Gerrard: I won’t stand for racism
STEVEN GERRARD admits he would consider taking Rangers off the pitch if necessary to protect his players from racist abuse. There were chaotic scenes on Tuesday night when Paris SaintGermain and Istanbul Basaksehir’s Champions League clash was suspended after Romanian fourth official Sebastian Coltescu was accused of making a racist
FOR a Rangers second string in Poznan this evening, the challenge is to finish Group D in pole position. With a place in the Europa League knockout stage already assured, Steven Gerrard knows that should his Ibrox side win against Lech, or match Benfica’s result against Standard Liege in Belgium, they are guaranteed to finish top of the table.
But tonight’s game is also the first of eight i n an exacting 23-day period with the runaway Premiership leaders also due to face Dundee United, St Mirren in t he Betfred Cup, t hen Motherwell, St Johnstone, Hibs and St Mirren again before Celtic visit Ibrox on January 2.
While guarded over the exact nature of his team selection — apart from confirming a start for South African midfielder Bongani Zungu — players will be saved f or the domestic challenges ahead, with ever-presents Connor Goldson and captain James Tavernier leading candidates for a rare rest.
Yet whatever changes he makes, the Ibrox boss remains confident that the depth of talent at his disposal will allow him to put out a team capable of beating Poznan.
And when he hands players the chance they have been waiting for amid his team’s impressive unbeaten r un, t he f ormer Liverpool and England captain wants them to take it.
‘Will I be looking to protect my squad? I think you will see that in my team selection on Thursday night,’ said Gerrard.
‘I don’t want to give anything away in terms of the team but I think it will be clear that we will make decisions for the future.
‘I am not going to change the whole team but there will be changes from the weekend.
‘People are desperate to play. Everyone is pushing for a place and the atmosphere in the squad is fantastic.
‘I’m giving an opportunity to certain individuals who have been working hard but who have had to be patient. That will allow me to protect the few who have overplayed in recent games.
‘I’ve already given one of my team selections away by Bongani sitting next to me and it’s a fantastic opportunity for him.
‘But I will pick a team that I believe is very strong. We are here to represent Rangers and that comes with the expectation that we continue to win and finish the group in first position.
‘We know it will be tough but we are coming here with a confident team and we are looking forward to the game.
‘There is nobody here coming with the attitude or mentality that we have already qualified and this is just another game.
‘Our experiences in Europe in the last couple of years has seen the squad progress an awful lot. There is a lot more confidence and belief amongst the group.
‘And I’m sure the players will want to protect the unbeaten run that we are on at the moment.’
Winning the group brings with i t a £ 900,000 bonus plus the guarantee of being seeded in the last-32 draw.
But Gerrard’s focus on topping the section stems from the boost it would give the club on the park as they chase a first domestic piece of silverware since 2011.
‘The financial side is for other people to deal with,’ he said. ‘ We are here to focus on football.
‘We want to top the group. That is our priority. If we manage to achieve that and the club are in a better financial position then great.
‘If we were to win the group it would be a big achievement for everyone and it would keep the confidence and the belief rolling. When you get to the last 32, they are all high-level teams and you need a bit of luck in the draw. ‘But we need to forget the draw for now, until Monday, and just focus on the next 90 minutes — and trying to win the group.’ While Celtic are the subject of furious fan protests against the board and Neil Lennon, Rangers, by contrast, are enjoying a season of serenity so far. However, despite it all going to plan for his side, Gerrard i nsists t here i s no chance of him letting standards slip. ‘Just because things are going well, that does not mean that I have to change anything,’ he said. ‘I go about my j ob quite consistently in terms of what I give and what I do and the time I put in.
‘I will continue to keep doing what I have done since the very first day of pre- season, which is to try and push the boys in any way I can to make sure they are performing to their best in every game.
‘So, in terms of the way I work, nothing has changed.’
To date, Zungu’s only start for Rangers since signing on loan f rom French side Amiens in October has been a 4-0 Betfred Cup victory at Falkirk.
The midfielder is keen to take his big chance to shine tonight.
‘This is a good opportunity for me,’ said Zungu (left). ‘I feel good. Slowly but surely I’m getting to understand the tactics and what the manager demands of me.
‘This game is very important. We want to continue to win matches and we are not going to take it lightly.
‘It’s going to be tough but I’m looking forward to it.’