Former England and Rangers star Terry Butcher has insisted that it is difficult for players from down south to come to Scotland and adapt quickly to the high-octane nature of the Scottish Premiership.
Butcher, who signed for Rangers in 1986, played an integral role in the resurgence of the Old Firm giants under Graeme Souness in the late 1980s after spending years in the doldrums.
The defender was already a UEFA Cup winner with Ipswich Town and had played in two World Cup finals for England when he decided to make the switch to Scotland.
Despite his successes elsewhere, Butcher was shocked by the intensity of the game in Scotland and believes that it will have been the same for this term's new boys Ovie Ejaria, Jon Flanagan, Connor Goldson, Ryan Kent and Joe Worrall.
Butcher insisted that the high-octane nature of Scottish football can be hard to adapt to for the players who come from England, but admitted that the summer recruits at Ibrox have fared well so far.
“Having walked the path that many of these players have in the past and come up to Scotland from England in the past I know that you have to get used to the game in this country pretty quick”, Butcher was quoted as saying by the Herald.
“It is fast and it is furious.
"It is a lot harder than any other league they will play down south.
"The intensity of Scottish football is remarkable. They have to get used to that.
“They also have to get used to the fact that everybody wants to beat you.
"If you are one of the Old Firm then everybody wants to beat you like there is no tomorrow.
“It is their cup final, their World Cup final, it is everything. You have got to be prepared for that.
“And the quicker you learn the better it is.
"They have got to hit the ground running.
"But Rangers have done that”, he added.
