New signing Sam Lammers is hoping to become “settled” at Rangers in the coming years after spending much of his time as an Atalanta player out on loan.
The 26-year-old forward joined the Serie A side three years ago from PSV Eindhoven but he made just one start for the Bergamo outfit and was farmed out three times, to Eintracht Frankfurt, Empoli and Sampdoria.
Having signed a four-year contract with Rangers, Lammers is confident he will be given a proper chance to establish himself at Ibrox as he bids to get his career back on track.
“This is what I’ve been searching for,” he told Sky Sports. “After this season I made it clear for myself that I wanted a new place to settle down, a new home because even last year I was at two clubs and before that I was on loan in Germany.
“I think now is time to settle somewhere and it’s good to sign a permanent deal with Rangers. The confidence of the club is key for me to sign.
“Coming into a new country is not easy. When you go from Holland to Italy it’s a change of language, a change of culture and everything.
“It gets easier but you feel at home after one year or six months, you need time to settle, and it didn’t happen for me in the last two years so I’m happy that I have the possibility to do that here.”
During his first loan spell at Eintracht Frankfurt, Lammers encountered the Rangers support for the first time. The Dutchman was an unused sub for the Bundesliga side as they defeated the Gers on penalties in the Europa League final in Seville just over a year ago.
“When we got to the final, it felt as if it was the best-supported clubs of the Europa League colliding,” said Lammers.
“It was, from both sides, very impressive. At that game you could see how big the club is and how it lives here in Scotland also.”
Lammers has scored only 27 career goals, the majority of which came on loan at Heerenveen in 2018-19. However, he insists his game is about more than just scoring.
“I know for a striker the main target is to score a lot of goals and I know I can do that also,” he said. “I’m aware of this being a big part of being a striker and this is also my goal at Rangers to do that, but I’m not a typical striker who is only hanging inside the box for his one or two chances.
“I want to help the team, I can drop out of the striker position. With my legs you would expect me maybe to be a target man but that’s not what I am.
“I want to score more goals again because I know I have it in me. In the past I scored a lot of goals then in the last couple of years not so much, but sometimes in the clubs I was at it wasn’t easy as you didn’t get a lot of chances.
“I think the attacking style of play at Rangers also fits me.”
Late Palma strike sinks St Mirren as Celtic celebrate SPL triumph on final day
Luis Palma struck a late winner as champions Celtic twice came from behind to see off St Mirren 3-2 on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season.
It was a day of celebrations at Celtic Park for Brendan Rodgers' side, who wrapped up their third successive domestic title in midweek.
However, St Mirren threatened to spoil the party when Mark O'Hara fired them in front after just seven minutes.
Top scorer Matt O'Riley equalised for the hosts in the 21st minute, but they fell behind again just five minutes later when O'Hara doubled his tally from the penalty spot after Stephen Welsh fouled Toyosi Olusanya.
Kyogo Furuhashi levelled for Celtic before half-time, and the Hoops completed the turnaround with Palma scored the winner with four minutes remaining.
Rodgers' side finished eight points clear of second-place Rangers, who were held to a 3-3 draw by Hearts.
Despite falling behind to Lawrence Shankland's strike, goals from Ross McCausland, Todd Cantwell and Fabio Silva seemingly had the visitors on course for a comfortable win at Tynecastle.
However, there was to be a late twist with Dexter Lembikisa pulling a goal back in the 82nd minute, before Kyosuke Tagawa struck deep into stoppage time to rescue a point for the hosts.
There was also nothing to separate Dundee and Kilmarnock, who drew 1-1 in the other match on the final day.
Luke McCowan cancelled out Gary Mackay-Steven's earlier effort, though the Dundee captain squandered a glorious opportunity to complete the turnaround when he missed a penalty two minutes from time.
Houston Dynamo FC v FC Dallas: Estevez hopes to take advantage of 'great opportunity'
Nico Estevez considers FC Dallas' trip to Houston Dynamo FC a "great opportunity" for his side to lay down a real marker.
Dallas defeated Austin FC 2-1 last time out and have now taken seven points from the last nine on offer on home soil.
Away from home, however, they have taken just one point from a possible 15 this season, with Estevez now after points plus performances in his side's fourth Copa Tejas outing of the campaign.
"I think the team is working well," he said. "They are energetic and we are improving both in results and the level of play.
"We have to continue growing. This game is a great opportunity to do so away from home; to be able to achieve something more than just points and to be able to achieve something important that will help us.
"We are going to have to do many things well to be able to win against a rival as important as Houston."
The Dynamo went down 1-0 to Austin late on in midweek, placing them eighth in the Western Conference and six points better off than their next opponents, having played a game more.
