Stevie G hasn’t given the Celts a second thought
It’s the only game that counts for many Old Firm fans. But Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is adamant that he hasn’t even thought about beating Celtic. We’re only seven days away from this season’s first clash of the great Glasgow rivals. Gerrard will go head-to-head with former boss Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park, and it’s been many years since so many of the Light Blues’ fans have been so confident of victory. They’ve watched their favourites grow in strength under the former England midfielder, while despondency increases by the day in the green-and-white ranks. A win would be a real feather in Gerrard’s cap. However, he maintains the result will have no bearing on the outcome of the championship race. He said: “I haven’t thought about the Old Firm game. “I can honestly say to you I am not obsessed about Celtic. “I don’t know how many times I need to say it. “I am obsessed with being successful as the Rangers manager. “I could lose every Old Firm game I go into, and still win the league. “Why should I be obsessed with Celtic? “Being candid and honest about it, it’s THE game up here in this league. “All the media and all the public magnify it, whether you win or lose. “If you win, you are the best in the world. If you lose, you are the worst in the world. “I understand that. I get it. I signed up for it – I am in. “But I am not going to buy into this obsession. I am going to focus on my team and being successful as the Rangers manager.” It seems highly unlikely that Gerrard hasn’t allowed himself a few thoughts on how to play Celtic, but he does have plenty to ponder before then. There’s Premiership action at Motherwell today, followed by the second leg of the Europa League qualifier against Ufa in Russia. As Gerrard concedes, it’s a massive week in Rangers’ season – and we’re still in August. He went on: “It’s a lot to ask the players, but we have to ask. “We need to get maximum points from Motherwell now and it will be a different challenge. “However, we have recovered well from European games so far.” Graeme Souness began his time as Rangers boss dismissing the importance of results in Old Firm games. He quickly changed his mind, but Gerrard doesn’t see that happening with him. He said: “I want to win every single game I go into. You can see that’s the plan. “We will try to do that and see where it takes us. “We’d like to go to Celtic Park with three points against Motherwell, and having qualified for the Europa League. “If that happens, we couldn’t be in any better shape. “But right now, we don’t focus on Ufa and we don’t focus on Celtic. “It would be very silly and naive of us to think we can just turn up at Motherwell and get three points. That’s not the case. “Maybe some will need a rest, but others will have to do the full three games, and give me everything they’ve got. “The players are coping with the demands but some are playing more than I’d like at the moment. “We have two central defenders who are capable at this level right now. “We are pushing them to the max, but I am trying to give them some help. “Lee Wallace is not ready for big minutes but you will see him introduced in the coming weeks. “There is a big week of games and then the break. So the plan is to push him as hard as we can and get him match fit.” Asked if he will look to sign a replacement for the injured Jamie Murphy, Gerrard indicated that European success could boost his budget. He said: “It will depend on whether we get through or not. “We might have to line something up.”