kevfromkent
Well-Known Member
The Liverpool supporters aren’t the only ones who Dream of a Team of Carraghers.
A favoured ditty at Anfield in tribute to the former defender, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard can be heard singing the same tune these days. It has
little to do with celebrating what has gone before, however, and everything to do with what may lie ahead for some of the youngsters under his tutelage at Ibrox.
As Gerrard looks to create a legacy at Rangers the Englishman is keen to establish a credible conveyor belt from the academy through to the first team but has warned that it is about more than just hitting the right notes on the pitch.
“If it was just about talent Jamie Carragher would have played for Liverpool maybe a dozen times,” said Gerrard of his former colleague. “Jamie Carragher had talent, yes, but Carragher’s strength was his heart and his head and his desire and his sacrifice on a daily basis to make sure he was professional and stayed in the Liverpool team.
“He is probably the most mentally strong player I ever played with. But what he did was that he put everything around his talent that you need to be a professional and to stay at the top. Jamie Carragher became one of the best defenders in Europe because he had the strongest heart and the strongest mentality you can have as a footballer.”
Rangers host Stranraer this evening as they kick off their Scottish Cup campaign and Gerrard may consider giving one or two of the academy players their opportunity, albeit his starting line-up will offer an indication as to the level of respect he holds the competition in.
Academy player Nathan Patterson started the friendly against Uzbekistan side Lokomotiv Tashkent in Dubai, while Kai Kennedy and James Maxwell were involved off the bench. Gerrard would have given an opportunity to the academy kids “yesterday” if he had the chance because he appreciates the link it provides between the pitch and the stands. However, he has also warned that alone is insufficient to nail down a starting jersey.
“I want to promote the academy and I want to give opportunities out,” said the Rangers manager. “If I find an academy kid that is better than someone I have bought then the academy kid will play on a regular basis. I want to give them an opportunity because I have been there. I have lived it, I have dreamt it, I have done it.
“I think if you look at our fans and the passion and desire they show and how they represent the city and the badge, I think it is very similar to Liverpool. They want someone to represent them on the pitch because you get that instant connection.
“But talent only gets you so far, especially at a club like this. Talent will earn you a career at some level but if you want to be at the top, playing European football, or in front of this Ibrox crowd, going to Celtic Park and performing then you need to have more than talent in your locker.
“That’s the reason a lot of academy players don’t get there. I’m not sure they have the right people around them away from the game telling them this from a young age.
“There can’t be any sentiment or just ticking an academy box. They have to be good enough. It is as simple as that because when you are in my shoes you have got to win football matches.”
In that respect, Gerrard has not fared too badly in the time he has been in the Rangers dugout. But there is a feeling in some quarters that he needs to deliver silverware this season.
The league title is the most coveted prize in Scottish football, but the Cup presents an opportunity to present tangible evidence that Rangers are capable of ending Celtic’s era of domestic dominance.
“We will show the competition respect and integrity, you’ll see that from the team I pick [tonight],” said Gerrard. This is a competition we want to win. We realistically have two pieces of silverware left to win this season. It’s three if you count the Europa League, but we all know and respect where we are in terms of that competition.
“We’ve spoken about being hungry and consistent from day one. We’re relatively pleased with the way the first half of the season has gone and now we have to build on that.
“We’ve won four games in a row and we want to stay in our rhythm. We’ll treat Stranraer with respect. We won’t think they are just a team bottom of the division a couple of leagues below us so this will be an easy night.” https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...demy-talent-into-rangers-first-team-jpz2k8r6b
A favoured ditty at Anfield in tribute to the former defender, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard can be heard singing the same tune these days. It has
little to do with celebrating what has gone before, however, and everything to do with what may lie ahead for some of the youngsters under his tutelage at Ibrox.
As Gerrard looks to create a legacy at Rangers the Englishman is keen to establish a credible conveyor belt from the academy through to the first team but has warned that it is about more than just hitting the right notes on the pitch.
“If it was just about talent Jamie Carragher would have played for Liverpool maybe a dozen times,” said Gerrard of his former colleague. “Jamie Carragher had talent, yes, but Carragher’s strength was his heart and his head and his desire and his sacrifice on a daily basis to make sure he was professional and stayed in the Liverpool team.
“He is probably the most mentally strong player I ever played with. But what he did was that he put everything around his talent that you need to be a professional and to stay at the top. Jamie Carragher became one of the best defenders in Europe because he had the strongest heart and the strongest mentality you can have as a footballer.”
Rangers host Stranraer this evening as they kick off their Scottish Cup campaign and Gerrard may consider giving one or two of the academy players their opportunity, albeit his starting line-up will offer an indication as to the level of respect he holds the competition in.
Academy player Nathan Patterson started the friendly against Uzbekistan side Lokomotiv Tashkent in Dubai, while Kai Kennedy and James Maxwell were involved off the bench. Gerrard would have given an opportunity to the academy kids “yesterday” if he had the chance because he appreciates the link it provides between the pitch and the stands. However, he has also warned that alone is insufficient to nail down a starting jersey.
“I want to promote the academy and I want to give opportunities out,” said the Rangers manager. “If I find an academy kid that is better than someone I have bought then the academy kid will play on a regular basis. I want to give them an opportunity because I have been there. I have lived it, I have dreamt it, I have done it.
“I think if you look at our fans and the passion and desire they show and how they represent the city and the badge, I think it is very similar to Liverpool. They want someone to represent them on the pitch because you get that instant connection.
“But talent only gets you so far, especially at a club like this. Talent will earn you a career at some level but if you want to be at the top, playing European football, or in front of this Ibrox crowd, going to Celtic Park and performing then you need to have more than talent in your locker.
“That’s the reason a lot of academy players don’t get there. I’m not sure they have the right people around them away from the game telling them this from a young age.
“There can’t be any sentiment or just ticking an academy box. They have to be good enough. It is as simple as that because when you are in my shoes you have got to win football matches.”
In that respect, Gerrard has not fared too badly in the time he has been in the Rangers dugout. But there is a feeling in some quarters that he needs to deliver silverware this season.
The league title is the most coveted prize in Scottish football, but the Cup presents an opportunity to present tangible evidence that Rangers are capable of ending Celtic’s era of domestic dominance.
“We will show the competition respect and integrity, you’ll see that from the team I pick [tonight],” said Gerrard. This is a competition we want to win. We realistically have two pieces of silverware left to win this season. It’s three if you count the Europa League, but we all know and respect where we are in terms of that competition.
“We’ve spoken about being hungry and consistent from day one. We’re relatively pleased with the way the first half of the season has gone and now we have to build on that.
“We’ve won four games in a row and we want to stay in our rhythm. We’ll treat Stranraer with respect. We won’t think they are just a team bottom of the division a couple of leagues below us so this will be an easy night.” https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...demy-talent-into-rangers-first-team-jpz2k8r6b
