After being released by Wigan Athletic, the Nigerian center defender arrived at Ibrox on a free transfer amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It proved to be a wise choice because Balogun finished the Rangers’ historic 55-game season with three assists in 19 games and was rewarded with a contract extension.
After that, Balogun would play his greatest number of games in a season—37—as Rangers advanced to the Scottish Cup Finals and the Europa League Finals, where they defeated Hearts. That season, he would participate in five different competitions, and by the time the season ended, he was undoubtedly hearing the same things that the club had told him when he first joined.
And there was the harsh reality of representing the Rangers in three national leagues in addition to European commitments. For Balogun, who has been essential to Philippe Clement’s defensive framework with Connor Goldson, the scenario is identical in the present.
The 35-year-old was thinking back to when he originally joined the Rangers and what waited for him at Ibrox as he got ready for his third matchday in a row tonight against Ross County due to the hectic holiday schedule.
Rangers game plan “astonished Leon Balogun
Balogun said, “I think if you play for Rangers, in my case at least, and that is probably true for most of the players who have been here for some time, you are used to that,” in an interview with the printed press prior to the Staggies match.
“They told me you play 55 to 60 games a day on average when I initially came here. Whoa! It’s a significant figure. Particularly coming from Germany, with 17 games in addition to a couple cup matches, and if you are like me and play for a team, sadly, it’s just to the second round! It was really startling!
But you have to get ready for that because it’s a different narrative. The management and the entire crew, including the medical and sports science personnel, keep us on our toes to ensure that we receive the treatment; we perform the cryotherapy add-ons. You prepare for it, you groom yourself for it, and you go with the flow.
“My age is 35. For the past few years, I have been making an effort to live that way in order to extend my life a little bit. For me, it’s not going too poorly. As football players, we are extremely fortunate to be doing what we do. Being a football player has many positive aspects and brings a lot of satisfaction. a great deal of sacrifice too. However, we have an endless amount of time.
To be the finest version of yourself that you can be, you must always work on your skills. You must make sure that you are consistently working toward your goals if you want to play for the top teams in the world and win trophies. It ought to be obvious, in my opinion. I am aware that occasionally, observing certain gamers in real life, it appears as though their enjoyment level is taking precedence.
At 35, it’s obvious that Balogun is making every effort to extend his football career and that his professionalism is growing.
Therefore, it’s not difficult to see why Clement has trusted Balogun so much since the Belgian joined the Rangers.
In seven of Clement’s first ten league games as manager, Balogun has played the whole ninety minutes, recording five clean sheets in the process.
It’s possible that some people were surprised when Michael Beale chose to re-sign Balogun in the summer, despite his widespread popularity. However, supporters shouldn’t be upset because Bagun is currently an essential part of the Rangers’ machine.
