Stevie-g is the main reason Olly came north
Hearts’ midfielder Olly Lee is happy to credit Steven Gerrard as being a big factor in his decision to come north.
However, as he looked forward to today’s clash with his idol’s rejuvenated Rangers at Ibrox, he admitted to being relieved he isn’t having to actually face him on the football pitch.
“His presence here was obviously a massive attraction for me,” said the 27-year-old.
“Matches like this one, all the attention we will get in it, you wouldn’t get that at Luton. And, of course, I was a big fan of Steven Gerrard as a kid. He was someone I looked up to.
“Listen, any English midfielder loves him. He was a brilliant player and I’m looking forward to trying to turn over his side.
“I’m just glad he’s not still playing because he would’ve been quite a challenge to play against.
“I remember him scoring unbelievable goals. I was watching Premier League Years the other day and it was just him scoring volleys from 35 yards.
“He wasn’t bad, was he?
“So yeah, those are the reasons I wanted to come here to pit my wits against people like him and the top teams.
“By doing that I will challenge myself and that’s the only way, I think, you can get better.”
Scotland’s top flight has its detractors south of the border, with plenty of pundits inside and outside of the game going on record to state the standard of football is inferior to that of the English Championship.
With a dozen games up here now behind him, Lee feels comfortable taking issue with their judgment. “For me, I’m baffled by that,” he said. “If players were to come up and see what Scottish football is all about and witness the magnitude of some of the games, I think they’d realise what they are missing out on.
“Without being disrespectful to any other teams, they had games that didn’t excite me as much as coming up here and playing Rangers and Celtic – the big teams with a lot of history. It’s good fun trying to beat them. That’s what we are here for.
“Playing the same sort of teams over and over again Saturday-tuesday is a lot. It’s something I needed to change. I wanted that – and I’m delighted to be here.”