I can’t ask fans to be patient ... they’ve waited too long and it’s time to deliver
SAYS STEVEN GERRARD
Steven Gerrard says he won’t ask Rangers fans to be patient in their Europa League tie – because Ibrox punters have been starved of success for too long.
The new gaffer faces his first competitive match at Ibrox against Macedonian side FK Shkupi on Thursday. At this stage last season, they were humiliated by Luxembourg outfit Progres Niederkorn and Gerrard doesn’t want a repeat. He knows the qualifying rounds will be tricky as Rangers try to reach the groups. But he’s sure that he won’t dampen supporters’ enthusiasm ahead of the tie – because they deserve to be entertained. G err ards aid: “Myself and the staff won’t be getting carried away and neither will the players. But in terms of patience, it’s difficult for me to ask that of supporters or say this or that should happen on Thursday. “These fans want better and deserve better. This is the most successful club out there so it’s difficult to ask for their patience. “Players have to be ready for the pressure and responsibility of being a Rangers player. And if they can’t handle that then they’re in the wrong place.
“We can’t worry about the second leg against Shkupi now. We worry about Thursday night and that’s it.
“We hav e to br ing a performance that is capable of coming away with a win.
“I don’t want to put a score on it or an expectation. Because there’s enough expectation on the players already.
“We won’t disrespect any opposition and we’ll go in with the right mentality. I’m confident that if we do that we’ll be OK.”
Gerrard isn’t interested in excuses if things don’t go to plan against the minnows and that’s why he’ll give his players the best possible preparation.
They hammered Bury 6- 0 in a friendly on Friday night but the first Euro tie of the season will bring a different pressure.
Gerrard has already said that his target is to reach the group phase but given the history of the competition, he knows just how difficult that will be.
He said: “I don’t know what the gulf from Bury to the Shkupi will be, it’s difficult to judge. That’s where it can become tricky.
“They are unknown to us in terms of what type of club they are. But by Thursday the players will have watched their strengths and weaknesses a lot. We’ll have scouting reports and will do every bit of due diligence we need to do on them to make sure the players have no excuses.
“It’s going to be tough to reach the groups, I’m not going to deny that. It’s a tough challenge but that’s what we’re here for. I knew that coming in. I knew all our targets, everything we’re trying to achieve and they will be difficult.
“But there is no point in me talking about that to the players because you have to deal with the first match. We’ll deal with that then move to the second leg next Tuesday.”
Gerrard’s new boys shone against Bury on their debut with Scott Arfield bagging a double and the likes of Connor Goldson, Nikola Katic and Jon Flanagan all impressing.
But Ibrox youngsters Ross McCrorie and Glenn Middleton also made an impact and their gaffer insists he will have no hesitation about throwing them into the Euro tie.
He said: “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. I told the young lads on day one or two that they were coming to Spain for pre-season with us.
“I told them to go in and mix it with the players in front of them, let them know you’re coming for their places and you want to challenge them.
“It’s not about older lads and younger lads – it’s just about us. We are all one.
“Everyone is f ighting for a shirt. And in terms of what I’ve asked these younger boys to do, like volume of training, intensity, putting their bodies through what they’re not used to – they’ve been magnificent.
“Friday was a chance for them to show me what they’ve got and they didn’t let themselves down.”