A GIANT LEAP AT IBROX
Don: Stevie must make his Rangers stars feel 10 feet tall when they step on to the pitch – there’s no doubt they can win the league this season
DON HUTCHISON believes Steven Gerrard can lead Rangers to the title in his first season – because he will make his players feel like they are giants on the pitch.
The former Liverpool star has been greatly impressed with the job Gerrard has done in his maiden campaign at Ibrox. And he reckons the arrival of Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis in the January transfer window will only boost Rangers’ chances of halting Celtic’s bid for eight title in a row.
Hutchison believes the duo will be decent additions and the first of many top stars Gerrard will be able to lure north.
Gerrard and Rangers signed off the first half by beating their rivals and going level on points at the top of the table.
They are well placed now and the former Scotland international wouldn’t be surprised if they were to finish as champions in May. Hutchison said: “If I was to come back to play again for an former player then it would be Stevie G at Rangers. “You can only start to imagine the type of information he and Gary McAllister are passing on to their players on a daily basis. “Their team talks are also likely to be amazing. I was always the sort of player who responded best to a passionate manager, like Peter Reid and Graeme Souness.
“Guys like that get you charged and I am sure Stevie will make the Rangers players feel 10ft tall when they walk on to the pitch. Look how far the team have come in such a short space of time.”
Hutchison, who will play for Scotland at Star Sixes which kicks off tonight at the SSE Hydro, said: “I definitely think Stevie can win the title at Rangers.
“It is very, very tight in the Premiership just now and Rangers are right up there.
“Steven will continue to demand the very highest standards from his players in every game. He will keep doing that and there is no reason, if his players keep responding, that Rangers can’t win the league.
“We all know – he is a born winner and there is no doubt he
will be given the backing to strengthen his squad further this month.
“Everyone at Rangers has to think, and more importantly believe, they have a genuine chance of winning the league.”
Gerrard has moved up from Liverpool’s under-age ranks to frontline management and Hutchison reckons he has taken it in his stride.
He said: “I like everything I see from him. He speaks well, looks the part and he is honest and up front.
“He is very forthright and has told the players if you are not doing it then I will get somebody else in if you can’t get us past semi-finals.
“He also said after the recent St Johnstone game that they shouldn’t be coming to places like this and struggling.
“He wasn’t being disrespectful. He was just stating the standards of where Rangers should be. So it is clear he gets where Rangers are. It seems to be the perfect fit for Stevie G, where he is and where he wants to go.
“He is doing a great job. Many people would shrink in that sort of environment but Stevie seems to be relishing it. It seems to be a job that is made for him.”
There is also ongoing talk Ibrox is a stepping stone back to Liverpool for Gerrard but Hutchison isn’t convinced that will be the case because the Anfield side are unlikely to be looking for a manager in the short term.
He said: “I think he will be at Rangers for a while. He has said himself it’s not a given he’ll walk straight into the Liverpool job. There is no doubt that is the job he wants but I can’t see him getting it in the short term.
“Jurgen Klopp will take some moving and believe me Stevie would be better staying at Rangers and biding his time.
“He could take another Premier League job but as it stands I can’t see him getting a club there who are bigger than Rangers!
“Rangers are a massive club and also play football regularly in Europe. Why not stay there for a few years, bring success and make them the top club in Scotland again and also continue to have success in Europe? If he does that it would be a phenomenal achievement.”
Hutchison – now working as a pundit in the EPL – knows Gerrard’s move north to take on Brendan Rodgers has given Scottish football a real X factor.
He said: “They are both doing well at two massive clubs and it is making a lot of people sit up and take notice of Scottish football again.”
Hutchison will pull on the Dark Blue again from this evening as he represents Scotland at the Star Sixes.
He thinks there could be a happy homecoming and said: “I am sure there will be a real edge here with it being in Glasgow. We are backing ourselves.
“We have had a group chat and we fancy ourselves, although the Rest of the World look quite good.”
Star Sixes reunites the world’s greatest players in national team colours to renew old rivalries in six-a-side action. SSE Hydro, Glasgow, today to Sunday. Tickets from £20/£10 at www.thessehydro.com
Many would shrink in that environment but Stevie seems to be relishing it DON HUTCHISON ON GERRARD AT RANGERS