Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GERRONIMO!
Ibrox boss Stevie urges Light Blues to fire everything at Slavia
STEVEN GERRARD has labelled tonight’s shootout with Slavia Prague as the biggest of his managerial career - and urged his men to grasp the chance to make the last eight of the Europa League.
Rangers’ 1-1 draw in the Czech capital last week has given them a great opportunity to go one round further than last season.
And although Gerrard believes the tie is still in the balance, he has ordered his players to have a real go from the first whistle at Ibrox in a bid to make tomorrow’s quarter-final draw.
Gerrard said: “This is right up there at the top of the most important games we’ve played in. The opportunity to achieve the last eight, from where the club was when I first came in, is the chance to achieve something that is monumental. We want to go and empty everything we’ve got into this game.
“If we are in that draw, it would be a fantastic achievement from the players.”
Rangers will go into the match without captain James Tavernier and midfielder Ryan Jack – both of whom also missed the first leg – but Gerrard is confident that if his side starts well they can progress.
He added: “I want us to be aggressive but at the same time we have to show that we are a good team and have good players, international players who can handle the ball at this level because we didn’t do that for the first 20-30 minutes in the first leg.
“It’ll be interesting if we can find our level on both sides of the game. That will give us a better chance.” Under normal circumstances Ibrox would be generating enough electricity to supply the National Grid tonight.
A full house of 50,000 would power the Light Blues against a side that is runaway leaders in their own league – just as Rangers have been in Scotland.
And Gerrard warned: “To come up against a team at this stage of the competition, you’ve got to have respect.
“We’ve played against this team now for 90 minutes and if anything we’ve only got even more respect for them because you can see quite clearly they can play at real high intensity and they’ve got good players who can hurt you if you give them time and space.
“They are a very fit, powerful team – almost German-like in terms of how they go about it – so we’re under no illusions.
“But we have no fear and we are here because we deserve to be here.”
FOOTBALL stands accused of failing hundreds of children in the biggest sexual abuse scandal ever to hit the sport.
The full horror has been revealed in a 710-page report which involved at least 692 victims, 240 suspects across 35 years and named eight clubs. QC Clive Sheldon’s Independent Review into
Child Sexual Abuse in Football between 1970 and 2005 also said there were institutional failures at the FA “for which there is no excuse”. Former football coach and serial paedophile Barry Bennell (left, top), who has been jailed five times, was the highest profile conviction but the FA was criticised heavily for not putting in place child protection measures and failing to ban perpetrators.
The full report also names Chelsea, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Crewe Alexandra, Stoke City, Peterborough United and
Southampton as the clubs where there were failings despite suspicions being raised. Sheldon (below) said: “From what survivors have told me, there was a fear they would not be believed, threats of violence against them or their families or that it would damage their careers.” The failures at the clubs included:
Chelsea – not taking steps to protect a young player who had disclosed abuse by coach Eddie Heath in the mid-1970s.
Aston Villa – should have reported disclosures about sexual abuse by scout Ted Langford to the police in 1989.
Newcastle – should have acted faster following disclosures of abuse by coach George Ormond ( far left, middle) in 1997. He was only removed from the club many months later after he was allowed to travel abroad with young players.
Manchester City – senior management were aware of rumours and concerns about Bennell in the early 1980s but did not investigate.
Crewe – it is likely three directors discussed concerns about Bennell which hinted at his sexual interest in children but took no action, nor ensured there were appropriate arrangements for boys staying overnight at his house.
Stoke City – were aware of rumours about Bennell during his time associated with the club in the early 1990s and steps should have been taken to monitor his activities.
Peterborough United – were aware of rumours about Bob Higgins (left) but took no steps.
Southampton
– also aware of