How Super Eagles fans prepared me for life at Rangers — Balogun

Former Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun has stated that the experience of dealing with stone-throwing Nigerian fans helped him prepare for the demands and challenges at Rangers.

The 36-year-old defender and his teammates endured the frustrations and discontent from home fans at Ibrox on Sunday as they narrowly secured a 1-0 victory over Hearts.

In an interview with hellorayo.co.uk, Balogun asserted that the challenges posed by Rangers’ fans during Sunday’s match were nothing compared to what he faced during his time with the Super Eagles.

Striker Cyriel Dessers opened the scoring after just six minutes, but instead of calming the team, the goal led to increased nerves as the Light Blues struggled to maintain control, leaving their supporters anxious until the final whistle.

Balogun, now in his second spell at Ibrox, recalled a much more intense experience from four years ago when Nigeria surrendered a comfortable lead in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

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“Playing for the Nigerian national team actually prepared me, because believe me or not, they probably have just as much expectation as our supporters,” he said. “Let me put one out there. I was at Rangers at the time and we played against Sierra Leone.

“We were winning 4-1 – good for me as I came off after 60 minutes – and we ended the game 4-4. “And on the way back to the hotel, some of the security staff said, ‘Don’t sit next to the windows’.

“Some players closed the curtains and then five minutes into the drive, you turned the corner and they threw stones at the bus, our own fans. So I guess that kind of prepared me.

“The expectation of Nigeria was always really, really high. So I’ve met something like it before, and I think that helped me personally.

“It’s my fourth season at the club, I know what it can be like, and you just have to get on with it to be very honest, there are moments probably where you think, OK, that’s a bit unreasonable, but it’s just the club.

“You have to put that weight on your shoulders as soon as you put on the shirt and deal with it.

“And obviously it can have an impact every now and then, or sometimes for some players more than others, especially if they’re a bit younger if they’re not used to it.

“But like I said, you have to get on with it.” Rangers’ victory moved them back to nine points behind William Hill Premiership leaders Celtic and Aberdeen going into the international break,” he told hellorayo.co.uk