Excellent words from the gaffer and very positive for the future
A fact that people seem to forget with Morelos because he missed so many chances was the amount of chances he made for himself or the positions he got into, you dont see many players having 8 or 9 shots against them like that, it will come for Alfie agains't them.
Steven Gerrard on the 'nonsense' Rangers theory he's sick and tired of hearing about
The Ibrox boss knows what people are saying but he certainly doesn't subscribe to the rumour mill.
The contract Steven Gerrard will sign this week is less important than the chapter Rangers can script tonight in the Europa League.
The Light Blues boss is set to extend his stay at Ibrox to 2024, but he doesn’t want the announcement to overshadow his side’s exploits in the Betfred Cup and Europa League.
Allan McGregor and Steven Davis are also set to sign one year deals, with talks ongoing with Jermain Defoe about making his loan move from Bournemouth a permanent affair.
PROMOTED STORIES
Rangers are moving in the right direction again, even after the devastation felt by their fans over the manner of the loss to Celtic in Sunday’s Hampden showpiece.
The Ibrox side can top a UEFA group for only the second time in history tonight - they looked down from the top of Group A in the UEFA Cup in 2006/07 - if they defeat Young Boys in front of another sell out Govan audience.
(Image: SNS Group)
It would underline still further the progress made by Gerrard since he became boss 18 months ago after he led his new-look side through a group of gruelling qualifiers to the group stage of the Europa League last season.
Gerrard insists he’s around for the long term, swatting aside suggestions a move to Rangers was only ever an apprenticeship for bigger things to come, most notably Liverpool.
In truth, he’s determined not just to bring short term success to Rangers, but build a foundation that will see them compete on a level footing with Celtic for seasons to come.
He said: “I’m happy here. I’m thankful for the opportunity and as hungry as ever to make it a success.
READ MORE
“The club came to me around 10 days ago and it’s been pretty straightforward. I asked for it to be kept quiet before the final and this European game because the results for the team are more important.
“We’ll pick it up after Thursday’s game, but there’s nothing to talk about because I want to stay and they want to keep me so it’s pretty simple.
“Suggestions I’d only be here for a couple of years? That wasn’t in my thinking, although it has been in the thinking of the majority
‘Oh, Rangers is a stepping stone’ or ‘He’s just going there to rehearse for something else.’
“It’s a load of nonsense. This is a big opportunity for me and I have no plans of going anywhere else. If I had I wouldn’t be signing a new deal as I still have two and a bit years left.
(Image: SNS Group)
“I certainly wouldn’t turn down an extension because I’m really enjoying it and appreciate this role.”
Gerrard claimed at the Hummel Centre yesterday he’s no pyschologist, swatting aside the chance to talk about calming the inner chimp in the head of his group after they gave so much against Celtic, only to leave Hampden with so little.
Gerrard has always given the impression of being a man’s man, modern in his methods, but old school stoical when it comes to dealing with the slings and arrows of outrageous football fortune.
He added: “It is what it is. You have just got to handle that. I’m no good at that psychology bit.
“It helps having a game of this magnitude to try and swing everyone’s mood and feeling.
“I’m more gutted for the players than from a personal point of view because I know what they put in to the game and what they wanted out of that competition.
“If we had been outplayed from start to finish and comfortably beaten then sometimes you have to hold your hand up.
(Image: SNS Group)
“But I was very buoyed and excited by that performance. From start to finish it was very dominant.
“But I know more than most from a footballer’s point of view that big moments in big games are important and you have to grab them. We didn’t.
“We have to use the experiences for and against in our favour. That’s what playing at the top is all about. I have no doubts I will get a positive reaction from these lads.”
Gerrard will keep Rangers supporters waiting for now on the next penalty taker at the club, although he revealed there have been “a queue” of players demanding the job.
He insists Alfredo Morelos, the cup final fall guy, has been “bubbly and chirpy”. That might come as a shock to the Light Blues legions, who prefer to see him skulking the frontline with a scowl on his face as it’s when he does most damage.
(Image: SNS Group)
Gerrard added: “He seems like he’s over it which is good, because we need him to be over it. He’s the reason why we’ve got a huge, huge chance to top the group in a different competition.
“He’s one of our main players - if we are to have our day he’ll be a big part of it.
“I don’t think he’ll ever hide, he’s not that type of player. He wants the responsibility.
“Look, he met a keeper who put in a world class performance. Fraser’s a top goalie. If he was to show that form week in and week out there’s no reason why he couldn’t be back in the England reckoning, for sure.
“Alfredo did everything he could for his team so it would be very unfair if I was to criticise him.
“He was unplayable at times, was getting shots off, and everything we wanted our nine to do on the day he carried it out.
“Of course, the penalty miss is huge because it completely swings the whole game. But a penalty is a penalty - people miss them and people score them.”
