We feel like tonight’s meeting with a Dutch side was written by the football Gods. Whatever the result, the tragic death this week of Fernando Ricksen could not have come at a more poignant time, with Rangers about to face Feyenoord for only the second time in history, and a Dutch side, only two days after his passing.
Rangers will put a tribute on for the late 43-year old, but the fact Rangers are facing a Dutch team for the first time since Alkmaar 15 years ago (who ironically are the side Rangers signed Fernando from) really was written in the stars.
The only more astounding irony would have been to have gotten Fernando’s old side themselves, but of course seedings made that impossible.
Manager Steven Gerrard slightly dismissed the prophecy of all this, suggesting the poignancy of Rangers facing a Dutch side is secondary to the fact Fernando was a Rangers man, rather than a Dutch man, and frankly we don’t entirely agree with this.
His being Dutch was a massive part of his identity, the Dutch revolution of the 90s such an important part of Rangers’ history, and its significance should never be underestimated.
Indeed, his dismissal of the Dutch angle did show a slight lack of understanding of Rangers and our proud history and heritage with Dutch football. Fernando was a Ranger, and a Dutch man – both were deeply important.
But nevertheless, we find the visit of Feyenoord to be very profound. True, Fernando didn’t play for them, but that shouldn’t really matter.
Let’s hope for a match which lives up to his memory.
I mentioned on another post that I was told when Davie Cooper tragically died at a similar early age that our first opponents were Feyenoord and we played out a 3-3 draw. A repeat would be a fitting tribute.
I understand where you’re coming from but I’m pleased we didn’t get a draw, one thing about Fernando was that he was a competitor and a winner. So, I think it would be inconsistent with who he was to honour him in any other way than going for a victory, giving 110% and going from the first whistle to the last and thankfully I think that’s what we did.
As for the Dutchman vs Ranger thing, I wouldn’t read too much into it. Gerrard is Rangers manager who I believe was trying to stop any kind of sentimentality creeping in (such as thinking a 3-3 draw would be a good thing). If you’re going to do this then you pay tribute to Fernando Ricksen the Ranger not the Dutchman because Fernando the Rangers player would have ran over the top or through his countrymen to attain victory.
We honoured the man and we will ultimately on every Rangers man and woman past, present and future, players and supporters when we deliver 55 and stop our rivals procession toward 10 in a row and reestablish ourselves as Scotland’s champions and premier sporting institution.
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