Young guns are fired a warning from Gerrard
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Steven Gerrard has warned that he won’t tolerate young players who aren’t committed to Rangers.
The Ibrox boss lavished praise on 21-year-old Jamie Barjonas after he scored the second goal in his side’s 2-0 win over Nice.
But Gerrard sent a clear message to teenage winger Kai Kennedy, who stalled on signing a new contract.
He is concerned that egos are getting out of control at the club’s youth academy and that is blocking a pathway to first-team involvement.
He said: “I want to bring in academy players, but first and foremost they have to commit to the football club.
“If you don’t commit to the football club, you won’t be anywhere near me. “They have to good enough and they have to train every day like it means the world to them to play for Rangers.
“I’ve been hearing a few things down at the academy that there’s been a bit of ego about.
“They won’t be around me.
“I’ll only play the players that show on a daily basis they’re good enough to be around us.
“Nathan Patterson, Jamie Barjonas and Lewis Mayo have shown that since the first day. They deserve the opportunities they’ve had.
“I’m really pleased for Jamie. I think this is the first time in a first team game where he’s really shown personality.
“We know he’s got that. We think he’s better than what he’s been showing.
“He’ll stay around us for a bit longer and we’ll try to give him a few more opportunities.”
Gerrard was a satisfied man after watching Rangers record the second 2-0 victory of their French trip to claim the Veolia Trophy.
A handful of fans managed to get in to witness Gerrard lifting silverware for the first time as a manager.
He said: “It has been a successful trip, not necessarily because we’ve won the competition. That wasn’t the important thing. We came for fitness reasons and to get ourselves in better condition. “Out of possession, I want my team to be difficult to play against.
“I want us to be nasty in a nice way. “We’ve been outstanding out of possession. Everyone has rolled their sleeves up.”