‘Wilson must deliver players’ Smith calls on director of football to help out Gerrard

STEVEN GERRARD is capable of delivering silverware at Rangers next season – if Ibrox sporting director Ross Wilson brings in players with the character required to cope with supporters’ demands.

That was the claim from the Glasgow club’s former director of football Gordon Smith last night as Gerrard prepared to return to work in the wake of a William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat to Hearts.

The former Liverpool midfielder, whose team have fallen 12 points behind Celtic in the Ladbrokes Premiership this year, looks set to finish his second season in Govan trophyless following the Tynecastle loss.

Many supporters have called for a new manager to be appointed even though the Englishman, who has only been in charge for 21 months, has led them through to the last 16 of the Europa League this term. Smith, the former Rangers striker and Scottish FA chief executive who oversaw recruitment at Ibrox during the 2011/12 season, has been impressed with how has handled the pressure of his high-profile role.

He feels the Champions League winner needs players who can do the same and reckons Wilson must target individuals with the necessary mettle in the close season.

“I think Steven Gerrard will stay,” he said. “I think he knows he is in a top job. He should stay on.

He definitely has the ability to turn Rangers around, he just needs time. He also needs the right players.

“I think Steven Gerrard has adapted to it well. I think it is the players who haven’t been able to adjust. Doing well in Europe is all very well. But the pressure isn’t on them. They aren’t expected to do well.

“But when you are Glasgow Rangers and you are playing in the domestic game you are expected to be up there. If you are second that is failure. Your fans expect you win, your fans expect you to be challenging for trophies.

“That is the big problem they have – they aren’t challenging. I just wonder if some of the players can’t handle that level of pressure in the domestic game.”

Smith added: “What matters for him [Gerrard] is to get 11 players who can show on a week-to-week basis they can do the job.

“They don’t have to sell any players, but if they do and they can use that money to recruit successfully it will be worthwhile selling them on.

“The whole point in recruitment is to find replacements. Ross Wilson has got a good pedigree. It is down to him to do it. I am sure he is working very hard at that right now.”