Houston have scored the fewest goals of any side in the West (11), which head coach Ben Olsen acknowledged is down to a lack of quality in front of goal.
"It's decision making and quality in the moment," he said at his pre-match press conference.
"It's not for the lack of getting in dangerous areas on the field. Checking boxes, you don't need a 2.0 expected goals to win games."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Houston Dynamo - Amine Bassi
The Dynamo had 17 shots against Austin without finding the net, six of which were on target - and three of those via Bassi alone.
Bassi's 1.8 shots per game is bettered only by Ibrahim Aliyu (2.5) this season among Houston players, yet he has registered zero goals thus far. That is something that must be put right.
FC Dallas - Petar Musa
Musa played a part in both of Dallas' goals in their victory over Austin, as he scored the opener himself and then assisted Jesus Ferreira for what proved to be the decisive goal.
The Croatia international has now contributed to five of Dallas' last seven MLS goals - three goals and two assists - meaning he is the man for Houston to stop.
MATCH PREDICTION: HOUSTON WIN
Houston's loss to Austin was their fourth defeat in their past seven league matches, compared to just two losses across their previous 17 outings dating back to last July.
Dallas have won three of their past four games in all competitions, meanwhile, having won just three out of 17 prior to this upturn in form.
However, not since November 2020 have Dallas won three successive games across all competitions, while the home team in this fixture is unbeaten in the last 20 encounters between these sides - albeit 11 of those ending all square.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Houston - 42.2%
Draw - 29.3%
Dallas - 28.5%
Newcastle 'determined to finish on a high' at Brentford, Howe insists
Eddie Howe says Newcastle United are "determined to finish on a high" when they travel to Brentford on the final day.
The Magpies, who are seventh in the Premier League, travel to the Gtech Community Stadium still in the hunt to secure European football for a second successive season.
Howe's side trail sixth-place Chelsea by three points but, boasting a superior goal difference, can leapfrog the Blues if they beat Brentford and Mauricio Pochettino's men lose at home to Bournemouth.
The Newcastle head coach knows their destiny is not in their hands, but urged his players to be ready to pounce.
"It's a big last day for us, there's no denying that," he told reporters during his pre-match press conference. "We go into game knowing we have to do our part, which is win the game.
"That is no mean feat, it's going to be a tough game, and then we're in the hands of other clubs.
"The players are determined to finish on a high. We could have got more from the last two games and we didn't.
"We have to do everything we can to do our part. What we don't want to do is for the other teams to make a mistake and we're not there to capitalise on it."
Meanwhile 16th-place Brentford, who can climb to 15th by bettering Everton's result at title-chasing Arsenal, are set to finish in the bottom six - their lowest final position in the Premier League.
Although Thomas Frank admits his sights are set on achieving bigger and better with the Bees, the head coach insists it has been a fruitful campaign with the club's top-flight status assured for another year at least.
"This season has been a good success," he said. "Every year you are in the Premier League is a success if you are a club of our stature. I just hate saying that because we want so much more.
"We want to be an asset to the league, we want to dream big and we want to do something special. But I am an optimistic person, I am positive, and I believe so much in this club.
"The culture is good. There's a good atmosphere. We are pulling in the same direction, we are aligned."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brentford - Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo has been directly involved in more goals than any other Brentford player in the Premier League this season with 15 (nine goals, six assists).
That is despite the winger playing just 24 of the Bees' 37 matches during the campaign.
Newcastle United - Anthony Gordon
Gordon has had a hand in two goals (one goal, one assist) in Newcastle's last two away games, taking his overall tally of direct goal involvements for the season to 21 (11 goals, 10 assists).
With Alexander Isak also boasting 21 involvements (20 goals, one assist), it marks the first time two Magpies players have reached that mark in a Premier League campaign since 1996-97, when Alan Shearer (25 goals, seven assists) and Les Ferdinand (16 goals, eight assists) achieved the feat.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE UNITED
Newcastle have prevailed in each of the last four meetings between the sides, and are unbeaten in all five Premier League encounters.
Brentford have only faced Crystal Palace (six) more in the competition without ever winning than against the Magpies (five).
Newcastle have lost their final league game in just one of the last nine seasons (winning seven, drawing one), with that sole defeat coming against champions Liverpool in 2019-20.
The Magpies are also unbeaten on each of the last six occasions they have finished a league season in London (winning five, drawing one).
You must go back to a 3-2 reverse at Tottenham on the final day of the 1972-73 campaign for their last such defeat.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brentford - 37%
Newcastle United - 34.9%
Draw - 28.1%
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
