LUNDSTRAM’S KEENTOSTAR FORNEWBOSS
JOHN LUNDSTRAM was lured to Glasgow by the opportunity to work with Steven Gerrard.
But the fresh bait he’s chasing now is a place in new Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s midfield.
The Scouser admitted the opportunity to play under Liverpool icon Gerrard was too good to turn down when he quit Sheffield United for Ibrox in the summer.
But his dream link-up lasted barely four months before Gerrard was poached by Aston Villa.
The exit of the man who signed him could not have come at a worse moment.
Lundstram endured a tough start at Ibrox but was just starting to show his best form when the Midlands outfit came calling.
It would be easy to think the 27-year-old has been pushed back to square one with van Bronckhorst at the helm.
But Lundstram – who hopes to make his first start under the Dutchman in Lyon – reckons he’s well placed to reel in a regular start.
He said: “I think I have settled in quite well.
“Before the gaffer left, I was settled in. It’s a great bunch of lads here and the city is a lovely city to live in.
“The new gaffer has come in and the lads have been doing magnificently well, so I’ve been biding my time to get a chance and hopefully I can take it.”
Lundstram can’t complain too much about his lack of minutes under the new manager, with van Bronckhorst looking to make it five wins from five this evening in the Groupama Stadium.
He’s made some minor tweaks to the blueprint left behind by Gerrard and it’s working perfectly.
Gerrard had to do some adjusting himself to cajole Lundstram back to his best, dropping the former Blades battler into a midfield holding role that saw him respond with a couple of man-of-the-match displays in September.
And Lundstram hopes he can adjust to the new regime just as well.
He said: “When you play in midfield, you’ve always got a certain role to carry out. You’ve got to be able to pass the ball, you’ve got to be combative, you’ve got to want the ball and you’ve got to be energetic.
“Most managers would demand that of their midfielders anyway, so there haven’t been massive changes.
“The No.6 role is one the boss likes to play with as well, so there aren’t massive differences. But we can see the little tweaks the new manager has come in and made – and it’s working.”
This Europa League dead rubber is the first chance to impress the new gaffer.
But if it doesn’t come this evening Lundstram is certain he’ll get the call at some stage during a hectic festive schedule, which features another five games before the Old Firm clash on January 2.
He added: “As everyone knows, the squad depth is massive and there’s quality throughout. There are a couple of players for every position who could easily play in the first team.
“That only aids the club going forward.
“We’re under no illusions as to how good this Lyon team are. We saw that at Ibrox a couple of months back. We know it’s going to be a tough game.”