Stevie glee
Rangers join Celtic in Europa play-off round after beating Maribor 3-1 on aggregate
ALLAN McGREGOR rolled back the years last night to leave Steven Gerrard wishing his keeper was 10 years younger.
The Rangers boss hailed his No.1 for two world-class stops, including a last-minute penalty, as they marched into the Europa League play-off round.
Gerrard lavished praise on his “heroic” side after a nervous goalless draw in Maribor set up a clash with Russian outfit Ufa. It was the third clean sheet
Rangers have recorded on the road in Europe this season as McGregor, 36, produced his best showing since taking on Werder Bremen en route to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final.
Gerrard also hit out at Bordeaux for making a bid for Alfredo Morelos he claimed was “disrespectful”, revealing Gers want to offer him a new contract.
He said: “Over the two legs we deserved to go through. We’ve just knocked a Champions League side out of the Europa League and if you look at the big picture my players were incredible.
“I’m not sure there are words to describe Allan after a performance like that. The save before the penalty was world class, as was the spotkick save itself. He was man of the match.
“It’s a shame he’s nearly as old as me – we wish he was 10 years younger. Rangers fans love him and we love him too.
“We expected Maribor to come at us even more in the second half as time was running out. We were getting more at the other end and created one or two little opportunities we might have capitalised on and got that goal.
“However, I have no criticism of my team. Defensively we were heroic. The challenges are harder because of the players we’re facing as we progress in this competition so they deserve even more credit.
“I’m pleased because there are two sides of this team and you must have two sides. Where we are at the moment, there is no way we can come here and go and press. It was their responsibility to come and beat us. They were the favourites. They were confident, they had all the ego and all the media.
“It was their responsibility to break us down and they couldn’t.” Rangers rejected a £3.75million move for Morelos on Wednesday. And Gerrard said the club
want to offer him a new deal six months after he signed a fresh one following Beijing Renhe’s £7.5m bid.
He said: “We want Alfredo here. I hope the club realise the importance of the player. In an ideal situation we stick by him and renew his contract.
“We keep hold of him because he’s very important to me, to us and the club.
“If we want success moving forward we have to keep our best players.
“Every single player has a price but no one will be leaving here on their terms. It will be our terms.
“Their bid was nowhere near it. It was disrespectful. I can’t control if they are going to come back or go away. I don’t care.
“All I can do is go to the board and say, ‘I want this player to stay and I think he deserves a new contract on better terms’.
“After that he can focus on helping us be successful moving forward. As far as Bordeaux are concerned, blow us out the water with a massive bid or else don’t pick the phone up.”
Rangers will entertain Ufa at Ibrox next week but the return leg means a 5000-mile round trip three days before the first Old Firm clash of the season.
But Gerrard said: “It’s about letting my players enjoy this moment. The games are coming thick and fast and the schedule is tough so it’s important they enjoy and rest and recover and get ready for the next challenge.
“We are going to play a Russian team and that is another challenge.
“However, my players should take confidence from where they’ve got to and I have confidence we can go and finish off the job of qualification.”