Gers kids put stars to shame
STEVEN GERRARD has labelled Rangers’ fringe stars “an embarrassment” after a bounce game against Liverpool Under-23s.
Senior players including Borna Barisic, Andy Halliday, Joe Worrall and Alfredo Morelos were involved in Monday’s friendly that saw Rangers on the end of a hammering at half-time.
Gerrard introduced four unnamed academy starlets – all either 17 or 18 – at the interval and described them as “fantastic” as they inspired a fight-back.
But the Ibrox boss was ominous in his assessment of the first-team stars.
He told Rangers TV: “It was a very useful game.
“I probably learned more in that 90 minutes about the players than I have done all season because it was a game of two halves. “First half was an embarrassment and the second half was fantastic. It was a useful exercise for different reasons but in terms of us as staff, we learnt so much about the players individually.”
Gerrard insists he expected nothing but commitment from the youngsters given a chance after the interval but he was especially impressed by their bravery.
He added: “I think you’d expect that with young kids, you expect them to come in and it’s a bigger opportunity for them because they’re desperate to impress.
“You always know they’re going to run around and work hard, giving you the stuff which really isn’t up for debate – hard work, desire and commitment.
“What impressed me the most was they never had any fear. It was almost like ‘yeah, the opportunity’s there and I’m going to grab it’.
“The four youngsters, all 17 and 18, took their opportunity and it was great to see. They entertained, it was great to watch them.”