McAuley insists his hard work is ready to pay off for Rangers
AN Ibrox debut was a long time coming for Gareth McAuley. Ten weeks after signing for Rangers, the Northern Ireland veteran finally stepped out on home turf in Sunday’s 7-1 hammering of Motherwell.
McAuley replaced Nikola Katic at half-time as Steven Gerrard’s side racked up the goals to move to within two points of Premiership leaders Celtic. He hopes it can mark the belated start of a significant contribution towards keeping Rangers involved at the very top of the table.
Injuries played a part in the 38-year-old’s extended wait for action. But he also blames himself. A free agent after leaving West Bromwich Albion, McAuley admits he regrets not finding himself a place to go through the rigours of pre-season training.
Inevitably, that meant a catch-up process when he put pen to paper at Ibrox in early September. Now, however, the vastly experienced centre-back is ready to press his case.
Reflecting on his time at Rangers so far, McAuley said: ‘I have enjoyed it and it has been hard work.
‘In hindsight, I should have gone in somewhere and done pre-season properly, but here I have done the hard work and I feel fit and ready to go.
‘Hopefully, I will go away on international duty now and get some more minutes, then come back, compete and hopefully get more minutes and push for starts.
‘I thoroughly enjoyed (Sunday) — the whole occasion, the (Remembrance) display before the game and how the game was going before getting on the pitch. It was very, very pleasing to get out there and to experience it.
‘Hopefully, I can kick on, compete and get more appearances.’
The biggest victory of the Gerrard era has bolstered confidence after a previous sequence of just one win in five outings.
Rangers will return from the international break to face a demanding period of 11 games in 35 days that could determine their ambitions at home and in Europe.
‘The focus (on Sunday) was really on the three points, doing well and the performance,’ McAuley told Rangers TV.
‘Obviously, they went to ten men and it was about us being ruthless and relentless, keeping the foot on the gas and keeping going, keeping the pressure on and getting more goals.
‘Eros (Grezda) getting two goals was super, Glenn (Middleton) getting another goal was great, too. It was a good day and a confidencebuilder. The ruthlessness of it was pleasing.’
McAuley will now join up with the Northern Ireland squad ahead of Thursday night’s friendly against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
‘That will be a big game,’ he added. ‘It is one we will be looking to win. We have had a spell recently internationally where we haven’t picked up results that maybe performances deserved.
‘We want to get back to winning, getting the feel-good factor there and carrying that on into the qualifiers for the Euros.’
McAuley will be joined in Michael O’Neill’s squad by Kyle Lafferty after the Rangers striker was recalled following his controversial withdrawal from last month’s Nations League matches.
The IFA invoked FIFA’s five-day rule to bar Lafferty from playing for his club in their subsequent match with Hamilton, but Aberdeen winger Niall McGinn insists he will be welcomed back into the fold.
‘He is a real handful for Northern Ireland and has been for a number of years now,’ said McGinn.
‘He is the second all-time leading goalscorer for Northern Ireland and it just shows you his importance.’