Caution over Katic is an early warning signal in Ibrox overhaul

THERE was a fair amount for Rangers manager Steven Gerrard to be pleased about against Bury on Friday night.

Six goals, for starters, a smooth introduction for the likes of Scott Arfield and a splendid late cameo from Scotland Under-21 cap Glenn Middleton.

Yet, there were notable question marks, too.

It is no surprise Gerrard is looking for another centre-back, with Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso likely to leave, but his remarks over Nikola Katic raised an eyebrow.

‘I think it is important that we stress Katic is still a youngster and a baby in terms of experience and as a central defender,’ he said. ‘I have to manage him very carefully and watch what I do with him.’

Katic, now 21, has had a couple of seasons in the Croatian top flight and won an international cap last year. More to the point, he cost a reported £1.5million.

Given the amount of money wasted last season, in particular, that is an alarming amount of cash for someone who does not seem to be regarded as ready for the weekly grind.

Rangers are now linked with Millwall’s Jake Cooper. It just makes the level of expenditure on Katic seem strange, particularly when they had a 21-year-old Scot in David Bates who walked out for nothing to SV Hamburg.

The Ibrox club have a habit of signing woeful central defenders and it will be interesting to watch just how Katic’s career pans out from here.

Likewise, it will be worth keeping an eye on the Ibrox pitch.

Gerrard mentioned that he told the players prematch about how ‘fantastic’ it was. Well, it wasn’t. It cut up really badly in certain areas, with Katic’s goal looking like it hit a molehill in the penalty area before bouncing in.

Gerrard can buy another defender if Katic isn’t quite what he expected. He’s stuck with the pitch he’s got, though. And if he really is insistent on delivering entertaining football, considerable improvement on that front will be needed.