BlueMeanie
Well-Known Member
CONNOR GOLDSON ended Rangers’ Betfred Cup rout of Falkirk wearing the captain’s armband.
Gordon Greer reckons he could soon have it for keeps.
Team-mates at Brighton, former Scotland defender Greer has watched his old pal emerge as the man Steven Gerrard can’t live without.
Incredibly, Goldson has played every minute of every match in Rangers’ remarkable 23-game unbeaten run this season.
As a result, the 27-year-old, whose career was put on hold when he underwent life-saving open heart surgery in February 2017, was singled out for special praise from his boss in the aftermath of Sunday’s 4-0 win.
And Greer told how Goldson has grown into the leadership role to become pivotal for Gers.
Greer said: “He’s always had so much going for him. He’s a big boy and he can defend. He can pick out a pass too.
“He wants to work hard and learn. When you feel confident in yourself you are more willing be vocal on the park. That has shone through this season with Connor.
“I can definitely see him as a future Rangers captain.
“He’s in a good place and he’s prepared to voice his opinions. He’s a player the manager really depends upon now.
“He always had these characteristics, they are just coming to the fore now. His consistency levels are excellent.”
Nine months ago, Goldson was jeered by fans after his mistake allowed Hamilton to claim a famous win at Ibrox to leave Rangers a whopping 13 points behind Celtic. That remains their last domestic defeat.
Now 11 points clear of the champions, Gerrard’s men can seal a place in the knockout stage of the Europa League with victory over Standard Liege at Ibrox tomorrow night.
Goldson and his Ibrox team-mates were in a dark place following that Accies defeat.
But they’ve returned this season with a focus and clear shift in mentality which suggests they are finally ready to lay claim to silverware.
Greer paid tribute to Goldson’s strength of character and said: “When he first joined Brighton I was impressed. Straight away you could see his qualities.
“He was playing my position, but he was always someone you wanted to do well. He wanted to learn and improve.
“There was a lot to like about him. Even when he wasn’t playing he trained really hard. He just wanted to get better.
“So that strength of character has always been there.
“Rangers are playing so well at the moment. They are so good going forward there is not as much pressure on the back four.”
Gerrard believes Goldson is determined to play every game he can as he makes up for lost time following heart surgery.
The Ibrox boss insists his central-defensive mainstay is in a “fantastic place”, and Greer reckons there’s more to come.
The former Kilmarnock stopper said: “You can understand where Connor is coming from when you consider what happened to him.
“Footballers want to play. Sometimes, if you are having a hard time, it’s good for the manager to maybe take you out. It can give you a mental break. But at the moment Rangers are flying and anyone would want to keep their place.
“They are putting teams away and people like Connor are defending so well.
“I can understand why he wants to keep playing. He’s been like that since he joined Rangers and, to be fair, the manager has always played him.
“He clearly rates him. Even when the perception was that he wasn’t playing well, Steven Gerrard continued to play him, which tells me he was doing something right.
“He’s always been one of the first names on the team sheet.”
