LOWEST EBB
Gerrard set for ‘serious’ thinking after cup exit leaves Ibrox boss in ‘pain’
STEVEN GERRARD last night said he needed time to think after being asked if his future with Rangers could form part of a thorough Tynecastle post-mortem.
The Ibrox boss admitted he was in ‘pain’ following defeat to Hearts that saw his European heroes exit the William Hill Scottish Cup and leave domestic trophy hopes in tatters. He revealed he had not spoken to his defeated players, electing instead for a discussion with his backroom staff in a separate room before addressing the media with typical candour. Gerrard (left), whose men have fallen 12 points off the title pace during a collapse in league form following the winter break, said: ‘I need to think hard about where we
are at as a group. I need to do some real, serious thinking in the next 24, 48 hours.’
When asked if that process would include his own future, Gerrard replied: ‘I just need to think. I am feeling pain right now because I want to win here, I am desperate to win here.
‘I didn’t get the impression that the feeling amongst my players was the same.
‘I am not doubting myself. My staff and I have given these players absolutely everything for 20 months, held their hand on and off the pitch and improved everything for them. But it is tough when, after every other performance, you feel the way you feel.
‘I need to analyse myself. This is the toughest moment I have had since I have come here.’
When quizzed if it was still possible to win trophies for Rangers in the current climate, he said: ‘I think it will be extremely difficult in the short term because of where we lie from a league point of view.
‘We all know that we have punched above our weight in Europe so far. This is what I need to analyse in the coming days.’
Oliver Bozanic scored the game’s only goal in 58 minutes, for which Rangers offered no reply and
Gerrard had no complaints about Hearts booking a semi-final slot alongside
Hibernian and Aberdeen.
Their second defeat of the year to the top flight’s bottom club came only four days after reaching the Europa League last 16 with victory over Braga.
Gerrard (pictured) added: ‘It’s the lowest I felt since I came into the job by a long way. The performance was nowhere near good enough.
‘On Wednesday, I was the proudest man in Europe because to a man my players were outstanding.
‘Everything we have worked on for nearly two years, I could see it on the sidelines and I was proud as punch. It was an incredible performance.
‘But today, for 90 minutes I didn’t recognise anything. So I’m feeling really, really low, flat and disappointed right now.
‘Hearts deserved to win. Three times we’ve been here and they have deserved the three results.
‘It seems when we’re the underdog and there’s not much pressure and not much expectation then we’re fantastic. But when there’s an expectation to go to a tricky place and win then we’re having too many problems.
‘It’s my responsibility for that performance. I feel like I’ve majorly let the fans down.’