THRIVE ON THE FLAK
Gerrard: Celts can be beaten if youy brave the cauldron
Steven Gerrard will thrive on any flak he gets at Celtic Park today – and reckons his Rangers players can win if they do the same.
The Ibrox gaffer and his team will face a hostile atmosphere for the New Year Old Firm derby.
But he insists Celtic can be beaten if his players are brave enough.
Liverpool legend Gerrard loved beating Everton at Goodison Park more than at Anfield and wants
Karl Robinson is a Liverpool fan through and through.
So as long as the Reds beat Wolves today at Anf ield, it won’t really matter to him who is victorious in the Old Firm derby.
But that won’t stop him taking a keen interest in proceedings at Parkhead.
When it comes to supporting either Celtic or Rangers, he’s torn.
Hoops gaffer Neil Lennon remains a close pal while Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard grew up just seven miles from him on Merseyside.
But given the number of Gers players Robinson has worked with over the years, the current Oxford United boss might be forgiven for leaning towards an away win this afternoon.
Incredibly, from his days as a youth coach at Liverpool’s academy to managerial jobs at MK Dons and Charlton, he has coached FIVE of Gerrard’s squad.
At Anfield he had Ryan Kent and Jon Flanagan as kids, before working with skipper James Tavernier and Sheyi Ojo in Milton Keynes.
Then in 2018, he plucked Joe Aribo from non-league football and gave him his pro debut for the Addicks.
It’s no wonder that Robinson would like to see Gerrard and Rangers get a bit of success.
As a £7million summer signing, Kent was recruited for big games like today’s. Earlier this season, after scoring a screamer with his l e f t - f oot a ga ins t
Hami l ton, the winger revealed
Robinson used to make him play in games using only his weaker side.
His former coach is adamant t hat he only played a t iny pa r t in h i s development.
But af ter seeing Kent’s confidence as a player shine through at just seven years old, Robinson isn’t surprised he’s now a key man at Ibrox.
He said: “All I did when Ryan was a kid was build a very small stage for him – and he performed on it.
“But he would practise with his weaker foot from the age of about nine at Liverpool.
“Steven now believes in him and is getting the best out of him. That’s just what he does as a person.
“I can’t take credit for what Ryan’s doing now. He was a great kid and the people at Liverpool worked so hard with him. “We signed him at six or seven in the academy and I had him for four years. We could sense he had something even then. But he was in a good age group. “We ha d St e ve Heighway, the best academy coach of all time. And Ryan was in with the likes of Ben Woodburn, Cameron Branna gan, Trent Alexander- Arnold, Harry Wilson and others . Ryan ju st wanted to work so hard. He wanted to be two-footed. “He was so small as a kid. I remember he walked into the indoor pitch at Liverpool’s academy for the first time at seven years old.
“He was wearing an Oldham kit, with ‘ 7 Raz’ on the back.
“I thought: ‘ Who’s this kid?’
“His mum and dad are brilliant as well. They were driving him to Liverpool two or three days a week when he was just six or seven years old.
“All the big clubs, Manchester United included, wanted him – but he believed in Heighway.
“Steve wanted right- footed wingers on the left and left-footed wingers on the right – a bit like he was as a player for Liverpool. Ryan knew that and bought into it.”
Kent and Ojo eventually played together in Liverpool’s youth team and have been reunited in Glasgow while Flanagan was one of Gerrard’s first signings from his old club.
Robinson said: “Flanno is a great boy and top player.
“He can play on either side and never lets you down. He’s another who’s done well for Stevie.” Meanwhile, Ojo began his career at MK Dons under Robinson, who also took Tavernier on loan from Newcastle.
He said: “I sold Sheyi to Liverpool. I had him training with my first team at 14 years old and sold him for £1.5m.
“He had so much power and he was very direct. He had great ability and could go past players at will.
“I had Tav on loan and he’s been phenomenal for Rangers – so powerful and quick. “He was another who was a top kid. That’s what I’m learning as I go on, after working with young players right up to first-team level.
“The best people, who want to work hard, are the ones who make the grade. They have a self-belief, bordering on arrogance.
“But it’s just confidence that you’re going to make it.”
Aribo fell into that category too after Robinson signed him for Charlton from Staines Town in 2015.
His move to Glasgow last summer was questioned by his ex-gaffer Lee Bowyer. But Robinson says only the likes of Liverpool and Manchester
United can compete with the Glasgow clubs in terms of stature.
And he insists the competition in Scotland’s top flight – as well as the Old Firm’s success in the Europa League – is making people in England sit up and take note again.
He said: “I gave Joe his debut at Charlton after he’d been playing Under-23s football and it’s great to see him doing well.
“He was criticised for not going to a club in England.
“Me and Bow are good mates and he wanted Joe to stay.
“But listen, Joe’s playing for Rangers and there’s not many bigger football fraternities anywhere in the world. This is what some people forget.
“Celtic are the same, Liverpool and Man United are like that as well.
“Certain clubs at the top in England now aren’t in that same bracket in terms of their global appeal.
“For the neutral down south, it’s brilliant to see Scottish football back where it should be with the Old Firm clubs doing well in Europe.
“It’s no coincidence that with real competition at the top of the Premiership, Rangers and Celt ic are progressing in
Europe. That ’s there for all to see now for all of us down south.
“Rangers and Celtic fans don’t care because you’re either green or blue.
“But it’s bril liant for Scottish football to see them competing again. People talk about the Old Firm a lot down here now.”
Certain clubs at top in England are not in the same bracket as the Old Firm