RANGERS Academy can today confirm pre-season schedules for both the B Team and Under-18s.
There will be a variety of challenges for the young Gers as the B Team prepare for the start of the Lowland League campaign, while the 18s gear up for their CAS League season.
The B Team will begin preparations with a closed-door match at Rangers Training Centre against Dundee before a trip north to take on Elgin City at Borough Briggs in Brian Cameron’s testimonial match on Wednesday, July 6, with a 7.45pm kick-off.
They will then head for Northern Ireland for an exciting fixture against NIFL side Glentoran with the friendly due to kick-off at 1pm on Sunday, July 10.
Preparations will be rounded off for David McCallum’s side with the Plzen Tournament with opposition from FC Viktoria Plzen, Marseille and Honved Budapest between Thursday, July 14 and Monday, July 18.
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B Team coach David McCallum said: “It is fantastic to have such a varied and challenging schedule for the players as we prepare for another season in the Lowland League.
“With the league campaign beginning on July 23, it is a condensed pre-season programme and although there will be some familiar faces in the B Team squad this season, there will also be some changes as a number of last season’s under-18s make the step-up to join the group.
“As well as games against first-team opposition it is important the players are challenged at a ‘best v best’ level against top European teams of a similar stage and this programme will give them the opportunity to test themselves in several different areas and environments.”
The under-18’s will also face a varied schedule of matches both at home and abroad ahead of the start of the CAS Under-18s League.
Their first fixture will be at home to Carlisle United before a three-team tournament with Bournemouth and Middlesborough the visitors to Rangers Training Centre.
Cameron Campbell’s side will then face West Ham United and Queen’s Park in two friendly matches ahead of travelling for the Super Cup Northern Ireland alongside Alante FC, Co. Armagh and Leeds United between Sunday, July 24 and Saturday, July 30.
In August, there will be another ‘best v best’ tournament for the young Gers in the Helvetia Cup in Switzerland with potential opposition in PSG, VfB Stuttgart, FC Zurich, Werder Bremen and Benfica.
The under 18s will then head to Portugal for a training camp, which will include two friendlies, in their final preparations for the season ahead.
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Coach Cameron Campbell said: “Thanks to the hard work of the operations team, we have some fantastic challenges lined-up for the players on their return to pre-season as we prepare for the start of the CAS under-18s league.
“For these young players, it is incredibly important they not only face challenges at home but travel abroad and have the opportunity to come up against the most talented young players across Europe in ‘best v best’ matches.
“This season's U18 squad is very young, predominantly 2006 born U17’s making it our youngest squad for many years, however it is much more diverse in profile, and has massively exciting potential. The pre-season programme has been designed to accelerate both integration and education making sure every individual is ready for an exciting 2022/23 campaign.”
B Team
Saturday, July 2 - Rangers v Dundee - Closed Door
Wednesday, July 6 - Elgin City v Rangers - 7.45pm
Sunday, July 10 - Glentoran v Rangers - 1pm
Thursday, July 14 - Monday, July 18 - Plzen Tournament
Under-18
Friday, July 8 - Rangers v Carlisle United - Closed Door
Tuesday, July 12 - Rangers v Middlesborough / Rangers v Bournemouth - Closed Door
Saturday, July 16 - Rangers v West Ham - Closed Door
Tuesday, July 19 - Rangers v Queen’s Park - Closed Door
Sunday, July 24 - Saturday, July 30 - Super Cup NI
Wednesday, August 3 - Monday, August 8 - Helvetia Cup
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