Leon Balogun gets honest on Rangers Ibrox exile as 'obvious' Celtic title factor stares teammates in the face

Leon Balogun admits it would help Rangers’ stars if they got a timeframe on their Ibrox exile.

Philippe Clement’s team will not be able to host matches at their own stadium Ibrox in the early weeks of the term due to building issues. Club chiefs are working to find an alternative base with Murrayfield and Hampden in the mix. Balogun says the players must concentrate solely on performances on the grass, but says it would be beneficial to get some clarity on when they can return.

He said: “It would help, for sure, if we knew how long. But it’s about what we do on the pitch that matters. I mean, Ibrox is what it is. The fans, the supporters, but they are going to travel wherever they need to go. It’s out of our control, all we can do is focus on what we need to do on the pitch, whether that’s at Ibrox or anywhere else. We have to put in the performances and that’s the only thing that we can really focus on. It doesn’t really matter where.”

Meanwhile, the Ibrox veteran admits Rangers need a mentality shift to handle the heat and overhaul Celtic next term. The Light Blues were unable to halt Brendan Rodgers’ side at the end of last term as they won both the Premiership race and the Scottish Cup Final.

Following the 1-0 defeat at Hampden which made it five games without a win over their big rivals during the campaign, Balogun confessed that Rangers lacked the confidence and belief of their conquerors. The centre-back says that mindset simply has to alter to eliminate weak spots and stated: “I think that is something we have to work on throughout pre-season. Have that shift in mentality. And maybe get a bit of more confidence.

“If you want to be the champion, you have to beat that team, which is our rival. That is obvious.