Letizi can cut out blunders by learning to be a lingo star

FORMER Hearts keeper Gilles Rousset today backed countryman Lionel Letizi to put his costly blunder for Rangers firmly behind him.

By helping the Gers record a morale-boosting victory over his former club in the SPL showdown at Ibrox tomorrow.

Letizi gifted Dunfermline a late equaliser at East End Park on Sunday when he dropped the ball at the feet of Owen Morrison.

He has been hammered for that shocking error by Gers fans growing restless with life under new manager Paul Le Guen.

However, Rousset, who joined the Jam Tarts from Rennes in 1995, knows how difficult it is for a keeper to adapt to Scottish football - and has tipped the twice-capped French international to bounce back from the disappointment in the clash with the early league leaders.

Rousset said: "Lionel is an excellent player. I think he just needs time to get used to the game in Scotland in general, and with Rangers in particular.

"Rangers are such a strong team that a goalkeeper will often have very little to do in a game. Then he will suddenly be called upon to make an important save.

"It is quite a different challenge to anything he was used to with either of his former clubs in France, Metz or Paris St Germain.

"In French football, there are not so many high balls and crosses for a keeper to deal with and it is inevitable Lionel will find that difficult at first.

"Also, there is much more protection for a keeper in France than in Scotland."

He added: "The Hearts game will be a good one for Lionel to play in, straight after making such a bad mistake.

"It is the perfect opportunity for him to make amends with a good display. He is certainly quite capable."

Rousset, who worked under Le Guen as goalkeeping coach at Lyon, feels the influx of so many new players has led to communication problems in a new-look Rangers' defence.

And he knows only too well from his own experience of moving to this country how that can adversely affect a goalkeeper's confidence and, in turn, his performances.

He recalled: "I had thought I could speak quite a bit of English when I joined Hearts.

"Little did I realise itwasn't English I needed to speak, it was Scottish!

"As soon as Gary Locke started talking to me, I realised that I didn't understand the language at all!

"In my first game as a trialist, I had no idea what anybody was saying. Pretty soon, though, my team-mates had taught me the Scottish words I needed to know - including all the bad ones. Life got easier after that.

"There are about five or six new first-team players at Rangers this season and that is making it very tough for the team at this early stage."

He continued: "It is so important for a player to learn to speak the native language when you go to play in a different country.

"You have to adapt, not the other people at the club.

"It is about respect. You are playing in Scotland so you need to learn to speak English - sorry, Scottish - so you can communicate with everyone at the club. It is a basic requirement."

Meanwhile, Rousset has also insisted old friend Le Guen can turn things around at Ibrox after a stuttering start to his time in charge.

Two draws and one victory in the SPL has not been the sort of start to instill confidence in his French revolution.

But Rousset today urged the notoriously hard-to-please Light Blues faithful to give the new man in charge the time he needs to settle in to life in Scotland.

He said: "Scottish football is very tough in terms of intensity, aggression and physicality. In those areas, it is far tougher than in France.

"Managing Rangers is a totally new challenge for Paul and it will take him some time to find his feet and build a team to play his style of football.

"But I know all about the quality of the man and the coach and I am positive he will succeed in Scotland. His partnership with his assistant, Yves Colleu, is strong. They will come good."

He added: "I also know quite a few of the guys Paul has brought in and they are quality players.

"But the first two or three months will be tough for everyone.

"Sure, by Rangers' standards, it has not been a great start to the season for Paul.

"He would have hoped for better than two draws and one win. But he will find a solution.

"Remember, Celtic have already lost a match and Hearts dropped two points to Falkirk at the weekend. There is a long way still to go. I don't think Rangers will be too far away at the end of the campaign."

Taken from Evening Times