Stevie needs a final touch

IN the Rangers hotseat is a man who is used to winning trophies.

Somewhere on Steven Gerrard’s mantelpiece or in his spare room will sit the winners medals from three League Cups, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup.

Pride of place will be a trinket from that famous 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, when he captained Liverpool from 3-0 down to defeat AC Milan on penalties.

But ahead of his first cup final as Rangers manager, Gerrard warned: “Experience and winning cup finals doesn’t guarantee you’re going to win the next one.

“I’ve won trophies on the spin, then lost one.

“Cup football’s about shocks and upsets and different things, referee decisions and big players stepping up at big moments.

“We’ve tried to build a squad with people in the dressing room who’ve won before and have that experience that can help the younger players.

“It was never going to work if I went young across the board, because I knew what the challenge was across the road. We’re up against a Celtic team that’s used to winning.”

There still remains a financial gulf in terms of fees and wages paid by the two Glasgow giants – not that Gerrard is one to moan about it.

He said: “I am not going to be a manager that sits here and plays the victim because their wage bill is bigger than ours and blah, blah, blah.

“I knew what I was signing up for. “We’ve proved we can compete, we’ve proved we can get pride back. The fans are smiling again. But Rangers is built on winning – and that’s what we’ve always got to strive for.”

Scottish League Cup Final Rangers v Celtictoday, 3pm