Former Rangers hero Pedro Mendes says he is “100 per cent sure” Rangers will win the title as he urged them to believe they can overhaul the five-point lead to Celtic.
And the Portuguese ex midfielder has also turned super scout to identify players he believes could help strengthen Philippe Clement’s side.
Mendes spent 18 months at Ibrox when he joined in a £3million move from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 and helped Walter Smith’s side win the title in his only full season and well on the way to a second before returning to Portugal with Sporting. However, a less memorable contribution to Rangers was when his client Pedro Caixinha had an ill-fated spell in the hotseat.
Gers are trailing Celtic by five points in the title race as the Hoops look to make it four titles in a row but Mendes and Co were seven points behind during his title-winning season and he told Gambling.com: “I’m 100% sure (Rangers will win the league). They just need to believe. Believe in the team, believe in the player next to them, believe in the manager and the thing that you do well. I think that’s the most important thing in such a tough competition.
“It’s always difficult when new players come in at Rangers. It’s a different reality for sure, compared to the clubs that they came from. Sometimes you need time to adapt to a new reality, the new challenge you have ahead of you and the pressure you’re under, because at Rangers a draw is a bad result. So you need to win every single game.
“There’s quality players there, but sometimes you need to give them time, but at Rangers you don’t have time. You just need to train and be on top of your game as soon as you sign. Even in my time, during the season we were 6 or 7 points behind (Celtic). The main thing then is for the players to believe in themselves, the manager and the process.”
Mendes is now a top agent and picked out players he reckons could help boost Gers. He said: “For Rangers, in Vitoria de Guimaraes, there are fantastic players like Joao Mendes and Tomas Handel. In Braga also, they have the Horta brothers, who are good players. Bruma is a good winger. And Roger, another young winger who I think is only 18 years old.”
Mendes was speaking after signing up to be part of the Rangers veterans squad for the Scottish Masters 2024 tournament in Aberdeen on November 14 and he paid huge respect to former Old Firm rival Scott Brown.
He said: “During your career you have players that you played against, and for sure Scott was one of the toughest I faced. Because of the way he played, the stamina, and the passion he showed on the pitch. It will be good to see him again in a different environment and competition (at the Scottish Masters tournament in Aberdeen). But Rangers vs. Celtic will always be Rangers vs Celtic, so that’s something you can’t change.
“The Old Firm is always a special game. During the Old Firm all the things you trained during the week, like the tactics, go out the window and it’s just passion on the pitch. It was a good spell I had at Rangers, and the Old Firm are games that I will always remember. For sure, at the time Scott was the Celtic midfield, and one of the best Scottish midfielders of all time I think.”