Messi: Thank Shoe very much to my Barca mates
MICHAEL GANNON
m.gannon@dailyrecord.co.uk because they can be so important for the club. They have the knowledge of what it is like at this club and can pass that on. They also have big experience from the English Premier League.
“Players like that are vital. They act as teachers for the younger ones and can push the rest of the squad.
“They know what it takes to win and also how to manage the difficult situations because those will come in any season at any club.
“To have experience like Allan and Steven inside the dressing room will keep everyone together and going in the right direction even when the result doesn’t come.”
Cuellar feels the influence that the likes of McGregor and Davis can have, along with Jermain Defoe, should not be underestimated as he had a similar kind of backing when he was in Glasgow.
He said: “Davie Weir did that role in my time at Rangers. He was a very important figure in the dressing room.
“For me, Nacho Novo was obviously a huge help in terms of adapting to the culture, the language and showing me how big a club this is. But Davie was someone who understood everything at Rangers. “He would tell me about the pressure and the obligation to win every game – that every single match mattered.
“He was very important on and off the field.” Cuellar was clued up by Weir but insists Gerrard’s side should not be overawed at the prospect of sitting top of the pile.
Rangers have had a fortnight to reflect on hitting the summit and Cuellar – who eventually went to Aston Villa for nearly £8million – reckons they should relish the challenge of being top dogs.
He said: “It’s good. It is the best pressure you can feel. If you are at Rangers then psychologically you have to be ready to feel that pressure.
“When you sign for the club you know that you have to fight to try to win every trophy and to be at the top all the time. From what I can see, it looks like the current squad at Rangers are managing that well.
“It is the same pressure as when I was playing but it is just part of being at a big club. You have an obligation to win. But, as I said, it is a good pressure.”
Cuellar can’t wait to see how the title race unfolds and admits he’s also taking inspiration from Rangers boss Gerrard.
The Spaniard hung up his boots at the end of last season following three seasons in Israel on the back of moves to Sunderland and Norwich City.
He is now eyeing up his next move and would love to follow Gerrard’s path into management.
Cuellar – who was back at Ibrox for the legends clash with Liverpool last weekend – said: “I just retired this summer after playing in Israel for the last few years.
“I have started my coaching courses. I would like to stay in football and be a manager some day.
“It’s quite inspiring to see what Steven has done, while a lot of the players I played with in Spain have also become managers or coaches.
“The problem for me is that I kept playing until I was quite old and now I have to start from the beginning. But I hope in a few years I’ll get there.”
Cueller sees a future in the dugout but was thrilled to get back out on old turf on Saturday.
He said: “It was quite emotional to be back on the Ibrox pitch to be honest. But it was also a lot of fun.
“It was brilliant to play with a lot of my old team-mates and it felt like coming home.” LIONEL MESSI has credited his Barcelona team-mates with helping him scoop a record sixth Golden Shoe.
The superstar landed the prize for topping the European charts with 36 goals in 34 La Liga games last season at a ceremony in Catalonia yesterday.
Messi finished three ahead of PSG wonderkid Kylian Mbappe to claim the award for a third time in a row – and has now won it twice more than old rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
But despite his incredible scoring stats he insisted he couldn’t have done it without the Barca men around him.
Messi said: “Without my team-mates I wouldn’t have scored any goals.
“This is for everyone, it’s a recognition for the whole team.”
Messi notched 51 goals in all competitions for the Catalan giants last term as he passed the half-century mark for the sixth time in his career.
Along with 36 in the league, the Argentina striker scored 12 in the Champions League and three in the Copa del Rey.
Barca will be hoping Messi is in blistering form ahead of facing Eibar on Saturday before a midweek Champions League trip to Slavia Prague.
They currently sit two points behind leaders Real Madrid in La Liga on the back of a 4-0 victory over Sevilla before the international break.
Messi said: “The Champions League is special and every year we want to win it but the league is most important. The cup too, Barca always compete for everything.”
Meanwhile, La Liga has asked Barca and Real to switch the El Clasico on October 26 from the Nou Camp to the Bernabeu.
It comes amid security concerns over protests in Catalonia, according to reports in Spain.
CARLOS CUELLAR ON HIS RETURN IN LEGENDS GAME