With strong development programmes put in place from academy level for youth players, the Gers have given special attention to strengthening their roots and building the winning ideology through all levels.
Veteran striker Defoe has been in Glasgow since 2019 and has seen the club undergo a massive shift in mentality over the past seasons, a change he has noticed even in the youth ranks.
Defoe is of the view that when a club aspire to do something special in football, the entire squad, including youth players should step up to play their part, and he revealed he is currently seeing all the signs of a winning mentality.
The hitman added that he sees hard working players sweating it out in the gym every day, an attitude which enrichens the positive atmosphere being nurtured at Rangers, which in turn has resulted in the excellent results they have reaped so far this season.
“[When] you are trying to achieve special things at a football club you need that [a strong squad with competition for places]”, Defoe told Rangers TV.
“You need a big squad; you need players that understand what it takes to play for this football club.
“And being consistent, winning football matches, playing well, training well every day and I think we have got that now.
“I mentioned it, we had a meeting, I mentioned that I could sense a sort of like a different sort of focus around the group.
“And I watched the players around the training ground, especially the younger players.
“The gym is packed every day and on days half the players come in, sometimes on a day you get ten players in the gym and it is nice to see.
“And I think if you’ve got that at a football club, it is a massive sign.”
Rangers are continuing an unbeaten run in the Europa League as well as in the Scottish Premiership and have racked up a 23-point lead in the league with 24 wins from 27 outings.
