03:09And then they told us we couldn't leave the hotel.
03:14But the game itself, it was the usual flares and madness and chaos.
03:19And that was a very good Rangers team, obviously, under Walter Smith.
03:23And they got the job done that night.
03:26I'm sure there is an enjoyable aspect to that.
03:29I mean, how often do you actually get to experience an atmosphere like that?
03:32But certainly, as a player, you've got to imagine it's quite intimidating as well.
03:41Do you think Rangers will have a preference here?
03:45I mean, I think Kiev will be favourites to come through the group, obviously, Barry.
03:49But in terms of the two squads, maybe not that much between them.
03:53Obviously, Dynamo do have a lot of Ukrainian internationals in that team,
04:00including former West Ham striker Andriy Yarmolenko,
04:05who we know from his time in the Premier League is a superb player,
04:10even if he is getting up there in age a wee bit.
04:12But I think probably Kiev maybe have the slightly better squads,
04:17but Partizan, as we were just speaking about,
04:20will have the advantage of a home footballing crowd
04:26in one of the most hostile cities in Europe.
04:29Yeah, I think if you were to give them a straight choice right now,
04:32they would probably pick Partizan-Belgrade on that basis,
04:35that basically Dynamo-Kiev would be the stronger team, you would think.
04:40And certainly looking through the squads, they would look stronger.
04:42But that's not to belittle Partizan-Belgrade.
04:45When you're going away to Belgrade,
04:46no matter who you're playing, you're in for a really tough time.
04:49And as John's experienced himself, it's a really hostile time as well.
04:53They're not shrinking violets over there at all.
04:56And they're also very technical.
04:59Technically, they're very good teams from those sort of nations,
05:02particularly the Serbians, that they have a way of bringing players up
05:07that's totally focused on technical ability.
05:09So they keep the ball well, they move it well, they play at a tempo.
05:13They're backed, obviously, by a passionate home support
05:16and they're capable of going away from home and scoring goals and causing you trouble.
05:20So I think whoever the Rangers get, they're in for a really tough time.
05:25Get through that, get to the play-off round of the Champions League,
05:28I think would be a really good achievement for this Rangers team at the moment.