FEYENOORD manager Jaap Stam has tonight paid tribute to his former Netherlands teammate Fernando Ricksen.
The two were together in a number of Dutch squads in the early 2000s, and like everyone in the game, he was shocked to learn of the passing of Fernando earlier today.
Speaking to the media at Ibrox tonight, he said: “It has been very sad news, landing this afternoon, switching on my phone and hearing the news about Fernando – a player who I played with for the national team and who I know, I wouldn’t say quite well, but I know him from playing with him how he was as a person.
“Maybe not everyone in the world knew him as a player, but in Holland we knew how he was and what he could do.
“He could play in several positions in midfield and he played quite a few games at right-back.
“He was very well thought-of in Holland.”
Stam continued: “Fernando as a player was very lively. Sometimes that could get him into trouble, as everybody knows, but that was never in a bad way.
And, when asked if the news will affect tomorrow’s game, he added: “Of course, this is going to give something extra to the game. I think Rangers have been very good for him and taking care of him and his family.
“So it will bring an extra dimension to the game and we need to be aware of that. We are aware of that but we need to keep doing our own thing as a team, how we can play and what we can bring to the game.
“I think everybody within our squad is used to playing in a big ground in front of 50,000 people, so this is nothing new.”