IN a season of failures for Rangers, Daniel Candeias was one of the success stories. Now he is ready to write another fresh chapter, one which he hopes will have a silver lining.
Few were excited at the prospect of seeing Candeias in action when he was brought to Ibrox by Pedro Caixinha last summer but the winger quickly endeared himself to the Light Blue legions.
His performances were consistent, his attitude and application rarely in doubt. As the men in the dugout changed, Candeias was a familiar, reliable face in the Gers side.
Whether it was Caixinha, Graeme Murty or Jimmy Nicholl, the Portuguese had a part to play and it is Steven Gerrard that he is now looking to impress.
The Liverpool legend has spent the last week-and-a-half with his squad in Spain as Rangers have stepped up their preparations for the Europa League qualifiers and a crack at the Premiership.
Candeias can reflect on his first year in Glasgow with some personal pride but his only focus is on the future as Gerrard looks to finally bring silverware back to Ibrox.
“Pre-season has been hard work but that is important for the body,” Candeias said.
“The season is going to be long so this is the time to work hard and get the benefit of the results.
“The players know they need to work hard to be ready for the start of the season.
“The first year was good for me on a personal level. The team really welcomed me and I think I managed to adapt to Scottish football.
“Now it is important we get better as a team because I want to win trophies with this club.
“It was also a difficult season because we changed the gaffer a few times.
“That can be hard for players but that is all part of football. Now we start again and hopefully the start of something special.”
Candeias was a virtual unknown in Scottish football this time last year but he has become an important part of the Light Blues squad since he made the move from Benfica.
While the likes of Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera flopped, the 30-year-old turned in a series of solid showings on the right flank as he topped the assists table at Ibrox.
The departure of Caixinha in October, after the debacle of the defeat to Progres Niederkorn and a wretched run of domestic form, could have been a setback for Candeias.
But he will continue to strive for success no matter who is in the dugout as Rangers get set to begin another new era under Gerrard’s guidance.
Candeias said: “He (Caixinha) was the man who brought me to Rangers. But, I have a contract with Rangers not Pedro. I play for the club – not the coach.
“There are always changes when you get a new coach. Every coach is different. But, there is good feeling about what will happen this season.
“I hope we can win the league. It will be hard but Rangers have some great players and there is a good team spirit within the group. That is important if you want to win trophies.
“I believe in my team. I believe we can win trophies with this squad. But, every team in Scotland is difficult, not only Celtic.”
If Rangers are to achieve their ambitions in the coming months, they must find a way to stop Celtic adding to the six medals Brendan Rodgers has collected in his first two seasons at Parkhead.
The task of stopping, and overtaking, the back-to-back Treble winners appears an ominous one for Gerrard and his newly assembled squad.
The final days of Murty’s reign ended in Old Firm humiliation as Celtic ran out 4-0 winners in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden and then clinched the title with a 5-0 rout on home soil.
Candeias said: “It is difficult to speak about these games. The feeling was no good. It is hard.
“When the rival wins the league after playing against you in a game like that, it is so hard.
“But now that is in the past. What we are focusing on now is the future.
“Of course you can use that feeling [as motivation]. This season is another season. We have a new start and want to win trophies with this club.”
The Old Firm defeats were some of the most difficult Candeias has endured during his career as Rangers ended another campaign empty handed.
The forward has racked up the clubs in recent years and had spells in Germany, Spain, France and Turkey before he signed on at Ibrox.
He was rewarded with a two-year extension to his deal in March and is settled and content in his latest home from home.
He said: “In Portugal, I played with big clubs in Porto and Benfica, but Rangers is such a big club. The fans give fantastic support and I like to play for this jersey.
“Scottish football demands hard work. It is different to Portugal or Turkey or other places I have played. But I like Scottish football. I think it is a better style for me.
“Nothing has really surprised me about it. I had seen Rangers and Celtic play in the Champions League in the past so I knew there was a good league here.
“I signed a new contract and of course I want to stay. I am very happy and I want to be here for more years.”
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