Rangers To Head To South Africa For Pre-Season

[Beattie 0]

RANGERS will travel to South Africa for a ten-day pre-season training trip next month.

 

Paul Le Guen's squad will fly to Johannesburg on Saturday, July 8 and play three friendly games before returning to Glasgow on Monday, July 17.

 

Sundowns FCThe Light Blues will play two matches against South African Premier Soccer League opposition. The first will be against Jomo Cosmos on Friday, July 14 at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, kick off 7pm followed by a match against Sundowns FC on Sunday, July 16 at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, kick off 2pm

 

Prior to both of these games, Rangers will play another friendly match behind closed doors on Tuesday, July 11 which will be confirmed in due course.

 

Jomo CosmosAlthough some distance away, there is no time difference between the UK and South Africa eliminating the debilitating problem of jetlag. Weather conditions are also ideal for pre-season training with average daytime temperatures ranging from 65 to 70F.

 

The trip is sandwiched by two competitive friendly matches on British soil. Rangers will travel to Belfast to take on Linfield on Thursday, July 6 and then host UEFA Cup finalists Middlesbrough at Ibrox on Saturday, July 22.

 

The club have also been approached by a number of major English clubs to take part in friendly fixtures in the week prior to and after the start of the season on July 29 however for footballing reasons these offers have been declined.

[calscot 0]

Bugger I was hoping there would be a game against an English team in the South East or Midlands.

 

Really enjoyed Fulham and Ipswich in the last two preseasons. It's difficult for me to get to Ibrox.

[Gribz 889]

I think the trip to South Africa is a good move. Its a long haul flight and far away and it will make a newish squad feel more together than home matches. It will give PLG time to get to know players also.