Morelos ‘a challenge’ to manage for boss
STEVEN GERRARD admits his managerial skills are ‘tested’ more by Alfredo Morelos than any other Rangers player.
The Colombian striker has faced issues on and off the pitch in recent times and has yet to hit peak form since returning from a three-game suspension for an Old Firm red card.
Morelos last month found someone allegedly lurking beside his Lamborghini outside his home.
A man was arrested for breach of the peace, but it was reported he had handed himself into police and alleged being hired by the player’s wife, Yesenia. She denied the claims in social media posts.
Morelos (pictured) has also been the target of two instances of alleged racial abuse, with Kilmarnock having launched an investigation into reports of an incident on Wednesday night.
Asked about what the 23-year-old had faced, Gerrard said: ‘What I will say is he is the type of person who can cope better than most in that situation.
‘But Alfredo is someone who is a challenge for me. He is a big challenge for me.
‘He is the player in the group that tests me the most. So let’s hope that he can get back doing what he does best, consistently, which is scoring goals for this club because that’s what he gets highly paid to do, so his focus and everything needs to be on that.
‘We will give him all the support that he needs off the pitch as well, to try to make sure that he’s free to go and do his stuff on the pitch.’ Asked in what way Morelos tested him, Gerrard added: ‘Alfredo is the maverick in the group.
‘He is the one you guys ask the most questions about. ‘He is the fans’ favourite, if you like. ‘But a lot goes on in his world, on and off the pitch. As a manager, he is the one who I find I have to put a lot of my focus and attention to.’
Morelos scored against Hamilton last weekend and had a goal controversially chalked off in the costly midweek defeat to Kilmarnock.
That result means Rangers enter today’s home meeting with Livingston sitting ten points behind Celtic, albeit with a game in hand.