Van Bronckhorst details reasons for Rangers Champions League disaster - Q+A in full

Here is everything he had to say.

It’s the end of a very difficult Champions League campaign, how do you try and put it into words?

Very difficult, very disappointing, of course. The campaign we had in Europe with a lot of big losses so that’s disappointing for us. We started really well with good sides we played in Union and PSV to qualify for the Champions League but after playing six games you can see the difference in the level against the teams we competed against so that was very difficult for us to get results.

The worst ever Champions League campaign, is that embarrassing, is it difficult to take or do you understand that’s the gap that there is?

It’s always difficult. Of course, you know the gap is there but you don’t want to concede so many goals against you. If you see the goals we conceded in many games in this campaign, it was too much especially at home against Liverpool. Against teams of the highest quality we struggled in those moments and it was a big learning experience for us.

Can you put your finger on where it went wrong?

I’ve competed in this competition and I’ve won this competition so I know the other side. When you’re the team who comes on the pitch and already know you’re going to win because of the difference. That’s the other side and now I face the side of the team who's not on the same level yet and we struggled against Liverpool, against Ajax and against Napoli. Teams who are operating in this league for years now and not only operating but also playing finals and winning Champions Leagues and that’s been hard for us.

What would you say to the supporters?

It’s very disappointing. We were all happy that we came into the Champions League because we weren’t competing at this level for 12 years so that’s very positive but the other side is that we faced so many good teams. For us, that’s a learning point. Of course, we want to be involved again next year but we have to do better than we did this season. It’s been hard, also today and those are facts.

The captain said you lacked bite especially in the first half, how would you respond to that given the fact the way the team started on Saturday they seemed to show a lot more urgency?

It’s a different level. This is a team who are used to giving pressure, they are used to avoiding the high press with their movements. It’s not a team who are operating at the Champions League for the first time. We know the Ajax school and how comfortable they are with the ball and they showed it as well today. We tried to press up high but you could see there was a big difference in freshness. They didn’t have a game on the weekend, they had six days to prepare for this game and we had only two days so that difference you saw today. That’s not only football-wise but physically as well, especially with some changes, we had to make from when we played on Saturday. That’s for everyone to see.

If you reach the Champions League next season do you think these experiences will help you?

Of course, you hope that. As I said it’s the first time for many of my players to even play in the Champions League so that’s also different. They’re not used to the level of opponents to play in such a short period, also because of the World Cup and the run of games. I think we played game number 24 already this season. Of course, the injuries don’t help because we need to make changes. We miss a lot of players but as you play for Rangers, whenever you’re on the pitch you are expected to get results and that’s been really hard for us in Europe.

Would you say there are any other positives to take out of this campaign?

The positive is that we operated on the highest level after so many years but it’s also facts that we are competing on such a level it’s been hard for us.

In the last four matches Rangers have conceded five goals with balls down the right-hand side in between the right back and the central defender, is it a concern that teams seem to be targeting that particular area and what can you do to improve in that part of the game?

We need to be better because every time you’re not in the right positions you’re going to struggle against any team. That’s what we have to learn and we have to be better at. Every game we have to learn and take that to the next game so for us it’s important we bounce back on Sunday.

In retrospect, do you think the club should’ve done more to strengthen in that week before the transfer window closed?

Of course, I know that the club will do everything to try to build the strongest squad we have. I’ve read many stories that we struck gold with so many millions coming in. It’s not true. It’s not true all the figures I see in papers. We don’t have that budget to spend so that’s another thing we saw in the beginning. We play in the Champions League so we have £40m extra, that is not true and that creates an expectation that we can buy new players. The way we bought the players this season is to qualify for the Champions League but I don’t think the club will spend millions if the millions aren’t there.

(Image: Rangers Review)

Are you confident you can work with this group to get them to be competitive at this level?

Of course, I work with this group to try to make it better but to be competitive in the Champions League, it’s not a team who can operate in the Champions League. That’s what we saw this campaign so now we have to switch back to the league and try to win the trophies we are still involved in. Europe for us this season is over.

You’ve not used injuries as an excuse but does there need to be realism from the supporters given the substantial injury list?

That’s not for me to decide. I’ve never used any excuse so far and I will never use it. It’s the players I have in my squad and, of course, there’s a whole squad not able to play but I will never use it as an excuse. My job is to coach the team and coach the players who are available and that’s my job. I don’t like that we have so many injuries but they are not available for me to field so that’s why I concentrate on the players I have.

If you reach the Champions League next season with three powerful teams, do you think that you might approach it in a different way?

I don’t know. It depends on next year. We always try to prepare the players with the tactics they can perform in. I don’t think we changed any tactics with the season last year in Europe but the difference is the level. We played fantastic against Liverpool for 45 minutes so there’s nothing wrong with the tactics. We played really well for 65 minutes against Napoli where we were the better team but we didn’t hear anything about the tactics. The problem in the Champions League is that you have to have your tactics right for 90 minutes. The moment you slip up and you don’t do the tactics and you create difficult moments for yourself, they will punish you, they will punish you big time. That’s the main difference between the Champions League and Europa League. The most important thing next year is that we are competing for 90 minutes and not for 65 or 55 or 45, it’s always 90 minutes.