THE MOST EXCITING DAY AT IBROX SINCE GAZZA SIGNED...
THE locals say Ibrox has not seen excitement like this since Paul Gascoigne signed for Rangers — and that was 23 years ago. Here in Glasgow yesterday afternoon, , Steven Gerrard walked into the same Blue e Room in which Gascoigne had been n unveiled in 1995, a room steeped in history y with its murals of glories past.
But this was about the here and now and d the future of a club for whom the likes of Gascoigne have become a distant memory ry amid the suffering of recent years.
There were 7,000 supporters on Edmiston Drive, the street visible from the windows of the Blue Room and directly outside the stadium’s iconic red-brick entrance.
You did not need to press your nose against the glass to be aware of their presence, however, as a chorus of ‘He’s blue, he’s white, he’s f****** dynamite, Steve Gerrard’ penetrated the panes and was audible to all inside, including Gerrard.
‘I thought this was going to be a secret!’ he said with a smile.
Such was their number — and their noise — that the turnstiles were opened and they flooded the lower tier of the Bill Struth Stand. Struth was manager for 34 years and won 18 titles. Given Celtic’s recent dominance, Gerrard would no doubt settle for one.
At exactly 3.30pm he emerged from the tunnel. At first he was reserved, returning polite applause. That lasted all of 10 seconds and, encouraged by the roar, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, pumping them in the air as if in celebration of a goal. They enjoyed that. ‘He’s blue, he’s white…’.
Earlier, Gerrard had given a flawless first performance as Rangers manager. No slip-ups this time.
He was calculated but convincing, softly spoken yet loud and clear. His message? Bring it on, I’m here to win.
‘My parents brought me up in life to always front a challenge,’ he said. ‘If you feel like that challenge is the right one for you, go for it. Go and front it up and give it your best shot. That’s exactly what I’m going to do here. Pressure’s not a bad thing for me. I played under pressure, I have lived under pressure since I left school.’
He did not revert to cliches, far from it. It felt genuine. He is here after all, taking on the job at this ‘basket case of a football club’, as one seasoned observer put it.
Forty- eight hours earlier, Gerrard sat in a Rome trattoria alongside his BT Sport colleagues Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Steve McManaman and Gary Lineker. The sun was shining and Liverpool, the club where he has coached the Under 18s this season, were a few hours away from passage to the Champions League final. Life was good. Gerrard could not help but laugh when asked what the conversation was around that table. Did they tell him he was mad?
‘Rio and Frank were very supportive,’ he said. ‘I have really enjoyed working with them as pundits on the big games. I’m not sure they have enjoyed it recently in terms of how Liverpool have done, but I certainly have!
‘But yes, they were supportive and very complimentary towards this football club.’
Interestingly, Gerrard revealed that he has not spoken to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp since the call came making him aware of Rangers’ interest 10 days ago.
That, inevitably, led to questions of his desire to one day succeed
Klopp at Anfield. Given that he was not even one hour into his post at Ibrox, Gerrard opted for diplomacy.
‘I am the manager of Rangers right now,’ he said, although at no point did he deny the suggestion.
‘I am so proud to be sitting here. I don’t know what is going to happen over the next five years, 10 years, 15 years.
‘ Liverpool obviously hold a special place for me and I will be a Liverpool fan for the rest of my life, but right now my priority is Glasgow Rangers.’
Indeed, his priorities are plentiful. Such as ending seven years without a trophy, closing a 13-point deficit to Celtic and, most pertinent of all, getting the funds needed to achieve all of that.
Insiders insist he would not be here without the promise of such investment. But Rangers chairman Dave King, sitting alongside Gerrard, was vague on his new man’s transfer kitty.
Gerrard’s cause is not aided by the strength of Old Firm rivals Celtic, managed by his former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers. And across town yesterday afternoon, Rodgers appeared to close the door on the pair enjoying a cosy relationship.
‘If you look at Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson, they are great friends now but it is difficult to have that when there is a rivalry,’ he said.
Gerrard, though, seems not to be fazed by the success of Rodgers. If anything, it appeared an added motivation.
As it will be proving wrong all of those who have questioned his decision to swap the comfort of the academy for the potential discomfort of a club where to finish second is to lose. ‘I am here to win,’ he declared again, bullishly.
Meanwhile, Gascoigne was tweeting: ‘Good luck Steve. All they ask for is that you give 110%… oh, and that you beat their rivals. You will get flak on the day (from Celtic fans) but embrace it.’
Rangers’ supporters have certainly embraced Gerrard. They, and he, can only hope he proves as big a hit as Gascoigne.