CONNOR’S WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD

GERRARD CALLS ON GOLDSON AND IBROX CLUB TO STRIKE A NEW DEAL

LAST season’s Premiership title race was over by early March. In stark contrast, the contest to find which Rangers player had been most crucial to the Ibrox club’s first championship in a decade was fiercely competitive.

PFA Scotland opted for captain and free-scoring right-back James Tavernier, while the Scottish Football Writers chose veteran Northern Ireland international midfielder Steven Davis.

The club’s own Player of the Year — as voted for by the fans — was goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who also lifted the SPFL award.

But Rangers manager Steven Gerrard yesterday revealed that his very own Player of the Year was his ever-present centre-half Connor Goldson.

If a strong argument could be made for all four candidates, what is beyond debate is Gerrard’s fierce desire to keep the influential Goldson at the club. Whether that happens, however, remains uncertain.

The 28-year-old is out of contract in the summer and free to talk to interested suitors in 70 days’ time.

Prior to Thursday’s 2-0 Europa

League home win over Brondby, the former Brighton player claimed he wanted to stay at the club to win more titles, adding that any deal must be right for his family.

Reminding Goldson where he can find Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson if he is keen to remain, the Ibrox boss urged both parties to work together to find a financial solution — and keep a team member he clearly views as priceless.

Gerrard’s comments could certainly be viewed as the Liverpool and England legend’s latest attempt to ensure his board backs his own lofty ambitions for the Scottish champions.

‘Connor Goldson was my Player of the Year last year and, for me, he’s got more consistent as his time’s gone on at Rangers,’ said Gerrard.

‘I thought he was magnificent again against Brondby on Thursday night.

‘He’s a really valuable player for me and the club. So hopefully we can find a solution in terms of getting him tied up.

‘I can’t really go any further in terms of letting you know how much I want it to happen and how much I want him to stay.

‘But, at the end of the day, I’m not Connor, so I don’t know what he wants. I’m not the club and I don’t do the bank balances and the numbers. ‘I can only tell both parties how much I want this to happen and then it’s down to other people to try and find a solution. ‘It’s probably both parties (holding it up). ‘You know yourself when you’re trying to negotiate. ‘When your missus wants a few quid and you only want to give her a certain amount, there’s a negotiation that happens. That’s how it works. ‘Connor’s a big boy. He’s a man. Ross Wilson’s office is next to mine. ‘Connor knows what I think of him from a personal point of view and how much I want him to stay here. ‘I’m not concerned, I’m not confident. I’m not really overthinking it.’ Yesterday, Gerrard was still delighted by his team’s most complete performance of the season in Thursday night’s win over Danish opposition. The Rangers manager’s challenge now to his players is to keep their levels high when they face St Mirren in Paisley tomorrow.

‘I like being in a position where you have five or six players in any given match really pushing to be the top man,’ said Gerrard.

‘I think that helps in terms of your overall performance.

‘I agree that it was our strongest performance when you look at it over the 90 minutes. I still think our first 45 against Hearts was slightly more electric.

‘But if we can find a level of consistency and build on Thursday night then we will certainly be a lot closer to how I want it to look. If we do that then results will certainly follow.’

Rangers have not lost away to St Mirren in the league since Christmas Eve 2011.

But the Ibrox side were stunned to be knocked out of the League Cup by the Buddies in a 3-2 defeat last December.

Gerrard is a fan of the work done by Saints manager Jim Goodwin, who took over in times of turmoil after the short-lived reign of Alan Stubbs in 2019.

The team subsequently built by the Irishman has just won three consecutive top-flight matches for the first time since 2008.

‘Everyone knows that, when you go to a new club, you normally take over a team that hasn’t been getting the results it should,’ said Gerrard.

‘It’s impossible for an immediate quick fix and for everything to be perfect.

‘So things do take time to build, especially when there are a lot of issues to address.

‘So sitting in my seat and standing in my shoes you are always going to be part of the managers’ union and say managers do need time.

‘You need a certain amount of transfer windows to get the players in that you want. The players that will make your team and your squad stronger.

‘I think Jim has done a really good job. He has got St Mirren difficult to beat and really well organised.

‘He’s got some really talented players within that, so credit to him.

‘But, for me, we have got to go to St Mirren and be aggressive and try and build on our performance against Brondby on Thursday night.

‘We need to go and try and take maximum points and that’s what we will try to do.’