- Danny Rohl calls Nico Raskin “my guy on the pitch” after Rangers’ comeback win over Falkirk.
- Midfielder trusted for tactical control, balance, and box-to-box energy in midfield structure.
- Danny Rohl contrasts current progress with early struggles after Brann defeat in Bergen.
Danny Rohl has praised Nico Raskin as his on-field extension at Rangers, highlighting the midfielder’s tactical leadership as a key component in the 6-3 comeback win over Falkirk.
Raskin scored the goal that completed Rangers’ first half turnaround in Grangemouth.
His strike across Scott Bain making it 3-2 and swinging momentum decisively after a difficult first half in which Rohl’s side trailed 2-1 at the break.
Danny Rohl hails Nico Raskin’s leadership
The Rangers head coach described the Belgian as a trusted figure within his system, someone who executes tactical instructions in real time and helps stabilise the team in anxiety-laden moments.
“There is a reason why since I’m here Nico Raskin is on the pitch nearly every minute,” Rohl said.
“I support him from the first day, we trust each other, he is my guy on the pitch.”
Rohl stressed Raskin’s importance in maintaining balance within midfield, particularly in his dual role as a box-to-box presence while also protecting the team’s defensive structure.
“I like to see the sixes also to have box to box,” he explained.
“But on our side, we need also a good balance from the sixes to control our rest defence and be not too open.”
The tactical and mental switch
That balance proved crucial as Rangers turned the match around after a chaotic opening spell, with Raskin’s energy and positioning helping to re-establish control before the second-half surge.
The half-time tactical switch from 4-2-3-1 to Rohl’s trusted 4-2-2-2 formational also allowed for the sixes to advance more in the absence of a number ten.
The performance also reflected a broader cultural shift within the squad under Rohl.
The German referenced earlier struggles in establishing communication and intensity when he first arrived at the club.
Looking back to his first match in charge, a 3-0 defeat away to SK Brann in Bergen, Rohl admitted the early signs of change were not immediately visible.
“I can remember after the game in Bergen, I tried to start a conversation with the players.
“But I spoke more than the players,” he said.
“Now we’re growing, but this is normal.”
He contrasted that with the current environment.
One where he feels the team are increasingly aligned with his demands both tactically and mentally, particularly in how they respond to setbacks during matches.
“We believed, we were structured and focused on our own game,” he added.
“After 20 minutes, 25 minutes, maybe in some places, we’re a different mode.”
Nico Raskin: Captain without an armband
While Raskin was central to the midfield structure, attention inevitably also fell on captain James Tavernier.
The skipper endured a mixed afternoon defensively.
The right-back was caught out of position on the flank for the cross that lead to Falkirk’s opening goal.
Later conceding a penalty that briefly threatened Rangers’ comeback.
However, Rohl avoided individual criticism.
He instead focused on collective responsibility and the importance of tactical leadership spread across the pitch rather than resting solely on the captain’s shoulders.
For Rohl and the players, Rangers’ resurgence is being built not just on structure, but on trust, and in Raskin, he has a player capable of translating instruction into control when it matters most.
A captain without the armband, so to speak.
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Raskin had previously thought his Ibrox career was over.
He was dropped by Russell Martin following a bust-up as Rangers were humiliated by Club Brugge in Champions League qualifying.
Speaking in November, shortly after Rohl’s arrival, the Belgian said: “I can’t lie, it was really difficult for me, that period.
“I’m still trying to get back to my best form, whether it’s physically or mentally. It’s not been great.
“I’ve not enjoyed every part of it. I’ve read a lot of wrong stuff here and there.
“But I had to be quiet and just try to do my best to get back to playing and to get back to helping the team, which I tried to do.
“There was a point when it was tough and I had clear indication that my future was in doubt.
“But that’s in the past. I had loads of support here, from the players and the staff, everyone in the building. People were very good with me, helping me keep my focus and my head high.
“We’ve got a new manager and we’re trying to build something good, something nice. We’ve got loads of things to do. I’m really happy.”
Raskin has been heavily linked with a big-money exit from Ibrox this summer, with little over two years remaining on his Ibrox deal.
A title winning end to the season, added to an almost certain place in the Belgian starting XI for the World Cup, could see his value sky rocket ahead of the summer window.
