Danny Rohl led Rangers back to the top of the Premiership yesterday — then revealed he will carry on his new superstition by blocking out what is going on with title rivals Hearts and Celtic later today.
The Ibrox head coach saw his side move ahead of the Tynecastle outfit on goal difference, having played a game more, with a hard-fought home win over Dundee United yesterday.
And he admits he won’t watch either of the other two teams fighting it out for the title this afternoon — and doesn’t even want any updates or text messages about them after finding that approach has been bringing the kind of results he wants.
Hearts’ visit to Livingston this afternoon is followed by Celtic’s trip to Dundee, but Rohl admits he will be having nothing to do with Super Sunday after seeing the Parkhead outfit lose at Dundee United last time out.
‘I will do the same as the last matchday,’ he said. ‘I put my phone off — no ticker, no LiveScore.
‘Last time, I got a message from my assistant coach saying: “Did you see the result?”.
‘I said: “No, what happened?”. He said: “Great result”.
Rangers manager Danny Rohl insists he plans to tune out when Celtic and Hearts are in action
‘So, I will do exactly the same and maybe three times in a row it will happen. Let’s see — but I’m not available this time on Sunday.’
Goals from Ryan Naderi, Dujon Sterling, Thelo Aasgaard and Bojan Miovski sealed the points yesterday, with Amar Fatah and Zac Sapsford scoring for United. Rohl admits, however, that he wants his side to maintain the mentality of the hunter rather than the hunted despite getting into first place.
‘I am very surprised it is two years (since Rangers were top),’ he said. ‘On the other side, the most important thing is that we still have the right mindset.
‘Even if we are top, you have to be the hunter. You cannot try to keep something. It is crucial to be on the front foot and, if we win six games, then we will have something at the end of the season.
‘I am convinced the players have the potential to do this, but there is still a long way to go. You have to humble and ready for what is next.
‘We have taken big steps, but my job now is to keep the players hungry.’
Naderi was taken off at half-time and replaced by Youssef Chermiti, with Rohl hoping he will be back for next weekend’s trip to Falkirk. Left-back Tuur Rommens, however, is out with a quad muscle problem.
Naderi opens the scoring for Rangers after a mistake from United goalkeeper Maynard-Brewer
‘On Thursday, during training, he felt something in his quad,’ explained Rohl. ‘We scanned him. It’s not a big one but still serious. Hopefully, it’s just two more games and he is ready latest for the second game in the split.
‘Tuur will do everything to be ready as soon as possible.’
Rohl termed the three points the most important thing from the day, but admitted it was a performance of ups and downs.
Fans felt Tochi Chukwuani could have committed professional fouls to stop United’s goals, but Rohl remarked: ‘I think I would say: “Be smart in the duels sometimes”. I would not ask for a foul.
‘The best thing is that you are prepared positionally. In the second goal we conceded, we were too open. We need to be quicker and more aggressive and these are things we have to improve upon.
‘We see in transitional moments against you that tactical fouls we should sometimes make, but it’s more important we can win the ball back without then foul because it gives us the opportunity to strike and turn it into an offensive moment.’
United manager Jim Goodwin, who saw his side’s slim hope of catching Falkirk for the final top-six place disappear with defeat, was left to rue some costly defensive errors.
‘The first goal is a mistake from our point of view,’ he said. ‘My keeper (Ashley Maynard-Brewer) knows he needs to do better with the initial shot. I wasn’t sure if he could have caught it but, if he’s going to tip it over the bar, then we need to make sure of that.
Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin felt his side contributed towards their downfall at Ibrox
‘The first three goals that we concede are all really avoidable. That’s been us all season, really, defensively. We haven’t been good enough.
‘We’re disappointed with not being able to make the top six. Credit to John McGlynn and his Falkirk players.’
Maynard-Brewer was taken off in the second 45 and faces a spell on the sidelines.
‘I think he’s dislocated his shoulder,’ said Goodwin.
