Cammy Devlin, the Rangers midfielder, has shared how his father's strict rules shaped his European football dreams. Growing up in Australia, he could only watch Champions League nights if he and his brother had been well-behaved. Now, he's set to make his mark in Europe with Rangers, a club with far greater expectations than he experienced at Hearts.
From Aussie nights to European stage
Devlin recalled those early mornings in Australia: "I remember waking up with my little brother Bren and my dad to watch European games with the biggest clubs around the world. They were on throughout the night back home in Australia so we'd have to try and get up with my dad. But it was only if we'd been well behaved the night before that dad would let us get up!"
Those nights fueled his ambition, and after tasting European football with Hearts, he's now eager for more with Rangers. "To come to Rangers, there's even more expectation to really go and do well in these competitions," he said. "These are the special nights where you can create good memories."
Rangers' European ambitions
Devlin watched Rangers' run to the 2022 Europa League Final from afar and is determined to help the club reach similar heights. "I watched from afar when they got so close to a massive success in the Europa League a few years ago. That's something you want to be part of. This team is no different, we really want to do that."
His immediate focus is Thursday's third qualifying round first-leg against Jagiellonia Bialystok in Poland. "I didn't get it last year so I'm itching to be back," he admitted.
Style under continental referees
Despite the stricter refereeing in Europe, Devlin insists he won't change his aggressive style. "I can't really think about changing my game in Europe," he said. "I know what I bring on the pitch and I'll be no different. I'll be giving everything I can on Thursday night."
He's already endeared himself to the Ibrox support with his tackling, and he's loving life at the club: "I've absolutely loved it here so far. You don't realise how big it is until you step into it as a Rangers player."
Partnership with Nico Raskin
Devlin is also excited about the prospect of playing alongside Nico Raskin, who remains at Rangers despite transfer speculation. "It would be great to line up beside Nico. In the few days he's back in training, he's really lifted the level of everyone around him," Devlin said. "He's a top player. Watching him at the World Cup was so good."