A fact that people seem to forget with Morelos because he missed so many chances was the amount of chances he made for himself or the positions he got into, you dont see many players having 8 or 9 shots against them like that, it will come for Alfie agains't them.
Steven Gerrard on the 'nonsense' Rangers theory he's sick and tired of hearing about
The Ibrox boss knows what people are saying but he certainly doesn't subscribe to the rumour mill.
The contract Steven Gerrard will sign this week is less important than the chapter Rangers can script tonight in the Europa League.
The Light Blues boss is set to extend his stay at Ibrox to 2024, but he doesn’t want the announcement to overshadow his side’s exploits in the Betfred Cup and Europa League.
Allan McGregor and Steven Davis are also set to sign one year deals, with talks ongoing with Jermain Defoe about making his loan move from Bournemouth a permanent affair.
PROMOTED STORIES
Rangers are moving in the right direction again, even after the devastation felt by their fans over the manner of the loss to Celtic in Sunday’s Hampden showpiece.
The Ibrox side can top a UEFA group for only the second time in history tonight - they looked down from the top of Group A in the UEFA Cup in 2006/07 - if they defeat Young Boys in front of another sell out Govan audience.
(Image: SNS Group)
It would underline still further the progress made by Gerrard since he became boss 18 months ago after he led his new-look side through a group of gruelling qualifiers to the group stage of the Europa League last season.
Gerrard insists he’s around for the long term, swatting aside suggestions a move to Rangers was only ever an apprenticeship for bigger things to come, most notably Liverpool.
In truth, he’s determined not just to bring short term success to Rangers, but build a foundation that will see them compete on a level footing with Celtic for seasons to come.
He said: “I’m happy here. I’m thankful for the opportunity and as hungry as ever to make it a success.
READ MORE
“The club came to me around 10 days ago and it’s been pretty straightforward. I asked for it to be kept quiet before the final and this European game because the results for the team are more important.
“We’ll pick it up after Thursday’s game, but there’s nothing to talk about because I want to stay and they want to keep me so it’s pretty simple.
“Suggestions I’d only be here for a couple of years? That wasn’t in my thinking, although it has been in the thinking of the majority
‘Oh, Rangers is a stepping stone’ or ‘He’s just going there to rehearse for something else.’
“It’s a load of nonsense. This is a big opportunity for me and I have no plans of going anywhere else. If I had I wouldn’t be signing a new deal as I still have two and a bit years left.
(Image: SNS Group)
“I certainly wouldn’t turn down an extension because I’m really enjoying it and appreciate this role.”
Gerrard claimed at the Hummel Centre yesterday he’s no pyschologist, swatting aside the chance to talk about calming the inner chimp in the head of his group after they gave so much against Celtic, only to leave Hampden with so little.
Gerrard has always given the impression of being a man’s man, modern in his methods, but old school stoical when it comes to dealing with the slings and arrows of outrageous football fortune.
He added: “It is what it is. You have just got to handle that. I’m no good at that psychology bit.
“It helps having a game of this magnitude to try and swing everyone’s mood and feeling.
“I’m more gutted for the players than from a personal point of view because I know what they put in to the game and what they wanted out of that competition.
“If we had been outplayed from start to finish and comfortably beaten then sometimes you have to hold your hand up.
(Image: SNS Group)
“But I was very buoyed and excited by that performance. From start to finish it was very dominant.
“But I know more than most from a footballer’s point of view that big moments in big games are important and you have to grab them. We didn’t.
“We have to use the experiences for and against in our favour. That’s what playing at the top is all about. I have no doubts I will get a positive reaction from these lads.”
Gerrard will keep Rangers supporters waiting for now on the next penalty taker at the club, although he revealed there have been “a queue” of players demanding the job.
He insists Alfredo Morelos, the cup final fall guy, has been “bubbly and chirpy”. That might come as a shock to the Light Blues legions, who prefer to see him skulking the frontline with a scowl on his face as it’s when he does most damage.
(Image: SNS Group)
Gerrard added: “He seems like he’s over it which is good, because we need him to be over it. He’s the reason why we’ve got a huge, huge chance to top the group in a different competition.
“He’s one of our main players - if we are to have our day he’ll be a big part of it.
“I don’t think he’ll ever hide, he’s not that type of player. He wants the responsibility.
“Look, he met a keeper who put in a world class performance. Fraser’s a top goalie. If he was to show that form week in and week out there’s no reason why he couldn’t be back in the England reckoning, for sure.
“Alfredo did everything he could for his team so it would be very unfair if I was to criticise him.
“He was unplayable at times, was getting shots off, and everything we wanted our nine to do on the day he carried it out.
“Of course, the penalty miss is huge because it completely swings the whole game. But a penalty is a penalty - people miss them and people score them.”
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