Rohl to use Champions League experience in European bow with Rangers

Danny Rohl will draw on his Champions League experience with Bayern Munich as he prepares to take charge of his first game as Rangers boss in the Europa League. 

Rangers make the trip to Norway to face Brann on Thursday hoping to kickstart their European campaign after two defeats from their opening two matches in the competition. 

Both of those losses were under Russell Martin, who was relieved of his duties earlier this month after an underwhelming start to life with the Scottish Premiership giants. 

And the club have since appointed former Sheffield Wednesday boss Rohl, who boasts a Champions League winners medal to his name from his time in Bavaria. 

Rohl was the assistant head coach under Hansi Flick at Bayern during their success in Europe's flagship competition in 2019-20, when they beat Paris Saint-Germain in the final. 

"It was amazing. I learned a lot in this time about the mindset, and I think this is exactly what we need in our club," Rohl told reporters about his time in Germany. 

"The players can play football, but they are really soon ready to invest in parts of the game, in pressing and hunting.

"This is very important because we also have great players, we have individual quality here, but if you understand that it's not just about quality and think it's enough to win games, then we take a huge step forward.

"We have to start to win games. When I work with different players, even if it's big, big players, they need to believe.

"I'm convinced if you have a clear direction of how you want to play, and you create good moments in the game, then your self-confidence is going up and up, and that means that some moments in football go easier.

"But we know it's about hard work, it's not just talking."

Rohl takes over a Rangers side low on confidence, having won just five of their 18 games across all competitions (D7 L6), as well as exiting the Champions League in the play-off round under Martin in humiliating fashion to Club Brugge. 

This will be Rangers' fifth meeting with a Norwegian side in all European competitions – they are yet to lose (W3 D1), or concede a single goal, with this their most recent game since September 2006, a 2-0 win over Molde in the UEFA Cup.

And after only a few days to work with his new players, Rohl believes that there are better days ahead, given the mood within the group. 

"I met all the players, and when I speak with the players, I see a smile again on their faces, and I think it gives me a good belief that we are on the right way," Rohl said.

"This is very important. The last two training sessions went very well.

"The team is listening. We have a clear idea, we have a clear match plan. It's about the right attitude to come to such a place. They've had some difficult moments this season. 

"We have to turn the negative energy and the disappointments into positive energy and this is our mindset.

"It's not normal that you start straight with a European game in a new club, but I'm really looking forward to this."