Have a great game Lewis .. but don’t win
I’m so proud of nephew’s goal v Burnley but hope he doesn’t spoil Gerrard’s Premiership baptism of fire at Pittodrie bear pit tomorrow
AT half-time in the Rangers game on Thursday night I flicked over to the analysis of Aberdeen’s second leg against Burnley.
Then my son Kyle told me his cousin Lewis had scored for Aberdeen – and what a goal it was. I don’t mind admitting it will be strange if he lines up against Rangers at Pittodrie.
It’s hard because at the end of the day he is my nephew but I’m a Rangers fan so the ideal scenario would be for Lewis to have a great game but Rangers to come away with the points.
Lewis was actually at Rangers as a kid but they didn’t think he was good enough. He was gutted to be let go but has shown great character – that’s the Ferguson in him – to prove there is life after Ibrox.
He played in the Premiership with Hamilton and earned a move to a big club so he has shown he can play a bit.
A number of young players have been freed by Rangers and gone on to make careers elsewhere. I always say not to let rejection affect you – and Lewis has done that.
I’m desperate for him to do well and it was a great finish against Burnley. When he moves at such a young age you’re worried he won’t start.
But he has obviously had an excellent pre-season and earned his place in the team – with that great goal justifying it.
Of course there is immense pride when you see a family member doing so well and I just hope he can have a long and successful career.
I just want him to make a name for himself. I don’t want anyone to compare him to his dad or me – it’s all about Lewis.
He is totally different from myself and Derek anyway. We were more holding midfielders but he plays off the front and makes late runs into the box.
You don’t generally see that from young kids now. It’s about getting the ball and dictating play but Lewis likes to get forward at every opportunity as you could see at Turf Moor where he was playing off Sam Cosgrove.
Lewis will take everything in his stride and won’t get carried away. He’ll knuckle down and work hard so I’ve got no fears over him.
I don’t have too many fears over the direction in which Rangers are going under Steven Gerrard. But if I could give him one piece of advice ahead of his first trip to Pittodrie it would be to make sure he has the tin hat at the ready.
It’s going to be a baptism of fire for the new Rangers boss as he prepares to make his debut in Scottish football in one of the toughest possible fixtures.
Aberdeen away is about as difficult a game as he could have started with but it’s the type of match you want as a footballer.
And the most pleasing thing after watching Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Osijek at Ibrox is this Rangers team look like they have the character to handle Sunday’s trip to the north east.
We all know the history between Aberdeen and Rangers. When you go up there the players and fans will be in your faces and as a player I loved that.
You need to be prepared for a battle. It’s a feisty fixture, 100 miles per hour, and if you’re not prepared to go in where it hurts don’t bother turning up.
This Rangers side are showing signs they’re going do that.
They will roll their sleeves up and Gerrard will learn so much about his team in that first game. Aberdeen have finished above Rangers in the league in the last two seasons and of course Derek McInnes will have them fired up.
He will be more determined than ever to show he can finish second for a fifth season in a row. That is the challenge for Rangers but one they look like they’ll be up for because the players know if standards dip then they won’t be in the team under Gerrard.
Thursday night told me this Rangers team are prepared to dig deep and work for one another and the club.
The football could have been better at times against the Croats but you can work on that.
It’s still a new group of players
and early in the season. But Gerrard has instilled a mentality where they are ready to run through brick walls and you need that before anything else.
The workrate should be a given but it has been lacking in the last year or so and Pittodrie is a venue where you’re going to need that commitment more than ever.
I know Gerrard singled out Ryan Jack for special praise and he did a good job but I looked more at Rangers as a unit.
There could have been a bit more quality at times in terms of keeping the ball but the desire and commitment of the team was most pleasing.
They were at it from the word go. Osijek were technically very good but Rangers worked so hard to get the ball back and that’s all you want from your team because the quality will get better in time.