CAMMY Devlin says getting the opportunity to link back up with Derek McInnes was a real driver in his decision to move to Rangers.
The midfielder, who joins the Gers as a free agent on a two-year deal with an option of a third, will work under his former boss, having spent 12 months together at Hearts last season.
Speaking to RangersTV in his first exclusive interview with the club, he shared his determination to give his all in order to be a success at the club.
He said: “Being here for so long now, being in Scotland, playing at Ibrox as an opposition player, it can be a daunting place at times to be on the other team, so to be wearing that jersey now and being on the right side of it is going to be such a cool feeling.
“It is something that I am really looking forward to, and I feel like being here for so long is going to leave me in good stead.
“I will be playing as if I am one of you; I will be doing everything in my power to get Rangers the success they definitely deserve.
“I feel like it didn't take too much, especially with the gaffer coming here.
“Speaking to him thoroughly and everyone around the place has been so good since I have come in the last couple of days, getting things sorted.
“Rangers Football Club speaks for itself, so to call myself a Rangers player is really special.”
“He was amazing; I think everyone knows how good a season we had at Hearts together. He was a massive part of why we were successful, and a big part of why I feel like I had a good season, and he was a massive driver for that.
“When he gave me the call and let me know that this was possible, it was something that I was excited about, and he is a big drive for that.
“I feel like he is the right man at the right time to take over a massive football club, especially this one that he knows so well, and just to be a part of that is amazing, something that I am so excited about.”
The 28-year-old will also join up with former teammate Lawrence Shankland, who made the switch to his boyhood club earlier this summer, with Devlin well aware of the demands required for everyone to bring the best out of each other in the squad.
He continued: “Shanks, ever since I have been here, he has been linked with Rangers every single window.
“It has been a long time coming for him. I know he is really excited with his full family; we are really close with all of them.
“He is so happy; I have obviously spoken to him about this and everything that comes with it. I am looking forward to sharing a changing room with him; we are really good mates.
“We share the same ambition; we are hungry people that want to be successful in our careers, and we feel there is no better place to do it than at Rangers.
“I have always had competition for places wherever I've been, whether that is with the national team or wherever.
“I think when you come to a place like this where everything is magnified, everything is a lot bigger.
“There is a lot more expectation on you to perform. A lot more games you are playing every three or four days for the majority of the season, so I think that is only healthy.
“You are never going to come to a place like this and have it easy or have it your own way; that is not really how football works at the best of times.
“I am up for the challenge; I am really ready to go. I know what to expect coming to a place like this, and I am someone who works as hard as I can every single day to give myself the best chance to be ready on the weekend.
“I know what the gaffer wants and what he expects out of his players. I feel like I can really drive that within the group once I have settled in and met all the boys. I am buzzing for the competition and just ready to go.”
The Australian international will link up with the squad following a well-earned break due to his involvement in this summer’s FIFA World Cup finals, as he reflected on the past weeks and his eagerness to hit the ground running upon his return.
He added: “It has been crazy, because obviously you have got all of this going on in the background, but then at the same time you are at a World Cup.
“You just want to enjoy it and relish every moment, and I think it is really important to try do that. The boys done so well; we were really close, obviously losing on penalties against Egypt to get knocked out, which was a massive shame.
“We would have been playing against Argentina again and once you get to those stages you never really know how the games are going to go.
“That is the pinnacle; it is what you work so hard for, so to share that with my family and my girlfriend was really special. I loved every minute.
“I have played against Rangers for so many years now; to be walking out at Ibrox and to now be able to call that my home feels quite surreal, really special.
“I will just give my best every single day to play as best as I can, and my most important thing is I want to win.
“I have come here to win. I feel that Rangers is a club is used to winning, deserves to win, and that is something that me, along with the staff and the players, are all going to try and do.”
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