ALFREDO IS GOING NOWHERE
My Hampden matchwinner won’t be sold, says Gerrard
STEVEN GERRARD insists Rangers goal machine Alfredo Morelos is going nowhere in the January transfer window.
The Colombian international’s double in the 3-0 demolition of Hearts lined up a Betfred Cup final between Rangers and Celtic on December 8 — the first Old Firm cup final clash since March 2011.
Now on 20 goals for the season, £20million-rated Morelos last week refused to rule out a move to a ‘much better and more competitive league’ in an interview with
HAVING banged in 20 goals before we’ve even reached Bonfire Night, there’s no doubt Alfredo Morelos has been in sparkling form so far this season.
There’s also no question that he’s showing more maturity and an ability to control the fireworks which so often tarnished his disciplinary record in the past.
Yet, although you can’t fault his on-field contribution, the way he’s carrying himself off the pitch leaves a lot to be desired.
Not for the first time in his Ibrox career, Morelos decided to start running his mouth off to the Colombian media last week.
His comments about wanting to play in a ‘much better and more competitive league’, hinting specifically towards a January exit, are a slap in the face to Rangers fans.
These are supporters who backed Morelos time and time again last season when it seemed like he had burned all his bridges at the club with the amount of red cards he was getting.
The fans could easily have turned on him — and Steven Gerrard would have been well within his rights to wash his hands of him, especially after that red card at Parkhead in March.
And this is how Morelos repays them? Sorry, but the goals are only part of the equation. In the bigger picture, he’s showing the club a total lack of respect.
There’s nothing wrong with a player having ambitions to go on and play at a higher level. That’s part and parcel of the game.
But there’s a certain way to go about it and a certain way to carry yourself, as Kieran Tierney proved at Celtic prior to his move to Arsenal.
Not once did he ever agitate for a move away from Parkhead. He gave 100 per cent, stayed focused throughout the speculation and gave his heart and soul for the badge on the jersey.
The polar opposite is true with Morelos. He’s touting himself for a move away — and it’s not the first time he’s been pushing this narrative. Beyond the mythical multi-million pound bids from China, there was chat from his camp last season about how top European clubs were apparently chasing him.
Say this much for his agent — if the football gig doesn’t quite work out, he’d make a hell of a fantasy fiction writer.
Gerrard must have been fuming when he got wind of those comments last week. Towards the end of the summer transfer window, he was fed up answering questions about the striker.
Hardly a press conference went past when he wasn’t getting snappy with journalists. The last thing he needs is for Morelos to start mouthing off and creating a story.
Back in July, Gerrard said: ‘Instead of me answering this question every single press conference, I’m going to do everything I can to put Alfredo in front of you guys.’
Now four months down the line, what have we heard from the player himself? The square root of you know what.
The argument about him not speaking great English is a non-starter. That’s what translators are for. Plenty of players and managers have used one in the past.
The reason Morelos hasn’t spoken is because he isn’t interested. He has a selfish attitude and clearly sees Rangers as nothing more than a stepping stone.
Basically, he doesn’t give a toss about anything which doesn’t suit his own agenda.
Disagree? Well, ask yourself this: Why is he touting his own ticket elsewhere when he has a chance to become a Rangers legend?
That’s what would await him this season if he scores the goals which fire Rangers to the title and stops Celtic’s march to ten-in-a-row.
That should be his sole focus right now, but he has this grand image of himself and he seems to think he’s better than he actually is.
Given that Rangers only paid £1million for him, there’s no doubt they’ll turn a tidy profit on him when the time comes.
It was no surprise to hear Gerrard saying yesterday that the club simply won’t entertain the idea of their star striker leaving in January.
But, ultimately, it’s a decision which may be taken out of the manager’s hands, thanks to an £11m hole in the club’s accounts published last week.
Rangers have spent lavishly beyond their means to rebuild the squad, the sole intention being stopping the doomsday scenario of Celtic reaching the mythical figure of ten straight league titles.
Bluntly, their top asset trying to engineer a move midway through the season was not part of the equation.