SET-PIECE coach Scott Fry has made a huge impact in his first few months at Rangers and believes dead ball situations can provide the team with a significant edge in their quest for results.
Fry, formerly of Lincoln City, has enjoyed considerable early returns in his role, with Rangers especially prolific from set-piece scenarios in recent months.
Emmanuel Fernandez has been the chief beneficiary, while Thelo Aasgaard and Nico Raskin have netted from dead-ball moments, with the value of set-pieces across the globe only continuing to rise in importance.
Speaking to RangersTV for the first time, the 33-year-old detailed his early work in his role at the club: “I’m really enjoying it. The games are coming really thick and fast, and I’ve not really had much time to breathe, but it’s been really good getting to know all the staff here, the management team, all the players.
“My family have now moved up with me, which has been great and makes me feel more at home. It’s shattered my peace! But I’m really enjoying it.
“It’s given me a lot of autonomy to express what we’d like to put into place, to ultimately work together to try achieve results and maximise opportunities, which has been really good.”
It was only earlier this month that Rangers took maximum points against Aberdeen inside a week with three set-piece goals, the fourth coming from the penalty spot, across two games.
On the rising importance of dead-ball situations, with Arsenal leading the way in the English Premier League by scoring consistently from set-pieces, Fry continued: “For years, from certain aspects of the game, and I’m not talking out of turn, people don’t put the respect on set-pieces that it deserves.
“I go back to when we were kids, and we played football. Our parents would drive us to games, and none of us would get in the car excited, thinking ‘I’m looking forward to defending a corner today’ or ‘I’m looking forward to defending a long throw’. That’s never been the case.
“Ultimately, let’s work on the things that perhaps others don’t value, and that will give us an edge. It’s the only time where the ball is still, and there’s an opportunity to put people in positions where they need to be.
“As a coach, you feel you have more control over those situations, but you need to work at it, and it takes time. You’re a little blessed by the fortunes of some things; whether he heads it in the goal, over the bar, or the keeper makes a save.
“We were unfortunate at Hearts away by a split hair, that it was offside. If you get your processes right, you continue to work on it, and create a culture that people embrace, then you’re on the right lines.”
With games every three days amid the hectic European and domestic schedule, it can be a difficult balancing act on the training pitch, but the former Lincoln City man says he explores every avenue to convey his ideas.
Fry says he has been delighted with the buy-in from players and management and says that it’s important they continue to evolve in their set-piece execution.
He added: “I’ve been really pleased. The lads have been terrific.
“We have a really good support network behind the scenes; Adam Berry does a really good job from the analysis department in bringing footage together and painting it up for the players.
“There is constant dialogue with myself in terms of players’ roles, strengths, and weaknesses.
“We’re really well supported by data. We’re informed by data but not driven by data. We look at data and how that can help us; where the opposition may have strengths and weaknesses, and how we can expose that.
“I’m really happy with how we’ve started, but one thing I know about this sport is that it has a way of kicking you up the bum.
“So, we need to keep working hard, not rest where we are currently, and keep trying to progress and move forward.
“Our schedule here is far from normal. We have games every three days, so it’s trying to find the maximum different ways to practice.
“Whether that’s with individuals, or I may work with three or four players, or doing mid-third throw-ins, trying to lose a man at a corner.
“There is always something throughout the week, whether it’s with individuals, a team or a unit.
“It’s about trying to find different ways to skin a cat; individual meetings, speaking to people, walk and talk, unit meetings, collective meetings, preview and review meetings.
“There are a lot of different ways, but I’m aware it’s not the most glamorous of topics. It’s trying to find different ways to engage people, and I’m constantly trying to find different ways to do that.”
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