GAFFER’S PICTURE PERFECT
Gaz: Gers backline is not fine
through the door at Burnley, he knew what I could bring to the team. He got me to a place where I could just go and do all of my thinking on the pitch and let the football speak for itself.
“Thankfully, and luckily, I was joining a team that suited my abilities. It was more of a combative team, more togetherness between the boys and everyone was on the same page.
“By that I mean from the fans to the staff to the players. It was an environment that fully suited me so I’d say Sean Dyche changed my life for the better. But this was more attractive for me. Growing up around these parts, you know how big a club this is. I wanted to come back up and I am at a club where I feel things can only go one way.” While there was joy at the signing, there is also emotion. Rangers’ new boy is hoping SPFL chiefs rubber-stamp a request to wear the No.37 shirt at Ibrox, just as he did for four years at Burnley in memory of lost friend Craig Gowans. Arfield was a teammate of the former Falkirk youth player when he was killed at their training ground in 2005, aged just 17. He said: “I
“You feel as if your mate is looking down and you are carrying on things not just for you but also Craig’s legacy as well as his family.
“It was his squad number when we broke into the Falkirk first team. I was 31 and he was 37.
“I couldn’t do it at Huddersfield but when I went to Burnley, I thought, ‘This is the time.’
“We got to a level in the Premier League that’s shown across the globe, so that number got a prominent position.
“Everyone knows why I wore it. Squad numbers mean a lot to some players and don’t to others. Certainly, that one means a lot to me.” BY ALAN MARSHALL NEW Rangers assistant Gary McAllister has hinted Steven Gerrard will aim to sort out the Ibrox defence first as they prepare to start their revolution.
The Light Blues ended the season in third place for the second season in a row as they finished behind Aberdeen and Celtic.
Liverpool legends Gerrard and McAllister will take over at Rangers on June 1 and it’s certain to be a fascinating adventure.
The pair have spent the past few days in Dubai as ambassadors of Liverpool and the pair appeared at the LFC World event in the United Arab Emirates.
They warmed up for the challenges of Ibrox by taking to a 4x4 for a spot of dune bashing in the Gulf desert before they appeared at the event.
But McAllister has revealed it’s the Rangers defence who will need to be bashed into shape ahead of next season.
The pair watched the thrilling 5-5 draw with Hibs on Sunday and were spotted in animated conversation during the encounter.
And the 53-year-old admitted the Easter Road showdown gave him and his new boss plenty of food for thought.
McAllister said: “When you watch the game and see a scoreline of 5-5, that suggests what’s wrong.
“But there’s a lot of positives there too. Going forward and scoring five goals away from home is good at least.
“It’s going to be a tough task. When I first sat down with Steven I saw the glint in his eye about the job of managing Rangers. I’m exactly the same.
“We are going to go up to Glasgow and give it our best shot.”