Oliver Antman, the Finnish winger for Rangers, has expressed strong confidence that supporters have not yet witnessed his peak performance, following his first start of the year in a commanding 8-0 Scottish Cup victory over Queen's Park at Ibrox on Sunday.
Early Promise and Injury Setback
The 24-year-old made an immediate impact after joining Rangers from Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles last August on a four-year contract. He starred in his debut, a 3-0 Champions League qualifier win against Viktoria Plzen at home. However, Antman's progress stalled unexpectedly, and he faced a two-month absence due to a leg injury.
Returning to action, he came off the bench in Rangers' Europa League defeat to Porto last month and later scored his first goal for the club as a substitute in a 5-1 win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox last Wednesday. Against Queen's Park, Antman started and delivered two assists in a standout display.
Antman's Self-Belief and Future Outlook
Ahead of Rangers' Premiership clash with Motherwell at Fir Park on Wednesday night, Antman reflected on his journey. 'I haven't had the best start to my Rangers career and then had an injury, but I've always had belief in my own abilities,' he stated.
'Before the injury, I didn't play the best football I can play. If I did play the best I could and that was the end result, then I think I should be a little bit more worried. But by knowing that I can do a lot better, I think it's just a matter of time until it shows. So that's the only thing I'm thinking about.'
Rangers' Resurgence Under Danny Rohl
Manager Danny Rohl has dramatically transformed Rangers' domestic fortunes since taking over from Russell Martin in October, when the team trailed leaders Hearts by 13 points. The Light Blues have narrowed that gap to just three points. After facing fourth-placed Motherwell, Rangers will host Hearts on Sunday, with a chance to top the league if results favour them.
Antman believes the Govan club is hitting form at the perfect time and has the potential to secure a league and cup double this season. 'Yeah, I think we have the team to do that,' he added, speaking prior to Rangers being drawn at home to Celtic in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
'And at the moment, we are really confident in the team. But at the same time, we have to remember where we were at the start of the season. So we cannot be cocky about it, but we are really confident that we have the ability to win the league and possibly the double.'
Momentum and Key Matches Ahead
Antman emphasised the importance of confidence and momentum in football. 'Football changes really quickly, and I've experienced it many times in my career, personally and also team-wise. A lot of it is about confidence, and once you start getting a couple of good games and good wins, things start to pick up, and that's exactly what's going on right now. Now it's a real possibility that maybe we'll be top of the table at the end of the week.'
'At this moment, it feels like we're flying and we have the momentum. The most important game is the next one, and that's the mentality we have to have.' With critical fixtures looming, Antman's optimism and Rangers' resurgence set the stage for an exciting climax to the season.
