Rangers’ scheduling curiosity – deliberate?

Rangers’ second round qualifying match in the Europa League on the 26th of July is confirmed as being against Croatians Osijek, first leg being in Eastern Croatia on Thursday.

Curiously though Rangers also have a friendly scheduled for the Sunday afterwards, just three days later, making us wonder if such tight scheduling was intentional.

Rangers’ pre-season fixtures have certainly been intriguingly planned timed – the Bury friendly was decently scheduled on the 6th of this month to give Steven Gerrard’s men a six-day preparation for the first leg v Shkupi, but this time around Rangers will face three matches in eleven days and we do wonder if that was deliberate.

Rangers travel to Croatia on Wednesday for leg one on the Thursday, before coming home and preparing for the Sunday hosting of Wigan, before Osijek then arrive in Govan only a few days later.

It’s certainly a curious schedule – some might argue the tightness could work in Rangers’ favour, by keeping them fit, on their toes, and match sharp, while others may equally have a point thinking that three big matches, two of which are critical, in pre-season over the course of eight days is a touch on the tricky side.

Either way, hopefully the new players will be available by then plus some further additions and we’ll have the squad to cope.