Nedim Bajrami offered his most revealing insight yet into the early difficulties he has faced this season with Rangers, admitting the pressure from supporters, time spent out of the squad, and his determination to seize a fresh opportunity under Danny Röhl has shaped his mindset ahead of a critical period in the season.
Speaking after his dramatic late equaliser at Tannadice, the Albanian midfielder went beyond match reflection and addressed the emotional and psychological side of life at Rangers - shedding light on the challenges he has faced behind the scenes and the renewed confidence he now carries.
Bajrami downplayed nerves over the 98th-minute spot-kick, emphasising that he has taken responsibility in big moments before.
“I have a lot of experience taking penalties and my confidence is here. I took it and I scored.
“I was happy to help the team.”
But the most striking comments came as he turned away from the penalty itself and toward the broader context of his season.
Bajrami acknowledged this has been a stop–start campaign filled with frustration.
He explained: “It’s been a frustrating season. I had to wait a long time for my chance.
“The past is the past. I’m back in the squad and happy to help the team but a draw is not good enough for us.”
He stressed repeatedly that he sees this period as a reset and said: “We’re looking forward to the next game, trying to win and score goals.”
Asked directly whether he feels the tension from the support, Bajrami did not shy away.
He said: “Yes, obviously they are used to winning every game.
“We know what we have to do. We know our job and we’re working on this.”
Far from dismissing the pressure, he framed it as part of playing for Rangers.
With the squad still adapting to Röhl’s style and expectations, Bajrami defended his teammates’ mentality.
He said: “We have a lot of new players but they have experience and they can handle this pressure.”
Bajrami revealed that when Röhl arrived, the two held an early conversation about his role.
He revealed: “I spoke with him when he came. I was away with the national team and thought I played well against England.
“I came back, got my chance - Three months ago I was away, now I’m back. This is football.”
He also admitted that being left out entirely earlier in the season under Russell Martin was deeply difficult.
“You train all week and then you’re not in the squad – it was not nice,” he explained.
“But I trained well, gave my best for the club, and now I’m happy to help the team.”
Bajrami named specific figures within the dressing room who helped him through the period where he was out of contention – namely Nicolas Raskin and club captain James Tavernier.
“We have good guys like Tav, like Raskin. They were always here for me, they helped me.
“Now I try to help them on the pitch.”
Bajrami praised the new manager’s early influence, noting both results and style.
“Six games unbeaten now. We created more than the last game.
“We need to stick together – this is the path we need to look forward to.”
Bajrami was frank about the ease of the goals Rangers conceded at Tannadice.
He lamented saying: “Both goals we can defend better.”
But he also highlighted the need for a clinical edge: “We created much more – now the final step is to score these goals.”
He backed the forwards – Danilo, Bojan Miovski and Yousef Chermiti - despite scrutiny on missed chances.
He said: “I know they have quality but it’s about the right moments, being there to score and not overthinking.”
Crucially, he added that goalscoring responsibility does not lie solely with them: “It’s not always the strikers.
“If we help them from behind to get the ball up front, they will score.”